There’s nothing like the midwest in the summer months. In any of the places where there’s snow on the ground from November-February (and sometimes far beyond), summer comes as a breath of relief. It really is a relief, as anyone who’s ever been able to witness the season’s turning here. The first sign of nice weather tempts people to put away the winter clothes, but it’s always a fickle time. By mid May, people can be pretty sure the change has come, and by June, things are moved to a whole new level.

For anyone planning a trip that includes a luxury hotel, Cincinnati is a magnificent place any time of the year, but it is the summer that brings out the best in people. Cool nights and warm days are pretty typical, and there are lots of parks that make it easy to enjoy the great outdoors without driving too far. But there are a few days here and there where the temperatures and the humidity start to gang up on the city. The swelter can indeed come as a surprise, but that’s nothing that a visit to a water park won’t cure.

The Beach Waterpark is the ideal place for someone looking for the feeling of sand between the toes. There are also some great water slides, and plenty of blue water to remind people about why summer is so much fun to begin with. King’s Island is something of a holy grail for the kids, where it’s a fantastic water park, and a great amusement park all in one. Moving from the roller coaster to the lazy river will make anyone feel young again. However, the really young ones will probably go back to the roller coaster, and the rest of the guests will opt for more floating weightlessly.

Being a city with a strong civic sense, there are also plenty of public pools, and, in any pinch, the backyard hose sometimes offers more excitement than anything on earth to a kid.