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Walking Tours of Cincinnati’s Historic Landmarks

A common factor in choosing a location to call home is the potential for residents to walk to work, restaurants or various other attractions and activities in the area. In Cincinnati, both residents and visitors alike often enjoy the many different places they can walk to, whether from their hotel in downtown Cincinnati or their more permanent residence in one of the city’s many neighborhoods. In fact, the proximity of many of Cincinnati’s historic landmarks, parks and other incredible things to do makes it easy to explore multiple locations on your wishlist by foot. Keep reading to find out more about some of the guided and self-guided walking tours of the area!

Cincinnati’s Historic Landmarks: Guided and Self-Guided Tours

Seeing Cincinnati’s historic landmarks can easily be done on your own or with a knowledgeable guide. From your residential location or temporary lodging while visiting the city, you may even pass by one or more of these landmarks without even knowing it. However, if you want to ensure that you see some of Cincinnati’s most well-known historic landmarks, a little planning may be beneficial. Below, explore some of the available options for guided tours and self-guided walking tours.

1. Over-the-Rhine Museum Tours: The Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati is known for being one of the largest and most noteworthy historic districts in the country. Some of the city’s historic landmarks and celebrated attractions, including the Cincinnati Music Hall and Findlay Market, are also located in this area. Offering both public tours from May through October and private tours throughout the year, the “Walking the Stories” tours hosted by Over-the-Rhine Museum focus on sharing not only the beauty of various historic buildings in this area but the lives of the people who utilized them.
2. American Legacy Tours: This tour company offers multiple walking tours in the Cincinnati area. One popular choice that includes the exploration of some of the city’s most historic architecture as well as its underground tunnels is the Ultimate Queen City Underground Tour. In addition to the stops along the tour, the starting point for this tour is within walking distance of the historic Cincinnati Music Hall and Washington Park.
3. Cincinnati Heritage Programs Tours: With options for touring on foot or by bus, there are a number of different options. With experiences that center around the Cincinnati Observatory as well as walks that explore multiple buildings designed by one of Cincinnati’s most recognized architects, Samuel Hannaford, you may visit many historic landmarks or spend time uncovering the various facets of a singular location, depending on your tour choice.
4. Riverside Food Tours: Whether you want to explore one main landmark such as Findlay Market (and try an assortment of the delicious food to be found here) or many different culinary delights and important sites, you may be interested in one of these guided tours. For example, the Cincy Top 10 ‘Sites and Bites’ City Tour (with travel both by foot and by streetcar) invites participants to enjoy some of Cincinnati’s most beloved foods and visit several of its most well-known landmarks.
5. Self-Guided Tours: In addition to guided tours like the ones listed here, you might also design your own walking tour of Cincinnati’s historic landmarks. As one approach to this kind of tour, you might first pick a landmark to serve as your starting point and make other plans for other landmarks to see or activities to do based on that location. For example, after seeing the historic Elsinore Arch, you can then stroll through Eden Park or visit the Cincinnati Art Museum, Krohn Conservatory or Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, which are also located there.

Another idea is to explore the available resources for self-guided tours. As one possibility, the Cincinnati Observatory offers a self-guided walking tour brochure with detailed information about its own history, as well as that of other locations in the surrounding historic district. For more than a thousand cities across the world including Cincinnati, GPSmyCity offers many self-guided tour ideas such as the one focused on Cincinnati’s historical buildings. In addition to previewing your walk and learning about your intended destinations on the website, you can also download the GPSmyCity app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for use during your travels. Plus, this resource even allows you to create your own walking plan and provides guidance for doing so.

Whether you are drawn to Cincinnati’s historic landmarks for the stories associated with them or because so many of them are architectural marvels, you’ll find so much to explore throughout the city. The walkability of the neighborhoods where many of these incredible sites (and so much more) are located contributes to the appeal of finding an apartment in this city. For assistance with your search for a new home in the Cincinnati area, contact our leasing experts today!