Best of the City Winners 2022: Wellness and Fitness

From hiking, climbing, and roller skating to vegan groceries and a service that helps patients navigate a cancer diagnosis by providing a second opinion, there are plenty of ways to be well.

Climbing Gym: Climb Time

Climbing is having a bit of a moment right now as a popular alternative workout. In Cincinnati, Climb Time has been doing it the longest, and it’s still doing it the best. You can head to one of two locations—Oakley has more top-rope climbing, auto-belayed, and lead climbing options alongside tension and campus boards, whereas Blue Ash specializes in bouldering—to get your climb on. • 4460 Orkney Ave., Oakley, (513) 818-8017; 10898 Kenwood Rd., Blue Ash, (513) 891-2850, ctoba.com

Disc Golf Course: Devou Park

Greater Cincinnati is one of the biggest disc golf communities in the United States, and the sport is bigger than ever—in Kentucky alone, there are 132 different courses—but we somehow haven’t had a full 18-hole course in the NKY area until now. Devou Park’s disc golf course features 18 baskets stretched across a 2-mile length in what will surely become the crown jewel of this upstart sporting community. • 1201 Park Dr., Covington

Health Food Shop: Harvest Market

Call it what you’d like—a smoothie shop, a lunch spot, or a new-age convenience store. Milford’s Harvest Market is content to be all of those things at once. The tiny Main Street storefront is a health food shop without the pretentiousness of health food shops, offering a slew of local products, fresh produce, and grab-and-go options that range from smoothies and acai bowls to coffee and kombucha on tap. Locals live and die by the takeout lunch specials, which rotate daily and regularly accommodate gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian palates. • 308 Main St., Milford, (513) 239-5400

Hiking Group: Tri-State Hiking Events Group

Any seasoned hiker will tell you it’s never wise to go alone, but where do you find fellow hiking enthusiasts? The Tri-State Hiking Events Group, nearly 18,000 members strong, organizes nature events for all ages and experience levels and regular meetups for locals. The group also hosts a virtual space for enthusiasts to share about their latest journeys, offer hiking tips, and build a community of nature lovers and trail addicts. Find your new backpack buddies here before you hit the trails. • facebook.com/groups/738968110186085

Outdoor Roller Rink: Sawyer Point Skating Rink

With the pandemic came a resurgence in outdoor roller skating, sparking interest in a nearly dormant gem on our riverfront—Sawyer Point Skating Rink. Located behind the Montgomery Inn Boathouse, the rink opened in 1988 as part of the launch of Bicentennial Commons at Sawyer Point. Today, it’s a hot spot once again, thanks to the efforts of the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and Skate Downtown Cincy, a resident-led organization that raises awareness about public skating spaces. When the weather warms up this spring, you know exactly where to go to rock skate and roll bounce. • 925 Riverside Dr., downtown, cincinnatiparksfoundation.org/programs/roller-skate

Second Opinion: Cincinnati Cancer Advisors

Little in life is more unsettling and unnerving than a cancer diagnosis, and patients are usually anxious to launch treatment as soon as possible. Cincinnati Cancer Advisors offers a unique second opinion service to supplement your doctor’s assessments, reviewing tests and performing a full examination in order to recommend a treatment plan to your health care team. Not providing the care themselves allows Cincinnati Cancer Advisors to remain objective and multidisciplinary. And all second opinions are free of charge thanks to funding provided by the Cincinnati Cancer Foundation. • 4805 Montgomery Rd., Norwood, (513) 731-2273, cincinnaticanceradvisors.org

Vegan Grocery Selection: Clifton Natural Foods

Illustration by Carlie Burton

If you’re looking for tofurkey slices for your deli sandwich, soy butter for your next bake, or dairy-free chocolate to satisfy a sweet tooth, this Ludlow Avenue health food shop is a student favorite for good reason. Shelves at Clifton Natural Foods are stocked with organic produce, vegan alternatives (Benevolent Bacon, anyone?), and herbal supplements to satisfy a demand that has only grown since the store opened in 1985. Pro tip: Consider buying your favorite products in bulk for a special discount on select goods. • 336 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, (513) 961-6111, cliftonnaturalfoods.com

HEAD-TO-HEAD: SKATE PARK