A Cincinnati Bachelorette Party is the perfect destination to celebrate the bride! Here’s my guide for planning the perfect 2 day Cincinnati Bachelorette Party!
Cincinnati is a very underrated bachelorette party destination, since this city has everything you could need to celebrate the future Mrs. From nightlife, great food, plenty of activities, and awesome Airbnb options!
Let’s dive into my guide for hosting the perfect Cincinnati Bachelorette party!
Table of Contents
Why a Cincinnati Bachelorette Party??
My Cincinnati bachelorette party and this city was the PERFECT location. Here’s why:
- Centrally located + less than 2 hours away from other major cities like Columbus, Lexington, Louisville, and Indianapolis.
- Much less expensive than other party destinations.
- Much less crowded than other cities. It is way more fun to be one of the only brides dressed up in white celebrating a night out!
- Plenty of nightlife for the bride interested in partying & bar hopping
- Plenty of chill activities for the laidback bride
Where to Stay
Over the Rhine: perfect for the fun-loving bride who wants to be right in the center of the action. This is where the bulk of bars and restaurants are.
Hyde Park or Oakley: these two towns are on the east side of the city and would be an ideal location for the bride looking to be close to the action, but not TOO close.
Northern Kentucky: some great northern KY neighborhoods include Covington, Newport, Bellevue, & Dayton. These cities are all within 10-15 minutes of downtown.
At my Cincinnati bachelorette party, we stayed at this Airbnb here. We had 14 girls and there was plenty of room for everyone!
Some other promising Airbnb listings are included here, here, and here.
When looking for an Airbnb for a group:
- Check the listing to make sure there is a bed for everyone
- Consider the number of bathrooms. Ideally, there is at least 1 bathroom for every 4 girls
- Strongly consider the location & the distance to your desired activities. Short Uber rides are a big plus!
- Read the reviews carefully!!!
If you would rather stay in a hotel:
- Aloft Newport on the Levee
- Hampton Inn & Suites Newport/Cincinnati
- AC Hotel by Marriott Cincinnati at the Banks
Traveling to Cincinnati
Cincinnati is very accessible by car from multiple major cities in the Midwest. Below are the driving distances from nearby cities.
- Dayton OH: 1 hour
- Lexington KY: 1.5 hours
- Louisville KY: 1.5 hours
- Columbus OH: 2 hours
- Indianapolis IN: 2 hours
- Fort Wayne IN: 3 hours
- Cleveland OH: 4 hours
- Knoxville TN: 4 hours
- Detroit MI: 4 hours
- Chicago IL: 5 hours
- Pittsburgh PA: 5 hours
Airport
The Cincinnati airport (CVG) is actually located in Northern Kentucky and is approximately 15-20 minutes away from downtown. Ubers and Lyfts are easily accessible from the airport.
CVG has multiple direct flights from other major cities like Minneapolis, Atlanta, Philadelphia and more!
Goodie Bag Ideas
When I was choosing goodie bag items for my Cincinnati bachelorette party, I really tried to focus on only including items that girls could reuse after the weekend. I personally decided to avoid anything too overly “bachelorette themed.”
Here is what I included in my goodie bags:
- Custom slim can coolers: I ordered the glitter blush cans with the rose gold foil and they turned out so cute! They were perfect for helping everyone keep track of which drink was theirs & this was something that each girl could use again in the future.
- Pink belt bags: I ordered these belt bags from Shein and they were the same quality as the Amazon version but much cheaper! Plus everyone ended up wearing these out to the bars and it looked so cute!
- Lighted makeup mirrors: These were the #1 item I would absolutely recommend including! With a large group of girls and limited bathrooms, these were a lifesaver for doing hair & makeup.
- Face masks: 2 per bag
- Under eye masks: 1 per bag
- Hair Mask: 1 per bag
- Reusable makeup wipe: 1 per bag
- Blowfish for Hangover tablets: These are specifically designed to help with headaches and nausea from hangovers
- Liquid IV: 1 per bag
- I also included a handwritten thank you note to each girl which thanked them for joining me to celebrate for the weekend.
Cincinnati Bachelorette Party: Day 1 Itinerary
If you are doing a Friday-Sunday bachelorette party, most guests will likely be arriving in the afternoon or evening on Friday.
If your group is coming from different locations & arriving at different times, I would recommend planning dinner and activities at your hotel or house. This way, girls can arrive at whatever time works with their schedules and it’s a great way for everyone to get to know each other on night 1!
Arrive, decorate & setup
Before guests start arriving, hang a few decorations to elevate the space for the weekend. I personally don’t think that anything extravagant is needed, but a few streamers and balloons are all that’s needed for a cute photo opportunity.
Stock the fridge with seltzers, beer, wine, etc. for the group to share. I also recommend stocking the kitchen with snacks for the weekend.
My maid of honor lives locally and was able to pick up all the drinks and snacks ahead of time. However, if you are coming from out of town, you could easily make a quick grocery store run or even do an Instacart delivery.
Dinner
For dinner, cater Chipotle for dinner. We did the build your own box with double meat. This gave us plenty of food for our group and we were able to have a variety of options for everyone. If anyone in the group has dietary restrictions, a build-your-own Chipotle bar is the perfect way to accommodate these guests.
You can either pickup the order from a nearby Chipotle or pay a fee to have it delivered.
Other catering options include:
Activity Ideas
The first night of the Cincinnati bachelorette party is the perfect opportunity for some games & activities at home to help introduce the group, especially if there are girls that don’t know each other.
My fiancé’s name is Jack, so we did a “dress as your favorite Jack night.” Everyone had such great ideas from Cracker Jacks, Jack Sparrow, Black Jack, and Flapjack pancakes! The name Jack worked really well with this theme!
We also played “Tall Boy Roulette.” This game includes placing “Tall Boys” (a 16oz tall can) into a brown paper bag, so you cannot see what drink is inside the bag. There needs to be 1 can per player. I only included drink flavors that were enjoyable, from White Claws, Twisted Teas, and Margarita drinks.
- All the paper bags needs to be spread out on a table
- We drew numbers to see who would go first
- Player #1 chooses their bag and sees what drink is inside
- Player #2 has the option to steal a drink that has already been opened or pick a new bag
- This continues until everyone has a drink. We played by the rules that a drink can only be stolen twice and that you cannot immediately steal a drink back right after it was stolen.
- Each girl now has a drink to sip on for the night!
Other game/activity ideas:
Music Bingo: Make your own bingo cards here. You will also need a Spotify playlist made that corelates with the songs included on the Bingo card. You could also include small prizes for the first few “Bingos” like nail polish, face masks, or claw clips.
Paint & Sip: grab a few bottles of wine, some canvases, and some paint to create an at home paint and sip night!
Friendship bracelet making: channel your inner kid by making friendship bracelets together. Check out this bracelet making kit.
Wine tasting: Ask every guest to bring a bottle of wine for the group to sample. You could even provide score cards and have guests rank their favorite bottles.
If you just can’t wait to go out this night, I would recommend checking out Ghost Baby. This is an underground speakeasy bar which has an upscale cocktail menu & live Jazz music on the weekends. You can also reserve a booth for a group.
Cincinnati Bachelorette Party: Day 2 Itinerary
Day 2 of your Cincinnati Bachelorette Party will be your main day to celebrate & party! I recommend planning one activity during the day & one activity at night. You want to have enough to do to keep the party going without feeling too rushed.
Breakfast
To keep things simple, cater breakfast as well. I recommend catering Panera and ordering their individual breakfast sandwiches, coffee totes & orange juice. This package includes coffee cups, sugar, and creamer which is perfect if you don’t already have these items at your hotel or Airbnb.
You can use the provided OJ for morning mimosas. My maid of honor purchased the cutest plastic champagne flutes which can be found here.
You can pickup the Panera order yourself or have it delivered for a fee.
Other breakfast catering ideas include:
Candle Lab OTR
For your Cincinnati bachelorette party daytime activity, make your own candles at the Candle Lab OTR. They have two locations in Cincinnati, but I would recommend the Over the Rhine location as there is a ton of shopping, restaurants, and bars nearby.
This location is small, so they could not accommodate our group of 14 all at once. However, they were able to secure us two reservations for 7 people. Call in advance to secure reservations for a group.
Our 2 groups had reservations 45 minutes apart. While group 1 was making their candles, group 2 was hanging out at a nearby bar. Once group 1 was finished, they went over to a bar while group #2 came to the Candle Lab.
When you arrive to the Candle Lab, there is a variety of candle holders to choose from, each with varying sizes and prices. We called ahead and pre-paid for everyone’s candle which was very convenient.
After you choose your candle holder, there is a full array of scented candles to sniff! You are given a clipboard to jot down your favorite scents. After this, you then sit down with an employee who will help you determine what scents will pair best together.
Once you’ve chosen your scents, then an employee will help you mix the oils to create your candle! The candles take approximately 2 hours to set and cool. We used this time to grab lunch & drinks.
Lunch & Drinks
While your candles cool, head to a nearby bar or restaurant for some lunch and drinks! The restaurant we went to for lunch is now unfortunately closed, but there are a ton of options in OTR! I recommend going somewhere walking distance from the Candle Lab to avoid ordering more Ubers.
Bar Ideas:
Restaurant Ideas:
After lunch it’ll be time to pick up your candles!
Relax & Hang Out
Now is the perfect time to head back and relax for a bit before the big night out! I recommend going back to your Airbnb or hotel to relax and freshen up.
This time is also a great chance to take some pictures and play a few drinking games!
Dinner at Alcove by MadTree
For dinner, head to Alcove by MadTree which is also in Over the Rhine. This is a farm-to-table restaurant which is beautifully decorated.
Majority of our group got either the burger or chicken sandwich. They also have delicious cocktails and offer drink pitchers which is ideal for a group!
Night Out in Over the Rhine
Immediately after dinner, walk to OTR bars for a night of bar hopping. I recommend hitting up a total of 3 bars. My recommended bar itinerary is below.
Bar #1: Rosedale’s
Rosedale’s is primarily an outdoor bar. They do have a small indoor area, but I would only recommend going to Rosedale’s if the weather is nice enough to be outside.
Bar #2: Pins Mechanical Co
Pins is a multi level bar which has a huge array of activities including foosball, pinball, & arcade games. Some games do require coins to play, but plenty are free. Pins also has a rooftop!
Bar #3: The Drinkery
The Drinkery is definitely the bar you will want to save for last. This is the spot for dancing and partying!
If you would rather go bar hopping at the Banks (Downtown):
If you would rather go bar hopping in Northern KY:
The next morning check out and say your goodbyes to end your Cincinnati bachelorette party!
Other Cincinnati Bachelorette Activity Ideas
There are so many other Cincinnati bachelorette party activities that could easily be included into your itinerary. Here are some other ideas we explored:
Pedal Wagon
Go on a Pedal Wagon cruise through OTR, Covington KY, or downtown. These are BYOB. I’ve done a pedal wagon a few times and they are always a blast!
SS Tiki Boat Tours
Book a private party boat that cruises down the Ohio River! SS Tiki Boat Tours allows you to bring your own drinks and hook up your own playlist to enjoy 2 hours of cruising for up to 18 people.
Manicures & Pedicures at Ambiance Nails
Have a relaxing spa day at one of Ambiance nails many Cincinnati locations. They take group reservations for a party.
Cooking Class with TableSpoon Cooking Co
Book a private cooking class with TableSpoon Cooking Co. They offer fun classes like tacos & margaritas or pizza & wine.
Party Bus Bar Hopping
Book a private party bus here to transport your group to different bars all over town!
Brewery Tour
If the bride is into beer, consider booking a brewery tour with Cincy Brew Bus! These tours include 3-4 stops at local breweries. They also offer wine tours if the bride is a wine drinker!
Sip & Paint
Have a sip & paint night (or afternoon) at Board & Brush in northern KY. They offer private classes for large groups. You can choose from traditional painting or wood working classes.
Kayaking at Green Acres
Rent kayaks with Green Acres Kayak Rental and enjoy some time outdoors! Tickets are purchased in person and they have over 1,000 kayaks so it is easy for a group to rent from. FYI this is much more of a party atmosphere and less of a relaxing outdoor activity.
Final Thoughts
Hosting a Cincinnati bachelorette party is an awesome destination for any bride looking to celebrate in a fun city without traveling too far! A Cincinnati bachelorette party itinerary can easily be filled with activities from candle making, cooking classes, party boats and more!
A Cincinnati bachelorette party is an ideal location especially for brides living in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Michigan. The city has tons of entertainment options, but with a much lower price tag from other major cities.
What ideas do you have for a Cincinnati Bachelorette party???
If you find this Cincinnati bachelorette party guide helpful, check out my ideas for Alphabet Dating in Cincinnati.