After two years of social distancing and avoiding crowds, true summer fun has returned to the Tristate! You’ll find concerts, festivals, museum exhibits, community events and opportunities for family fun all season long. But where to start? To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of activities to keep you and your family busy throughout the summer months. Read on to start planning your best summer ever.
Family Fun
Some of the Queen City’s best attractions are ready to keep families entertained this summer. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s animal habitats, like Roo Valley and Hippo Cove, are open of course, but visitors can also try the Kanga’ Klimb ropes course, which opened last summer. Parents, make sure to stop by the Hops craft beer garden, too, for some quality relaxation.
Those looking for some thrills can head to Kings Island. Two years ago, the park debuted Orion, its tallest and fastest roller coaster, and last year opened Camp Cedar, its urban camping experience. But this year, Kings Island is celebrating its 50th anniversary with special live entertainment, unique food options created for the celebration and a new fireworks show.
Coney Island is also ready for summer. The park added a floating obstacle course last year along with Action Alley, an inflatable obstacle course on land. The park’s annual Balloon Glow also returns this year on July 3.
Across the river in Newport, Newport Aquarium has added lots of new fun for 2022. The aquarium’s Coral Reef Tunnel opened this year, allowing visitors to see more than 50 species of fish while walking through tunnel that goes through a 60,000-gallon tank. It’s also started offering a new penguin encounter, where you can meet more than a dozen African penguins.
Parks
The region’s parks are prepping for an action-packed summer. Summit Park in Blue Ash will be hosting free fitness classes, like yoga and line dancing, throughout the summer. But other events include the once-a-month OFF Market, the Cincinnati Food Truck Association’s Food Fest, Summit Cinema, a weekly farmers market and Red, White & Blue Ash.
Great Parks of Hamilton County, Cincinnati Parks, the Cincinnati Nature Center and Devou Park will also be open all summer long, offering a variety of programming. And no matter where you live in the region, be on the lookout for the 2022 season of Shakespeare in the Park. The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company will be bringing its performances of Twelfth Night to more than 40 local parks July 15 through Sept. 4.
Museums
While they may not be top of mind, museums also offer plenty of summer fun, particularly on rainy days. The Behringer-Crawford Museum is home to exhibits that explore the history of Northern Kentucky, but it’s also where you can find NaturePlay@BCM, an outdoor play area that features kid-sized log cabins and caves, a wooden replica of a flatboat and gardens with native plants. During the summer months, you can enjoy live, outdoor music each Thursday during Music@BCM.
All of the museums at the Cincinnati Museum Center are open once again. Visitors can explore the Ice Age, walk through a recreated Public Landing and have an adventure in The Woods play area. The visiting exhibition, “The Science Behind Pixar,” has extended its time at the museum center and can be seen in town throughout the summer and a new special exhibition, “America’s Epic Treasures featuring Preternatural by Michael Scott,” opened in May.
Those who visit the Cincinnati Art Museum can also see special exhibitions over the summer. Starting June 10, the museum will host “Henry Mosler Behind the Scenes: In Celebration of the Jewish Cincinnati Bicentennial.” Later in the summer beginning July 10, visitors will be able to see “Unlocking an Art Deco Bedroom by Joseph Urban.” After viewing the collection, make sure to reserve some time to climb the museum’s Art Climb, which takes climbers past three outdoor sculptures.
Live Music
Concerts and live music are back in full force this summer! At Riverbend, you will be able to see a variety of acts, such as Alecia Keys, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Barenaked Ladies, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffet. The Andrew J. Brady Music Center will be hosting shows from artists like Bright Eyes, Dashboard Confessional and Maren Morris. And PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION’s summer shows include Bon Iver, The Band Camino and Death Cab for Cutie.
Those who prefer orchestral and classical music also have summer options to look forward to. The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra Summer Series brings free, family-friendly concerts to the Northern Kentucky region, with two performances a month, July through September, in Devou Park in Covington, Kentucky. And the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra’s Summermusik Festival will play in venues throughout the region—from Notre Dame Academy to Fretboard Brewing—so music lovers can enjoy performances in unique locations throughout the month of August.
In the City
This summer, you can head to downtown Cincinnati any day of the week to find entertaining events. Washington Park and Fountain Square are both hosting events almost any night of week, from Workouts on the Green to Trivia Nights. The Cincinnati Opera returns this year with five different shows at Music Hall and the School for Creative and Performing Arts. And don’t forget about the many shows at the Aronoff Center this summer; featured productions include Falsettos, Hairspray and The Band’s Visit.
