Have you gotten a chance to ride The SkyStar Wheel yet?
SkyStar, the 150-foot-high mobile observation wheel on Freedom Way at The Banks, recently extended its tenure in the Queen City. The mobile wheel was originally slated to leave Dec. 2, but decided to stay through June 16!
The SkyStar arrived on Aug. 31 and has since become a fixture in the Cincinnati skyline. Truly — the SkyStar looks so natural down on the Banks, nestled behind the iconic “Sing the Queen City” sign. More than 100,000 riders have enjoyed SkyStar since the fall. And on New Year’s Day, my family and I decided to experience the SkyStar for ourselves.
I did some research ahead of time, and learned that – to my happy surprise – all six of us could ride. Tickets are $12.50/person. Kids 2 and under are free, and there are no age restrictions on who can ride. Being very scared of heights (and having a 6 year old who shares my fear), I was a bit trepidatious about the safety of the SkyStar — but I didn’t need to be.
Each SkyStar gondola is fully enclosed and very secure. (My kids were expecting a carnival-style structure that moved and swayed — that’s not at all how these felt.) Once inside, we were carried up into the sky slowly and seamlessly, where we all sat in awe of the skyline and riverfront views. My kids were almost silent, panning around to see different parts of the city. It was a very peaceful, zen-like experience. Each ride has four full revolutions, and lasts about 12 minutes, which felt like the perfect amount of time.
The SkyStar provides million-dollar views of downtown Cincinnati, Covington and the Ohio River that will make you just weak in the knees for our beautiful city. While admittedly a bit expensive, the SkyStar is a well-worth-it splurge that your whole family can enjoy together. Definitely put the SkyStar on your list for 2019!