Learn about Cincinnati, Ohio by reading
Cincinnati - A Chile Dish, Warm Reception
by Charlie Spence, Aviation Writer. It features a mini, but
thorough tour of the destination, plus all you'll need to know
to plan your trip including getting there, objective information
on places to stay and eat, and things to do. At the end of the
article, we've provided a summary of the contact information
for your easy reference. Enjoy!
Cincinnati - A Chili Dish, Warm Reception
by
Charlie Spence, Aviation Writer
and IFA Member

Located in scenic Eden Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum features
an unparalleled art collection of more than 60,000 works spanning
6,000 years.
Photo courtesy of the Cincinnati Art Museum
Back in the early 1930s when even
radio was in its infancy, an actor named Jack Pearl was featured
on a radio program as the famous Baron Munchausen. Several times
on each program, after being questioned about some of his outlandish
stories, he would ask "Vas you dere, Charlie?" Frequently he
would include a place in his stories and the question would
be "Vas you effer in Zinzinnati?"
If you "effer vas in Zinzinnati" you
would certainly remember it, because this city in the southwest
corner of Ohio surely is a premier spot for living or visiting.
Cincinnati is situated on the shoreline about center of the
981-mile long Ohio River. Although the city itself is spotted
on the northern side of the river in the rolling hills of the
buckeye state, the attractions spread out into northern Kentucky
and southeastern Indiana. The name is plural for Cincinnatus 'Lucius
Quintius Cincinnatus' to be exact. And like the city of Rome
where Cincinnatus was respected for his wisdom and virtue, Cincinnati
is a city built on seven hills. Throughout all seven are interesting
places to visit from top sporting events to fascinating bits
of history and fun-filled action.
One of your first stops probably will
be the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, where she lived and wrote
Uncle Tom's Cabin. Cincinnati was a key location in the
Underground Railroad that brought many slaves across the river
into freedom. During certain times of the year the house is
open to the public; at other times it can be viewed by appointment.
The role of this city in the antislavery
and abolitionist movements can be found at one of the many museums
in the city, The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
Here you will see exhibits from the Railroad's active days.
Another must see on your visit is
the Cincinnati Museum Center. It was originally built in 1933
as a modern and ornate Union Terminal railroad station. The
Center is home for the Cincinnati History Museum, Cinergy Children's
Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert
D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater and the Cincinnati Historical
Society Library. Nearly one-and-a-half million people visit
these museums annually.
Art lovers must take in the Taft Museum
of Art. Paintings here include works by Whistler, Rembrandt,
and Turner as well as Chinese ceramics and European decorative
arts. Let's visit one more museum before we go off to other
adventures. That would be the American Sign Museum where you
take a walk down memory lane where you can experience the only
public sign museum in America.
If touring those museums gives you
an appetite, make a bee line for one of the chili parlors and
enjoy a dish that had its beginning here but has now spread
out to satisfy the hungers of people in many parts of the nation - Cincinnati
Chili. Add cheese, onions or other garnishes to the chili heaped
over a bed of spaghetti. And nothing cools down the hot chili
better than a cold stein of beer. Cincinnati has a large population
of German origin whose touch is found in locally brewed beers.
You will also enjoy the authentic German beer gardens and restaurants.
There are many fine restaurants and
much night life right downtown in the Fountain Square area.
You'll also find clubs and bistros abound in the Mt. Adams neighborhood
and be sure to take part in the fun at the Houfbr'uhas, an authentic
German brewery.
Sports are big in "the Queen City."
In 1869, the first professional baseball team "the Red Stockings" was
formed and now play as the Cincinnati Reds. Take a few minutes
to visit the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. Football season has
the Cincinnati Bengal's.
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
is rated one of the top zoos in the United States. Besides seeing
more than 500 animals, you will enjoy some 3,999 species of
plants.
For fun for the youngsters and adults,
go out to Coney Island Amusement Park. It is no longer the biggest
amusement park in the area but this center on the riverbank
has survived many floods over the years and keeps coming back
because it is so well liked and convenient. There are twelve
major and eight kiddie rides, including a new steel roller coaster.
Youngsters will enjoy the Kids Town, skeet ball, miniature golf,
and many more fun features. Coney's Moonlight Gardens was once
the premier place for dancing in the area. During the Big Band
era, all the top orchestras played here. Although the Dorsey,
Miller, Goodman and other legendary bands no longer grace the
bandstand, there is still dancing under the stars in this romantic
setting.
Another highlight of your visit will
be taking a lunch or dinner cruise on one of the BB Riverboats.
This is the oldest and largest riverboat company and features
cruises on different vessels. The
Belle of Cincinnati
sternwheeler is the queen boat of the Queen City. In its inner
decks with lavish Victorian decor or on the open top deck, you
will cruise in comfort as you watch the beautiful skyline of
Cincinnati and the rolling hills of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
Each climate controlled deck also includes a bar and dance floor.
And on the subject of bars and dance
floors, just a few miles out of Cincinnati are casinos, open
every day and night. The Argosy Casino and Hotel in Lawrenceburg,
Indiana, for instance, has more than 2,000 slots and about 90
gaming tables. Another casino is across the river in Florence,
Kentucky.
The first bag of airmail was lifted
from here in a hot air balloon in 1835, but the city is not
noted for its aviation activity, other than manufacture of aircraft
engines. However, Ohio is considered the birthplace of flight.
Dayton, where the Wright Brothers developed the airplane is
just a few miles north and well worth the trip to soak up the
historic and current exhibits of flight.
Cincinnati was the first city in the
U.S. to publish greeting cards and the company, Gibson Greeting
Cards, still flourishes here. It is just one of the major companies
located here and one of the many firsts that Cincinnati can
claim. The city was the first to establish a weather bureau,
first to establish a municipal fire department, and first to
establish a municipal university. Although the trip you plan
might be your first to this corner of Ohio, you certainly won't
want it to be your last.
How to Get There
Lunken Airport handled commercial
flights before the Northern Kentucky Airport was constructed
and it has been kept in top shape for general aviation. The
many Fortune 500 companies located in the Cincinnati area mean
many corporate aircraft are based there and Lunken has the facilities
to accommodate them and your arrival.
Runways:
- 3R/21L - 6,000 x 150 Asphalt/Grooved
- 7/25 - 5,140 x 100 Concrete Asphalt/Grooved
- 3L/21R- 3,817 x 100 Concrete Asphalt/Grooved
Approaches: ILS; LOC BC; NDB;
GPS RNAV
Tower Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Lights: 11:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m.
118.7
Fee: Landing
Where to Stay
There are seven excellent hotels in
the downtown area with more than 3,000 rooms available. In addition,
you will find additional hotels and motels just a few miles
across the Ohio River in northern Kentucky and numerous motels
in suburban areas like Reading or Sharonville.
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Where to Dine
By all means visit one or more of
the Cincinnati chili houses. Try the Skyline─which has grown
into a chain'or eat at a competitor, Gold Star. Cincinnati chili
has no beans but you can have them added if you wish. There
are numerous ethnic restaurants, particularly those that feature
German dishes. The downtown hotels have excellent dining rooms.
Notice: This information is current
as of June 2008. It is recommended that you contact the numbers,
and/or visit the websites above to determine any changes to
the information.
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