Close to Campus
Burnet Woods
Burnet Woods is the closest park to campus, sitting just to the north. In fact, UC’s campus was once part of the park. They have an excellent disc golf course, a stocked lake for fishing, and a W.P.A. slide (bring cardboard). At the southwestern tip of the park, look for the Richardson Stones monument, which was designed by a DAAP student using ruins from Cincinnati’s old Chamber of Commerce building.
Bellevue Hill and Fairview Parks
Both of these parks lie to the south of campus and offer great views of Cincinnati’s downtown basin. Bellevue Hill’s pavilion, designed by Carl Fruend in 1955, is one of the most visually interesting in the city.
Esquire Theater
This historic movie theater on Ludlow has excellent pricing and showcases many foreign and independent films. They also have a blast from the past movie every Friday night.
American Jewish Archives
One of the world’s best collections of Jewish archival material can be found just down the street from UC at the American Jewish Archives. Their collections include the papers of many prominent Cincinnatians who helped shape the city.
Skirball Museum
Located within the American Jewish Archives, the Skirball museum was the first formally established Jewish museum in the United States and highlights the Jewish experience in Cincinnati.
Further Out
Union Terminal
Union Terminal was Cincinnati’s grand art deco train station and served as the inspiration for the Justice League in DC Comics. Today the space houses several museums, including the Natural History Museum (with a room of dinosaurs and a full-size cave) and Children’s Museum. The Cincinnati History Museum has a replica of Cincinnati’s Public Landing in the 1850s and a 1/64th scale train model of the city. The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center is also at the terminal and has a museum as well as teaching resources. The Cincinnati History Library and Archives have many great collections for researchers of the region.
Contemporary Arts Center
This is Cincinnati’s modern art museum, with exhibits from local and global artists and a creative and interactive “un-museum” on the sixth floor.
Cincinnati Art Museum
Admission is free to the Cincinnati Art Museum, which has an excellent collection of local and American art. Be sure not to miss E.T. Hurley’s The Midnight Mass.
Eden Park
Located between Mt. Adams and East Walnut Hills, Eden Park is Cincinnati’s Olmstedian oasis. The park has excellent walking paths, a beautiful reflecting pool and a grove of trees honoring the presidents. Don’t miss the Romulus and Remus statue by Twin Lakes and the remaining wall from Cincinnati’s reservoir.
Loveland Castle
Located just outside the city proper, in Loveland, this replica castle was built by a Boy Scout leader starting in 1927. You can explore the grounds, play games, view the historic weaponry collections, and even hunt for ghosts.
Anderson Ferry
The Anderson Ferry has been taking vehicles and people across the Ohio River since 1817. The ride takes about 15 minutes, and the ferry runs all day. Tickets are $5 one way.
Day Trips from Cincinnati
If you want to come early or stay late, here are some add-on trips we would recommend.
Columbus, Indiana
About and hour and a half west of Cincinnati, Columbus has an excellent collection of public art. There are guided and self-guided tours of the city’s art and architecture, as well as an air history museum. Excellent hiking can be found nearby at Brown County State Park.
Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, KY
The Pleasant Hill Shaker Village is about two hours south of Cincinnati and is an excellent interpretive experience of Shaker life in the nineteenth century. You can stay in their inn or private cottages, dine at their farm-to-table restaurant, and hike their grounds.
Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks
Scattered across Southern Ohio, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks were recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their detailed synchronization with the movements of the moon. The closest site to Cincinnati is at Fort Ancient in Oregonia, while the majority of the mounds are in Chillicothe, about an hour and a half east of Cincinnati.
Campus Resources
Langsam Library
The main library on campus, Langsam has many quiet study rooms, computers available for use on the main floor, and a Starbucks.
Coffee Shops
There are a number of excellent coffee shops around campus. The 86 is a local non-profit which has a location in UC’s College Conservatory of Music, very close to most conference events. Rohs Street Café serves local brews just southwest of campus. The Upside and Sitwell’s Act II are both great places to work and enjoy some of their drinks and food.
DAAP Library
The archival collections at DAAP (School of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning) contain primarily visual sources, including images of planning projects from around the world. They also have images of the built environment from the Cincinnati Preservation Society.
UC’s Archives and Rare Books Library
UC’s Archives and Rare Books Library has a large Urban Studies collection which focuses primarily on Cincinnati in the twentieth century. The collections include works from prominent planners and organizations, like the Better Housing League. View the collection guide here: Home – Urban Studies Resources – Research Guides at University of Cincinnati.