Living Well 60+ November – December 2015 | Page 14

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

TRAVEL

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by Jan Ross,
Staff Writer

The Queen City,
Cincinnati, located
on the banks of the
Ohio River and encompassing the
nearby towns of Covington and
Newport in its metropolitan area,
is a great place for a family getaway,
as our family found out recently.
With a world-class aquarium, zoo,
baseball park and football stadium,
museum, fabulous restaurants and
an abundance of beautiful parks,
your family may never want to leave.
We loved Embassy Suites Cincinnati Rivercenter because of the
roomy suites, the complimentary
hot breakfast that includes a delicious omelet bar and the convenient
proximity to just about everything
we wanted to do. Park your car and
forget it. A shuttle will pick you up
right in front of the hotel and take
you anywhere in the area you want
to go for only $1 per person. It’s

also very easy to walk everywhere
you want to go; just be sure to allow
plenty of time.
The Newport Aquarium at the
Newport Levee, where you will find
lots of shops and restaurants, should
be your first stop. Every member
of the family will love the myriad
animal life on display here. Venture
out onto its new rope bridge over a
lagoon full of sharks – if you dare.
It was our grandson’s favorite thing.
When it’s time for lunch, walk a few
steps to Tom and Chee for fresh,
delicious tomato soup and every
variety of grilled cheese sandwich
you can possibly imagine.
In the afternoon, you can again
take the trolley or just walk across
the Purple People Bridge, one of
nine bridges that span the Ohio
River. This one is the most pedestrian friendly and the only one that
is a former railroad crossing. It’s just
a short walk from the aquarium
before you end up on the Cincinnati
side of the river. There you can take

a stroll and enjoy
beautiful Smale Riverfront Park. There
are gardens, walking
paths, an innovative
playground and
fountains to splash
in. We were surprised to
find a lovely merry-go-round. If
it’s baseball season, plan to take in
a game at the Great American Ball
Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds.
Cincinnati is great for walkers, so
just stroll around as we did, enjoying Fountain Square, the amazing
book sculpture fountain in front of
the public library, and Carew Tower,
where we had a great view of the
city. When it’s dinner time, head to
the Moerlin Lager House, which
offers an array of local brews, kids’
menus and a beautiful view of the
river. Everything we ordered was
hot, fresh and delicious.
On your second day in the city,
plan to visit the Cincinnati Zoo
and Botanical Garden. This 75-acre

location offers animal encounters
with over 580 animal species, a ride
on the Safari Train or a spin on the
Conservation Carousel. The zoo
allows food and beverages to be
brought in, so stop in a local market
for the makings of a picnic. Spread
your blanket so you can enjoy the
gorgeous foliage of the Botanical
Garden. For dinner, head to Frisch’s
Big Boy Restaurant, which was
founded in Cincinnati and still
offers the best pumpkin pie and hot
fudge cake anywhere.
You will enjoy your time in the
lovely Queen City and immediately
start making plans to return, just as
we did.