The city of Cincinnati is well-known for its excellent parks and recreation.  WalletHub compiled a ranking of all the Best & Worst Cities for Recreation wherein Cincinnati ranks fourth.  Cincinnati also ranked in the Top 10 on ParkScore.  More recently, U.S. News & World Report ranked cities with the best parks systems and Cincinnati ranked 8th.  In 2020, The Washington Post rated the 10 best cities for parks and Cincinnati ranked 5th. The Trust for Public Land is an independent organization that rates every U.S. city on the criteria of access, acreage, investment, amenities, and equity for their parks and places Cincinnati 8th in the country.

In this article, we’ll show you why Cincinnati’s parks are so esteemed.  We’ll provide an overview of some of the more popular parks in the area and highlight the parts of town for whom they are most accessible.

Cincinnati Parks:

Alms Park

Alms Park is a popular site on the east side of town.  It features a picnic site, pavilion, playground, overlook, hiking trails, public art, and lots of nature to explore.  If you’re interested in booking an event you can visit Premier Park Events.  You can also read reviews on Yelp.

Easy access for Mt. Lookout, Hyde Park, Oakley, Mariemont.

Ault Park

Ault Park is another popular park on the east side of town.  It features walking trails, a shelter, and playground.  People enjoy it on a daily basis and it is also used for weddingsd and other ceremonies.  To read more visit their Ault Park Advisory Council website.  You can also read reviews on Yelp.

Easy access for Mt. Lookout, Hyde Park, Oakley, Mariemont.

Cincinnati Nature Center

Cincinnati Nature Center is located a bit outside of town, but is worth the trip.  This park does require a membership to enter.  Inside you’ll find many hiking trails, lots of events and programs, a pre-school, playscape, and some popular spots for photography.  The Nature Center is featured on Cincinnati’s official tourism site and TripAdvisor.  You can also read reviews on Yelp.

Easy access for East side of town (Mt. Lookout, Hyde Park, Oakley, Mariemont.)

Eden Park

Eden Park is located on the east side of town near Walnut Hills and Mt. Adams.  The park features picnic areas, pavilion, playground, an amphitheater, an overlook, a garden, lake, and historic architecture.  It is recommended by TripAdvisor  and has its own entry on Wikipedia.  You can also read reviews on Yelp.

Easy access for Walnut Hills, Mt. Adams, Downtown, Covington, Hyde Park, Mt. Washington.

Mt. Airy Forest

Over a century old, Mt. Airy Forest is a sizeable park area in the city.  You can read about it history on Wikipedia.  Cincinnati’s tourism site offers a helpful listing as well.  The park offers a dog park, picnic areas, disc golf, hiking trails, a lake, gardens, overviews, a playground, and a bridle trail.  You can also read reviews on Yelp.

Easy access for College Hill, Colerain, Northside, Clifton.

Mt. Echo Park

Mt. Echo Park is located on the west side of town right near the river.  It features a picnic area, shelters, a pavilion, playground, overlook, public art, and hiking trails.  You can read more on Cincinnati’s tourism site and you can read reviews on Yelp.

Easy access for West side, Downtown, Covington.

Smale Riverfront Park

This park is right in the heart of downtown Cincinnati and has its own website.  It is famous for its carousel, but also has scenic walkable paths, and easy access to restaurants and the river.  You can also read reviews on Yelp.

Easy access for Downtown, Clifton, Newport,  Covington.

Washington Park

Washington Park also has its own website.  It is located in Over-the-Rhine and has many unique features.  The park offers a playground, amphitheater, and lots of public artwork.  It is located right next to the historic Music Hall.  You can also read reviews of the park on Yelp.

Easy access for Downtown, Clifton, Newport,  Covington.

This is just a small sampling of the many parks.  Wherever you live in Cincinnati, you will have access to a great list of parks.  For a full overview be sure to visit Cincinnatiparks.com.