Southwest Ohio Parent

Hocking Hills is about to get a reason to visit that has nothing to do with waterfalls or caves. The Hocking Hills Mountain Coaster, set to become Ohio’s first mountain coaster, breaks ground Aug. 1 with an opening targeted for late winter or early spring 2027. The ride is planned for the Logan area, roughly two hours from Cincinnati and about an hour and a half from Dayton.

Krohn Conservatory’s summer butterfly show has just under four weeks left. Destination Monarch, the Cincinnati Parks’ annual butterfly exhibit at the Eden Park conservatory, runs daily through Aug. 9, and families who haven’t made it in yet are running out of weekends to do it. The show traces the monarch butterfly’s migration from the United States into Mexico’s Oyamel Fir Forests, where the species overwinters.

Middletown sits almost exactly between Cincinnati and Dayton, and for three days this month its sky belongs to hot air balloons. The Ohio Challenge returns July 17 to 19, 2026, at Smith Park, with more than 20 balloons launching each evening alongside skydiving demonstrations, a drone and fireworks show, and a kids zone. Gates open at 5 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday, and walk-in admission is $10 for anyone over age 12.

Summer is here, bringing family time, outdoor play, and maybe added stress and pressure to make this the best summer ever. If balancing it all this summer seems just out of reach, remember that taking care of yourself is essential to care for others. We want you to give the world what’s best of you; not just what’s left of you! Stress is a natural part of life, but when it builds up, it can affect your body, mind and emotions.

A Kid’s Review of Paint Playground Parties Hi! I’m a kid who just had the best day ever at my birthday party at Paint Playground in Milford! I kept yelling “Best day ever!” the whole time — and all my friends and even Grandma did too! Mom and Dad didn’t have to do any work at all! The super nice team set everything up, ran the whole party, helped us with our Paint Experience, took tons of awesome pictures (included in the price!), and cleaned up every last drop afterward.

The local pool is a bit overcrowded and you need a new place to swim. We’ve rounded up the best swimming holes in Ohio, some right here in Southwest Ohio, others a great day trip. Mineral Springs 160 Blue Gill Road, Peebles, Ohio 45660 With over 250 acres to explore, Mineral Springs has some of the clearest water in Ohio. The property includes camping, disc golf, riding trails, kayak, canoe and golf cart rentals, a water slide, a floating obstacle course and daily swim passes.

Festival season is once again in full swing! With so many charming celebrations all around the state to choose from, here are some of the more popular festivals happening this summer (and some to look forward to this fall) that are worth traveling for. Frankfort | July 25 to 26 A commemoration of the natural beauty surrounding sunflowers, the Frankfort Sunflower Festival is more than just an event rooted around plants.

Carry Her, a program of the nonprofit Impacting Tomorrow in Loveland, provides free diapers, menstrual products, postpartum supplies and hygiene essentials to women, children and families across the region. The program addresses feminine care and diaper insecurity while working to restore stability, confidence and hope for the families it serves. Laura Baker, foundation relationship manager at Impacting Tomorrow, talked with Southwest Ohio Parent about the program.

Choosing a pediatrician is one of the first major healthcare decisions you’ll make as a parent. Whether you’re expecting your first baby, have recently moved or you are considering changing doctors, finding the right pediatrician is very important. But with so many options, the search can be overwhelming! Here are several things to consider as you go through your search. Ask people you trust: friends, family, neighbors, other parents at daycare pickup. Find out who they see and why.

If you’re from Cincinnati, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with Gary Burbank and his show on 700 WLW, where he liked to ask, “Hey, how’s your Mom ‘n ’em?” That phrase gave its name to Mom ‘n ’em Coffee & Wine, now marking seven years in the community with a flagship location in Camp Washington and a second location in Madisonville.