Stripehead Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Hey all... out of town fan here. My 9 year old son is a crazy Bengals fan (I may be loyal to another team in another conference, but that's neither here nor there!) For his birthday this year some months ago we targeted the Pittsburgh game as a great birthday gift for him. Obviously, this isn't going to totally be the prime-time show down we hoped it we be but my son couldn't care less. I've been getting the day by day countdown for weeks! Any recommendations for a great game day experience? A bit of context-I'm on leave traveling with my family to the east coast, Cincy is about half way. Wife and non-football fan other kid are hanging at the hotel with the dog- so tailgating isn't really an option or at least I don't think so. We'll try and dodge the weather- driving from Kansas to Cincinnati on Saturday heading further east on Monday. We are sitting in the lower bowl just up from one of the end zone on the Bengals side of the field. Thanks in advance for any recommendations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted December 13, 2016 Report Share Posted December 13, 2016 Have you been to Cincinnati before? If not, 2 places you must go, Skyline (chili, but not texmex, more Greek) and get a 4-way and a cheese coney. Then go to Graeters and get your favorite ice cream treat. As for actual stuff that is more game related I will leave that to the other guys. A lot of stuff down town has changed since I last lived in Cincinnati. The team pro shop is at the stadium and you can get some "gear" in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Tigre Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 May not be exactly kid-friendly, but the pre-game stuff along Freedom Way in the Banks is quite fun. Holy Grail a great place. Stay away from Lot 1: Numbers will have all of his famous bourbons out. You may not make it to the stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooky Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 Your son sounds awesome. Happy birthday. There's really not much kid oriented activities at the stadium, unlike the Reds park. But the game will be excitement enough. Just be prepared to resist punching a stealer fan in front of your son. They have no age limit when it comes to targeting bengals fans with their lame smack talk. But you've probably been to a few games, so I'm sure you've seen it. Safe travels. Who Dey to your son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooky Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 Do you know what part of town your hotel is in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmishBengalFan Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 14 hours ago, Jason said: Have you been to Cincinnati before? If not, 2 places you must go, Skyline (chili, but not texmex, more Greek) and get a 4-way and a cheese coney. Then go to Graeters and get your favorite ice cream treat. As for actual stuff that is more game related I will leave that to the other guys. A lot of stuff down town has changed since I last lived in Cincinnati. The team pro shop is at the stadium and you can get some "gear" in there. If you've not been to Cincinnati before, then ALL Cincinnati-style chili will be - essentially - the same. Skyline is iconic, but Gold Star is the official Bengals chili sponsor and you can probably get some Bengals swag with your order. They nearly always have some marketing tie-in involving the Bengals, and it'll be something you can take home with you long after the indigestion passes. Graeters is the bomb. The Pro Shop has gear, but except for the clearance items nearly everything is 30-50% overpriced. I would go on any day EXCEPT Sunday if you can - smaller crowds, more sale items out on display (I think they hide them on game days) and more time to browse. Believe it or not, you can actually get decent stuff for a lot less at an area WalMart or Meijer - hats, t-shirts, coats, pajamas, etc. If you're looking for something more expensive like a jersey, I would recommend Koch Sporting Goods. They're on the web (kochsports.com) and are on 4th Street, about 2 blocks north of PBS on the other side of the I-71 ditch. If you're into the pregame scene, there's a block party with live music down in the Banks adjacent to Great American Ballpark (GABP). If you Google for a bar called "The Holy Grail", the party site is just outside their doors. Lots of food, drinks, and loud (loud!) music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stripehead Posted December 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 Thanks everyone for the great suggestions... we are staying outside of town on the East side (closer to our ultimate destination, the in-laws house in NC). Good idea on Koch SG's and the Holy Grail. I need to get myself something orange to match my son who is convinced its a good idea to come wearing full Bengals uniform, complete with kid helmet. Where does one park for the games? I took my son to Paul Brown stadium once in May, we visited the fan shop and obviously parking was easy then- any good suggestions there? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooky Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 If you don't mind walking a few blocks, I think there is still $5-10 lots if you park north of 5th or 6th street. Unfortunately, meters that used to be free on Sundays aren't any more. A benefit of parking up there is it's easier to get out of downtown afterwards. And you can stop at Koch's on the way to the stadium. I'm giving you the cheap route. There is plenty of parking close to the stadium. You can actually street park for free on the Kentucky side and cross the bridge. I used to, but thought it was too far when I started taking my son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|High School Harry| Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 I always park at the 580 Garage and under Fountain Square both on Walnut south of 5th. Parking $10 at 580 and $15 at Fountain Square. A little walk but not bad and much easier to get out and on your way after the game than those closer to the stadium. My son has a torn up knee and recovering from surgery, cannot walk very far. He took an Uber from his home in Oakley and it cost $11 to the entrance to the stadium. Killed a little time after the game and got one home. Checking out Uber may save you a lot of headache and the cost is not too bad especially compared to parking closer to PBS. Dress warm and I hope you have a great time and go home after a big Bengals win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 2 hours ago, Stripehead said: Thanks everyone for the great suggestions... we are staying outside of town on the East side (closer to our ultimate destination, the in-laws house in NC). Good idea on Koch SG's and the Holy Grail. I need to get myself something orange to match my son who is convinced its a good idea to come wearing full Bengals uniform, complete with kid helmet. Where does one park for the games? I took my son to Paul Brown stadium once in May, we visited the fan shop and obviously parking was easy then- any good suggestions there? Thanks! I live in NC. What part of the state are you headed to? And ignore Amish, Gold Star is swill, get Skyline. Hi Amish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmishBengalFan Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 1 hour ago, High School Harry said: I always park at the 580 Garage and under Fountain Square both on Walnut south of 5th. Parking $10 at 580 and $15 at Fountain Square. A little walk but not bad and much easier to get out and on your way after the game than those closer to the stadium. My son has a torn up knee and recovering from surgery, cannot walk very far. He took an Uber from his home in Oakley and it cost $11 to the entrance to the stadium. Killed a little time after the game and got one home. Checking out Uber may save you a lot of headache and the cost is not too bad especially compared to parking closer to PBS. Dress warm and I hope you have a great time and go home after a big Bengals win. Uber is a great choice, particularly at that price. Parking near the stadium in one of the garages might set you back $20-30, so even if you have to pay Uber twice you're still paying no more than the cost to park *and* you're getting door-to-door service. If you're a frugal asshole like me, you can park in Covington for free and take the TANK Bus for $1 (each person, each way) to the game. I park in the free city lot at 5th & Bakewell, which has a TANK stop right there. The Southbank Shuttle bus will drop you off next to the Freedom Center, all of the other "Paul Brown Stadium" buses will drop you off in the underground Transit Center. The walk from both to PBS is the same (less than 5 minutes). Linky: http://www.tankbus.org/routes/ss Skyline is good. Gold Star is better. Fort Washington, however, is the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmishBengalFan Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 19 minutes ago, Jason said: I live in NC. What part of the state are you headed to? And ignore Amish, Gold Star is swill, get Skyline. Hi Amish. Still love ya, man. Even if you're absolutely wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooky Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 2 hours ago, High School Harry said: I always park at the 580 Garage and under Fountain Square both on Walnut south of 5th. Parking $10 at 580 and $15 at Fountain Square. A little walk but not bad and much easier to get out and on your way after the game than those closer to the stadium. My son has a torn up knee and recovering from surgery, cannot walk very far. He took an Uber from his home in Oakley and it cost $11 to the entrance to the stadium. Killed a little time after the game and got one home. Checking out Uber may save you a lot of headache and the cost is not too bad especially compared to parking closer to PBS. Dress warm and I hope you have a great time and go home after a big Bengals win. Did we simulpost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooky Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 28 minutes ago, AmishBengalFan said: Uber is a great choice, particularly at that price. Parking near the stadium in one of the garages might set you back $20-30, so even if you have to pay Uber twice you're still paying no more than the cost to park *and* you're getting door-to-door service. If you're a frugal asshole like me, you can park in Covington for free and take the TANK Bus for $1 (each person, each way) to the game. I park in the free city lot at 5th & Bakewell, which has a TANK stop right there. The Southbank Shuttle bus will drop you off next to the Freedom Center, all of the other "Paul Brown Stadium" buses will drop you off in the underground Transit Center. The walk from both to PBS is the same (less than 5 minutes). Linky: http://www.tankbus.org/routes/ss Skyline is good. Gold Star is better. Fort Washington, however, is the best. Camp Washington? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|High School Harry| Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 50 minutes ago, AmishBengalFan said: Skyline is good. Gold Star is better. Fort Washington, however, is the best. Skyline is watery, too spicy and gives you a raging case of the drizzly shits. Not a good thing to have during a Bengals game, especially at half time. Gold Star is good but I don't like that its a sit-down restaurant with waitresses you feel compelled to tip. Especially when they're fat and ugly and have a thicker mustache than I do. Skyline, too. Camp Washington has the added benefit of watching the junkies jonesing on the street outside. My all time favorite is Ray's Chili Parlor on Washington Avenue in Norwood. Or it was until they closed it down when it was tied to a trichinosis outbreak from undercooked and rancid weenies in their cheese coneys. (no ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esjbh2 Posted December 14, 2016 Report Share Posted December 14, 2016 I don't know how much time you have outside of the game, but other places to visit include the Museum Center with their Holiday Train display, the Zoo with their Festival of Lights, since you're on the east side you may want to hit up the Christmas Light Show at Coney Island, Newport Aquarium (KY, across the bridge from downtown Cincy), Fountain Square (downtown several blocks north of the stadium) with holiday displays, ice skating, etc. Not sure about the recommendation for Cincy style Chili...I LOVE IT, but I'm from here...it can be an acquired taste and not universally enjoyed. BTW my choice is Skyline!!! Or Price Hill Chili, Camp Washington Chili, or Blue Ash Chili. For less risky Cincy cuisine, maybe hit up a LaRosas Pizza location (family/casual), a MontgomeryInn location (higher end featuring ribs), one of the plentiful Microbrew restaurants many of which are family friendly. Game parking is kinda like it is anywhere with any big event. Definitely overpriced with a sliding scale with costs that are based on convenience, so its really a personal choice regarding how much you're willing to spend for that convenience. As you head into town you can see the parking lot prices increase with every block you get closer to the stadium. Maybe get there really early, park cheap north of Fountain Square and enjoy the walk and spend a little time at the Square? I'm not an Uber guy, but that might be a decent alternative as mentioned above. Amish's suggestion about parking in KY seems like a good alternative too, but I've never tried it. Enjoy the game, sounds like a great experience for you and your son. Good stuff...and they grow up so fast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Numbers| Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 Amish is correct on all accounts except for chili. The parking at Great American Ball Park is close by, cost 20 to 25 dollars, next to restaurant bars, tailgate lots to get that experience of people watching, somewhat more secure than some of the lots I've seen, easy to get up and out of there, etc... It boils down to personal preference as someone else already mentioned. Pissburgh games are always a knuckle dragging event. I will in fact be in Lot 1 with a few of the other board members and I will in fact have the tastiest selection of bourbon available. It is a family friendly tailgate party with nice down to earth people. I hope you guys have a great time . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 4 hours ago, esjbh2 said: I don't know how much time you have outside of the game, but other places to visit include the Museum Center with their Holiday Train display, the Zoo with their Festival of Lights, since you're on the east side you may want to hit up the Christmas Light Show at Coney Island, Newport Aquarium (KY, across the bridge from downtown Cincy), Fountain Square (downtown several blocks north of the stadium) with holiday displays, ice skating, etc. Not sure about the recommendation for Cincy style Chili...I LOVE IT, but I'm from here...it can be an acquired taste and not universally enjoyed. BTW my choice is Skyline!!! Or Price Hill Chili, Camp Washington Chili, or Blue Ash Chili. For less risky Cincy cuisine, maybe hit up a LaRosas Pizza location (family/casual), a MontgomeryInn location (higher end featuring ribs), one of the plentiful Microbrew restaurants many of which are family friendly. Game parking is kinda like it is anywhere with any big event. Definitely overpriced with a sliding scale with costs that are based on convenience, so its really a personal choice regarding how much you're willing to spend for that convenience. As you head into town you can see the parking lot prices increase with every block you get closer to the stadium. Maybe get there really early, park cheap north of Fountain Square and enjoy the walk and spend a little time at the Square? I'm not an Uber guy, but that might be a decent alternative as mentioned above. Amish's suggestion about parking in KY seems like a good alternative too, but I've never tried it. Enjoy the game, sounds like a great experience for you and your son. Good stuff...and they grow up so fast! WARNING: Montgomery Inn ribs are NOT BBQ. They are boiled ribs with (admittedly good) BBQ sauce on them. As a backyard pit master myself I am not a fan of Montgomery Inn, I like my BBQ smokey, but some people do find their ribs good, and I will give the sauce a high grade. LaRosa's is really good pizza though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Dub Posted December 15, 2016 Report Share Posted December 15, 2016 7 hours ago, Hooky said: Camp Washington? There you have it. Why not eat at the place Gold Star & Skyline are imitating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatternMaster Posted December 18, 2016 Report Share Posted December 18, 2016 Go to Holtman's donuts on 12th and Vine Street, get the Maple Bacon donut.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmishBengalFan Posted December 19, 2016 Report Share Posted December 19, 2016 On 12/14/2016 at 0:59 PM, AmishBengalFan said: Uber is a great choice, particularly at that price. Parking near the stadium in one of the garages might set you back $20-30, so even if you have to pay Uber twice you're still paying no more than the cost to park *and* you're getting door-to-door service. If you're a frugal asshole like me, you can park in Covington for free and take the TANK Bus for $1 (each person, each way) to the game. I park in the free city lot at 5th & Bakewell, which has a TANK stop right there. The Southbank Shuttle bus will drop you off next to the Freedom Center, all of the other "Paul Brown Stadium" buses will drop you off in the underground Transit Center. The walk from both to PBS is the same (less than 5 minutes). Linky: http://www.tankbus.org/routes/ss Skyline is good. Gold Star is better. Fort Washington, however, is the best. On 12/14/2016 at 1:28 PM, Hooky said: Camp Washington? Duh... no idea where "Fort" came from there. It's absolutely "Camp" Washington... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooky Posted December 19, 2016 Report Share Posted December 19, 2016 6 hours ago, AmishBengalFan said: Duh... no idea where "Fort" came from there. It's absolutely "Camp" Washington... It happens. There's so many little chili places, I wasn't sure if there was a Fort Washington. There could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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