{"id":5201,"date":"2013-12-16T08:00:32","date_gmt":"2013-12-16T15:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/?p=5201"},"modified":"2013-12-15T21:49:18","modified_gmt":"2013-12-16T04:49:18","slug":"northern-kentucky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/?p=5201","title":{"rendered":"Long Weekend in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky"},"content":{"rendered":"

My best Christmas present won’t likely arrive until the end of January – that’s when I calculate that I’ll reach the required 110,000 Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points and qualify for the companion pass for the remainder of 2014 and all of 2015, enabling me to bring a companion along for free on any flight I book with all these points I’ve accumulated.<\/p>\n

I’m in a position to capture all these points so quickly because I got both the personal Southwest Plus card, as well as the business Southwest Premier card as I outlined in this post<\/a>. \u00a0Both of my spending limits will be met in the last days of this month and I’ll be poised for two years of amazingly-free travel not just for myself, but for a lucky companion, who I’ll be able to change approximately every six months.<\/p>\n

In that first post, I laid out an itinerary for a trip every month of the year. \u00a0Looking at it today, it may be a little aggressive, but I am going to try to squeeze in a lot of domestic travel while it’s free for me and a friend\/wife\/son. \u00a0One of the first free trips I’d like to do is to the Cincinnati\/Northern Kentucky area.<\/p>\n

Where to Stay Near Cincinnati with Club Carlson<\/h2>\n

Now I’d hate to go and spoil a free airfare trip by having to actually fork over green for my hotel room, so step one is to try to find where I can stay for free. \u00a0I happen to have about 150k Club Carlson Gold Points, which I’ve accumulated from using my credit prudently to obtain free travel with the Club Carlson Premier Visa<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It just so happens that there’s a great Country Inn & Suites property in Hebron, KY<\/a> near the airport (strangely enough, the Cincinnati airport is actually in Kentucky). \u00a0With the “last night free” feature I have as a cardholder, I can stay two nights in this category 2 hotel for only 15k points.<\/p>\n

What to do Near Cincinnati<\/h2>\n

Well, the first thing to do, of course, is to have a 3-way. \u00a0Anyone who’s ever had one continues to crave it for the remainder of their life. You just can’t stop thinking about it and you want it bad. If you’ll pull your mind out of the gutter for just a moment I’ll tell you what it is. \u00a0A 3-way is a dish from Skyline Chili which includes spaghetti, chili, and cheese, and it really is that good. (You also must try Goetta sausage).<\/p>\n

\"3-way\"

Skyline Chili 3-way<\/p><\/div>\n

Once satisfied with the 3-way experience, the next step is the Art Deco Cincinnati Union Terminal<\/a>, which houses the Cincinnati Museum. The building itself is very unique and the history is fascinating.<\/p>\n

Another must-do is Findlay Market on the weekend, where you can find meats, cheeses, ethnic food, and fresh produce. \u00a0It’s in a nice area of town that’s worth checking out as well.<\/p>\n

Other things that might be enticing may include seeing a baseball or football game, taking a tour of the abandoned subway, or a Music Hall Ghost Tour.<\/p>\n

Where to Stay Near Red River Gorge<\/h2>\n

Part of the impetus for choosing Kentucky in the first place is to explore the natural beauty of Red River Gorge. And to visit the gorge but then have to return back to the city would just be a shame. In a great world we’d be able to find a quaint place to stay right in the middle of all that beauty. In a perfect world, we’d be able to stay there for free.<\/p>\n

Well, luckily, we live in a perfect world. The best vacation rentals to be found in the Red River Gorge area are to be found at\u00a0http:\/\/www.rrgcabin.com\/<\/a>. Not only are they incredibly well-located, they have a number which are secluded, have phenomenal views, and\/or are completely off-the-grid.<\/p>\n