Cincinnati Highlights

Last week, I went on a trip to Cincinnati to cross off an exciting item on my 30x30 list- going to a professional tennis match!  I've been a huge fan of tennis for the past few years, and I love watching sports live.  So- it was perfect timing when there was a huge tournament in nearby Cincinnati!

The entire trip was so much fun, so I'm excited to recap what we did:

Beer and Food

Everyone told me that I had to check out the breweries in Cincinnati.  Don't have to tell me twice!  We started our trip by heading straight to the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, where we grabbed some vegetarian burritos at Findlay Market.  I always love going to markets, and this one was amazing!  There were lots of food stands, live music, indoor and outdoor stalls, and even a mini beer garden.

We grabbed our food to go, and headed down the street to Rhinegeist Brewery.  This place was amazing!! The brewery is in a huge building, with the main floor filled with benches, corn hole, and ping pong tables.  There were lots of different beers to try, so I of course went for a flight.

I got Bubbles, Cougar, Coffee Uncle, and Uncle. Bubbles was one of my favorites, but they were all amazing!

There's also a rooftop bar that's only for 21+, so it was definitely quieter.  There was music along with a lot of places to sit.  We got another drink up here and enjoyed the sunshine and view of Cincy!

After finishing up, we headed out to another brewery- Woodburn.  The place was smaller than Rhinegeist, but had a really cool vibe.  There was a live band playing, and a taco stand outside on the patio.  I got another flight, and tried out some really interesting varieties- Cucumber Melon Wheat, Coffee Pumpkin Ale, and a Belgian Tripel.  They were all great and the flavors worked really well together.

On Monday, we headed out to breakfast before the tennis matches started.  We went to the Sleepy Bee Cafe, which was absolutely perfect.  The menu is full of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free options (along with traditional items as well).  The restaurant also works with farmers and businesses in the area, so it felt great to support local places.  I got a tofu and califlower scrambled with avocado, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion, along with a coffee.  When we left, they even gave me extra coffee in a to-go cup.  Best idea ever!

I loved all the touches of honeycombs all over the restaurant- even on the ceiling.

The Tournament

Since this was my first tennis tournament, I had no idea what to expect.  We got there right as the gates opened at 9:00, and figured out the matches we wanted to watch for the day.  Before the first one started at 11:00, we walked around the grounds (which was HUGE and amazing) and watched a few practices.  I loved how all of the practices are open, so even though I couldn't see some of my favorites play, I got to see them up close and personal!  It was definitely one of the coolest parts of the tournament.

Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal!

Watching all of the matches was amazing as well.  We had tickets to the Center Court, but could also watch any of the matches on any other court.  It was kind of cool to just walk in during a match (between games of course), watch for a while, then head to another.  I got to see so many different players and watch on every single court, which was a really neat experience.

I even got to see one of my favorite players SUPER up close and personal during a doubles match- Alex Zverev!

There were wine gardens, a mini Rhinegeist brewery (even had ping pong tables set up!), and big TVs set up everywhere, so you wouldn't miss a single moment, even if you were taking a break to eat.

Overall, the entire experience of the tournament completely exceeded my expectations.  There was so much to do, so many opportunities to interact with the players (even getting to see them walking around the grounds with us mere mortals!).  It was such a blast, and I can't wait to go to more tournaments in the future...maybe even a Grand Slam!

Favorite sport?

Anyone play tennis?  

Favorite local brewery?  Always looking for new ones when I travel!