We could make 2011 just another year on the calendar, but what's the fun in that? What if we decide this is the year to try something new, to relive something old, to put a new twist on a familiar Cincinnati thing? What if we never have to be bored again?
Here we present to you a list of things to try this year in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. It's not comprehensive by any means, but it covers a broad array of topics, from food to the arts to the outdoors. It mentions go-karts. It talks about wine tours and awesome cheeseburgers. It speaks of penguins and wiener dogs and Santa Claus.
It will have you traveling everywhere from swanky Downtown restaurants to muddy rivers in the suburbs and back roads in Northern Kentucky.
Pack accordingly, and have fun!
1. Run (or watch) the Flying Pig
2. Grab a drink from Molly Wellmann
3. Ski the slopes at Perfect North
4. Form a team for the Cinciditarod
5. Take on a food challenge
6. Go to brunch
7. Hit the Back Roads Wine Trail
8. Drink away St. Patrick’s Day at Molly Malone’s
9. Ooh and aah at the Riverfest fireworks
10. Devour the 915 Burger
11. Experience Cincinnati Reds Opening Day
12. Do the chicken dance at Oktoberfest
13. See the zoo light up at the PNC Festival of Lights
14. Attend a Cincinnati Commandos game
15. Eat a gyro at Panegyri 2011
16. Go to the Old West Festival
17. Shop Findlay Market
18. Tree lighting on Fountain Square
19. Frolic with the beasts at Zoofari
20. Eat strange meat at Goettafest
21. See a Cincinnati Men’s Chorus concert
22. See Santa and friends rappel
23. Ride the mechanical bull at Bobby Mackey’s
24. Take the Segway tour of Eden Park
25. Visit the American Sign Museum
26. Take your pup to the Mount Adams Reindog Parade
27. Swim at East Fork Lake Park
28. Brave the crowds at Terry’s Turf Club
29. Hail the Bockfest parade
30. Play bocce ball at Neons
31. Ride a bus
32. Race go-karts in Lawrenceburg
33. Take the Newport Gangster Tour
34. Gnaw on a turkey leg at the Ohio Renaissance Festival
35. Row, row, row your boat at Paddlefest
36. Have a cocktail at the Cricket Lounge
37. Splurge at one of Jeff Ruby’s restaurants
38. Catch the glow at Balluminaria
39. Quack along with Ride the Ducks
40. See the city by helicopter
41. Beef up your chili with a 5-way
42. Take an out-of-towner to Graeter’s
43. Grab a red suit and join Santacon
44. See a show at the Southgate House
45. Canoe the Little Miami River – and then camp
46. See the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra perform
47. Devour the view at Primavista
48. Polish your cornhole game
49. Cheer on the Delhi Skirt Game
50. Take on a strange sport; kickball anyone?
51. Start your Reds bobblehead collection
52. Visit Big Bone Lick State Park
53. See the Red River Gorge
54. Go geocaching!
55. Tailgate at a Bengals game
56. Salsa on the Square
57. Hyde Park Arts Festival
58. Take a Communiversity course
59. Freak out at the Dent Schoolhouse
60. Hit up Bargain Tuesday at the Esquire
61. Shake it at Shake It Records
62. See the butterflies at Krohn Conservatory
63. See stars at the Cincinnati Observatory
64. Eat at a food truck
65. Watch the planes from Alms Park
66. Run the Thanksgiving Day Race
67. Have a hot drink at Blind Lemon
68. Taste Cincinnati
69. Laugh at the racing wiener dogs
70. Visit the Ludlow Bromley Yacht Club
71. Climb Carew Tower
72. Drink with the Bacchanalian Society
73. Hike Cincinnati’s parks
74. Take a BB Riverboats cruise
75. Put WestFest to the test
76. Ice skating on Fountain Square
77. Beat the corn maze at Niederman Family Farm
78. Shop at Crafty Supermarket
79. Take part in restaurant week
80. See the Cincinnati Rollergirls
81. Shop green at Park + Vine
82. Run Like Hell
83. Ride Anderson Ferry
84. Make friends at Party in the Park
85. Join the Parrothead revolution
86. MidPoint Music Festival
87. Find the best _____ in town
88. Hang out with the penguins at Newport Aquarium
89. Eat late at Shanghai Mama’s
90. Sit in the nosebleeds at a Reds game
91. See a Cincinnati Shakespeare Company performance
92. Be brave and sing karaoke, already
93. Join in on the Cincinnati Fringe Festival
94. Eat a burrito at the Comet
95. Track down Hat Man
96. Visit the CAC on a Monday night
97. Pull up a stool at Tucker’s Restaurant
98. Do the Spring Fling
99. Donate blood to Hoxworth
100. Dance your rear off at Macy’s Music Festival
101. Eat a smiley face cookie from Busken
