Cincinnati is...

Located just three hours away from campus, Cincinnati, Ohio is a great destination for a day trip or a weekend excursion.  Two professional sports arenas, several museums and the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens make Cincinnati a close-by and pleasurable destination.

Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals, "is definitely worth driving by and checking out in the winter and spring," said Molly Simon, Paul Brown Stadium employee."Although football season just ended, Paul Brown Stadium is a great tourist attraction."

The Great American Ballpark, located along the Ohio River, is home to Cincinnati's Reds and the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is opened year-round and this month is showcasing the Reds' role in the development of Negro Leagues, said Albert Groil, Great American Ballpark employee. 

The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum pays homage to great past Reds, such as Pete Rose, Frank Robinson and Johnny Bench, Groil said.

Cincinnati has several museums, each concentrating on different aspects of the arts. 

Cincinnati Art Museum, located in the picturesque Eden Park, "features over 60,000 different pieces, some dating back over 60 centuries," said Cincinnati Art Museum Director Aaron Betsky. "The art is the best thing about the museum, but we also do a lot of community activities to get Cincinnatians involved in the museum." 

Omnimax Theater, Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum and Museum of Natural History and Science are all located in Cincinnati's Museum Center at the famed Union Terminal. 

A day in Cincinnati could be spent at the Union Terminal alone.  There is so much to see and do at Union Terminal, such as beautiful art, several hands-on projects, exhibitions, tours and shopping, said Marty Johnson, Union Terminal guide.

"There is a new exhibit running until May that examines the cultural, historical and scientific underpinning that examines America's fascination with gold and how it has come to be,"     Johnson said.

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens has recently been rated as one of the top zoos in the nation by Zagat surveys and has more than 500 animal and 3000 plant species, said Mike Dulaney, "Cincinnati Zoo mammal curator. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens is open year-round and features more than 20 animal exhibits, such as gorilla world, giraffe ridge, reptile house, penguin walkabout, tiger canyon, wolf worlds and many more," Dulaney said.

   Kelly Crouch can be contacted at crouch16@marshall.edu.