Amtrak has recently returned with limited service, and the station is also home to an Omnimax theater, as well as the city's fine Museum of Natural History and the fascinating Cincinnati History Museum. Another must-see is the Cincinnati Fire Museum. Cincinnati's downtown lies in a basin surrounded by green hillsides that rise up and cup the city like protecting hands. To the east, Mt. Adams is a hillside shopping and dining area with fashion boutiques, art galleries and great views of the city. Though the observatory has since been moved, another historic landmark remains - the famous Rookwood Pottery plant, which today operates as the Rookwood Pottery Restaurant.
Patrons eat while sitting inside the large kilns that once fired the internationally known pottery.
Dining out is a way of life in Cincinnati. Nothing like its southwestern counterpart, Cincinnati Chili was first developed by a Greek immigrant in the 1920s. The local delicacy has been tried in other cities and states but never seems to catch on. Visitors to Cincinnati can try it in one of the more than 120 chili parlors scattered throughout the area. The taste will surprise you - just like Cincinnati.