Ahhh, summer. How we love you. Long, lazy days spent at the pool or splash park. Weeks of summer camp and family vacations. Ice cream, sprinklers, grill outs and lightning bugs.
The best part? Summer break and warmer temps bring lots of opportunities to explore Cincinnati!
Today, we are sharing 100 of our favorite local summer activities. Many are free, most are recurring – and all are fun. Download a copy and play along with us as we make it a summer to remember!
Things to do any day of the month:
1. Go to a local Farmers Market.
2. Take a one-tank trip.
3. Visit a splash park.
4. Have ice cream on Fountain Square.
5. Take a ride on Carol Ann’s Carousel.
6. Walk across the Purple People Bridge.
7. See a summer movie under the stars.
8. Attend a festival.
9. Go fossil hunting at Trammel Fossil Park.
10. Learn about one of the Greats at the Museum Center’s Da Vinci – The Genius exhibit.
11. Go to a Family Sunday game at Great American Ball Park.
12. Ride a Duck!
13. Catch a kid-friendly flick for free at the Esquire (or Kenwood Theatre, Mariemont Theatre or Eastgate Brew n’ View)
14. Go to a City Flea in Washington Park!
15. Visit the Goebel Goats.
16. Fly a kite.
17. Create a one-of-a-kind charm bracelet, key chain or necklace with your kids at The Silver Diva.
18. Go canoeing in the Little Miami.
19. Take the kids to an activity at one of the Great Parks.
20. See a movie at the Omnimax.
21. Visit Oakley After Hours {the second Friday of June, July, August and September}
22. Sign up for a summer reading program at your local library.
23. Take the kids to the Cincinnati Zoo for an afternoon.
24. Walk or ride the Loveland Bike Trail.
25. Have lunch at the Schoolhouse Restaurant.
26. Visit Cincinnati’s very own castle!
27. See the sculptures at Pyramid Hill.
28. Take the kids out to eat for free!
29. Take a train ride at LM&M.
30. In honor of the Summer Olympics, tackle a Fitness Trail with your kids!
31. Check out the PlayScape at the CNC.
32. Do an “activatee” at Blue Manatee.
33. Make something cool at Brazee Street Studios.
34. Take an urban walk in Cincinnati.
35. Spend an afternoon at the Art Museum.
36. Check out a Third Sunday Funday at the Taft.
37. Visit Dinosaurs Alive! at Kings Island.
38. See the seahorses at Newport Aquarium.
39. Go on a factory tour!
40. Satisfy your sweet tooth at a Vintage Candy Shoppe.
41. Rent a pedal boat at Sharon Woods Harbor.
42. Spend a day with the sheep at Gorman Heritage Farm.
43. Have an outdoor picnic (and pick up lunch from one of these Yelp!-approved caterers!)
44. Make a toy at Happen, Inc’s Toy Lab.
45. Watch the airplanes from Lunken Playfield.
46. Create a sidewalk chalk mural!
47. Visit an indoor playground on a rainy day.
48. Sit in a real fire truck — then take a turn down the firefighter pole!
49. Rent Red Bikes for a downtown ride.
50. Try the Grilled Cheeze at Park + Vine.
51. Play a game of Cornhole.
52. Visit a historical monument, house or site in Ohio.
53. Go to the top of the Carew Tower.
54. Take a tour of Rumpke’s Recycling Center.
55. Star gaze at the Cincinnati Observatory Center!
56. Swim in the Largest Flat-Surface Swimming Pool in North America.
57. Catch an outdoor CCO Summermusik concert.
58. Take a wagon ride at Bonnybrook Farms.
59. Volunteer somewhere.
60. Go fishing at Lake Isabella.
61. Go horseback riding at Parky’s Farm.
62. Bowl for free!
63. Play a round of mini golf as a family.
64. Take a road trip to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
65. Make s’mores.
66. Enjoy the views from Tower A.
67. Have a water balloon fight toss with your kids.
68. Catch a Dayton Dragons game.
69. Ride in the Flying Pig at Smale Park.
70. Check out one of the new restaurants at Summit Park.
71. Go antique shopping in Downtown Milford.
72. Walk around Historic Loveland.
73. Check out Kid’s Row in Oakley.
74. Spend an afternoon at the Behringer-Crawford Museum at Devou Park.
75. Ride a classic ride at Coney Island.
76. Geek out at a local hobby or comic book shop.
77. Commemorate this summer by having someone take your family’s picture!
Only in June…
78. Hit up LEGO KidsFest in Louisville! {June 3-5}.
79. Celebrate National Donut Day on June 3 with a treat from CityBeat’s 1st Place Neighborhood Bakery! (AKA, Holtman’s)
80. Visit the brand-new Children’s Theatre on June 18! (The Open House features story times with Alice in Wonderland AND the Wizard of Oz, plus a Shrek dance party!)
81. Hit the annual Friends of the Public Library Downtown Sale at the Main Branch {June 4-10}.
82. Go strawberry picking at Blooms & Berries!
83. Check out E.T. in Concert at the Taft. {June 10-11}
84. Ogle classic cars at The Ault Park Concours d’Elegance on June 12.
85. Admire the butterflies at Krohn Conservatory! {through June 19}
Only in July…
86. Have the kids check in with Santa during Christmas in July at EnterTRAINment Junction {June 27 – July 31}
87. See the hot air balloons at Coney Island’s 17th Annual LaRosa’s Balloon Glow on July 3.
88. Catch a fireworks show for July 4th!
89. See a living legend at U.S. Bank Arena on July 10. {Can’t get tickets? Make a playlist of the Fab Four for your kids!}
90. Go blueberry picking at a local U-Pick farm.
91. Head to the Zoo for Macy’s Kids, Cultures, Critters and Crafts Festival {July 20}
92. Show your Queen City love by snagging a t-shirt at the Cincinnati T-shirt Market (July 29-30)
93. Visit Stricker’s Grove during one of its Open for the Public Days. {July 4, July 13-16, Aug. 14}
Only in August…
94. Take in The Bard at Shakespeare in the Park! {July 29 – Sept. 1}
95. Catch a match at the Western & Southern Open. {Aug. 13-17}
96. Go to Great Parks Day at Glenwood Gardens (Aug. 6)
97. See what Paddlefest is all about on August 6.
98. Take the fam to the Hamilton County Fair: {Aug. 6-10}
99. Go to LUMENOCITY: RE-IMAGINE show for its fourth and final year, Aug 5-7!
100. Join Cincinnati Parent on August 14 at Coney Island for KidsFest!
