As 2016 draws to a close, we can’t help but feel a little nostalgic. We had a lot of fun exploring Cincinnati this year, touring local museums, attending fabulous local shows and finding hidden gems.
Read on for Cincinnati Parent’s top 16 features of 2016:
Top 6 Most Popular Posts from 2016
If there’s one thing Cincinnati Parent readers love, it’s a good guide! And we strive to include them all. You can find all of our Guides here — and stay turned for even more great guides in 2017!
1. 2016 Easter Egg Hunt Guide
After a long winter, it seems families were really looking forward to Easter! There were tons of local hunts in town, from the YMCA’s Underwater Egg Hunt to a hunt at the Zoo!
2. 100 Things To Do This Summer in Cincy
Summer break boredom: be gone! With our Summer Bucket List, parents could always find something to do in Cincy.
3. 50 Fun Activities for $5 or Less in Cincinnati
Parenting isn’t cheap, but these 50 boredom-busting activities in Cincinnati sure are!
4. 2016 Trick-or-Treat Times in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky
This comprehensive guide to trick-or-treat times took the guesswork about when to go trick-or-treating in your neighborhood.
5. Cincinnati Apple Orchard and U-Pick Guide
What’s better than a freshly picked, perfectly ripe, locally grown apple? Little, as far as Cincinnati Parent readers were concerned!
6. Cincinnati Indoor Playgrounds
When it’s too cold, too hot or too rainy to play outside, simply consult our list of indoor playgrounds. Check back January 10th for our brand-new, better-than-ever indoor playground guide!
Editor’s Top 10 Picks from 2016
We absolutely have the greatest jobs here at Cincinnati Parent — we get to explore our amazing city every day! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for sneak peeks from the Cincinnati Reporters.
7. Fall on the Farm at Blooms & Berries
“Just like it is for many other Cincinnati families, Blooms and Berries is now one of our family’s traditions. Come out this fall, and start a tradition for your family. Measure your kids on the pumpkin yardstick. Recreate favorite family pictures. Visit the goats who were just kids last year. Observe what’s changed, but take comfort in everything that’s still just as you remembered.”
8. Must-See Zoo Exhibit: Hippo Cove
“We waited a few days for the crowds to die down and then high tailed it to the Cincinnati Zoo to see the new Hippo Cove exhibit. I was arguably more excited than my two kids, but can you blame me? I realize hippos are extremely dangerous, but there is something about these animals – they are mesmerizing.”
9. Exploring the Ohio Caverns
“Underneath fields of farmland in eastern Ohio lies an enchanted natural world that began forming millions of years ago […] the Ohio Caverns are a great day adventure!”
10. Stepping Back in Time at the Ohio Renaissance Festival
“We cross under a portal, opening into an Elizabethan village where mud cottages and wood shacks stretch beyond eyesight. Incense wafts from merchant shops. A portly man in slops spills out of a tavern. Fairies wave smartphones and giggle for selfies. Creatures half man half beast barter with pirates. In the distance, clanging iron; a gentlemen’s duel. We’ve waited all year for this moment. It’s 16th century England, and we’re stepping back in time at the Ohio Renaissance Festival.”
11. A Whimsical Wonderland at Krohn Conservatory
“Krohn’s amazing staff and the talented Applied Imagination team have created a space that is equal parts enchanting and festive. The room is filled with a variety of colors – poinsettias in red, white, pink, blue, yellow and purple – and of course the train display is back and intertwined among the foliage. Your family can spend hours in the exhibit and still not pick out every detail in the display. They’ve named it, “A Whimsical Wonderland,” and that is exactly what it is.”
12. The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati’s Alice in Wonderland
“In the end, Alice evades the Queen and wakes up, a little dazed, on her family room couch. She wisely tells her mom she can wait to grow up. Just when she’s about to chalk the whole thing up to a wild dream, something catches her eye in the family room that wasn’t there before. It’s a little piece of Wonderland there to remind her that “Wonderland” isn’t a place; it’s a sense of childlike awe and wonder of the world. And that’s something to hang on to as long as possible. The Children’s Theatre captured this beautifully — and that’s a wonderful thing.”
13. Did you know about the CVG Airport Playground?
“If you want to ensure a lot of activity, you can always check the airport schedule ahead of time here, but we always just wing it (wink, wink). It really is a beautiful view of the airport and provides excitement for plane loving kids – little and big.”
Let Kids Be Kids at the Cincinnati Nature Center PlayScape
“Kids are naturally curious and want to explore and touch everything. And most of us live in a suburban world where that’s just not possible. But, I really want to be able to just let my kids be kids. Which is why the Cincinnati Nature Center PlayScape is so brilliant.”
14. Parents’ Night Out in Cincinnati
Whether you’re feeling adventurous, artistic, hungry or lazy, we’ve planned a date night for you in this guide.
15. Mom Style Made Simple at Clothes Mentor
“This is resale at its best — think 70% off retail on gently used designer pieces from trendy to classic. And to make your experience even more fun, register online for your free personal shopper who will make shopping simple and easy.”
16. Navigating the Wonderful World of Jungle Jim’s
“The Seven Wonders of the World are tragically lost except for the Great Pyramid at Giza. But as my family passes the animal pond at Jungle Jim’s, pausing with throngs of culinary pilgrims to grab a shopping cart, a childish wonderment sweeps over me. Surely, the Eighth Wonder of the World is in Fairfield, Ohio.”
Thanks for making us your-go to place for the best guides, reviews and recaps of what’s happening around town. We promise to make 2017 our best year yet, and can’t wait to share all our favorites with you!