Cincinnati the crown jewel of the Midwest for travel lovers

Cincinnati is a rare American city. It doesn’t have an official slogan, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the perfect place for a weekend getaway. When you think of a city that offers something for everyone, Cincinnati, and nearby northern Kentucky, truly fits the bill. With its sports, culture, dining, a dazzling waterfront, rich history, craft breweries and a bourbon trail (where you can sample 100 varieties), Cincinnati, which is known as the Queen City, and its neighbouring locale Covington is the kind of place that’s bound to please all kinds of tastes.

The lasting impact of the region’s early German settlers resonates throughout its Over the Rhine neighbourhood, in which local brews delight and unique cuisine, with such dishes as Goetta (a sausage and oat delicacy), dominate. But food rules and no matter where you’re at, the smells of bratwurst, pretzels, chili (they’ve got their own unique way of serving it on a bed of spaghetti) and ribs (the city was once dubbed Porkopolis and Montgomery Inn overlooking the Ohio River has served its famous ribs to everyone from U.S.

presidents to famous actors) waft from its many restaurants. The fact that the city is a melting pot is the real draw here, as newcomers have imported their design sense and Cincinnati’s sprawling blocks seamlessly meld the old and new with its murals and art scene. BLINK , America’s largest immersive art festival with installations that span a number of city blocks, returns to Cincinnati next fall.

Culture hounds and history buffs can spend hours getting lost in its many museums and galleries. There are plenty of memorable spots. You could decide to visit the region just for the food (when you’re done with the ribs, be sure to stop in at Maplewood , home to America’s most famous lemon ricotta pancakes).

Or you might want to blend your own bourbon (Wenzel Whiskey in Covington lets guests craft something distinctive to their own palette). This cheat sheet should help give you a head start to plan a trip to a destination that never stops surprising. Depending on the time of year you visit, it can be quite hot.

So remember, pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes and be sure to stay hydrated. Designed by world renowned, Pritzker Prize winning architect Zaha Hadid, the Contemporary Arts Center in downtown Cincinnati is known for its eclectic collection, which includes works from students from the Art Academy of Cincinnati, and the UnMuseum, a space that aims to tie into the art and the creative impulses of all guests — young and old.

If you are looking for a more intimate gallery experience, the Taft Museum of Art gives visitors a chance to browse an expansive collection in one of the region’s oldest homes. Just north of the banks of the Ohio River, which at one point separated the free state of Ohio from the slave state of Kentucky, sits the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center .

The project aims to give visitors a period of reflection on America’s tumultuous past and the injustice of slavery. The unflinching exhibits include an actual slave hut from the 1800s, which held hundreds of captives, and chains the enslaved Africans were imprisoned in as they journeyed to America.

Meanwhile, other installations examine modern day forms of slavery. It’s a harrowing experience, but a necessary one. Of course, part of Cincinnati’s history lies beneath its city streets and as you wander through the Over the Rhine neighbourhood, you will want to take a journey below to travel along the vast tunnels that were home to its 19th century breweries (the town was once know as the “Beer Capital of the World”).

The Queen City Underground Tour takes visitors on a excursion into one of the city’s earliest breweries and a once hidden crypt that served as the final resting place for some of the area’s earliest residents. Architecture aficionados will also want to break out their selfie sticks on the John A.

Roebling Suspension Bridge, which joins Kentucky and Ohio. Less than a kilometre upstream from the well travelled I 75, after it opened in 1867 the roadway — the first of its kind — was the precursor to Roebling’s Brooklyn Bridge, which debuted 16 years later. Crime buffs will also want to make a stop at nearby Newport, Ky., which helped fuel a crime boom in the Midwest during the early 1900s.

Before Vegas, Newport was known as America’s first “Sin City.” The Newport Gangster Tour takes you on a journey through the town’s seedy past. Home to both MLB’s Cincinnati Reds and the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, the region is likely already on the checklist of any sports lover. On the shoreline of the Ohio River sits the picturesque Banks, a riverfront pedestrian development that features bars and restaurants and connects the Paycor football stadium with the Great American Ballpark — both must visit venues for fans.

When the Reds kick off their baseball season, the ball club ushers in the boys of summer with an annual parade that starts its march at Findlay Market , Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market (it’s reminiscent of Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market). As America’s oldest team, the squad is steeped in history and baseball fans will want to add the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum as a place to visit.

Open year round, the space celebrates Reds legends like Ken Griffey Jr., Joey Votto, Pete Rose and many more through interactive exhibits, artifacts and memorabilia. Bourbon lovers may want to plan to extend their stay by spending time in Covington so they can enjoy the warm embrace of a “Kentucky hug.” With whiskey distilling operations soaring in the state of Kentucky, The B Line gives visitors a chance to sip and savour a variety of bourbon on a self guided tour that consists of seven distilleries, nine bars and nine restaurants.

Participants can download the Line Guide and collect stamps from at least two distilleries, two bars, and two restaurants, which they can turn in for bourbon themed swag as a reward. Upstart distillery Wenzel Whiskey goes a step further by letting patrons mix their own blend and offers a unique experience inside a historic event space that dates back to 1873.

During our visit to Cincinnati, we opted to stay across the river in Kentucky at Hotel Covington , a department store from the 1910s that has been refreshed into a boutique experience. The property boasts a chic bar, restaurant and coffee bar and is within walking distance of downtown Cincinnati via the Roebling Bridge.

Air Canada offers direct flights daily between Toronto’s Pearson International Airport and the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), which is in Hebron, Ky., just a short 20 minute drive from downtown Cincinnati. Find out more at visitcincy.com and meetnky.com . mdaniell@postmedia.com X: @markhdaniell.