Despite my lack of enthusiasm for the cold weather, what I love about Cincinnati and this time of year is all the wonderful family friendly activities (a lot for FREE) to enjoy with the family. Here’s our top picks for family friendly activities for those of you local to Cincinnati!
Duke Energy Holiday Trains (Our boys loved seeing the trains!)
Celebrating its 65th season, this year’s theme is After 65 Years of Memories, It’s Still a Dream. More than 300 miniature train cars and engines cover 1,000 feet of track and make up one of the world’s largest model train layouts. FREE!
Duke Energy building lobby, 139 E. Fourth St., downtown Cincinnati
Christmas Town at the Creation Museum (With a great petting zoo!)
FREE! Christmas Town offers a free live nativity, several dramas, and a beautiful display of lights in the Creation Museum’s botanical gardens.
Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods
Holiday in Lights, an established Cincinnati Holiday tradition, is an outdoor light display at Sharon Woods viewed by patrons from the comfort of their own vehicle. Built over a mile of wooded roadway, the display of fantastic seasonal color adorns hundreds of trees as well as more than 120 moving and standing holiday themed figures depicting everything from Santa Claus and his elves to Godzilla. ($12 per car)
PNC Festival of Lights
A Cincinnati USA family holiday tradition. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is lit up with LED lights, a critical component of the Zoo’s Go Green program. See Madcap Puppets, visit Santa and his reindeer, hear enchanting stories from Mrs. Claus, watch ice carving, and enjoy the wild lights!
A Christmas Journey at EnterTrainment Junction
Just off Main Street is the FREE Holiday Trains display in the Expo Center. Here visitors will find three unique train layouts, including a Lionel train display originally exhibited at the popular Children’s Museum in Indianapolis. There is also a G-scale (large scale) train display featuring the ever-popular Dept. 56 buildings and villages. Plus, a third train display (also G-scale) is set against a beautiful winter wonderland backdrop and was created by members of the Greater Cincinnati Garden Railway Society.
Holiday Junction at Cincinnati Museum Center
Wander through a wonderland of miniature train displays and enjoy hands-on activities for the whole family. Four-level, multi-train displays, display of some of the oldest model trains, children’s activities and crafts. Presented by Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal; Omnimax theater, Museum of Natural History and Science, Children’s Museum and the Cincinnati History Museum. The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal hosts special kids events, festivals and educational programming. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday.
For more family fun activities check out CincinnatiUSA or Family Friendly Cincinnati. What are your favorite Christmas Family traditions?
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Thanks so much for including Family Friendly Cincinnati in your post! I am with you, this is one of my favorite times of year to get out and enjoy the city!
No problem! We LOVE your site and all the goodies it has!!! Thanks for all that you do for cincy fams!