Burnet Woods

If you want a park that actually feels like you’ve left the city for a minute, this is it. The woods are real woods — trails winding through mature trees, a small lake nearby, wildlife you don’t expect to see this close to downtown Cincinnati. Kids gravitate toward the slides, including a cement slide that’s been a neighborhood staple forever, while adults claim the picnic tables and fire up the BBQ grills. Restrooms, parking, and open grass mean you can make a full afternoon of it without scrambling for anything you forgot.