How to Experience the Best of Northern Kentucky
Looking for fun things to do in Northern Kentucky? Check out these great recommendations from a local resident.
If you are new in town, just visiting or haven’t really explored the region from top to bottom, then you might not be fully aware of the great amenities and fun things to do in Northern Kentucky. Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties are filled with shops, restaurants and outdoor activities – not to mention Cincinnati is just across the river.
Maija Zummo, destination communications manager at meetNKY, the region’s convention and visitors bureau, offers some recommendations for Northern Kentucky’s “best of the best.”
Here’s where to go if want to…
In This Article
Meet Friends for Brunch
The Hive in historic Erlanger is a warm, inviting restaurant that’s known for experimenting with new recipes and flavors. The family-owned breakfast-and-lunch spot offers four different spaces: a parlor, coffee bar, dining room and coworking space, so guests can choose the vibe that fits their needs. The coffee is exceptional, and guests can enjoy equally delicious biscuits, sandwiches, burgers and cocktails, including the all-important mimosa, without which brunch is just breakfast.
Grab a Delicious Coffee
Unataza Coffee in Dayton (Campbell County) reflects owner Alejandra Flores’ heritage, offering coffee and snacks from her native Honduras. In addition to a menu featuring items like cafe con leche, taquitos and empanadas, the shop collects school supplies for children in Honduras and offers group tours of coffee farms and Mayan ruins.
Decompress with Coworkers after 5 p.m.
A trip to Erlanger’s Fabled Brew Works is the perfect way to end a workday, especially if it’s been stressful. This fairytale-themed craft meadery and brewery sports playful décor, including clouds illuminated by fake lightning, and offers a list of whimsically named brews. Kraken… a Cold One (Mexican lager with lime), anyone?
Enjoy a Casual Dinner
The endless array of fun things to do in Northern Kentucky will build up an appetitie. Venture over to Conserva, a wine and tapas restaurant in Ludlow that offers a traditional Spanish menu in a warm aqua/coral-colored dining room. Share with a friend plates of tapas classics, like Spanish tortillas (more like a quiche than a flatbread), piquillo peppers with goat cheese and ultra-trendy tinned fish. Oh, and you’ll definitely want to wash it all down with a glass of Spanish wine.
Have a Romantic Date Night
The Baker’s Table in Newport has garnered national accolades for its take on high-end Southern comfort food. In 2019, Eater named it one of America’s 16 best new restaurants. The following year, USA Today ranked it fourth on its list of best new eateries. The restaurant’s menu changes weekly, but diners can expect items like perfectly crispy fried chicken with mashed potatoes and spicy gravy and ricotta fritters with caramelized onions and roasted tomato aioli.
Go on a Shopping Spree
When compiling your list of fun things to do in Northern Kentucky, don’t forget to add retail therapy. Covington’s historic MainStrasse Village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, thanks to the concentration of mid-19th century homes in the neighborhood. It’s also full of quirky, independently owned stores like Handzy Shop + Studio (women’s clothing and decor), Gumdrop (kids’ clothes), Earth To Kentucky (comics and toys), and Julie’s Inspiration Consignment Shoppe (vintage clothing, jewelry, furniture and gifts).
Practice Self-care
Those looking to relax will love Bellevue’s Salon 501 & Spa, which offers the option of a “quiet appointment” – in other words, no small talk is required. The venue’s full menu of spa services includes lash lifts, a gemstone eye treatment and a hot stone massage.
Take to the Water
A.J. Jolly Park & Campground in Alexandria boasts a 200-acre fishing lake teeming with catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and saugeye. Those looking to get out on the water can also rent kayaks, canoes, paddle boats or stand-up paddleboards. As for those who want to stay on land, the park has an 18-hole disc golf course, hiking and horse trails, basketball, tennis, pickleball and sand volleyball courts, and soccer and baseball fields.
Walk on the Wild Side
In Union, the 512-acre Big Bone Lick State Historic Site has 4.5 miles of easy and intermediate hiking trails winding through grasslands and woodlands, along Big Bone Creek’s saltwater springs and past a viewing area for the park’s own herd of bison.
Catch a Stunning Sunset
Nestled in the hills overlooking Covington, Devou Park is a 700-acre open space with epic views of Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. The park is also home to the quirky Behringer-Crawford Museum, plenty of paved and backcountry trails, and a disc golf and traditional golf course.
Soak in the Great Outdoors
Union’s Boone County Arboretum is home to more than 3,600 trees and shrubs on approximately 121 acres. Two miles of paved walking trails traverse nearly 30 different areas of the collection. Visitors will see spaces dedicated to magnolias, rhododendrons and azaleas, lilacs, vegetables, conifers, hickory trees and so much more. Best of all, parking and admission are free.
Spend a Relaxing Sunday
Visit the quaint, unincorporated community of Rabbit Hash, where a canine mayor presides over the population. The social center of the river community is undoubtedly the Rabbit Hash General Store, where customers can buy everything from corn cob pipes to sock monkeys. Visitors might even meet Mayor Wilbur Beast, a French bulldog, who welcomes campaign contributions in the form of belly rubs.
Burn Some Calories
Wilder’s Town & Country Sports and Health Club is a great place to burn a few calories. Members have access to group classes (helpfully categorized by intensity and impact level), cardio equipment and a newly renovated weight room and saunas. Adult and youth sports leagues (including soccer, volleyball, basketball and pickleball) are open to members and non-members, alike.
Sip a Beer and Watch the Game
Dickmann’s Sports Barn and Brew in Fort Wright is serious about its sports. The over-21 establishment boasts an entire wall of TVs for optimum game viewing, and rarely does a day go by without Bengals QB Joe Burrow making an appearance on its Instagram page. Dickmann’s offers a solid menu of bar food classics, like burgers, pizzas and wings, and draft beer.
Entertain Out-of-town Guests
As we wrap up the list of fun things to do in Northern Kentucky, we raise a glass to a must-do experience in the Bluegrass State. It’s time to taste some bourbon, so make a beeline for The B-Line, the region’s self-guided bourbon tasting tour. With stops in communities including Covington, Newport, Burlington and Independence, it encompasses seven craft distilleries (all of them on the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail), nine bourbon bars, which all have at least 100 bourbons in stock (one has over 6,000!), and nine bourbon-centric restaurants. Hit up two bars, two restaurants and two distilleries and nab free B-Line swag.
Get to Know Northern Kentucky
Want to learn more about living and working in Northern Kentucky? Check out the latest edition of Livability Northern Kentucky.
