Prospective U Cincinnati student- please tell me what not to miss on a visit there and where to stay.
 

Planning a college visit to UC. Never been to Cincinnati before. Where should we go to get the typical college experience? Is there a name to the area where the UC students eat, shop, hang out,etc? Anyone have suggestions of places not to miss for a prospective UC student?

Do you suggest staying at the Marriott's Kingsgate Conference Center at the campus? Or any other hotel suggestions?

Thanks so much. We really want to get a genuine sense of the school and the city.

bump
please - what's cool in Cincinnati?

My cousin graduated from UC five years ago. I remember being in the Clifton Heights area of fun bars, etc. The Marriott looks fine but i've never stayed there.

Cinci is a fun town, but its cool spots are spread out over the city. Check out Paramount's King's Island amusement park and Newport on the River, a riverfront area of shoppes, restaurants and clubs just over the border in Kentucky.

The Cinci Zoo is close to UC and a good one, as far as zoos go lol

Good luck! My cuz loved it there and had some great times!

The Kingsgate Marriott is the closest to campus. In fact, I can't think of another reputable place in Clifton, though there a lot of places near Clifton, esp. downtown. If you plan on spending a lot of time at UC or bar-hopping in Clifton, the Marriott is definitely the closest hotel.

The streets that border the campus to the south (McMillan) and to the east (Old Vine) have tons of bars where the students hang out, if that's your thing. Back when I was a student there, oh so many years ago, the students also hung out at Tangemen University Center in between classes, which is on campus.

You should have no trouble walking to the bars on Clifton and you will be very close to TUC, which is on campus, from the Marriott. I wouldn't walk alone at night in Clifton, though.

If you just plan on spending the day on campus and then elsewhere at night, you might consider staying either downtown or in Northern Kentucky (Covington or Newport), both of which are close to the stadiums, Newport on the Levee, and Clifton. There are tons of hotels to choose from and you can book a great rate using travel club discounts or checking for specials on the hotel websites.

Other things to do in Cincinnati are the zoo, Newport Aquarium, and the Museum Centre. You can also go on a river cruise, canoeing, or to Kings Island.

FYI, we are a commuter town. Most people drive. Renting a car might be a problem if you're under 25 but beware that you might have trouble hailing taxis here. We don't have them at every corner like other cities.

Go to the University area and find the nearest Skyline Chili---order a 3way and a cheese coney----that is the true Cincinnati experience.

Cincinnati is so cool full of great places to eat and a bunch to see. Recommend downtown the RedFish. Good cajun atmosphere and food. In Newtown there is a great "cafe" that serves good food esp. chili. Of course, the skyline chilis are great.Montgomery Inn for terrific ribs. Don't miss Greater's Ice Cream and Buskins bakery. These are only a few of the food fest places. The zoo, the Newport aquarium, the archetecture, the sports areas and the university (BTW a good education too) are all impressive. I live in north west Indiana and started to get to know Cincinnati about 5 years ago. I really love it. It is a great place to explore. After 5 years I think I've only scratched the surface. People and area are nice and I hope you will like it too.

Thanks for all of the replies. liverliver - perfect suggestions - we will definitely check some of them out. Do you think it matters much where we stay? Will we be giving up much if we stay near the airport or in Covington if it is cheaper than the Marriott on campus? So the school is pretty decent? All we really know about is their highly acclaimed theatre school.

We are from the northeast and my son will be interviewing at the conservatory(CCM) at UC for theatre/design. So far we have really taken in the sights and experienced Pittsburgh, Winston - Salem, and NYC, and of course Boston - these are all theatre conservatory cities. He really likes to take in the city and get a real good idea of the neighborhoods, the culture, the local flavors, etc. It is helpful to get a sense of what life and the people are like in the different geographic areas that he is considering going to school in.

hi. Cincinnati is a city built on seven hills. there are a lot of "areas" and meighborhoods. Even though I go there several times a year, I find new things each time. Not a place that you can "discover" in one trip. Is not a Boston or a NYC but is full of ethnic and cultural experiences. If I wanted to get a feel for the University atmosphere, staying close would be my preference, but getting around is pretty easy if you have a sense of direction.

Hi - I've lived in Cincinnati many years but my family is originally from Boston. Boston is definitely a much more progressive city, but Cincinnati is my hometown and I love it.

I would definitely stay in Clifton so your son can get a feel for the area the school is in. CCM is a great - it seems like a lot of graduates become quite successful. If you son can get in I'm sure he must be quite talented! Kudos!

Some other parts of town that young folks like to frequent are Hyde Park, Mt Adams, and Main St downton. These might be some nice places to walk around in the evenings to get a feel for things (Main St is much more urban, the Mt Adams and Hyde Park are higher end).

UC Basketball rules here in Cincinnati. I'm an alum of Miami Univ about 45mins outside Cincy and had several friends in the theatre progrm while I was there. If your son changes his mind and decides he wants a more typical "college town" setting, I love Miami - gotta stick up for my alma mater!

Lisa

snowrooster - thanks so much for the info. Sounds like we will stay in Clifton. Do you have any hotel suggestions? Also, do you think it is best to rent a car to get around the city and all of the different areas you mentioned checking out like Hyde Park, Mt Adams, etc?

Well - my CCM son is a lighting designer but my younger one will be having his eye on a great basketball school - I'll pass on to him what you have to say!

Thanks again. This kind of info really takes a lot of the hassle and hit or miss out of our college visit and lets us key in on what will matter to him.
If you have special restaurant suggestions (nothing fancy) I would appreciate it. What about a great breakfast place? Maybe something a little fun/funky that UC students hang out in because of good food and good prices.