All About Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati Stats

Population and geography: The city of Cincinnati, tucked in the scenic southwestern corner of Ohio along the Ohio River, covers almost 80 square miles with a population of 364,000. The Greater Cincinnati area, which includes parts of Indiana and Kentucky, has a population of 2 million strong.

Climate:
• Average daytime temperature: 75.1 F (July); 28.1 F (January).
• Average annual precipitation: 41 inches.
• Average annual snowfall: 32 inches.

Transportation:
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
• Metro and Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) provide bus service throughout the Greater Cincinnati area.

Cost of living: 98.0 (second quarter 2000; national average=100)

Unemployment rate: 3.4 percent (October 2000)

Fortune 500 companies:

• Procter & Gamble
• Kroger
• Federated Department Stores
• Ashland
• CINergy
• American Financial Group
• AK Steel
• Firth Third Bancorp

Major employers:

• Procter & Gamble
• University of Cincinnati
• Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati
• Kroger
• GE Aircraft

Professional sports team:
• The Cincinnati Bengals (National Football League)
• The Cincinnati Reds (Major League Baseball)
• The Cincinnati Stuff (International Basketball League)
• The Cincinnati Cyclones (International Hockey League)
• The Mighty Ducks (American Hockey League)

When residents describe Cincinnati as a "big city with a small-town feel," they aren't kidding. In fact, small towns, villages, and townships—200 in all—are everywhere in and around what most people consider the city limits, causing tax-paying confusion for even longtime inhabitants and natives.

"Cincinnati is the best of both worlds," says Bill Fletcher, director, Career and Experiential Education, College of Mount St. Joseph. "It's like a small town, with nice neighborhoods where everyone is friendly, with all the significant perks of a big metropolitan city.

"It is not so small that it is boring, yet not so large that is overwhelming," he says. "When it comes to starting your career, Cincinnati has it all from small start-ups to Fortune 500s such a Procter and Gamble, Kroger, or Ashland. This is all topped off by providing excellent education, affordable housing, and low crime rates."

Cincinnati dwellers pay little attention to political boundaries, choosing to focus on a downtown renaissance that includes a state-funded theatrical complex, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, new professional baseball and football stadiums, a new central riverfront park, and lots and lots of new eateries and nightclubs.

"The riverfront and the whole downtown scene is something everyone should definitely check out," says Fletcher. "At night, the city overlooking the river is beautiful. There is the historic Fountain Square in the center of downtown. On the river is a state-of-the-art professional football stadium (with a team that can only get better) and another new ball park under construction which hosts baseball's first professional team - the Cincinnati Reds."

"Plus we have baseball's best and most exciting player now, a hometown boy, Ken Griffey Jr.," he adds. "On the river is Sawyer Point, a park where many concerts are held during the spring and summer months. Quaint and historic Mount Adams overlooks downtown and the hills of Kentucky. It's home to many restaurants, nightlife, and unique shops."

Prime among Cincinnati's drawing points are a low crime rate, moderate cost of living, and country roads and scenery just minutes from the metropolitan area. Students will find it an especially friendly area to spend a summer internship.

"Cincinnati and the Northern Kentucky Community have a festival for all occasions," Fletcher says. "The summer starts off with a Taste of Cincinnati street festival in May where restaurants and microbreweries set up booths and there are free performances by all types of musical groups. Summer closes with the WEBN spectacular fireworks display on the river on Labor Day.

"It wouldn't be 'Zinzinnati' if we didn't celebrate our German heritage with Oktoberfest and the world's largest chicken dance with music, rides, games, food and drink. In between, there is May Festival, Chili Festival, Renaissance Festival, Celtic Fest, Middfest International, Ujima Cinci-Bration, Panegyri Greek Fest, and many others," he says.

"And what would any city be without a good Division I basketball rivalry between the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and the Xavier University Musketeers," Fletcher adds. "Called the Cross-town Shootout, it separates the city between red/black and blue/white—even if your not a basketball fan it's fun."

When it comes to dining out, he notes, Cincinnati offers foo for every taste from 5-way chili at to 5-star dining. "You must try a 5-way, Cincinnati's own special chili, at Skiline or dine at the Maisonette, Mobil Travel Guide's longest running 5-star restaurant (37 consecutive years)," Fletcher says.

Whether it is Main Street, on the river, or in the suburbs, there is just about everything for everyone.

Recommended attractions:

• Aronoff Center for the Arts is home to dance, theater, and Broadway shows.
• The Beach Waterpark offers more than 30 water slides and other attractions on 35 acres of land near Paramount's King's Island amusement part. Included is the "Aztec Adventure" water coaster, a 500-foot-long flume that sends riders up, around, and down a 30-foot drop into a pool guarded by "cobras."
• The Cincinnati Art Museum features more than 100,000 works of art, as well as musical performances, poetry readings, lectures, and discussions.
• The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra performs in Memorial Hall, Temple Auditorium, and Linder Fine Arts Theater.
• The Cincinnati History Museum offers centuries of Cincinnati culture, including objects from political campaigns, wars, business and industry, education, religion, sports, music, and art.
• The Cincinnati Opera, the nation's second-oldest opera company, performs in Music Hall and offers special events, such as "Opera Rap," a traveling lecture series.
• The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is home to 700 animal species and 3,000 types of plants.
• The Classical Music Hall of Fame offers interactive exhibits about the various facets of classical music in the United States.
• The Contemporary Arts Center displays 20th-century art, architecture, and design, as well as sculpture, photography, video, and multi-media exhibits.
• MainStrauss Village preserves Cincinnati's heritage in a restored 19th-century German neighborhood with shops in renovated buildings joined by cobblestones.
• The Museum of Natural History and Science presents Ohio Valley geography, biology, and more, including a life-sized Kentucky limestone cave, a walk-through ice cave, "Dino Hall," and glacier, plant, and fossil exhibits.
• Newport Aquarium offers views of 11,000 beautiful and dangerous water-dwelling species. Galleries take visitors into 16 different aquatic worlds, including shark-filled ocean depths, alligator-infested swampland, and the penguin populated Arctic.
• Paramount's King's Island amusement park features "Face-Off," the Midwest's only face-to-face inverted roller coaster and "The Beast," the world's longest wooden roller coaster. There are also 300 other rides and attractions.
• Riverboat cruises are offered by B&B Riverboats, Celebration Riverboats, Delta Queen Steamboat Co., Queen City Riverboat Cruises, RiverCity Charter, and Satisfaction Yacht Charter Services Inc.
• Wolft Planetarium, the oldest planetarium west of the Alleghenies, hosts informational programs and shows.

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