Take a Trip Down the Old Ohio in Cincinnati

The Delta Queen Steamboat. (Photo from the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitor's Center.)

From the first riverfront settlement in 1788, Cincinnati's growth has been linked to the Ohio River. The city's harbors helped rocket the so- called Queen City to prominence in the 1800s when it became the second largest city west of the Alleghenies. A nostalgic view of the Ohio River is still available for any Tom Sawyer wannabe on B.B. Riverboats. Hop aboard the steamboat- era Becky Thatcher, the sternwheeler Mark Twain or the modern FunLiner for a one or two hour cruise or an all-dayexcursion. Call (602) 261-8500 for more details.

Historic Fountain Square blends the old and the new in downtown Cincinnati. (Photo from the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitor's Center.)

Anyone who loves the romance of the leisurely traffic from that bygone era of life on the river that Mark Twain wrote about will not want to miss Mike Fink's Riverboat Restaurant. Located in an American sternwheeler, this popular seafood establishment serves authentic, mouthwatering cuisine. As you get a grip on the city's psyche, feast on specialties such as fried catfish, Creole shrimp, Natchez-style halibut, or the elaborate raw bar. Located at the foot of Greenup Street at Second Street in Covington, call (606) 261-4212 for reservations.

Cincinnati also boasts the last original intact floating theater--the Majestic. Launched in 1923, this national historic landmark still offers live entertainment and is docked on the Public Landing.

Just west of Public Landing, Riverfront Stadium stands as proof that Cincinnati never turned its back on the river. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the city was one of the first in the United States to exploit its riverfront by choosing to build its new baseball stadium there instead of in the suburbs. This decision did more to keep downtown alive than any other. Be sure to stand outside the stadium and take in a dramatic view of the urban skyline and the Ohio River. But inside, catch the Cincinnati Reds, baseball's oldest major league club, as they battle their National League rivals in the race for the pennant. It is not just that the Queen City won the 1990 World Series--baseball has remained a great source of pride since fellow Cincinnatian President William Howard Taft threw the first pitch in a ball game in Washington, D.C.

The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. (Photo from the Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitor's Center.)

Any exploration of Cincinnati must not only begin but end along the river, so unwind at Covington Landing, America's largest waterfront complex on inland waters. It can be reached from Riverfront Stadium by walking over the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, the first to span the Ohio River. The construction was the world's longest suspension bridge when it was built in 1867 and served as a model for the Brooklyn Bridge. Once across, you are confronted with a collection of cafes, specialty shops, and night clubs on permanently moored boats.

Whether enjoying a nostalgic view of the city skyline from a riverboat or watching to see if Marge Schott takes the field at Riverfront Stadium, the Queen City will give you the benefits of what a frontier river town and a modern metropolis have to offer. Perched high on the hills of the Ohio River, Cincinnati is a savvy city that has one eye on the past and the other on the future.