PNC Festival of Lights, Cincinnati, OH – the suite life of travel

As the year comes to a close, the spirit of Christmas continues into the New Year with the PNC Festival of Lights. From November 19^th, 2016 to January 4^th, 2017, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden displays close to 2 million lights during the holiday season.

For over 30 years, the Cincinnati Zoo’s lights have grown to become the largest holiday display in the city. There are several themed areas created for the event that include Frozen Wonderland, the Gingerbread Village, the Candy Cane Forest as well as Fairyland.

We stopped by the Frozen Wonderland exhibit to see Elsa and the rest of Walt Disney’s Frozen Characters then on to Gingerbread Village. Here we took in the various themes of each home and searched for the hidden mouse.

We strolled through the Candy Cane Forest and ventured out to Fairyland to find the five hidden fairies.

Although the focus for most visitors was the holiday lights, there were a small number of animal exhibits that remained open. We were so excited to see the giraffes.

A favorite stop for many of the children (and adults alike) is to catch a glimpse of Santa’s reindeer.

We enjoyed the new Wild Lights show that took place on Swan Lake. as they flickered to the tunes of ET, Harry Potter and Rocky. We couldn’t take our eyes off of the beautifully decorated 21-foot tree with its multitude of lights, putting us in the Christmas spirit.

We experienced the Winter Wonders for the Madcap Puppet’s Black Light Show, watched carolers sing familiar holiday tunes and attempted the PNC Festival of Lights Scavenger Hunt.

With so many activities, we worked up an appetite and ordered a hot dog and chips. The Cincinnati Zoo has over ten eateries, including stalls with options that are only available during the Christmas season. At S’Mores N More, we purchased the prepackaged ingredients for s’mores and roasted our marshmallows over the open fire pit.

Each year, Santa stops by for a visit and his last day to take toy orders is December 23^rd. If you happen to miss him, you can drop off your wish list at the Holiday Post office or put in a good word with Mrs. Claus.

Visiting the Cincinnati Zoo’s Festival of Lights was a wonderful way for us to enjoy the holiday season. We agreed that it was such a great experience, we decided to make it a part of our family’s holiday tradition.

Have you visited the Cincinnati Zoo during the Festival of Lights? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my visit to the Cincinnati Zoo and wishing you and your family a Happy Zoo Year!

What to See and What to Do:

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
3400 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45220
Telephone: 513 281 4700

Admission Fee: Basic package: $18 per adult, $12 for children; Unlimited ride package: $25 per adult, $19 for children; Ultimate holiday adventure package includes unlimited rides as well as the Holiday Polar Bear Express 4-D experience for $27 per adult, $21 for children. By purchasing your tickets ahead of time online, you can save a couple of dollars per ticket.
Hours: For the PNC Festival of Lights, the zoo is open from 10AM to 9PM (Sundays through Thursdays) 10AM – 10PM on Friday and Saturday. Visit the zoo’s website for hours at other times throughout the year.
Amenities: Gift shop, café and eateries, special events, wheelchair and stroller rentals, wheelchair accessible, animal encounters and experiences, rides and theater and educational programs
Length of the Tour: 2 – 3 hours
Tips for Your Visit: Check the zoo’s website for special events such as the Animal Encounters opportunities.

Where to Stay:

Graduate Cincinnati
151 Goodman Street
Cincinnati, OH 45219
Telephone: 513 487 3800

Where to Eat:

The Grove is the zoo’s food truck experience with four mobile options. Choose from Taco Caja, The Coop, Wild Burger and Sweet Retreat.
Base Camp Cafe
LaRosa’s Pizza
Tusker’s
The Outpost
Skyline Chili
Graeter’s Ice Cream
Dippin’ Dots
Savannah Soft Serve

What to Eat:

Skyline Chili: My go-to meal at Skyline is the 4-way chili with onion served with oyster crackers and hot sauce. I always pick up two York peppermint patties after cashing out. Cincinnati chili is a beef based sauce served over spaghetti noodles and cheese. Additional toppings include onions and beans.
LaRosa’s Pizza: A local chain pizzeria, this Sicilian style pie is made with a sweet crust and sauce. My favorite menu item is the Caprese pesto Flatbread Pizza.
Graeter’s Ice Cream: It’s the French Pot process that makes Graeter’s Ice Cream so decadent and rich. Towards the end of the process, they pour chocolate into the mix creating large chunks of yummy goodness.
Montgomery Inn BBQ: Visiting the original Montgomery Inn BBQ at the boathouse is a culinary and scenic experience. Their ribs are served with a sweet and tangy sauce that has since made them the “Ribs King” and a favorite among locals. Load up on their amazing BBQ flavored Saratoga chips,
Glier’s Goetta: While it looks like a slab of corn beef hash, this breakfast staple is made of sausage and oats, cooked until crispy. Most breakfast restaurants carry it as a side, especially the local cafes and diners.
BonBonerie: One of the most decadent pastry shops in Cincinnati, their rich confections are absolutely amazing.

Where to Drink:

Moerlein Lager House
115 Joe Nuxhall Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Telephone: 513 421 2337

Books to Read:

Eligible: A Modern Retelling of Pride & Prejudice, by Curtis Sittenfeld
Running, by J.T. Cooper
Dead Witch Walking, by Kim Harrison
Beloved, by Toni Morrison
Double Dutch, by Sharon M. Draper
Romiette and Julio, by Sharon M. Draper

Photo Guide for Cincinnati (as provided by Chris Thompson on FourSquare):

The John A Roebling Suspension Bridge
- Pick a spot near the Covington pier and shoot north toward the Cincinnati skyline. Shoot at sunset and underexpose by a few stops to get the lights just right.
- The new lights on the bridge create excellent stars when you photograph them using a narrow aperture (~f/16 and above) on your camera. That means you’ll need a longer exposure (and thus a tripod).
General James Taylor Park
- Shoot from the top of the flag pole mound to get more building reflections in your shot. Shoot at sunset or sunrise for great lighting.
Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal
- Arrive first thing in the morning when the sun is coming up
The Fountain at Fountain Square
- For great photos of the fountain: set your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure (2-5 seconds) to capture the running water. Get Carew or the colored lights above Rock Bottom in the background.
Fountain Square (look for reflections in puddles)
Celestial Restaurant in Mount Adams – The restaurant is now closed, but you may still be able to use the parking lot.
Carew Tower Observation Deck
- Provides some neat photos of the highways snaking around the city. Set your camera on a tripod and use a long exposure to get moving car trails. It’s only open at sunset a few days each year.
Engine Company 46, 2733 Erie Avenue (at Michigan), Cincinnati
- One of the most beautiful historic firehouses in all of Cincinnati. The firefighters here are used to having their photo taken while they work. Ask nicely and you can get some cool shots.
Cincinnati Observatory Center
Krohn Conservatory
Great American Ball Park
- Shoot the front of the stadium around sunset to get a nice color blue in the sky. Get one of the player statues in your shot for extra effect.
Devou Park
- The overlook next to the Drees pavilion affords a great view of the Cincinnati skyline. Shoot at sunrise or sunset for the best lighting. Underexpose slightly to get the city lights just right.
Newport Central Catholic for fireworks
- Shoot the Riverfest fireworks from this location. Bring a long lens and a tripod. You’ll want a long-ish exposure (5-10 seconds) to capture the bursts, but make sure the skyline isn’t overexposed.
Riverfront Park
- The colorful fountains make a great subject, but you need to use a relatively fast shutter speed (>1/20 or so) to catch the lights before they change color, leaving your pic with plain white lights.
American Sign Museum
- Be sure to bring a tripod to capture all the signs. Manual white balance is the way to go, because there are so many crazy colors of lights that your camera won’t know how to react.