Restaurants…shopping…dining…entertainment. Everything you could want to do or see can be found in Mainstrasse Village, Northern Kentucky’s eclectic home of Oktoberfest and Maifest. Right across the river from downtown Cincinnati you will find a wonderland of things to do, to eat and to enjoy – just minutes away!

Mainstrasse Village is filled with history, created from buildings from the late 1800’s and featuring the Carroll Chimes Clocktower and the Goose Girl Fountain. The Clocktower tells the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin and the Fountain was created based on the Grimm’s Fairy Tale about a goose girl; there used to be a lot of goose farmers in the Covington, KY area, so the fountain hints to that history as well. Printable walking tours are available, with guides available on their website at www.mainstrassevillage.org.

Several special events are coming up at The Mainstrasse Village. The Classic Car Show will be held on August 2nd, featuring over 200 classic cars. From August 6th-9th, Mainstrasse Village will be holding the World’s Largest Yard Sale, with almost 100 vendors tempting you with unique items you likely won’t find anywhere else. On the fourth Sunday of the month, you can enjoy the Mainstrasse Village Bazaar, featuring everything from antiques to art. This antique and vintage display will also highlight recycled and repurposed items transformed into art.

Hungry? Try Bouquet Restaurant and Wine Bar, Dee Felice Cafe or Wertheim’s restaurant. Feel the urge to shop? There are candy stores, gift shops, magic stores and import businesses, to name a few. Need a way to blow off steam? There are pubs, bars, taverns and clubs a’plenty! Combine history, fun and culture and you’ve got Mainstrasse Village, and a must-see when visiting Cincinnati.

The Queen City. Porkopolis. The Blue Chip City. It doesn’t matter what you call Cincinnati, as long as you call it a great place to visit!

Cincinnati is home to some amazing people, places and things to do. While you’re here for the All-Star Game, there is so much for you to explore and enjoy. Of course, you’ll have a blast at our Great American Ball Park while you watch the game, but that’s not all there is to do in our great city! Downtown is home to the Aronoff Center for the Arts, the Contemporary Arts Center, Fountain Square and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. There’s fabulous shopping, unbelievable restaurants and great art galleries and unique boutiques in Over the Rhine.   Right across the Ohio River is Newport on the Levee, which features the Newport Aquarium, “Ride the Ducks”, and lots of shops and eateries. And that’ s just while you’re downtown!

Head just a little north and you’ll hit upon the Cincinnati Museum Center, Eden Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Cincinnati Sign Museum, more shopping, more restaurants, and if you keep going up I-71 North, you’ll end up at Kings Island, our award-winning amusement park.

Speaking of great restaurants, look no further than the ribs that put us on the map: Montgomery Inn. The Ribs King, Ted Gregory, launched the joint in 1951, and has been pleasing Cincinnati’s palate ever since. Sweet, tangy sauce makes these barbecue ribs and chicken the dish to dine on while in Cincinnati. Serving up slabs of pork ribs, half orders of chicken and pulled meat sandwiches, amongst other yummy items, Montgomery Inn has something for everyone. If you’re staying downtown, order up your ribs at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse, right on the river with a terrific view. You can also dine at the Montgomery Road location in downtown Olde Montgomery, or cross the river to Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. It won’t matter which place you go, your taste buds will thank you!

Don’t just come to Cincinnati for the All-Star game, come and enjoy everything we have to offer – from food to entertainment and everything in between, Cincinnati is a destination that can’t be beat.

Ever watch WKRP in Cincinnati? Remember the building you saw in the opening credits, which was the home of the WKRP studio? Well, now that building, which once housed the Cincinnati Enquirer, is home to the first dual brand hotel in Cincinnati: The Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites. This new gem in the Queen City’s crown features a 144-room Hampton Inn and a 105-room Homewood Suites situated on the building’s newly renovated upper floors. The historic integrity of the structure and its interior were preserved as much as possible.

 

When you enter the building, the first floor lobby features marble surfaces, bronze ornamentation, stone-carved detail work and large chandeliers. Motifs featuring elephants, dragons and squirrels are displayed throughout, and a two-foot diameter brass sculpture (“The Naked Printer”) is embedded in the floor. Guests can walk up the “grand stair” or take the elevator to the second floor, which is where you check in and enjoy the fitness center, library, business center, billiards and the separate Hampton and Homewood lounges.

Hampton Inn is housed on floors nine through 15 (there is no 13th floor, of course) and caters to business and weekend leisure travelers. Homewood Suites on floors four through eight focuses on extended-stay travelers; each room has fully-equipped kitchens. Both hotels offer complimentary breakfast and free Wi-Fi. Valet parking is available in the Macy’s headquarters garage, adjacent to the hotel. You’re just a 17-minute drive from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport via I-75 and in walking distance of Cincinnati’s popular eateries, lively nightlife and unique shopping opportunities. The hotels are also close to entertainment venues such as U.S. Bank Arena, Great American Ballpark, Paul Brown Stadium, the Taft Theatre and the Duke Energy Convention Center.

Business…pleasure…leisure…it doesn’t matter what you’re coming to Cincinnati for, the new downtown Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites will fit the bill.

In the heart of downtown Cincinnati, on the 2nd floor of the historic Carew Tower, is Ohio’s premier provider of fine writing instruments, leather goods and gifts. Pens are their passion, and you can find over three dozen lines of fine pens including Cross, Diplomat, S.T. Dupont, Lamy, Monteverde, Parker, Pilot/Namiki and Waterman. Ask to see the exquisitely crafted Cross Botanicals-upscale pens featuring floral patterns on the barrel of the pen, engraved into the surface and lacquered to protect the beauty.   Appointments’ pens are available in fountain, ballpoint and fiber tip, and you can also find mechanical pencils and other writing implements, each one perfect for the writing aficionado in your life…or yourself.

 

In addition to pens, Appointments also carries a lovely selection of fine leather goods, bags and accessories from brands such as Johnston & Murphy, Bosca and Chiarugi. Whether you are looking for something to use for work, such as a computer bag, finely tooled day planner or briefcase, or something for personal use, like a messenger bag or travel toiletry kit, Appointments will have just the item you are looking to find.

 

What else can you find at Appointments? How about swords? Yes, they do carry swords! It might sound odd, but it would make a great gift for a history buff or battle enthusiast. You can also find globes, clocks, barometers, walking sticks and exquisite shaving sets, all fabulous gift items or perfect for your office or library at home. Vintage pieces from Cincinnati’s historic Rookwood Pottery, bells from the Verdin Bell Company, Caswell-Massey soaps, stationery from Crane & Co., Bulova clocks, Legere pocket watches and glassworks from Glass Eye Studios are some of the unique items Appointments carries. They endeavor to stock only the highest quality and longest lasting products so that anyone can enjoy many years of service and enjoyment from them.

 

Whether you are shopping for a gift for a friend, boss, employee or loved one, the shelves at Appointments are sure to hold the treasure you seek. Stop in Cincinnati’s true one-of-a-kind store today.

 

What kind of wine calls to you? Red? White? Blush? Sparkling? From hobbyists to oenophiles (that’s a die-hard wine lover), Water Tower Fine Wines is sure to have exactly the wine your taste buds are seeking.

This hidden gem in Mount Washington is known for stocking over 2000 different wines, and they offer the best selection of champagnes and sparkling wines in the area – and across the country as well. When the shop opened, the goal was to be a different kind of wine store, one where the customer is educated on the joy of trying new wines and how to reach beyond the standard varietals. Water Tower Fine Wines is unique to Cincinnati in that they don’t just get in a few bottles of a special wine and then once they’re sold, they’re gone; they keep a large supply of those singular wines on hand, often up to four years worth, so it’s always available. They have wines on hand that other similar stores in the area don’t carry, and that’s one of the qualities that makes them so special. Another special touch is the willingness to open up a bottle of wine when someone wants to try something new before buying. It’s all about sampling at Water Tower Fine Wines.

Is there a specific wine you are looking for? If Water Tower Fine Wines doesn’t have it, they will go above and beyond to seek it out and get it in stock for you as fast as possible. Their main focus is on customer service, and it’s their goal to make sure that Cincinnati’s wine lovers are never lacking for the varietal they want to serve.

Water Tower Fine Wines offers tastings every Friday, and there is always a bottle (or three) open for a quick sample if you’re interested. Over the year they host special events, such as the recent Purple Trillium Blending Seminar with Chip Emmerick or February’s Valentine’s Day Champagne and Chocolate Tasting. Anyone, from the wine novice to the most expert among us, can come into Water Tower Fine Wines and feel comfortable learning about wine appreciation and enjoy the chance to meet others who share their interests.

From dinner parties to just a quiet romantic dinner at home, Water Tower Fine Wines has the perfect pour for your table. Their aim is to be the “Cheers” of the Cincinnati wine scene; a place where everyone is comfortable coming in to learn about wine appreciation and meet like-minded new friends. Indulge your curiosity about fine wine and drop by for a tasting and pick up a bottle or two – at Water Tower Fine Wines, the choices are limitless.

 

Whether you’re an out-of-town visitor to Cincinnati or a local looking for the perfect in-town getaway, The Symphony Hotel is a downtown treasure. Guests will find a delightful combination of classical comfort, cozy surroundings, fabulous bar scene and terrific live music, all wrapped in an ambiance of style and romance.

The Symphony Hotel’s main building was constructed in 1871, seven years before the completion of Cincinnati’s Music Hall. It was designed by a famous architect, James McLaughlin, who also designed the original McAlpin’s, Shillito’s, a wing of the Art Museum, Cincinnati Gas-Light & Coke Company, and the Cincinnati Public Library. The award-winning Symphony Hotel was originally an old mansion; once transformed into a boutique hotel, the rooms were named after famous composers: Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Beech, Brahms, Mahler, and Copland.

Today, the hotel is located just across from Cincinnati Music Hall, in Over-The-Rhine (OTR).   The Symphony Hotel is the ideal location to enjoy a classical romantic getaway, eat an exquisite dinner, and then experience one of many downtown Cincinnati activities, such as the Opera, the Cincinnati Symphony, or the Pops. After a night out, you can come back, get a great night’s sleep and then wake up to the aroma of a gourmet breakfast.

The restaurant takes you back to a time when there was a certain element of grandeur to be found at upscale dining establishments, especially when they were in hotels. The Symphony Hotel’s Historic Dining Room offers guests something more than just the average dining experience – diners can enjoy unique tasting menus and delicious multi-course meals. Dinner is offered on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with brunch on Sunday. On Thursdays, the restaurant is open from 5:00pm-9:00pm, with a special 4-course dinner (chef’s choice) for just $19.95, or you can choose to savor a 3- or 5-course meal from the monthly menu for either $36.00 or $45.00. Fridays and Saturdays they are open from 5:00pm to 10:30pm for dinner; the lounge stays open until 11:00pm. Feel adventurous? Take advantage of the scotch, bourbon, wine and port tastings! On Sundays, brunch features new menu items such as buttermilk pancakes with homemade bourbon syrup, chocolate protein pancakes and sweet potato pancakes.

Coming for a special occasion? The Symphony Hotel offers packages for these memorable times, which may include a bottle of champagne in the room or perhaps arrangements for a special dinner in the Dining Room. On a beautiful night, guests can take a bottle of wine up to the rooftop deck and enjoy the view while relaxing in the night air.

If you want to dine at the restaurant, reservations are required and the best way is via email at symphonyhotel@gmail.com. The Symphony Hotel is one of Cincinnati’s hidden gems and one you should discover…soon!