I am a tech support analyst living in Chicago with a love of travel and cities. I am originally from Southwest Ohio between Dayton and Cincinnati.
Why Cincinnati?
editI've been doing a lot of work lately on a city that most people don't think of as a tourist destination, however, I feel that it has a ton of potential to be as interesting a place to visit as New Orleans, Savannah, or Charleston SC as the history there is just as rich and the culture while provincial, conservative, and downright bitter sometimes, is as interesting/quirky as many other more popular tourist destinations. It is in fact that provincial, conservative, and self-loathing culture that often holds the place back from unleashing its full potential, and it is my hope that current stirrings of new tours as well as a renewed interest in the tremendous historic architecture and history the place offers that change will finally come to the city.
Finally, outsiders are often astonished at how the place doesn't market itself well to them. Take for instance the series of steps in the city. City tourism departments could go all over the place marketing it as a quirky unique aspect of town (explore all the steps!) but they don't. I didn't even know that a series of tunnels existed Over the Rhine until recently, and few people know about the abandoned and unfinished subway, or the fact that their own hometown was the 4 largest city in the country at one point.
Feel free to provide suggestions on the article. I'm somewhat worried that my own bitterness of living there for 5 years and not seeing change that the place desperately needed to be a great place has colored my writings, feel free to critique and let me know what should be changed.
Places I've been to
editUnited States: New York City,Los Angeles,San Francisco (favorite), Seattle, Portland Oregon,San Diego,Boston,Philadelphia,Baltimore,Washington D.C,Miami,Florida Keys,Raleigh,Savannah,Niagara Falls,Yosemite National Park,Grand Teton National Park
Canada: Montreal,Quebec City,Toronto,Windsor,Vancouver
Europe: Paris,Madrid,Toledo,Bilbao,Bordeaux
Cool Day Trip kind of spots: Savannah,Madison a small city with a shockingly good downtown (and Green County nearby - unique Swiss-American culture with lots of Breweries and cheese factories), Yellow Springs - Liberal Hippie town in a conservative area lots of great nature around John Bryant State Park and the Mill in Clifton Ohio. If you are on the west coast a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway is a must!
Places I've lived in
editDayton, Ohio, Cincinnati,Chicago (current).