Cincinnati: Hot fun in the summertime

Electrical Apparatus, May 2002 by Tryling, David P, Rodgers, Susan M

The 2002 EASA Convention site provides visitors a lot to see and do, and EA correspondents describe a wide range of activities

CINCINNATI-Throughout this Ohio city's "Seven Hills" and across the river into Northern Kentucky, June can be a busy month. Attendees making the trek to Cincinnati for this year's Electrical Apparatus Service Association Convention can treat themselves to a whole host of entertaining and family activities.

With a rich history as one of the oldest cities in the U.S., this Ohio River metropolis and its many industries were built in large part by riverboat traffic and by immigrant populations from Germany and Italy. Cincinnati is proud to have been the home of William Howard Taft, the twenty-seventh President of the United States, whose home is now one of the many museums in the city.

Cincinnati was also one of the key crossing points on the Underground Railroad, where before 1863 fugitive slaves were secretly helped to reach the North or Canada. There are plans for the construction of an Underground Railroad Museum.

Fun and recreation

Down on the riverfront is Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove. The parks here were built in honor of the city's bicentennial and are a favorite place for fun or just watching the sunset on the river from the Serpentine Wall. You can walk along the geological riverwalk, skate on the first year-round outdoor plastic skating rink built in the U.S., or listen to a concert in the outdoor amphitheater.

If you love amusement parks, located about 20 minutes north of downtown is Paramount's Kings Island and Water Works. This is one of the premier amusement parks in the country, where adventure and thrill rides combine with events in the water park to provide both day and night family entertainment.

The park is debuting its new Tomb Raider ride this season. It may not have the movie star Angelina Jolie, but it does have red-hot lava pits. Lodgings and campgrounds are available outside the park, with direct freeway access to reach the EASA Show, and most have park discount coupon packages available.

Minutes east of downtown is Coney Island, located on the banks of the Ohio River. Coney still boasts the largest recirculating freshwater swimming pool in the U.S., and there is an extended shallow area. If you are bringing small children to the convention, Coney is the place to go, because it offers a variety of rides sized for the little ones. Picnic grounds, sand, volleyball, and playground areas provide a relaxing family environment.

Pork, beer & baseball

You can still see many of the "flying pig" sculptures that were commissioned to celebrate the bicentennial of the city once known as "Porkopolis" because of its large meatpacking industry. You can also still see some of the buildings that housed the many breweries that used to make their home in Cincinnati.

On the riverfront is Cinergy Field, home of the country's first professional baseball team, the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds are in town the week of the convention, with games against Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Oakland. Tickets can be reserved at the Cincinnati Reds Web site, www.cincinnati.reds.mlb .com. The ballpark is within walking distance of the downtown hotels and the Cincinnati Convention Center.

"It's all happening at the zoo"-the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, that is. While it may be one of the country's oldest zoos, according to Newsweek magazine the Cincinnati Zoo is still "the sexiest zoo in the country," due to the large number of live births in captivity. A stroll through the tree-lined paths is relaxing and educational for children and adults alike. Make sure to stop at the petting zoo, which includes the animal nursery.

If you plan to come to town early, the weekend before the convention will be a big one in this area. The Kentucky Speedway will host the NASCAR Busch Series, including the Kentucky 300, which was attended last year by more than 70,000 race fans. Tickets are available on the Web site www.kentuckyspeedway.com. If you enjoy horse racing, next door to Coney Island is River Downs, where you can watch live racing every Tuesday through Sunday. Turfway Park, across the river in northern Kentucky, has simulcast racing year round, rain or shine.

Fun in the evening

Plan ahead for evening entertainment in Cincinnati's revitalized downtown theater district. A short walk from downtown accommodations is the Aronoff Center, where the musical "The Music Man" will be playing during the week of the convention. Restaurants, dancing, and nightlife abound in the Backstage area near the Aronoff for before or after the show.

Five minutes from downtown on one of Cincinnati's "Seven Hills" is Mount Adams. Not only are the Cincinnati Art Museum and Playhouse in the Park located here, but there is also a large entertainment and restaurant district.

Cincinnati's newest attraction is actually in Kentucky. Newport on the Levee comprises over 500,000 square feet of shopping, dining, and entertainment. It boasts a 20-theater movie complex, certainly the largest in the area. Continuing down the levee, there is a new IMAX theater, with a six-- story-high by eight-story-wide flat screen and 11,500 watts of stereo surround sound. Gameworks is a casual entertainment spot, with everything from billiards to sports-related games. You can even go "fishing" or "race" in the "Indy 500" here.