Discovering Cincinnati Area's Hidden Gems: Best Family-Friendly Places

Are you planning on visiting Cincinnati’s area with your kids? Here is a list of the Cincinnati area's hidden gems and family-friendly places.

a family

By

Matt Lyons

on

Jan 21, 2021

The third largest city in Ohio, Cincinnati, is a lively and modern metropolis. So, visiting this city can be a fun and exciting experience. And not just for you, but for your family as well. If you decide to come with your kids, it is only logical to look for appropriate places that your children will find amusing. You don't want them to get bored and cranky. That way, the trip to Cincinnati won't be fun for anybody - you or your kids. There are numerous family-friendly places around Cincinnati that your kids will adore. Gardens, amusement and water-parks, trips to mountains in the area - all of these Cincinnati area’s hidden gems will be an adventure for your family. You'll come back with nothing but good memories. Here are some of the places worth visiting.

A man holding a fossil
At Trammel Fossil Park, you’ll get to find fossils and even take them home.

Trammel Fossil Park

Trammel Fossil Park, a fascinating window into the ancient past, is located in the industrial area of Sharonville, just north of Cincinnati. Go back 440 million years, and spend an active day of fun and learning. Ten hectares of rocky and rough terrain allows you to find fossils of ancient organisms practically on the very surface of the rock with relatively little effort. The best thing is that the fossils you find, you get to keep. Throughout the park, you have excellent informational signs where you can learn more about the fossils you find. So, put proper fieldwork clothes on, grab your shovels and buckets, and get to work. You will give your children the fun they will remember for a lifetime and an opportunity to learn a lot.

Mt. Airy Forest and "Everybody's Tree House"

Mt. Airy Forest was established to reforest pastures and agricultural land devastated by erosion and improper practices in 1930. It was the first urban reforestation project in the US and a very successful one. Today, Mt. Airy Forest is the true Cincinnati landmark, occupying 1,500 acres, including 700 acres of hardwood forest. Then, 200 acres of evergreen forest, 269 acres of wetlands, 170 acres of meadows, and a 120-acre arboretum. It features 23 picnic areas, 14 miles of hiking trails, and 16 miles of bridle paths. When you go on this road trip, visit the famous Airy Treehouse. Winding ramps lead up to this fairy-tale tree house, making it wheelchair accessible. It is connected to 12 trees and offers an incredible view of the surrounding nature.

Dinosaur statue in a park
One of Cincinnati area's hidden gems is the Dinosaur Alive Park.

Kings Island Amusement and water park

Just a few dozen miles from Cincinnati, in Mason, is Kings Island amusement and water park. There are some of the craziest roller coasters in the world, such as Banshee, Diamondback, and the Legendary Beasts. It is one of the top three theme parks in the country and the perfect combination of world-class excitement and family fun. The Dinosaur Alive attraction is the largest animatronic dinosaur park in the world, with 60 life-size displays of these ancient animals. If you're in Mason, check out the other great things this beautiful place offers. Visit Loveland Castle and the Chateau Laroche Museum, or take a hot air balloon ride with the Gentle Breeze Hot Air Balloon Company. The professionals in Verified Movers recommend Mason as one of the best places to move in the Cincinnati area. You can always turn to them if you need any advice about moving.

Cincinnati area’s hidden gems: Highfield Discovery Garden

In the Great Parks of Hamilton County's Glenwood Gardens, Highfield Discovery Garden is one of the places you must visit if you have kids. You'll find yourself in a colorful fairy tale world that will spark your child's imagination and teach them valuable things about plants and gardening. In addition to the 25ft Discovery Tree, there are seven smaller gardens to explore within the Highfield Discovery Garden:

  • Wizard's Garden
  • The Garden of Frogs and Toads
  • Trolley Garden
  • Vegetable garden
  • Grandma's fragrant garden
  • Morph Garden
  • Butterfly Garden

Loveland Bike trail

Speaking of great neighborhoods to live in the Cincinnati area, Loveland is among the best. If you decide on a long-distance move to this place or any other in the Cincinnati area, it's best to engage with experts to avoid unnecessary stress and possible damage. Loveland is located 30 minutes northeast of downtown Cincinnati. It's a suburb that offers outstanding schools, restaurants, and quick access to the Loveland Bike Trail and the Little Miami River, another family-friendly Cincinnati area with hidden gems you must visit. The Little Miami Scenic Drive is over 78 miles long, starting in Springfield in Clark County. It ends at the Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown, Hamilton County. The trail partially follows the river from which it got its name, but after Xenia, it splits off and goes through beautiful wooded areas, including the Glen Helen nature reserve.

A telescope 
At Cincinnati Observatory, your kids will learn much about astronomy.

Cincinnati observatory

Take your children to the oldest observatory in the United States. This will be a fun and exciting e and an educational experience for them. They'll learn much about astronomy and see some stars and constellations through professional telescopes. This observatory is open for visitors occasionally, so better check their schedule before going. The students of Cincinnati University also frequently use it for academic research. When you get there, you'll have a couple of options, and we strongly recommend an Astronomy Evenings program which includes a presentation on the planets, constellations, and stars. You can also go on a History tour, which usually lasts about half an hour. You will see the two largest and main telescopes and visit the gift shop - something you don't want to miss.

Conclusion

There are a lot of fun, family-friendly places around Cincinnati that your kids will love and remember for a long time. Whether you take them to an amusement park, a fossil park, or maybe a fairy-tale tree house in nature, they'll have a wonderful time. These Cincinnati area’s hidden gems offer something special and interesting, so whichever place you go to, we guarantee you won't make a mistake.

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