I really wanted this place to be great. I genuinely appreciate that Epic invested in the failing…read moreNorthgate Mall in Colerain and is trying to bring something positive back to the area. Unfortunately, the experience itself was incredibly frustrating and not worth the price. I paid $45 for a 2-hour pass and one go-kart pass. The go-kart pass amounted to a total of 5 laps on a very small track in a very slow kart. Not impressive, but fine -- the bigger issue was everything else. The 2-hour pass barely gave my son enough arcade credits to play one game twice. When he tried to do the ropes course, we were told it wasn't included. I asked what was included and was told the trampoline course. When we went there, the attendant said my son needed special grippy socks, which no one mentioned before -- and of course, those cost extra. Then we tried the Mario course, and the same attendant walked over to say the socks were required there too. My son had to climb back down in reverse just to get off. At that point, I was done. We left angry and disappointed. This place seriously needs to make everything explicit -- what's included, what isn't, and what requires extra purchases -- before you pay an already inflated price. I do not recommend anyone going here until they fix the lack of transparency and value.

Happy epic day at epic entertainment center jumping on the trampoline airbags going down the donut…read moreside and doing the zip line go karts find walls and ropes course and soon be doing bumper cars

As part of my cousin's bachelor party this past Saturday we spent the better part of the afternoon…read moredown at River Downs to take in some horse racing. This was actually my first time at River Downs, though I have been to Turfway once before. There is no entry fee and there are no employees at the gates checking bags, so entry is perfectly painless. Our group arrived on a school bus, taking the long way to get there, so we missed the first race of the day. I sat out betting on the second race and eventually placed a trifecta bet on the third race after finding the ATM. I didn't win this time, and that trend continued for the fourth and fifth races too. We spent the majority of the time hanging out near the rail on the paved standing area in front of the open air grandstand. Beers were just $4.50, which is much better than most other sporting events. And since they didn't check anyone coming in, I wonder if some patrons didn't sneak in some of their own beer in the multiple coolers that I saw throughout the day. My luck changed during the sixth race of the day. After coming close to winning on one of the earlier races, and paying attention to what my program was saying versus the results of the day, I started catching on. Or at least I thought I was starting to understand it all. Most of my bets were either trifecta bets, or I would occasionally pick one horse to win, place, or show, as I did in the sixth race. In my program the #6 horse was listed as 10-1 odds to win, and a couple of minutes before post the large board in the infield displayed the odds as much higher, over 20-1. Once I saw this I ran to one of the automated machines and bought the ticket above. I thought that maybe there was something that I wasn't picking up on that lowered the odds, but I figured it was worth a few bucks to find out. As the race started horse #6 was nowhere near the front of the back. The board only updates for the first 3/4 of the race at best, so as the horses all come toward the finish line it is really hard to tell who is in the lead. As this race came to a close I watched as #6 charged up the inside rail and won the race! I had won $124.80! With just two races after that, I made a couple of bucks off the seventh race and was then put in charge of making a bet for my dad, brother, and I who pooled some money together. Again I went with the win place show bet, and nearly won again as the horse I selected finished in fourth place. Bummer. We had a great time and I look forward to going down to the track again in the future. Kim has already said that she wants to go too.

From the start knock down your expectations a few pegs and then knock them down a few more for good…read moremeasure, this isn't Keeneland, Churchill Downs or even like the race parks you've seen in movies (most recently Bounty Hunter comes to mind), this is River Downs. It is an older facility with little updating and that's what I find so charming, that it looks similar to what it did when my grandparents took us as kids (don't judge). If you've never bet on the ponies, this is a good place to start with free parking, free admission, $2 for your race book, $2 bets and the option to bring your own picnic lunch. I cannot comment on the concessions because it is there's an option to bring my own food, I'm on it (for nutritional reasons). Not a gambler? Then the people watching is sure to delight, you will see clientele you've never laid eyes on at other entertainment venues, but it takes all types to populate Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, right?! We find something for the whole family at River Downs, pony rides for kids and the ability to get down on the rail during live racing. Shade and tables for the older family members to sit and eat a picnic lunch (no alcohol or glass can be brought in) between races while studying the race book. It's an annual summer trip for us!

Absolutely amazing place. I have been to a lot of stadiums. But not many gave me that initial…read moreimpression that TQL Stadium did. The outside is really cool with all of the LED lights and ability to do digital graphics. Once inside, it feel like some NFL stadiums I have been to based on the size and atmosphere. I was able to go for a USMNT game which made the atmosphere that much cooler. Concession lines were long. But they moved fast. Concourse was big. And it didn't seem like there was a bad seat in the house. I had a blast being here. And a win always helps with that. The seats with plenty of cupholder options was great. I can't wait to come back here with my friends that live in town.

The timing was perfect because I was at the football game earlier and it ended right on time for…read morethe fútbol game here. Messi was in town so couldn't pass up on the opportunity. I was really impressed by the stadium. It's a cool one and don't think there's a bad seat. I was also surprised with the beer selections. They have incredible options on tap.

Cincinnatians don't realize how lucky they are to have this opportunity to get up close to the…read moreteam, and for free?! Growing up a NY sports fan it is so hard and frustrating unless you are loaded to even get a good seat, or attend training. This is right next to the stadium!! Bring your camera! Bring a sharpie and something to have signed because it may be a great chance to get an autograph. You're allowed to bring sealed water, which is a must for those hot August afternoons. There are limited bleacher spots, first come first serve, otherwise it's standing along the barriers (which is better for photo ops). Small pro shop if you've forgotten something to have signed.

I really loved so many things about it: the closeness to the players , the atmosphere being around…read moreother bengals fans and best of all it's all free, well parking costs 3$. But the lot is about 30 feet away from the practice fields. Oh but the catch is you have to go early to get a ticket (still free). It gets 4 stars because when I went down the temp was 90+ and there wasn't any shade. Water was 4$ and I'm not sure about the bathroom situation dice I never had to go. Other then that it was a wonderful experience and I really hope training camp stays up here and a few amenities are added. This is the first year. Oh and I never really mention just how close you get to the players. They are right there and to give u An idea it's about as close as an NFL ref. This place is great for kids (bring one down for the autographs, players tend to sign their pennants over adults) it has a family friendly atmosphere they can watch their favorite players and perchance to meet them. The store was rather sparse 3 types of t shirts a few hats Most of the stuff for players to sign pennants, pictures etc. They sell sharpies down there for 2$ in case you forget yours.

In a spur-of-the-moment decision, my husband and I decided to make the drive from Louisville to go…read moreto the Boone County Fair with our kids. We grew up in Boone County, and our family, who still lives there, met up with us. And we had such a lovely night, making new memories while also thinking about past ones. We started by entering the kids rock race with some round rocks we had found while on vacation. I love how wholesome the fair contests are, especially for the kids. And this is pretty much like it sounds; the kids raced rocks down a track, and the rock that rolled the farthest won. This ended up being both of my kids, who won in their age groups. There was lots of food to choose from. The donuts and popcorn were my kids' favorites. We checked out the demolition derby and the 4H competitions with the livestock. Then we took in some rides. The $15 per person admission is a bit steep but seems more doable when you consider it includes all rides. I have a soft spot for local fairs and festivals, which perhaps started my attending this one when I was little.

LIGHT UP THE FAIR: this Christmas display is located at the Boone County Fairgrounds. I was out…read morethat way for a Christmas party and it was recommended to check out this drive-through light display for Christmas. I was debating whether to check out Florence's huge light display just down the road, but this specific drive-through was open an hour later and did not close until 10 PM. This worked so much better with my schedule! I was really impressed with how long the drive through the lights were. I loved how all the lights were synchronized with music that we could access with our car radio. It was pretty cheap compared to how long the display lasted. I'm so glad a local recommended this to me! Perfect holiday activity--especially for families.

Let's talk dirty!…read more Because that's what you're gonna get at Lawrenceburg Speedway! This local staple of Lawrenceburg has decades of history. Generations of local dirt track racers giving all they got to a sport they love. Lawrenceburg Speedway is right off the highway and insanely easy to get to. It's so easy that you may miss the road to turn on to to enter the park. Well, I did. Once you get there, you find a place to park. Usually in the grass or the lot closer to the road, if it's a busy night. Check the website for schedules, tickets and pricing and also results. Lawrenceburg will give you a great night and not break the bank. I'm not a "local" to Lawrenceburg as I live North of Cincy about 35 minutes away. As an "outsider", I can immediately see the community here. These are families and friends who come together for some racing and fun and have a great time. You can tell that some of these folks are here week-after-week and this is what they do. It's fantastic. So, you get through the ticket window, walk past the security officer and you're in the park. Hit the refreshment stands early. They don't get crazy busy, but it gets a little dusty once the action starts. You hit the grandstands and it's a seat-yourself deal. No assigned seats. Find a place and park it. Let the action begin. Everything from little four-bangers to buses at this track. And, again, it's always a good time. When you're there, in the stands, it could be 2024 or it could be 1964. It really could. This is just good old fashioned fun. That's it. Guys and gals working hard all week, coming home and eating dinner before they go out to the garage to pound out their ride for Saturday's race. They work hard and they play hard. It's Saturday and it's showtime. They give it all they got and it's an overall great time. Would I go back? Heck yeah! I can't wait for the 2024 season to fire up. Let's go racing!!!! Pro Tip(s): Okay - If you've never been to a dirt track before, you should know a couple of things. If you don't wear glasses, you may want to bring some. You may even want to bring safety glasses. It can get very dusty and, depending on where you're sitting, mud pellets can travel. I choose to throw on my prescription shop safety glasses. Bring a mask or a bandana. The bandana looks cooler. "For COVID?" No! For dust and mud, just like the glasses. Depending on the day, that dust bowl can be dense. I prefer to breathe so I always have a bandana in my pocket, just in case. Don't get all dolled up. Why? Same reason as the glasses and bandana........it get's dirty out here, y'all!! That's dirt track racing. Last Pro Tip - Go to the Concession Stand BETWEEN races/heats. You do not want to be standing there during a race or qualifying. You WILL be showered with mud pellets. This is not a maybe.........this is a guarantee. If you don't believe me, look down when you're walking by the Concession Stand. You see all those mud marbles? Yeah, they didn't just gently roll over there. The rained down in brown waves of glory.

Very nice dirt track they need more shade but other than that great place. Loved the Koana ice and…read moreT-shirt selection

We travel a fair bit for criterium races in the Midwest and this one proved to be a lot of fun. It…read morecertainly doesn't hurt that it's in the charming Hyde Park neighborhood just outside of Cincy. My husband raced Friday night in Madeira and Saturday at Hyde Park. I typically make an adventure of it to scope out the neighborhood and festivities. This particular day-long fest featured a 5k in the morning, more than ten brewery booths, five to ten food booths along with the brick and mortar businesses surrounding the criterium's path. The announcers made this event super fun from a spectator standpoint and around 75+ racers showed up for the Category 1 men's race at the end of the night. I love that the race takes place at the end of the day allowing the temperatures and sun to drop. Free to attend for spectators and $40+ for cyclists to enter.

Hyde Park Blast is a fun race that draws walkers, runners, and bikers of all abilities and levels…read moreof competitiveness. I participated in the walk/run race in the morning. The race in the morning is a bit longer than a 5k (it's about 4 miles). Local running groups like the Running Spot offer training for this event and the participants range from super fast people up front to those in no particular hurry in back- no need to feel self conscious signing up for this race if you are not super speedy- everyone is there to raise money to fight cancer and that's what counts. The registration fee, which goes towards fighting cancer, also includes a shirt and a finisher's gift at the end (this year sunglasses). This is not an event that will leave you famished. Plenty of local eateries and stores are on hand to give you free snacks and beverages (an adult beverage is included for those of age as well). Gear is also available for purchase at the event. Probably the only hassle involved in this event is parking which is to be expected- but otherwise it's a fun, mostly flat route for a great cause! Check it out- maybe even make it your first race!!!!!!!

Heritage Village Museum has great events including Homeschool Days and the Halloween trail. As a…read moreprevious volunteer during the haunt, everything is organized well and a blast to spread a little fear on the trail. Homeschool Days are so informative as most buildings are open with themed characters showcasing each building. From church parishioners, a Dutch women cooking in cast iron, printers in the print shop and more!

We went for the haunted event. Cute concept, but honestly very overpriced for what you get. You can…read morewalk through the entire thing pretty quickly, and there weren't nearly enough scare actors. The kids had fun running around with their friends, but the actual event was underwhelming. Definitely not worth $15 per person. I think $5 would have been a much more reasonable price.