Five reasons why the buzzing Cincy Region is a must-visit city

With diverse neighbourhoods offering culture, history and good food, it is the perfect place to start your American adventure

The Cincy Region, where the North meets the South and where beer meets bourbon, straddles the point where Kentucky meets Ohio and creates something unique in terms of feel and culture. It is home to just over 300,000 people, but there are more than 2.2 million in the broader metropolitan area that fans out from the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers into Northern Kentucky.
The two states are connected by the bright blue Roebling Suspension Bridge. And if you think it looks identical to the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, you’d be right. It was completed by the same architect 15 years earlier, and was the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s long since been a National Historic Landmark and you’ll be more familiar with it than you realise – it is often a stand-in filming location for historic New York.
With direct flights from London Heathrow with British Airways, it is easy to visit this vibrant gateway to either the north or the south of the United States. But don’t continue your journey before stopping for a few days to get to know the Queen City, as it is sometimes called. 

To really get under the skin of this region, you need to explore its thriving neighbourhoods: there are 52 neighbourhoods in Cincinnati and 37 cities-cum-neighbourhoods in Northern Kentucky. The downtown riverfront area has always been central to Cincinnati’s identity, but as you wander further afield, you will see that there is so much to discover, whether it’s 19th-century Italianate architecture, the riverside homage to the birthplace of professional baseball or the flourishing performing arts district. Here are just a few unmissable spots.
Over-the-Rhine, often shortened to OTR, has been the epicentre of innovation over the past decade. It was once home to working-class German immigrants, and had you visited this downtown neighbourhood in the 19th century, you would have found more than 100 saloons and beer gardens. Today, against the backdrop of an unrivalled collection of 19th-century Italianate architecture, you’ll discover the heart of Cincy’s performing arts scene. Washington Park is the place to go for live music in the summer months and Ohio’s oldest public market Findlay Market is a year-round open-air fresh food and drink magnet for foodies.
For something more highbrow,  visit the Music Hall to see the symphony orchestra, ballet or opera, and make sure you explore the drinking spots in the Brewery District – Rhinegeist is set in an impressive historic building, and its rooftop offers stunning views across the city. The Cincy Region is also the No 1 city for street art in the US, with more than 300 murals at its urban core, all shown off during the biennial BLINK festival, the US’s largest immersive art, light and projection-mapping event.
The narrow, winding streets of Mount Adams offer stunning views of downtown and the Ohio River. Once a vineyard on a hill, today this neighbourhood draws visitors to Eden Park, to its north, which is home to the Krohn Conservatory, the Cincinnati Art Museum and Playhouse in the Park, which stages classic and new productions.
Originally the centre for freight rail bound for the western US, Cincy’s downtown riverfront today hosts two major league sports stadiums and entertainment complex, The Banks. Stroll from Smale Riverfront Park to gaze at the Roebling Bridge, before visiting the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, a museum dedicated to the history of the network of safe houses used in the 19th century by enslaved people fleeing to free states.
As Kentucky was part of the South, and Ohio the North, enslaved people would cross the Ohio River into Ohio as their first step to achieve freedom. As such this corner of Ohio was a pivotal stop en route to freedom in the north, and the museum explores that history, as well as the struggle for freedom and equality around the world today. The nearby Great American Ball Park is home of the oldest professional baseball team in America, the Cincinnati Reds. Even if you don’t catch a game, the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is worth a visit to explore America’s classic ballgame.
Before there was Las Vegas, there was Newport, Kentucky. This little river town across from downtown Cincinnati once had a gambling reputation larger than modern-day Vegas, and played host to all the big names of a bygone era, including Frank Sinatra. Today, you can take the guided Newport Gangster Tour to learn all about the turf battles that raged on the streets where fortunes were gambled, won, and lost.
Today’s Newport is a city steeped in history, but the sin city of old that brimmed with mobsters and gambling halls has become a family-friendly getaway with something for every visitor, whether that’s the Hofbräuhaus Bavarian beer experience, a BB Riverboat cruise or the scenic Newport Riverwalk.
With quaint 19th-century architecture, a historic district heavily influenced by German and Irish immigrants, and a storied distillery tradition, Northern Kentucky is the start of the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and every trip to Covington is a crash course in the region’s rich history.
Be sure to spend some time in Mainstrasse Village, one of the most popular neighbourhoods in town. It’s a designated Historic District for its 19th-century architecture and German-American legacy. It’s also home to some of the most unique shopping in the region, plus delicious restaurants and award-winning bourbon bars.
All holidays with British Airways Holidays are Atol protected. Secure your trip to Cincinnati with British Airways Holidays for a low deposit and you can pay off the balance in as many instalments as you like1.
When you travel, you’ll be able to take plenty of luggage with you thanks to a 23kg baggage allowance per person, and your holiday includes a 24-hour holiday helpline to help you when you’re in the resort.

You can choose a flight to suit you with British Airways, with daily direct year-round flights from London to Cincinnati.

Why not start your holiday in style and upgrade to Club Europe? You’ll enjoy access to private lounges and dedicated check-in desks2, as well as priority boarding and an increased baggage allowance. With complimentary food and drinks on board and more spacious seating, you’ll arrive in Cincinnati relaxed and ready to enjoy your stay.
All holiday packages with British Airways Holidays include a generous baggage allowance and are Atol protected. Secure your holiday with a low deposit and flexible instalments1. Book now at ba.com/cincinnati
1T&Cs: Deposit balance due seven weeks in advance for long-haul. Travel restrictions may apply.
2Where available.

From craft breweries to bourbon joints, from haute cuisine to street food: Cincinnati, where the North meets the South, is a foodie’s dream

From baseball to gridiron, the vibrant region offers visitors a host of sporting attractions just an easy flight away

Hailed as the ‘Queen of the West’ this handsome architectural delight is home to striking street art, a buzzing brew scene and great music