Cincinnati Bengals

Admin

Mar 25

4 min read

Cincinnati Bengals Travel Guide: Paycor Stadium

How to Get There

The main airport in town is the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). It sits just across the river in Kentucky and is primarily a hub for Delta, but budget carriers like Allegiant and Frontier offer a ton of flights too. The airport is about 13 miles from Paycor Stadium (which locals still occasionally call Paul Brown Stadium).

If you are on a budget, the TANK bus picks up right at the airport and drops off at several central spots downtown for just $2 a person. Buses run every hour to hour and a half depending on the time of day. Because the downtown core is incredibly compact and highly walkable, skipping a rental car and relying on public transit or quick Ubers is your best bet.

Where to Stay

Downtown Cincinnati is right on the water, meaning you can stay on the Ohio side in the middle of the city or crash just across the river on the Kentucky side and walk across a pedestrian bridge to the gates.

Budget Options

Residence Inn by Marriott Cincinnati Downtown/Lytle Park: This boutique-style hotel is built inside a beautiful historic downtown building and specializes in extended stays. Every room is a large suite featuring a full kitchen and a living area with a sofa bed, which is great for groups. They offer a free breakfast buffet daily and feature an excellent rooftop restaurant with skyline views. It is just over a half-mile walk to the stadium.
Hampton Inn & Suites Newport/Cincinnati: Located just across the Ohio River in Kentucky, this hotel is a short half-mile walk to the stadium across the pedestrian-friendly Taylor Southgate Bridge. They offer spacious suites and standard rooms with sofa beds for families, and rooms on the north side feature perfect views of the river and the downtown skyline.

Higher-End Options

Hyatt Regency Cincinnati: A sleek, modern high-rise located right in the center of Cincinnati's vibrant downtown district. The contemporary rooms are spacious with plush bedding and views of either the river or the city skyline. For Hyatt loyalists, it is an incredible redemption value at a standard rate of just 8,000 points per night.
The Lytle Park Hotel, Autograph Collection: Housed in a classic 1909 building, this property offers an elegant, upscale atmosphere right next to Lytle Park. It features a high-end Italian restaurant in the lobby, a cocktail bar with classic architecture, and an eclectic rooftop lounge complete with fireplaces and sweeping views of the skyline.

Nearby Activities

Smale Riverfront Park: This massive park stretches along the waterfront right next to the stadium. It features giant porch swings overlooking the river, walking paths, and beautiful green spaces.
Great American Ball Park: The home of the Cincinnati Reds sits directly adjacent to the football stadium. Even in the offseason, you can visit the Crosley Terrace statues and the massive Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

Pregame Food and Drink

The riverfront district between Paycor Stadium and Great American Ball Park is known as The Banks, and it is the absolute epicenter of the Bengals pregame scene.

The Banks Staples: Head to Taste of Belgium if you want an incredible pregame breakfast centered around their famous waffles. For a casual bite, Pies & Pints serves up fantastic specialty pizzas and craft beers, while Jefferson Social offers a laid-back vibe with great tacos and Mexican classics just a block from the stadium.
The Microbrewery Experience: You have to stop by Moerlein Lager House. It is a massive, working microbrewery right on the riverfront that features a full line of house craft brews and a huge tailgate environment.
The Rowdy Sports Bars: For a classic, high-energy sports bar experience, walk right across the street from the stadium to Holy Grail Tavern & Grille. If you want a more relaxed, upscale rooftop vibe, check out Upper Deck on top of the AC Hotel, which features fire pits and a massive patio overlooking the pregame crowds.

Getting to the Event

Walking: Because of the stadium's central location, walking is incredibly simple. If you stay on the Kentucky side, walking across the pedestrian-friendly bridges right to the stadium is a fan favorite.
The Streetcar: Cincinnati offers the Cincinnati Streetcar (formerly the Cincinnati Bell Connector). It is a 3.6-mile above-ground loop connecting downtown that is completely free to ride, dropping you off right at The Banks next to the stadium.
Driving: If you drive, parking is surprisingly affordable and plentiful. The presence of the baseball stadium right next door opens up a massive number of surface lots and garages, and there is ample street parking scattered throughout downtown.

Where to Sit at Paycor Stadium

Away Fans: The best lower-level seats for visiting fans are in Sections 139-141 right behind the away sideline. Try to grab rows 16-32; these rows offer great sightlines to see the field over the benches and put you close to the concourse entry tunnels on row 23.
The Premium Seats: The Club Level sections directly above the sidelines (Sections 233-247) offer wider seats, upscale gourmet food lounges, and in-seat wait service.
The Tunnel Experience: Look for higher rows in corner end zone Sections 120 and 122. These offer some of the best angles in the stadium, and the visiting team’s tunnel sits right between these sections, letting you see the players up close.
The Budget Seats: Look for tickets in the upper deck Sections 340-343. They are significantly cheaper than the rest of the stadium, and sticking to rows 1-11 ensures you get a great view of the field before the upper deck steepness kicks in.