Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati Museum Center
Three museums in one great building, a re-imagined train station: Cincinnati History Museum explores Cincinnati’s rich heritage in re-created scenes, while Duke Energy Children's Museum lets kids climb, crawl, explore and learn about themselves and the world around them i- perfect for kids of all ages in nine educational and dramatic exhibit areas; Museum of Natural History & Science you’ll learn about the creatures and features of the ancient Ohio River Valley and the sciences that shaped them; Lindner OMNIMAX Theater and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library round this robust collection of family attractions
 Mon-Sat 10a-5p, Sun 11a-6p;
 Union Terminal at 1301 Western Ave
 513-287-7000 or 800-733-2077
 http://www.cincymuseum.org

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Opened in 1875, it is ranked one of the top zoos in the nation; the Zoo's 65 acres feature over 700 different animal species; many programs and activities for kids to meet and learn about animals; the zoo is particularly noted for its efforts to conserve and propagate endangered species; the botanical garden has over 3,000 types of plants that demonstrate diversity and symbiotic relationships with animal life in naturalistic settings to promote conservation; the Zoo train rides through a portion of the botanical garden; annual Festival of Lights showcases over 100 lighted displays during the winter holidays, as ice carvers also turn giant blocks of ice into beautiful holiday sculptures; Giraffe Ridge –
Opens June 2008
 513-281-4700 or 800-94-HIPPO
 http://www.cincyzoo.org

Great America Ball Park
Opened in 2003 as home to the Cincinnati Reds baseball team, this marvelous park overlooking the Ohio River seats 43,000 and sits next to the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center; special features at the ballpark include Crosley Terrace statues, Italian-marble mosaics, famous-dates banners and a nostalgic Sun/Moon Deck; Reds Hall of Fame & Museum is a special palace for the baseball fans covering the formation of the Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869, where America's passion for the sport were born
 100 Main Street
 ballpark tour 513-765-7000
 HOF & Museum 513-765-7576
 http://reds.mlb.com/cin/ballpark

Paul Brown Stadium
Opened in 2000 as home of the Cincinnati Bengals football team; a striking architectural design, it stands in stark contrast to other modern stadiums with naming rights paid by a large corporation -- instead, its named it after legendary football coach and first coach of the Bengals, Paul Brown; seating 65,500 plus 114 suites, the stadium is noted for having artificial FieldTurf which looks and feels like real grass, and for having two large high definition screens
 One Paul Brown Stadium
 513-455-4800
 http://www.bengals.com/stadium

Coney Island
Everything you need in a family theme park, including comparably affordable prices; over 50 rides and attractions like a Grand Carousel, Dodgems, Pepsi Python Family Roller Coaster, Ferris Wheel, Scrambler, Bumper Boats and Coney Kids Town; Famous Fairways Miniature Golf Course has 18-holes of replicas of some of the famous golf holes in the United States; Sunlite Pool is the world's largest re-circulating swimming pool, holding more than three million gallons of water, with six diving boards, a 15 foot pool slide, The Pipeline Plunge, enclosed slide and the Zoom Flume, a twin chute slide
 513-232-8230
 http://www.coneyislandpark.com

The Beach Waterpark
Ohio's largest water park, the Beach has more than 40 thrilling rides and exciting attractions; at 35 acres and 2.5 million gallons of good, clean fun, the Beach is rated as one of the top five waterparks in the country
 open daily May-Labor Day
 513-398-SWIM
 http://www.thebeachwaterpark.com

Newport, KY

Newport on the Levee
Situated just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati in Newport, Kentucky, Newport on the Levee is an entertainment destination featuring an exciting mix of entertainment venues, restaurants and retailers.  Some of its tenants include AMC Theaters; Empire, a 27,000 square foot nightclub featuring three clubs in a single venue; GameWorks entertainment center; Shadowbox Cabaret, offering a wild live cabaret theater experience; Firstar IMAX Theatre; Mitchell's Fish Market, restaurant offering more than 80 kinds of fresh fish daily; Barnes & Noble; and the Newport Aquarium, among others.  The Levee is easily accessible from I-471, the Taylor Southgate Bridge and Pete Rose Way, and via TANK, the Transportation Authority of Northern Kentucky
 Mon-Thu 11a-9p, Fri-Sat 11a-10p, Sun Noon-6p
 859-291-0550
 http://www.newportonthelevee.com

Newport Aquarium
Home to 1 million gallons of fun and edutainment, the aquarium invites families for a day of interactive exhibits; the walk-through tunnel lets you safely peer at sharks cruising overhead in the 380,000-Gallon Shark Tank; you can also stroll through a bayou where fish glide underfoot; other attractions are 600 marine species, 12 King Penguins, 17 larger-than-life murals, 16 themed galleries, and 60 exhibits packed into a 100,000 square foot venue; you can walk on the pedestrian bridge across the Ohio River to this venue
 open daily
admission fee
 859-491-FINS
 http://www.newportaquarium.com

Mason, Ohio

Kings Island
A mini-vacation destination like no other in the Midwest offers families an array of dynamic activities, entertainment and fun that just won’t stop; only open weekends until the last week in May then daily regular season starts
 6300 Kings Island Drive
 513-754-5700
 http://www.visitkingsisland.com