Romantic Getaway

Planning a romantic getaway?  Whether it’s quiet and seclusion you’re seeking or excitement and thrills, Northern Kentucky and the Cincy region have tons of options for couples to escape the everyday routine.  Pack your bags and make a list--you don’t want to miss any of what NKY has to offer.

Trip Ideas for a Romantic Getaway in Northern Kentucky

Below is a sample two-day romantic weekend getaway itinerary for travel and things to do in Northern Kentucky. We can’t wait to hear about how much you enjoyed your visit, then help you plan another one! 

Day 1 

Check into the Hotel Covington – The Hotel Covington is a true boutique hotel. With vintage touches and modern tailoring, the Hotel Covington sings in style, character, and comfort.  Every detail was thought of in Hotel Covington, down to the magic eight balls and  Donna Salyers’ Faux Furs in every room.  Whether it’s a first date, an anniversary, or a getaway to reconnect, you’ll love and appreciate the attention to detail in this romantic, boutique hotel. 

Afternoon - Head over for a tour at Second Sight Spirits – Second Sight is the most unique distillery you’ll ever visit.  Listen to tales of the circus, Las Vegas, and Craigslist purchases that have morphed into the crafting of Oak Eye Kentucky Bourbon, fine rums, and many other unique spirits.  Relax at the lounge and see where your future takes you when you sip on finely crafted cocktails. Second Sight is part of the Northern Kentucky bourbon tour, The B-Line, which focuses on five of the northern Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® distilleries, eight bourbon bars, and six bourbon-inspired restaurants. 

Evening – Enjoy a taste of the Cov in Mainstrasse Village, a quaint German village with a plethora of food and dining options.  Offering everything from giant slices of New York style pizza at Goodfella’s to steak and upscale dining at Lisse Steakhuis or Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar, you’ll find a dinner option to suit your fancy.  There are also abundant choices for pre- and post- dinner cocktails from some local favorite watering holes including Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, Bourbon Haus 1841, Wiseguy Lounge, and more.

Day 2

Morning – Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Cedar. The team at Cedar has a mission to “serve one-hour vacations to [their] guests,” and they certainly do just that.  Cedar vows to use as many local and regional ingredients as possible to deliver fresh, high quality comfort food and craft cocktails made from scratch.  

Midmorning – Explore the shops and public art on Pike Street.  Grainwell, Handzy Shop + Studio, Hierophany & Hedge and many more. Or maybe a self-guided public art tour from NKY Art Tours will suit your interests more.  Either way, you can’t go wrong.

Lunch – Enjoy a another taste of Northern Kentucky at Libby’s Southern Comfort.  You can’t visit Kentucky without having fried chicken, right?  Libby’s does fried chicken right, and even offers an appetizer of fried chicken skins, in case you want to sample the fried chicken but order something else for your meal.  Don’t skip the Cheerwine bourbon slush or the oatmeal cream pies--worth every calorie!

Happy Hour - Head to the Braxton Rooftop to sip on an IPA and enjoy the views.  Don’t forget to take a selfie with the beautiful living wall, or if you’re there til dusk, watch the lights twinkle in your partner’s eye.

Hotel Covington

  • 638 Madison Ave.
  • (859) 905-6600

Like many great things in Kentucky, it began with a horse race. The state’s first modern…

Braxton Brewing Company

  • 27 West 7th Street
  • (859) 261-5600

At Braxton, a garage is more than a garage. It’s a place where we build our hopes and…

Cedar

  • 701 Main Street
  • (859) 360-1187

Cedar specializes in fresh, high quality comfort food and sources as much local and regional…

Libby's Southern Comfort

  • 35 West 8th Street

Libby's Southern Comfort, in the heart of Covington's Duveneck Square, serves up Southern…

Other suggestions of key places couples won’t want to miss when visiting the Northern Kentucky and Cincy Region:

Bouquet Restaurant & Wine Bar - Award-winning Chef Stephen Williams opened Bouquet in Covington as one of the first restaurants in the area to embrace local and sustainable farming as a cornerstone of its mission.  In addition to their innovative and dynamic offerings of charcuterie, small plates, entrees, and desserts, they also feature an extensive bourbon collection.

BB Riverboats - If you’re looking to sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights of the river while dining on a delicious meal, look no further than BB Riverboats.  Let the tour guide point out some of the area’s history while the sun sets over one of the area’s bridges and the lights of the skyline illuminate the air.  If that’s not romantic, we don’t know what is.

Cincy Arts Scene - In Northern Kentucky we’re only a bridge away from all of the artistic delights of a metropolitan city.  Enjoy performances from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops and Cincinnati Opera at historic Music Hall; marvel at the passion and prowess of the Cincinnati Ballet; view masterpieces at the Cincinnati Art Museum, Taft Museum of Art and Contemporary Arts Center; or enjoy dinner and a show at Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre and Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. 

Professional Sports - From baseball (Cincinnati Reds) and soccer (FC Cincinnati) in the spring and summer, to football (Cincinnati Bengals) in the fall, to hockey (Cincinnati Cyclones) in the winter – the Cincinnati region is full of entertainment for sports fans. 

The B-Line - The B-Line is Northern Kentucky’s bourbon experience.  Featuring bourbon-centric restaurants, bars, and distilleries, an experience on The B-Line will leave you knowing a little more bourbon history and appreciating a lot more of the tastes of bourbon from Northern Kentucky.  Use a digital pass or grab a paper line guide, then collect stamps from at least two participating distilleries, two bars, and two restaurants to earn some awesome B-Line swag.

NKY Backroads Wine Trail - Hire a driver and set out to enjoy a day on the Backroad Wine Trail.   You’ll truly enjoy the backroads as you wind your way through the beautiful Northern Kentucky countryside, featuring historic stone houses in Campbell County and the scenic drive along the Ohio River to the quaint town of Augusta. Each winery has its own distinct style and personality, which you’ll discover as you sample a variety of award-winning wines.

Rotollo Bowling - Located at Newport on the Levee, Rotollo is an excellent spot for a bowling date night.  This boutique bowling alley features two full-service bars and a 68-seat restaurant, 16 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, a full bocce court, billiards, foosball, life-size checkers, and plenty of lounging and patio spaces to kick back, relax and enjoy.

Hofbrauhaus Newport - The first Hofbrauhaus outside of Munich, Germany, Hofbrauhaus Newport is sure to be a fun time.  Come thirsty, hungry, and ready to do your best chicken dance!

Bridgeview Box Park at Newport on the Levee -  Featuring local food and drinks served from shipping containers, Bridgeview Box Park showcases incredible views of the skyline, beautiful sunsets, fireworks from the Reds game across the river, and excellent people watching.

Coppin’s at Hotel Covington - You have to try some local dishes while in town and the Coppin’s menu offers them all.  Goetta for breakfast or a hot brown for dinner--check these culinary delights off your list at a local favorite restaurant.

Cincinnati Chili - Some say it’s an acquired taste, but when in Cincy, you have to have chili.  Ordering a three- (or four- or five-) way doesn’t refer to your romantic weekend getaway--it’s all in whether you like beans or onions on your chili!  And yes, it’s served atop of spaghetti and seasoned like no other place you’ll ever eat chili, but that’s the way we like it.

Bircus Brewing Company - If you want dinner and a show, check out the circus performances happening at Bircus Brewing Co. That’s right--we have circus acts at a brewery and yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds.

NKY Art Tours - Featuring self-guided tours of stunning public art in Northern Kentucky’s river cities, NKY Art Tours is a great resource to use when you’re ready to do some exploring.  From black history, architecture, murals, statues, and more, NKY Art Tours will help you map out your intended route, then add a few more to your list.

Vent Haven - Looking for something a little quirky?  Vent Haven Museum is the world's only museum dedicated to ventriloquism, ventriloquial figures, and memorabilia.  The museum features more than 500 figures from more than 20 countries.
 

More Dining Ideas

Steakhouses

There’s nothing better than a mouth-watering steak dinner.  And luckily, we have…

Asian

Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese--Northern Kentucky has no shortage of Asian…

Seafood

Northern Kentucky isn’t on a coast (unless you count the Ohio River…), but we…

Mexican

From authentic street tacos to tacos with Venezuelan flare… there are so many…