Northern Kentucky River Region

The Northern Kentucky River Region covers the Ohio River corridor at the top of the state, the metro country across the river from Cincinnati and the rolling farm country extending south. The terrain is gently rolling — Outer Bluegrass plateau cut by the Licking River and the smaller streams flowing north into the Ohio — with the Ohio defining the entire northern boundary from Carrollton east to Maysville. Thirteen counties cover the region. Kenton holds Covington; Campbell holds Newport; Boone holds Florence and Burlington; Mason holds Maysville (a working Ohio River port and the home of Rosemary Clooney); Carroll holds Carrollton; Pendleton holds Falmouth. The Newport Aquarium, the Cincinnati skyline view from Devou Park in Covington, and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge anchor the metro itinerary; Big Bone Lick State Park preserves the prehistoric salt-lick site that drew mastodons and giant ground sloths. Most trips here run as Cincinnati-extensions. Covington’s MainStrasse Village handles the German-heritage food scene; Newport on the Levee carries the dining-and-aquarium itinerary; Maysville runs the river-port and Underground Railroad history; the northern stops on the Bluegrass Bourbon Trail at New Riff and Boone County Distilling fill bourbon-tour days.