Image courtesy of Tour Scanner. 

Looking to take a day and explore some of Ohio? A road trip from Columbus to Cincinnati is a fantastic way to do that! It takes around an hour and a half to travel from one city to the next, and many of the highway’s exits lead to lesser-known but amazing stops where you can explore a town or a park for the first time. 

If you find yourself wanting to explore a bit more of Ohio, read on for some of our favorite road trip destinations on the way to Cincinnati!

Columbus

When you are living in a city as amazing as Columbus, it is easy to settle into a routine of places to go and things to do, be they restaurants, museums, or any other of the city’s plethora of activities. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but you may find yourself looking to try something new. A different adventure, if you will. Later in this article, we will talk about places to stop on the way to Cincinnati, and then what to do when you arrive. But first, we wanted to share some of our favorite off-the-beaten-path things to do in Columbus that you may not have tried yet.

Fox in the Snow Cafe

This cafe, located in German Village (an amazing destination in its own right) serves up amazing coffee and is a great location to settle down, relax, and enjoy your day. German Village is small, historic, and beautiful, with a variety of cafes, restaurants, and boutique stores. If you haven’t been to German Village we recommend stopping by! It is an absolute blast and a day trip all on its own. Next time you visit this historic village, grab a delicious cup of coffee at Fox in the Snow Cafe! 

Level 1 Bar and Arcade

Level 1 is an arcade for adults. There are loads and loads of arcade games and a full bar, with dozens of craft beers and their own arcad-y take on classic cocktails. A night at Level 1 is an absolute blast, delivering an experience unlike any other bar in the city. Next time you’ve got a weeknight free, consider stopping by Level 1. The best part — if you order a drink, all the games are free! 

Clay Street Ceramics

This family-owned shop lets you make and paint your own pottery! It is fun and low-stakes, letting you live out your clay-making dreams with an experienced guide. It is always a great time, even when your planned pot turns lumpier than you ever anticipated. This makes a great date spot and a place to bring your friends to enjoy an activity that brings you back to middle school art class. 

If any of these places catch your attention, great! As you plan your road trip from Columbus to Cincinnati you can always stop by and try out something new in your own city. Now, without further ado, let us get into the road trip itself!

Road Trip Stops

There are a few ways to travel from Columbus to Cincinnati. You can take a bus or a train, but that’s not in the spirit of road tripping! Plus, if you take public transportation, you are not able to check out all of the awesome sights that lie between your starting place and your destination. If you are driving, here are a few of our favorite stops on the way to Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Take a Detour into Nature 

There are a lot of nature preserves on the route from Columbus to Cincinnati. Nature preserves are a pleasant spot to stop on your trip, letting you add a hike or a scenic outlook as a destination. Hikes are a great way to see the sights and check out a part of the state that you may never have seen, and, unless you have another hike planned in Cincinnati, they add some diversity to your trip. We recommend adding these on the return journey, however, especially during the Summer!

Stokes Berry Farm

The Stokes Berry Farm is located in Wilmington, Ohio and, well, they grow berries! Strawberries and Black Raspberries, to be exact. Only a little out of the way, stopping at the Berry Farm is a great place to stock up on some spectacular, fresh berries (some of the best you’ll ever have) while enjoying an idyllic scene of nature extending in all directions. 

Colonial Park East

On the way to Cincinnati awaits Colonial Park, which is a sprawling 100+ acre park filled with trails, fields of green, and a whole lot of nature. This is a great place to stop for a hike and to take a break from your drive to stretch out your legs. Ohio is filled with absolutely spectacular parks that let you take a full turn without seeing any buildings or highways in any direction. 

Greene County Parks and Trails

There are an astonishing amount of amazing parks in Greene County, which is located just a few miles off of your drive right outside of Cincinnati. This is an excellent stop on your trip and it is an easy and free activity on your road trip. If you want, you could build a hike into the journey out and the journey back. The Greene Country parks are an amazing stop that we could not recommend more on your road trip from Columbus to Cincinnati. 

Cincinnati

Ah, you’ve made it to Cincinnati!. Ohio’s third largest city has a ton of places to visit and experience on your road trip. Home to almost 300,000 residents, this city is full of places to see and things to do. If you can, we recommend staying overnight in one of Cincinnati’s many hotels or an Airbnb in the area. This opens up so many doors like a nice dinner and breakfast the next day, as well as being able to take your time exploring the city.  

Urbana Cafe Pendleton 

Cafe Pendleton is a stunning cafe in Cincinnati that’s filled with baristas who make incredible coffee drinks. While you can get an order to-go, we recommend taking a rest and enjoying their beautifully decorated place. If you are staying overnight, going to Urbana Cafe in the morning is a great way to start your day!

Alfio’s Buon Cibo

Alfio’s is a place where you can go for an exquisite meal to round out your road trip to Cincinnati. It is on the pricier side, and if you are not looking to treat yourself to a luxurious dinner, which we would understand, there are plenty of other amazing restaurants that will leave you with a much lighter bill at the end of the night. One such restaurant, pictured above, is the Taco Laboratory. It’s all in the name, there. This taqueria will not disappoint as a dinner option in Cincinnati. 

That being said, we still recommend Alfio’s for a dining experience unlike any other. They have a full menu of unbelievable Italian dishes, some classics and some more extravagant. What sets Alfio’s apart is that everything on their menu is unbelievably delicious. They cut no corners making your time there absolutely amazing. 

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

Yes, there is a lot of nature on this prospective road trip, but nature is awesome! Living in a city, it can be hard to find the right time to go out and take an awe-filled moment to admire nature, and a road trip is a perfect time to change that! The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens are a spectacular headliner for your road trip. You will not regret spending time there on your visit to Cincinnati! 

What are Your Road Trip Plans? 

We’ve only scratched the surface of all you can do on your way from Columbus to Cincinnati, but we hope that we’ve inspired you to try out a road trip of your own! Where do you want to visit on your road trip? Let us know in the comments!