The holiday season in Cincinnati is truly magical ✨ and, with its excellent retail and restaurant options, as well as its plentiful holiday events, our great city has you covered this holiday season.
The Fountain District is a bustling area within the Central Business District that is home to hotels, bars and restaurants, arts and organizations, small businesses, and entertainment venues.
For my recent holiday trip downtown—specifically to The Fountain District—I visited Nada, Fabulous Frames & Art, Koch Sporting Goods, and Down to Mars Vintage. Read more below about my experiences with each as well as parking and transit tips.
[Click here for a printable map of the Fountain District]
Read: 2023 Holidays in the Queen City: Featuring the Queen City Card
Nada
A mainstay in the local culinary scene, Nada serves modern Mexican fare across lunch, dinner, and brunch (weekends) and has expanded to locations in Columbus and Indy since it opened downtown in 2007.
We ordered from the lunch and kids menus and this is what we got:
- Baja Style (crispy mahi) lunch tacos (order of 2) and subbed crispy potatoes as the side for a $3 up-charge
- Caramelized Cauliflower lunch tacos (order of 2) and subbed crispy potatoes as the side for a $3 up-charge
- Fruit cup (she’d just come from school and had already eaten, but this side of fruit was huge)
Do not—I repeat DO NOT—skip the crispy potatoes, topped with sweet chili glaze, scallion, and crema. It is not an exaggeration when I say this is one of my favorite dishes around. Get it.
I absolutely love how kid friendly Nada is, and I never realized it. They were able to “park” our stroller wagon out of the way and they had a kids menu and booster seat. A lot of places will do their best to accommodate the littles, but Nada is truly kid friendly with a varied kids menu.
📍 600 Walnut Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
⏰ Monday–Thursday: 11a–10p (lunch until 4p)
Friday: 11a–11p (lunch until 4p)
Saturday: 11a–11p (brunch until 2p)
Sunday: 11a–10p (brunch until 2p)
🅿️ Mostly garages nearby, so if you prefer to park on the street and walk or you can ride the streetcar:
🚊 Less than one block from the Cincinnati Connector – Aronoff station
🚌 One block from Government Square
Fabulous Frames & Art
The world’s largest dealer of Charley Harper prints, apparel, and gifts, also purveying goods by local artists and a selection of Rookwood Pottery wares, as well as:
- Children’s [board] books
- Puzzles
- Glassware and coasters
- Ornaments
- Custom framing
📍 17 W Fourth Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Three additional locations: Kenwood, Tri-County, Montgomery
⏰ Monday, Friday–Saturday: 10a–3p
Tuesday–Thursday: 10a–5:30p
🅿️ Street parking (suggestion: 3rd Street or on Vine or Race between 3rd and 4th) and across from Mabley Place Parking Garage
🚊 Near the Cincinnati Connector – Fountain Square Station (~two blocks)
🚌 Two blocks from Government Square
Koch Sporting Goods
Cincinnati’s oldest and largest sporting goods store is a fan shop (large selections of Bengals and FCC) and Cincinnati shop with hats, apparel, and gifts that also offers:
- Fitness and training
- Varsity jackets
- Embroidery, engraving, trophies, and awards
- Spiritwear
- + more
📍 131 W Fourth Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
⏰ Monday–Friday: 9:30a–6p
Saturday: 9a–3p
🅿️ Street parking (suggestion: 3rd Street or on Race or Elm between 3rd and 4th) and Citadel Garage at 3rd and Race
🚊 Near the Cincinnati Connector – Fountain Square Station (~three blocks)
🚌 Three blocks from Government Square
Down to Mars Vintage*
Charming vintage and secondhand shop appropriately nestled on the street level of the Queen Anne-style [former] Fort Washington Hotel (built in 1887 as the Bodmann Building).
- Accessories
- Designer duds
- Apparel
- Vintage gifts
📍 621 Main Street #1A
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
⏰ Tuesday–Friday: 12–6p
Saturday: 12–5p
🅿️ Street or surface lot parking or a short walk to garage parking (e.g. Olympic Parking Garage on 7th)
🚊 Cincinnati Connector – Richter & Phillips Station (same block)
🚌 One+ block from Government Square
Downtown parking and transit information
Findlay Market has FREE parking for one hour during weekday market hours. The Connector (streetcar) is fare free and can be used to travel around the core during the holidays and beyond. All you have to do is park in one place and you have access to much of the downtown area and its 3.6-mile streetcar route. You can also take the Cincinnati Metro for $2 (Hamilton County Local) to avoid paying for parking downtown. Download the Transit app to plan your trip(s) and pay for your fare.
In addition to the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky’s (TANK) bus system, the Southbank Shuttle is a public trolley system that serves the cities of Bellevue, Newport, and Covington in Northern Kentucky; traveling to and from downtown Cincinnati in Ohio (five total stops in the Fountain District). The cost to ride the shuttle is $1 each trip.
Cincinnati Red Bike is Cincinnati’s bikeshare system with more than two dozen stations downtown. Another option would be to rent either a Bird or Lime scooter, which are available seven days a week from 6a to 11p. Download one of their respective apps to ride.
Tip 👉🏻 street parking is not metered on Sundays until 2p. (Take note that Kochs and Fabulous Frames & Art, in addition to other Downtown businesses, are closed on Sundays.)
*One of more than 100 Queen City Card participating businesses
