Covington: Nature, Culture and History

Covington offers a range of options to consider when planning your trip—from expansive green spaces to art, architecture and regional products. If you’re looking for a hotel in Covington, you can base your choice on which of these aspects you’d like to experience during your stay.

Nature, Cycling and Time Outdoors

Devou Park spans more than 700 acres and has over eight miles of mountain biking trails. This highlights both the park’s size and a specific cycling option. If you’d like to include cycling in your trip plans, the mountain biking trails are a clear point of reference.

Covington Plaza has two walking and biking trails. In contrast, Devou Park is specifically noted for its mountain biking trails, while the Plaza is described as offering walking and biking. This helps you distinguish between the options based on the type of activity you’d like to plan. The Plaza also includes a 1,350-seat amphitheater and a riverside event space.

Architecture, Culture and History

The Carnegie is the largest and only multidisciplinary arts center in Northern Kentucky. Beneath its distinctive dome are The Carnegie Galleries, the Eva G. Farris Education Center and the Otto M. Budig Theatre. The building was constructed as a Carnegie Library in 1904 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history spans its original function as a library and its present-day role as an arts center with several facilities under one roof.

Mainstrasse Village is a historic district and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Carroll Chimes Bell Tower stands in Goebel Park: its carillon has 43 bells and plays on the hour. These places offer different ways to explore Covington’s architectural and cultural heritage.

The Behringer-Crawford Museum showcases the unique art, heritage and culture of Northern Kentucky as part of the Ohio Valley. Along with The Carnegie, it represents two distinct cultural offerings: a multidisciplinary arts center and a museum with a regional focus.

Visiting Hours and Special Experiences

NaturePlay @BCM is a free, enclosed green space that is accessible to people with disabilities. Children and their families can play, explore and engage with heritage and natural history there. The space is open daily from sunrise to sunset.

The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption is open to visitors Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tours for groups of at least ten people must be arranged at least two weeks in advance for a small fee. If you’re planning such a tour, allow for the necessary lead time; for a visit without a group tour, the stated visiting hours are a helpful guide.

Market and Bourbon Connections

The Covington Farmers Market’s outdoor season runs every Saturday from May through October, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The products are produced, grown or made in Kentucky within a 50-mile radius of the market. This makes the market a specific place to visit if you’d like to include regional products in your trip plans.

Covington also has nine stops on The B-Line, the northern gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. This adds a distinct connection to the bourbon route to the range of cultural and outdoor activities. When planning, check the market dates and the visiting hours of the places you’d like to include.

Discover more destinations: Fort Wright, Bromley, Fort Mitchell, Park Hills, Erlanger, Lakeside Park

Go to the main travel overview: Kenton.