Looking for a small weekend getaway with your bestie and on a budget? Why not Cincinnati? The city is only two hours from Indianapolis and offers a wide variety of activities to indulge in. My bestie and I recently spent a Saturday evening and Sunday morning in The Queen City (around twenty-seven hours) and I’m here to share everything we did and precisely how much I personally spent so you’ll know if Cincy is the next spot for your free weekend.
11:00 AM – Departed from Indy (with a full tank of gas).
1:00 PM – Our first stop in Cincinnati was Sugar n’ Spice, a local diner in downtown Cincinnati. The diner is perfect if you’re looking to get that insta pic. Its brightly painted walls and fluorescent signs hanging about are begging to be posed in front of. The bathroom is even plastered with pink and turquoise grapefruit wallpaper. My bestie and I both ordered mimosas to start with. To go along with that I ordered a belgian waffle with strawberries piled on top and a side of white bread toast. We enjoyed gabbing over the food and thoughtfully picked a rubber duck to take home from their complementary rubber duck bin at check out.
Total spent: $16
3:00 PM – As we walked out of Sugar n’ Spice, we noticed a large crowd of people gathered along E 12th St and decided to pop over to see what all the hullabaloo was about. We did a quick google search and discovered we stumbled upon the 2022 Danger Wheel event that has been taking place since 2015 in the Pendleton Neighborhood. The event can be described as a soapbox derby for adults. As the “Danger Team” set up ramps and other obstacles to be avoided by the racers, people bought water balloons for $1 to throw as they passed by. Local vendors were also set up around the track to sell food and drinks to watchers under the sun. The event was a huge hit from what I observed and it was fun to see adults race by on small bikes, especially since we had no plans of seeing that on our schedule.
3:30 PM – We checked into our Airbnb, located very close to the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Krohn Observatory. Between these two is Eden Park, which offers walking trails and a variety of ponds to sit beside.
Total spent: $114
5:00 PM – Next we headed to The Party Source, which is basically a massive Party City that also has every type and kind of alcohol you could ever possibly think of. It’s located across the river in Kentucky and we screamed as we crossed the bridge and entered the new state (as all people should do on road trips). We roamed around trying on different colored cowboy hats and browsing the scary amount of flavored shots. Here we grabbed a few pre-concert drinkies and some much needed snacks.
Total spent: $4
6:00 PM – After bagging the essentials, we headed to the Heritage Bank Center to see Greta Van Fleet in concert! If you’ve read my last article on PATTERN, The Greta Girls: Music, Art, and Social Media, you know that I love Greta Van Fleet. My bestie, who has only ever listened to them while in the car with me, was gracious enough to accompany me. We had a great time, especially people watching the variety of ages that came to enjoy the modern rock band. We were seated next to two 2 ladies who informed us they were coming up on age 60 and saw GVF back when they were only charging $12 for a ticket. We listened to the opening acts, The Velveteers and The Rival Sons, while eating and drinking concessions from the main lobby.
Total spent: $92
11:30 PM – Walking out of the concert, we were still eager to do something and following our growling stomachs we decided to get Asian food from Shanghai on Elm located downtown. I ordered the lo mein egg noodles and adored the orchid flower that garnished the bowl once it arrived out of the kitchen. The best thing about cities is that there are many restaurants still open past 10 (something that’s rare nowadays thanks to covid) and Shanghai on Elm welcomes eaters till 2 in the morning.
Total spent: $16
10:00 AM – Waking up the next morning, I was craving fruit and suggested that we grab smoothie bowls for breakfast after we checked out of our Airbnb. We headed to BanaSun Smoothie located right across the street from Findlay Market. I ordered the Sunny bowl with their tropical topping pack. It was garnished with another orchid flower! Breakfast couldn’t be completed without a bit of coffee so we headed next door to Deeper Roots Coffee where I picked up an iced mocha. I know I’m basic for that, but my bestie is more adventurous with her coffee and ordered the honey bear. A latte with local honey and cinnamon.
Total spent: $16
1:00 PM – Before we headed back home we stopped at the Taft Art Museum, specifically to see their new Jane Austen: Fashion and Sensibility Exhibit that opened this summer on June 11th and goes till September 4th. The exhibit was amazing with many costumes from the movie adaptations of Austen’s books Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Mansfield Park. Many costumes worn by well known celebrities like Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Colin Firth, and more were seen on display. The rest of the museum is set up in period-inspired rooms with pieces that span through the time of the middle ages through the 19th century.
Total Spent: $20
As you can see we packed a lot of things in just over 24 hours. In total I spent $287 including another $25 for gas. Of course you could always spend more or less depending on the activities you do, food you eat, and overnight housing you decide on.
Overall, I think Cincinnati is the perfect stop for any Indy local that just wants to get away for the weekend. It’s not too far and the city clearly offers a variety of activities. If you’re more of a rocker and down to see your favorite band, the Heritage Center is a great place. If you’re a foodie, you’ll be thankful to know many restaurants are open till the late hours of the morning. Finally, if you like to live that relaxed life, there are many museums and parks to be strolled through. Cincinnati has a little something for everyone.
