As I was brought up in Dubai my entire life, the place started loosing it’s shine after a while for me. I explored every café, mall, park, and adventurous activity. I love to travel and moving to Cincinnati opened a door to explore a new city. Gaining knowledge and connecting with my surroundings along the way is what I enjoy most.

Like they say, it’s not about the destination, but about the journey.

1. Downtown Cincinnati

Downtown Cincinnati is a great place to visit if you just landed in Cincinnati. The easiest way to get to Downtown is to take a GoMetro bus; it should take about 15-20 minutes from Clifton Avenue. It has a good blend of food, activities and views. At night, the view of the Cincinnati skyline is amazing to capture. The Ferris Wheel will give you an extra opportunity to take a better look at the skyline. The Great American Ball Park is one of the major sport arenas. Many artists also host music concerts in the open air stadium. The main attraction is the Ohio River Trail. The bridge gives you a very vintage vibe and at night, the lights make it look even better.

2. Bellevue Park

Bellevue Park is pretty close to campus which makes it an easy choice for a refreshing stroll in the afternoon. You can walk from the University Park Apartments and it will only take 10-15 minutes. The view at sunset is beautiful and will give you a peace of mind after a busy day of classes. I would highly suggest visiting during the day as well because you can see a new perspective of Cincinnati.

3. Findlay Market

Findlay Market is very lively and make you feel like you’re in a movie. Its located in the Over-the-Rhine area and is a 10-15 minute drive away from campus. There is a variety of entertainment and dining spots and the main reason this is very popular is because of the fresh handmade food and locally picked fruits and vegetables.

4. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

You can walk from campus to the Cincinnati Zoo and it won’t take you more than 15 minutes; but if you are able to drive over, it’s a 3-5 minute ride. The zoo claims to be the second oldest zoo and is over 65.4 acres in total: it has 30 indoor and outdoor attractions and about 2,800 animals. A fun fact about the zoo is that the popular gorilla, Harambe, who was a social icon for quite some time, was moved into the zoo for about 7 years!

5. Kenwood Mall

Kenwood Towne Center mall is a little farther away with it taking 20 minutes to get there by GoMetro. Kenwood is a great place to get the city-feeling vibe with various department stores and restaurants present for a full day of leisure. I would suggest going as early as possible as the closing time of the mall is pretty early. It closes at 8 pm on Monday to Thursday, 6 pm on Sunday and 9 pm on Saturday.

I hope you use a few hours this weekend to venture out and explore Cincinnati.