If you visit Cincy make sure to take a ride up to Mt Adams. The ride can be complex but it’s well worth the effort. On the west side of Mt Adams is where you’ll find restaurants, shops, bars, wonderful homes and great views of downtown. We chose the east side, Eden Park. Home to the Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park, and the Krohn Conservatory, Eden Park is one of several hilltop parks that offers spectacular views of the city, and the mighty Ohio River. There are plenty of places to sit and relax here; what do you like, gardens, fountains, a gazebo, scenic vistas? Feeling energetic, take a walk on one of the trails. Driving through the park with it’s elevation changes is a welcome variation from the flat lands of Detroit.
Krohn Conservatory is one of my favorite conservatories, it was built in 1933 at the height of the Art Deco movement. This glass and aluminum structure harbors over 3,500 different plant species in four different houses; Palm, Tropical, Desert, and Orchid.With it’s aluminum railings and terazzo floors it has that wonderful ‘old’ feeling to it that you just don’t get from modern conservatories. I am partial to the Rainforest waterfall, it’s just gorgeous! It was Father’s Day and the place was jammed, it seemed every family had the same idea; to take pictures with dad in this exotic environment.
Located at the top of the hill is the Art museum, built in 1886 and undergoing several additions through the decades it houses an impressive collection.The interior of the building is a work of art in of itself; Sweeping staircases with wood and iron railings, columns, and even a touch of Art Deco. Take your time and wander both floors; the layout makes for easy transition from room to room, European to American and century to century. The Chihuly glass sculpture strung from the ceiling to the lobby is outstanding. They have an extensive collection of Rookwood Pottery, my two favorite pieces of the entire collection are the Rookwood Fireplace & Fountain. With the special exhibits there is always something new to see here. Admission is Free, parking $4.00
We drove around Eden Park for a bit, up and down the hills. We stopped and took a walk around Mirror Lake, so pretty, and to a couple of the scenic overlooks. Cincinnati has a series of bridges crossing the rivers and you can see most of them from this vantage point. Eden Park is a part of Cincy that is not to be missed!
Time for lunch before heading back north. Hyde Park is one area that has a lot of activity on a Sunday. We found a little cafe to have lunch on the patio, but to our dismay the rain started up again. Just as well, the food was equally as good indoors as it would have been out. When in Cincy you have got to try their signature brand of ice cream; Graeter’s. There is a location in Hyde Park Square and it conveniently sits adjacent to a park with benches and a beautiful fountain. The Buckeye Blitz is truly an Ohio thing, chocolate and peanut-butter, one of those perfect combinations of flavors. After we finished up our ice cream we took to the road once again, this time towards home.
Cincinnati is one of the great All-American cities that graces the Midwest and makes for a great get-away from The D. Like most of our rust-belt relatives, we share a history of hard times and perseverance. We love spending our tourist dollars where they are most appreciated; hard working industrial towns like our own that have far more to offer than most realize.
For More Ohio adventures click on our Ohio Page
detroitdvotion 
Leave a Reply