A new dynamic 45-acre park along the region’s historic riverfront. It is a place where the community gathers to celebrate and explore. The park includes the Schmidlapp Event Lawn and Stage, Carol Ann’s Carousel, and multiple water play features. It also features a memorial to the Black Brigade and the Moerlein Lager House. More by clicking here.
The Playground
Whether you’re lounging on the grass, tossing around a ball with the dog, playing a game of sports or just enjoying the view this park is a great escape for everyone in the family.
The park offers a lot of outdoor activities including a playground, a splash park, tennis and sand volleyball courts, walking paths, and public art. There is also a beautiful riverfront where model boats are commonly launched and people come to relax with friends or take in the vista.
Located with sweeping views of the Roebling Suspension Bridge, Smale Riverfront Park is a favorite amongst locals. The park offers multiple water play areas, a large children’s playground, and even one of the largest interactive foot pianos in the world at P&G VibrantScape. Other highlights include the Carol Ann Carousel and a tribute to the Black Brigade with their monument.
The Carousel
With sweeping views of the Roebling Suspension Bridge and Ohio River, Smale Riverfront Park is a place to get outdoors and get active. There are multiple playgrounds, splash areas, and a giant chime foot piano for children to enjoy while adults can take in the sights.
The highlight of the park is Carol Ann’s Carousel which features 44 Cincinnati-centric animals based on input from citizens. The hand-carved carousel is housed in a large glass building to keep it open year-round.
The park also includes a labyrinth to test your skills, a fountain with spray ground, and lighted water features including the popular Archimedes’ Screw. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and leave plenty of time for your visit. Carousel hours are 11 am-4 pm Thursday through Sunday during the summer. There is a small fee to ride. The park is free to explore and walk around. It is recommended to check the Carousel’s schedule before heading out as we have been here on days that were supposed to be open, but it was closed. Explore more!
The Monument
The centerpiece of the park is the stunning, stately, bronze statue of George Washington. It reflects the city’s heritage, its role as a leader in the nation’s early history, and its importance in the era of the Maritime Underground Railroad when fugitive slaves escaped to freedom using riverboats.
The park has a wide variety of outdoor settings and unique facilities that provide outstanding opportunities for recreation, nature education, social functions, and floral displays. It has 12 acres of lawn space and many full-sized trees where you can find your own shady spot to relax or read a book.
The 2007 Centennial Master Plan, approved by the Board of Park Commissioners, builds on Cincinnati’s rich heritage by establishing an ambitious blueprint for the future conservation, restoration, and enhancement of the City’s parks system. It addresses a wide range of park improvements, including expanded bike trails and greenway corridors, preservation of river and stream corridors and hillsides, neighborhood parks, and citywide improvement projects.
The Water Features
The Smale Riverfront Park is the perfect place to take a vacation without ever leaving downtown Cincinnati. It has multiple water features, playgrounds, and even one of the largest outdoor chime foot pianos in the world.
The Five Rivers Fountain of Lights, a water feature designed by Sasaki Associates, is the focal point of this iconic park. The water feature features five water jets housed in concrete towers with a powerful center geyser that illuminates at night.
Throughout the rest of the park, visitors can enjoy two spray fountains, Main Street Spray Ground Fountains and Pichler Spray Fountains near the carousel which are great for cooling off and are also lit up at night. There is also the popular Archimedes Screw, a screw that lifts and twists water to recreate historic floods.
The Smale Riverfront Park is the dynamic foreground of two professional sports stadiums and a mixed-use neighborhood referred to as The Banks. Martin Aquatic provided hydraulic, structural, and filtration system design and engineering for the project, as well as lighting programming and sequencing. Find out more!
Driving directions from At Your Service Roofing to Riverside Park
Driving directions from Riverside Park to Clear Creek Park