Cincinnati bed & breakfast charms

[riversights]

Okay, voyagers, what would you recommend for romantic postludes in Cincinnati? How about bed & breakfast venues in Newport on the Levee, or close by? What's been your experience? Got a suggestion that won't break the bank? :D

[Calliope]

I can walk to Newport on the Levee from my house, and I can honestly say there are no B&B's at NotL. NotL is really just a shopping, restaurant and entertainment complex that didn't even exist fifteen years ago. I would not call it particularly romantic. Several blocks away though there are several B&Bs listed which appeared when I did a quick search for "B&B Newport, KY". Anyone of those that came up would be nice places to stay and a safe walkable distance to NotL for a person of average walking ability.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Calliope

[irishgirltravels]

That's exactly what we needed to know! Walking to dining from a great little B&B for anniversary dining is what we want to achieve this summer. We will be booking our B&B with confidence. Is Newport a great funky walkabout? :D

[riversights]

Thank you for the chat. Our curiosity about Newport is piqued. We anticipate the stroll and a fine meal in a historic district, maybe live music, too.:D

[Calliope]

That's exactly what we needed to know! Walking to dining from a great little B&B for anniversary dining is what we want to achieve this summer. We will be booking our B&B with confidence. Is Newport a great funky walkabout? :D

 

I wouldn't call the area around the Newport B&Bs "funky," nor would I Newport on the Levee. The Mansion Hill neighborhood of Newport with the B&Bs I'd call charming. NotL I'd call 20th Century commercial. The main street of downtown Newport Monmouth Street I'd call funky. It has a seedy history of Mafia controlled boozing, prostitution, and gambling, but most of that's gone now.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Calliope

[Calliope]

Thank you for the chat. Our curiosity about Newport is piqued. We anticipate the stroll and a fine meal in a historic district, maybe live music, too.:D

 

The most famous restaurant in Newport is probably Pompillio's, the restaurant where Tom Cruise spilt the toothpicks and his brother Dustin Hoffman counted them in the movie "Rainman." It's located on Washington Street, and once again is walkable from Newport on the Levee. The food is good, the bar dates back a century or more, and the prices very reasonable. You're likely to see the same folks at the bar if you return a year later.

[riversights]

We've made a note on Pompillio's in our journal, and appreciate the teaser. By the way, where does the Queen dock in relation to Bellevue? Thanks for your input; I'm sure others find it informing.

[Calliope]

Under normal conditions the AQ lands at the Cincinnati Public Landing, at the foot of Broadway, which is at the most two or three miles from Bellevue by car. I can walk it without problems using the Purple People Bridge, but I wouldn't try it with any baggage in tow. There are too many steps off of the bridge if using the shortest way to the Landing.

[riversights]

Thanks again, very descriptive and helpful! I think we imagined trundling across the bridge pulling our luggage, but now a cab may be the ticket. But we do have most of the day to venture, so who knows?

[Calliope]

While staying in Bellevue there are several nice little proprietor run restaurants on its main drag Fairfield Avenue. Some might not be open for dinner though, and just open for lunch. Virgil's Café is the fanciest, and the service and food has always been excellent whenever I've gone there. Also on Fairfield Ave. stop by Schneider's for homemade candies and ice cream. Their specialty is a syrup coated crushed ice ball with a scoop of ice cream in the middle. A Cincinnati favorite is "opera creams." Schneider's makes their own there, either milk or dark chocolate. Like you would expect, homemade chocolate candies don't travel well in the heat, so you'll have to devour them later that night back at the B&B.

[riversights]

Now we are really looking forward to Bellevue on the Ohio!:D I'm sure others are thinking about what they might miss by rushing home to Kokomo. Another question, but unrelated, regards insects on our voyage. Should we tote something for insects? Here, in our dry volcanic scabland, we are not pestered much.

[Calliope]

I wouldn't. It's one less thing to worry about, and if necessary you can always buy some when you "head up the hill." That's river speak for leaving the boat to go home, visit town, etc.

[riversights]

That's reassuring. "One less thing to worry about" is one less item in the bag. We love to travel light. Speaking of packing, do men wear slacks on these summer voyages? Or something like bermuda shorts, or both? What do the experienced voyagers wear?

[Calliope]

The company advertises that its "country club casual", so shorts are no problem during the day. I wear jeans around the boat until dinner time when I will put on slacks and wear a shirt and bow tie.

[riversights]

Thanks for the response, one that others will find helpful, too. Got to learn it from a river hand.