Cincinnati Scavenger Hunt – 48 Finds, River to Eden Park

How it works

A bronze woman pouring water, a bridge older than the Brooklyn Bridge and a wolf statue from Rome: this Cincinnati scavenger hunt holds 48 finds in four areas, each free to see.

Read the full guide

Start at the fountain

Fountain Square opens first. The riverfront is a few blocks south, Over-the-Rhine a few blocks north, and Eden Park sits on a hill to the east. Pick an area from the menu; Print this list gives each team a sheet.

Proof on paper

Every find wants something written down: a count, a year, a color or a name. That line is the proof, and the note under the find judges it.

Tips

Walk the bridge for walkers to Kentucky and back: the river list scores best from the middle.

Questions and answers

Can you do a free scavenger hunt in Cincinnati?

Yes. Every find is seen from squares, parks, bridges and sidewalks. Museums, stadiums and the market's stalls are passed, not paid for, and nothing needs a ticket.

Is this hunt good for kids?

Yes, with a grown-up walking each team. Eden Park suits children best, with a wolf statue, twin lakes and a gazebo. Keep back from the river's edge and the lake banks.

Which area has the most history?

Over-the-Rhine: German immigrants built most of its brick rows between 1865 and the 1880s, and its park was a burial ground before the 1860s.

All 48 finds

Fountain Square 12

A 49-story Art Deco tower Carew Tower, 574 feet, was the city's tallest from 1930 until 2011. Sketch the shape of its top.
A bronze woman with water falling from her hands The Tyler Davidson Fountain, or the Genius of Water, was dedicated in 1871 and is the city's symbol. Write which way she faces.
A carved face on an old downtown building Sketch it.
A city hall with a nine-story clock tower Cincinnati City Hall was finished in 1893. Write the time on its clock.
A clock on a downtown corner Write whether it shows the right time.
A date on Fountain Square The square was founded in 1871 and rebuilt in 1971 and 2005. Copy any year you find on it.
A skywalk crossing over a street Write which two buildings it joins.
A streetcar gliding past downtown Watch one from the sidewalk and write its colors.
The river glimpsed at the end of a street Look south from near the square and write whether you can see water or Kentucky.
Smaller figures around the fountain's base Count them and write what one is doing.
Stone from four states in one building City Hall's stone came from Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri and Indiana. Find two colors of stone on its front.
The tallest building in Cincinnati It rises 667 feet and opened in 2011. Sketch its crown.

Show all 48 finds (36 more)

The riverfront 12

A barge passing under a bridge Count the barges in the tow.
A bridge only for walkers It stretches 2,670 feet to Newport, Kentucky, and once carried trains and cars. Write its color.
A fountain by the river Write whether it is running. An adult watches anyone who splashes.
A historical marker on the riverfront Copy its title.
A museum about the Underground Railroad It opened in 2004 near the river that thousands crossed to reach freedom. Tick it from outside and copy one word from its front.
A riverboat tied up at the landing Write its colors and count its decks.
A riverside park a mile long Sawyer Point and Yeatman's Cove stretch one mile along the shore. Count the benches in one stretch.
A suspension bridge older than the Brooklyn Bridge The Roebling bridge opened in 1867 with a 1,057-foot span, then the world's longest; its designer later drew the Brooklyn Bridge. Tick it from the park.
The Kentucky skyline across the river Count the tall buildings on the far bank.
The Ohio River It runs 981 miles from Pittsburgh to the Mississippi. Write the name of the state across the water.
Stone towers holding up the old bridge Count the arches in one tower.
Two stadiums on the riverfront The Banks sits between them. Tick both from outside.

Over-the-Rhine 12

A brick row built by German immigrants Most of the neighborhood's ornate brick buildings went up from 1865 to the 1880s. Count the floors on the tallest one on your block.
A fancy cap over a window Many buildings here are Italianate. Sketch the shape over one window.
A German word on a building The neighborhood was settled by Germans from the Rhineland. Copy the word.
A mural across the side of a building Write what it shows.
A park that was once a cemetery Washington Park's 6 acres were church burial grounds until the city bought them from 1858 to 1863. Count the paths into it.
A streetcar stop in Over-the-Rhine Copy the stop's name.
A Venetian Gothic music hall from 1878 Music Hall, a National Historic Landmark, faces Washington Park on Elm Street. Count the arched windows across its front.
An Art Deco building on Central Parkway The American Building stands out among older styles. Sketch one line of its decoration.
An old-fashioned bandstand It stands in Washington Park. Write its color.
Civil War cannons in Washington Park Count them. No climbing.
The Germania Building at Twelfth and Walnut Write one thing carved on it.
Ohio's oldest market still running Findlay Market is the last of nine markets that once served the city. Walk through; buy nothing.

Eden Park 12

A footbridge between two lakes The Twin Lakes fill an old quarry. Stop on the bridge and count what floats below.
A gazebo from 1904 The Spring House Gazebo is the oldest structure in a Cincinnati park and is on the park board's logo. Write its colors.
A grassy outdoor amphitheater from 1959 The Seasongood Pavilion is a natural amphitheater. Sit on the slope and write what is on the stage.
A reflecting pool where a reservoir once stood Mirror Lake replaced a 96-million-gallon reservoir in the 1960s. Write what you see reflected.
A she-wolf statue feeding two babies It copies the Capitoline Wolf and was a gift from the City of Rome. Write the babies' names if you know the old story.
A statue of a fisherman with a bird The cormorant fisher was a gift from Gifu, Japan, a sister city. Write what the bird is doing.
A stone arch at the edge of Eden Park The Elsinore Arch was built in 1883. Walk through it.
A water tower 172 feet tall The Eden Park Standpipe was built in 1894 and stopped working in 1916. Write the shape of its top.
An art museum founded in 1881 The Cincinnati Art Museum was the first purpose-built art museum west of the Alleghenies. Tick it from outside.
An old single-arch road bridge in the park The Melan Arch Bridge is on the way to the overlook. Walk over it on the sidewalk and write what is below.
An overlook high above the Ohio River valley It is near the park's highest point. Write one thing you can see in Kentucky.
Steps climbing a wooded hillside A flight of Cincinnati steps runs from the arch up the hill. Count them.

How this list was compiled: Written for this page in September 2026: 48 finds on foot in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Fountain Square, along the riverfront, in Over-the-Rhine and in Eden Park, sorted by area, all scored from public squares, parks, bridges and sidewalks with nothing bought and no ticket. Nothing was copied from another list; no brewery, bar, team or brand is named. Levels are our judgment. Names, dates, sizes and places in the notes were checked on 2026-09-24 against English Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ followed by Fountain_Square,_Cincinnati, Tyler_Davidson_Fountain, Carew_Tower, Great_American_Tower_at_Queen_City_Square, Cincinnati_City_Hall, John_A._Roebling_Suspension_Bridge, Purple_People_Bridge, Ohio_River, Sawyer_Point_Park_%26_Yeatman%27s_Cove, National_Underground_Railroad_Freedom_Center, The_Banks,_Cincinnati, Cincinnati_Music_Hall, Washington_Park_(Cincinnati,_Ohio), Findlay_Market, Over-the-Rhine, Eden_Park_(Cincinnati), Eden_Park_Stand_Pipe and Cincinnati_Art_Museum. Licence: own work