Underwater Adventures: Newport Aquarium
The aquarium has been constantly updating its exhibitions since first opening at Newport on Levee, with new areas such as World of the Octopus and Coral Reef Tunnel as well as perennial favorites like the shark bridge, baby penguins, and Scuba Santa. • 1 Aquarium Way, Newport, (800) 406-3474, newportaquarium.com
Public Garden: Boone County Arboretum
County leaders created this “living museum” on land adjacent to a new recreation complex they built near Union. Today a full-time staff curates a collection of more than 3,600 trees and shrubs and a native Kentucky grassland accessible every day (for free) via a 2.2-mile trail. • 9190 Camp Ernst Rd., Union, (859) 384-4999, bcarboretum.org
Star Turn for Kids: Star Program
The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati not only produces shows for young audiences, it also trains young actors in the four-week summer STAR program for ages 9–18. There’s also a STAR Intensive program at Northern Kentucky University. • 4015 Red Bank Rd., Madisonville, (513) 569-8080, thechildrenstheatre.com
Reminder Never to Forget: Holocaust & Humanity Center
Formed by local Holocaust survivors and their families, the Center for Holocaust and Humanity Education debuted at Hebrew Union College and relocated to Union Terminal in 2018 with a wider museum mission. • 1301 Western Ave., West End, (513) 487-3055, holocaustandhumanity.org
Taste of the Bluegrass: Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Bourbon has become big business in the Bluegrass state, thanks in part to branding the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, now almost 50 distilleries strong (including a bunch in Northern Kentucky). Overall attendance on the trail topped 2 million for the first time in 2022. • kybourbontrail.com
Slam Dunk: Cintas Center
Xavier University brought its signature basketball programs back to campus with construction of this 10,250-seat arena that also houses athletic department offices, training facilities, and banquet halls. • XU campus, Evanston, (513) 745-4235, cintascenter.com
Tiger Habitat: Paycor Stadium
Paul Brown Stadium opened with a regular season loss to the Cleveland Browns, and the Bengals finished the 2000 season 4–12 and fired head coach Bruce Coslet after three games. Times, and the stadium name, have certainly changed. • bengals.com/stadium
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