If you’re like me and you love the water, living in a “landlocked” state can be frustrating. If you want a place to float around mindlessly on your unicorn tube, here’s where to find that closest beach to Cincinnati you’ve been dreaming of.

These lakes, within a 1-2 hour drive from Cincinnati, all have “public beaches”. This  means you can pack a beach chair, umbrella, and a cooler and pretend you’re in Florida for a few hours! 

Reminders: 

1. Always call or check websites for the individual parks before visiting. Things are subject to last minute changes! 
2. Check out my map to determine which lakes are closest to you. This does show the closest beaches to the Cincinnati area, but these pins are general and not placed directly at the beach area.

Read on for other day trip ideas within a 1 hour drive

• East Fork Lake, Ohio (35 mins – closest beach to downtown Cincinnati)

 

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• Stonelick Lake, Ohio (40 mins from Cincinnati)

• Caesar Creek, Ohio (60 mins from Cincinnati)

• Acton Lake, Ohio (60 mins from Cincinnati)

• Cowan Lake, Ohio (68 mins from Cincinnati)

• Brookville Lake, Indiana (72 mins from Cincinnati)

• White Rock Adventure Park (75 mins from Cincinnati – includes cliff diving!)

• LaGrange Quarry, Kentucky (76 mins from Cincinnati)

• Mineral Springs Lake, Ohio (80 mins from Cincinnati)

• Natural Springs Resort, Ohio (82 mins from Cincinnati)

• Jump Rock at Red River Gorge, Kentucky (120 mins from Cincinnati) 

• Hocking Hills: Tubing, Ohio : This is not a sandy beach, but fun just the same! This has options for 4-5 hour tubing trips (145 mins from Cincinnati)

Pin it for later- Enjoy this list of the closest beaches to Cincinnati!

As always, all reviews and opinions are my own. However, should you choose to book any of the linked activities or hotels above, please know I am an affiliate and will make a small commission.