Cincinnati is well placed for day trips in three directions. Louisville is 90 minutes west on I-71 and worth a visit for its bourbon distilleries and the Louisville Slugger museum. Columbus is 90 minutes north and has a lively Short North arts district. Lexington, in the Kentucky Bluegrass country, is an hour south — a landscape of horse farms, white fences, and rolling green hills that looks nothing like what you might expect from the Midwest.
Closer in, the Red River Gorge in Kentucky (about two hours) is remarkable sandstone canyon country with good rock climbing and hiking. The Anderson Ferry, which has operated since 1817, carries cars across the Ohio River to Boone County, Kentucky for a few dollars — a quick and enjoyable way to cross state lines.