12 Inexpensive Cincinnati Activities to Beat Summer Boredom

It’s inevitable. School has only been out for a few weeks, when you begin to hear a chorus of “I’m booooooored.” I feel you, I really do. Luckily, if you’re in Cincinnati, there are a number of awesome ways to beat summer boredom without breaking the bank.

Cheap Things to Do in Cincinnati to Banish Summer Boredom

Fountain Square

If you’ve been in Cincinnati any length of time, you probably know that Fountain Square is always hopping. This is never more true than in summer, when you’ll almost always find some sort of event, festival, or other happening, well, happening.

Smale Riverfront Park

It seems that every time I visit Smale, it gets more exciting. Besides a beautiful view of the Roebling and the river, you can now splash in the fountains, take a walk along the banks of the Ohio, and rest your feet on one of the “porch” swings.

The Cincinnati Art Museum

Free admission, special exhibits and activities for kids, air-conditioning(!), and tucked away in beautiful Eden Park… what’s not to love? Even if you aren’t a big art buff, I think you’ll have a great time visiting the art museum.

Krohn Conservatory

Also located in Eden Park, why not plan a visit to the Krohn Conservatory? Even if the annual Butterfly Show has ended, the Krohn has lots of beautiful things to see!

Washington Park

The revitalization of Washington Park is one of the coolest things I’ve seen in my 30+ years in the Queen City. The home of another splash fountain/play area, this one is extra cool at night when it lights up with colored LEDs. And goodness knows it’s still plenty warm in the evenings during the humid Cincinnati summers! There is almost always something going on at Washington Park, so be sure to check the schedule for music, fitness, kickball, and kids activities.

Outdoor Movies & Music

Depending on where in the city you live, you’ve got a number of places to choose from for an outdoor movie under the stars. Check out these schedules for Deerfield Township, Colerain Township, Washington Park, Fairfield, and Liberty Center.

You will also likely find lots of great (free!) outdoor music events like the Blue Ash Concert Series, Washington Park’s Bandstand Bluegrass, the Live at the Levee Concert Series, the West Chester Concert Series, and Music in Mason (with lots of free kids activities, too). From Bluegrass and cover bands to national recording artists and symphonies, you can probably find something you’ll like.

Geocaching

One of our favorite activities year-round, geocaching is an absolute blast in the summer. The adventure and route is entirely up to you, but summer means you might be able to add a little creek play, soft serve ice cream, or other summer fun to your treasure hunt.

Sharon Woods Harbor

A staple of my childhood summers, the Boathouse and Harbor play area at Sharon Woods is still a blast. A playground, water features, paddle boats, bike trails… there is something for everyone!

Trammel Fossil Park

This one can be a bit hot, but with free admission – and all the digging a kid could want – it’s definitely worth a visit this summer.

ActivAtees at Blue Manatee

Throughout the summer, Blue Manatee Children’s Bookstore continues its fun programming. Check the schedule for sign language events, story time, “Make a Mess” days, and more.

Water Splash Parks

Much easier at times (as a parent) than even the pool in our neighborhood, we always have a great time at splash parks. We have small one at local parks, but these are some of the larger, often themed offerings around the city:

Beech Acres
Clippard Park
Home of the Brave
Miami Whitewater Forest: Parky’s Pirate Cove
Sawyer Point Sprayground
Smale Riverfront Park
Washington Park
Winton Woods: Parky’s Ark
Woodland Mound: Parky’s Wetland Adventure

And don’t forget about the biggest end-of-summer blowout – coming much sooner than we’d like! – the WEBN Riverfest/Fireworks.

This is far, far from an exhaustive list of inexpensive activities to try this year. What’s YOUR favorite thing to do in Cincinnati during the summer?

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