Typically, Lisa and I take Jace and Annabelle to a football game in South Carolina on a short vacation over a long weekend in the fall. Over my fall break this season, we desired to take a family trip centered on time together, some fun activities outside, and going to museums. Like many sports enthusiasts, I enjoy attending a good Saturday college football game. However, on some weekends, I try to focus on events where I can spend more time with my family instead of watching sports. For instance, taking Jace (a 1-year-old) and Annabelle (a 3-year-old) to a college football game is not necessarily a wise choice. When each child was a baby, we could take them to any type of event, including sports and concerts. When Jace and Annabelle grew up into active walkers, their mobility became a whole new ballgame!
With these thoughts in mind, we ventured from our
hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee to Cincinnati, Ohio, during the first weekend
in October. I recently heard positive feedback from a friend about northern
Kentucky and the city of Cincinnati, including the Ark Encounter and the Creation
Museum. The Ohio River serves as the state line that separates these regional
areas in Ohio and Kentucky. So, we rented a house in Covington, Kentucky, a
town located just across the bridge from downtown Cincinnati. In past years,
Lisa and I usually took a short trip to celebrate our wedding anniversary in
October. While this trip was meant to serve mainly as a family vacation, we set
aside moments to commemorate and remember our marriage. Anniversaries remind us
to be grateful for one another in the adventures that we share together.
In northern Kentucky near Cincinnati, the towns of
Ludlow, Covington, and Newport have their own places of interest and tourist
sites. If we had only stayed on this side of the Ohio River (across the skyline
of Cincinnati), we would have been plenty busy with the hidden treasures that
northern Kentucky bestows upon its many visitors.
We
arrived in Covington from Knoxville at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET. After a long
day of traveling, at the recommendation of our Airbnb host, we ate at the Fort
Mitchell Public House. The building that Fort Mitchell Public House resides in possesses
a long local history. It was initially built in the early 1900s as a private
residence. In the 1940s, it was converted into a restaurant called The
Hearthstone. The Hearthstone was a popular spot for many years, but it
eventually closed in the 1980s.
The building sat vacant for approximately two decades until Mike Hang purchased it. To restore the building as an original public house from the early 1900s, he renovated the building and opened Fort Mitchell in November 2015. A large outdoor patio with comfortable seating surrounded a courtyard, especially for families with energetic children after a four-and-a-half-hour car ride. As an appetizer, we ordered the loaded Saratoga chips, a wholesome dish of handmade potato chips with made-from-scratch BBQ sauce, queso, tomatoes, and green onions. I honestly thought Annabelle would eat the chips with whole mouthfuls. Instead, she was captivated by the outdoor environment of streetlamps and other patrons in their best Sunday dress clothes. I ordered the fish tacos made with blackened whitefish, flour tortillas, corn salsa, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Lisa ordered the spicy black bean burger on a gluten-free bun with fries. The burgers were made daily by the head chef with black beans, corn, brown rice, chili, fresh corn salsa, and pickles. We ate food at some unique, established landmarks; however, Lisa and I agreed that this restaurant was our favorite place to eat during our five-day vacation.
After a quick trip to the grocery store, we finally reached our Airbnb rental house. The neighborhood where the historic home resided was quaint, with quiet streets and one-family homes surrounded by large oak trees. The home had three bedrooms, a spacious kitchen, and a large den for the kids to play with their toys. Jace is obsessed with dirt, hence why he is often filthy from playing outside these days. This house had several soiled plants with pots inside the house. So, I baby-proofed the house to keep Jace from playing in the dirt of each pot and throwing it across rooms like marbles. It can definitely make a huge mess when playing with the soil inside. For reasons unknown to young parents, the dream of a one-year-old boy is to make messes for Mom and Dad to constantly clean up.
On Saturday, we got an early start to visit the Ark
Encounter, the modern-day museum that displays Noah's ark in a life-size
replica of the boat. Before going inside the ship, the kids rode a carousel.
The landscape of the grounds surrounding the ark was amazing. It reminded me of
the picturesque blossoms and flowers at Disney World or Dollywood. While the ark
itself was the main attraction, the Ark Encounter resembled a theme park with a
zoo. The ark paralleled a long, enormous barge at sea. It was huge!
In addition to the ground level, the ark encompassed
three floors. There were spaces where Noah’s family lived, and the animals were
stored in baskets, cages, and other containers. The boat was built to the exact
specifications of the Bible, and the nautical operations of the boat were also
thoroughly explained. It seemed like there were millions of available details
and information tidbits in the museum. So, one day alone does not suffice to fully
appreciate the craftsmanship and history of the ark, even if exploring the ship
for five to six hours. Annabelle and Jace lasted about four hours, which I was
pleasantly surprised to see. Annabelle wanted to stop and stare at every scene,
statue, and fake animal in the museum. The exhibits included information about
Noah’s life, a blacksmith shop, animal care, the animal species carried in the
boat, dinosaurs, and educational films in multiple theaters. The ark's size and
the volume of included knowledge about this historical event were overwhelming,
to say the least.
While skipping our usual lunch time, our ark museum
adventure made us hungry. We ventured to a southwestern-themed outdoor
restaurant. It was a cooler day without extreme heat because of the fall
weather. I had chicken tacos, despite just having fish tacos the previous
evening at the Fort Mitchell Public House. Lisa ordered a burrito bowl with
rice, black beans, cheese, vegetables, and chicken. Annabelle and Jace also ate
tacos. There were plenty of places to get food in the park, especially since
our visit turned into a full-day excursion. Annabelle loves animals. So, we
visited the zoo before leaving the grounds. The zoo had several types of
animals, including birds, lemurs, reptiles, kangaroos, a petting zoo, and
several other creatures.
For a simple yet tasty dinner, we ate at Chick-fil-A
before returning to the Airbnb. While we do not eat at Chick-fil-A often, our
kids really like their food. We quickly gave the kids baths and put them to bed
after the long day of festivities.
On Sunday, I really wanted to venture into downtown
Cincinnati, so we could take in some of the local sites on the other side of
the state line between northern Kentucky and Ohio. We rested in the early
morning and left our Airbnb around lunchtime to eat at The Findley Market,
which resembled The Quincy Market in Boston, Massachusetts. Like the structure
of an open-air narrow warehouse, Findley contained a food marketplace with
cuisine vendors from all over the world. Chefs made these meals fresh on the
spot for those looking for an affordable meal with a delectable taste. Like a
food court, the advantage is that anyone can find an interesting delicacy one
might savor. The market is filled with businesses and chefs taking orders from
hundreds of people, all there for the same purpose to enjoy the local flavors.
There were a few open tables to sit down and eat. I got the impression many
people arrived to order food on the go. There was live music outside, and there
were several local shops to buy souvenirs. There were also some artists with
outdoor tents. Lisa and I finally found a table for all four of us to sit down
outside. I ate an Italian sub. The kids had deluxe grilled cheese sandwiches.
Lisa ate some grilled lemon pepper chicken with fried rice and vegetables. All
the food choices were excellent!
After spoiling our taste buds at the Findlay Market,
we walked over to the Rhinegeist Brewery to drink some local brews (gluten-free
cider for Lisa) and socialize with more Cincy locals. Rhinegeist inhabited an
entire city block in a building that was over one hundred years old. Similar to
the interior of an old factory, the brewery's interior was larger than a
football field with a rooftop bar. Of course, there were cornhole boards,
indoor swings, and other family festive activities. We stayed at the brewery
for a couple of hours, and the kids loved playing indoors, like an outdoor
playground. It was lightly sprinkling rain outside. So, Lisa and I ventured
into Deeper Roots Coffee Shop until we could walk back to the parking garage. I
did not drink any coffee. Lisa drank the barista’s seasonal version of a
Pumpkin Spice Latte. The coffee shop provided a chill place to relax until the
sprinkles subsided to go back to the car.
To visit the Findlay Market and the Rhinegeist
Brewery, Lisa and I parked at Washington Park in central downtown Cincinnati.
We brisked quickly through the park. It was another spacious outdoor green
space with unique visuals and walkways that added to the memorable décor and
scenery of the city.
We ventured next to Smale Riverfront Park, which had
unique playground features. Annabelle loves slides, and several slides were
etched into small hills within the park, rather than having a traditional
playground that includes handmade structures with slides. Smale Park bordered
the Ohio River with an impressive view of the John A. Roebling Suspension
Bridge. Paycor Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Great American
Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds, were within close walking distance of the
popular green space. There was a rope bridge, several metal musical
instruments, a walk-on keyboard, an Oinkithopter (a flying pig that kids climb
on and into), and several streams and water play areas for kids.
It was quickly getting dark outside. So, we spent less
time in Smale Park than we had initially hoped for. I promised Annabelle we
would come back first thing the next morning. We were surprisingly hungry again,
quicker than usual. We wandered into a restaurant called The Yard House. It was
an upscale sports bar that just so happened to welcome families with young
children. I ate chicken nachos, and Lisa ate ahi tuna with asparagus on the
side. We ordered Annabelle some chicken fingers. Typically, Jace eats off our
plates, and we share with him, even though he has a considerable appetite to
consume his own food now. The food and the service at The Yard House were exceptional!
We stumbled upon this restaurant by accident mainly because it was close to
Smale Park and within walking distance.
As promised, we took Annabelle back to Smale Park the next
morning, walking approximately three miles on the sidewalk along the river.
Annabelle played for another hour in the park, mainly on the slides. It was
nice enjoying the park without being in a rush.
For budgetary reasons, we ate lunch at Taco Bell and
then proceeded to the Creation Museum. The Creation Museum was part of a
three-day combo ticket with The Ark Encounter. There were several exhibits at
the museum, including information about how Intelligent Design compares and
contrasts with evolution. I remember enjoying some of the displays and statues of
dinosaurs and the development of babies in a mother's womb. Much of the tour
involved more information about Noah's Ark, dragon legends, an insectarium, the
history of the Bible, and other creative exhibits. Like the Ark Encounter,
there was a smaller zoo and botanical gardens on the museum grounds. Again, I
enjoyed both the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. It was evident that the
responsible engineers and designers invested many resources in these tourist
destinations. If you visit these sites, the three-day pass is a logical choice,
given that it takes hours to tour these museums and truly enjoy them. Set aside
at least one day for the Ark Encounter and at least one additional day for the
Creation Museum.
We ate dinner after the Creation Museum at The Hebron
Grill, another locally owned restaurant. Surprisingly, our kids were terrific
in all the restaurants we attended. I was proud of their well-behaved demeanor
in these public places. I ordered the southern fried chicken parm, and Lisa
ordered a salad with salmon. Annabelle had pasta with marinara sauce, and Jace
shared all of our dishes once again. I was impressed with the restaurant
selections in northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. We ate very well and enjoyed
our many meals together as a family.
We returned to our Airbnb in the early evening, where
we watched the movie, Kung Fu Panda, with the kids. Our sweet and short
time away was coming to a close since we had to head back home the following
day, Tuesday. Even one month after taking this trip, Lisa and I are still talking
about how much fun we had with the kids on this trip, spending time together as
a family. As parents, we have decided to intentionally stop and savor every precious
moment with our children. As life moves forward in time, each passing moment is
a fleeting gift that warrants appreciation to the fullest extent.
Browse our favorite photo moments from our memorable trip below.
(You can imagine the vast size of the Rhinegeist Brewery with this picture.)
(Annabelle and Jace enjoy watching the animals in the zoo at the Ark Encounter.)
(Jace smiles while petting goats in the zoo at the Ark Encounter.)
(Annabelle slides down the hills at Smale Park several times.)
(John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge sets the scene over the Ohio River, viewing from the Cincinnati side.)
#daddydestinations #daddy #dad #blog #family # Cincinnati
# CincinnatiOH #Ohio #NorthernKentucky #Kentucky #ArkEncounter #CreationMueseum
#SmalePark #adventures #destinations #memories #story #inspiration #JamesCartee
#goodness #faith #vacation #legacy #travel #JamesCartee #JamesLCarteeIII
