A Couple’s Guide to Cincinnati, OH

Millennium Hotel Cincinnati, a sprawling hotel with 827 guest rooms, is a great spot to stay overnight for a weekend couple’s getaway. It’s smack in the middle of downtown Cincinnati, within walking or near-walking distance of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, the Newport Aquarium, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Beach Waterpark, as well as downtown shopping and restaurants. If you’re feeling romantic, head up to the rooftop pool and sun deck for panoramic views of the Cincinnati skyline or to take a dip in the stylish hotel pool.

Millennium Hotel Cincinnati, 150 W 5th St, Cincinnati, OH, USA, +1 513 352 2100

For an excellent day date, check out the Newport Aquarium, where you can discover thousands of sea creatures. Though technically on the Kentucky side of the Ohio/Kentucky border, the aquarium is just two minutes from the heart of Downtown Cincinnati. If you’re looking for thrills to share together, take a chance at crossing the world’s first Shark Bridge, a 75-foot (22.8-meter) rope bridge suspended over a 385,000-gallon tank filled with sharks, rays, and other animals.

Newport Aquarium, 1 Dave Cowens Dr, Newport, KY, USA, +1 859 261 7444

From the Overlook in the 700-acre Devou Park, you can see gorgeous views of the Cincinnati skyline. If you’re an adventurous couple, you also might want to try cycling on one of the many mountain biking trails, golfing at the 18-hole golf course, fishing at the park’s lake, or hiking on a nature trail. If the weather is cold, you might spend an afternoon at the Behringer-Crawford Museum, a museum of local history and visual arts, also located in the park.

Devou Park, 1201 Park Dr, Covington, KY, USA, +1 859 292 2160

BB Riverboats has been taking couples and families on Cincinnati sightseeing and dinner cruises since 1979. If you and your partner are music lovers, the Sunday jazz cruises, accompanied by the sounds of Dixieland jazz and a New Orleans-style buffet dinner, might be a good fit. If good liquor is more your scene, you can take a fall bourbon cruise that includes both samplings of fine Kentucky bourbon and a multi-course dinner.

BB Riverboats, 101 Riverboat Row, Newport, KY, USA, +1 800 261 8586

The bar at the Red Roost Tavern is a local favorite, while the farm-to-table concept is beloved among Cincinnati foodies. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails before a show or a night of dancing. If you’re looking for a full meal, the artisanal small plates of local foods are meant to be shared between at least two diners, making the Red Roost Tavern a perfect spot for a date night meal.

Red Roost Tavern, 151 W 5th St, Cincinnati, OH, USA, +1 513 354 4025

The Cincinnati Ballet has performed classical and contemporary works since 1963. Today, the ballet company members dance at two different downtown venues: the Aronoff Center and the Cincinnati Music Hall. If you’re in Cincinnati during the Christmas season, you’ll want to see the Cincinnati Ballet’s annual performance of The Nutcracker for the perfect holiday date.

If you’re an arts-loving couple, a visit to The Carnegie is an absolute must. The multidisciplinary arts venue boasts both an award-winning art gallery and a professional theatre and sits in a former Carnegie Library. The building itself, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a great photo op. Stroll through the Carnegie Gallery together during the daytime, or take in a musical, play, or concert at the Otto M. Budig Theatre for a classy dinner-and-a-show night on the town.

The Carnegie, 1028 Scott St, Covington, KY, USA, +1 859 491 2030