Cincinnati is home to a rich and diverse culture, and though its metropolitan area is not nearly as populous as some other American cities (just over 1 million call the Cincy metro area home, as opposed to more than 8 million for New York, for example), it nonetheless offers seemingly unlimited options for those willing to seek them out.

Tall Stacks Music, Arts, and Heritage Festival--Every three or four years, Cincinnati throws itself a big old party. The last one was in 2003, and it was a hit: More than 900,000 visitors showed up to enjoy the live music by the riverfront (performers included B.B. King and Los Lobos, among approximately 100 others), educational and interactive activities for the kids, Children's Theatre performances, and cruises on the Tall Stacks riverboats, for which the festival is named.

This year, the party is expected to continue in the same vain, but in an even bigger and better way than before.

Cincinnati Ballet--The Cincinnati Ballet is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary season, and it has been a beloved local institution since the beginning. Each season, which lasts from September to May, the Cincinnati stages six different ballets or festivals for locals and visitors to enjoy. This year's performances range from the familiar to the avant-garde, including Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Fingerprints, a balletic meditation on the nature of the past. Tickets are surprisingly reasonable, with some as low as $18.

Da Reds and Da Bengals--Few cities love their professional sports teams as much as they do here. And despite the wild swings between up and down and winning and losing over the course of the past few seasons, residents of the Queen City just keep on coming back for more. Maybe it has something to do with the excellent stadiums these two teams compete in. The Bengals play in beautiful Paul Brown Stadium, a 65,500-seat behemoth one block from the Ohio River. And the Reds play in the appropriately-named Great American Ball Park, a gorgeous stadium that opened in 2003. Its state-of-the-art facilities and universally good views have made it one of the hottest destinations in America for baseball fans. (www.bengals.com and www.cincinnatireds.com)

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops--The Cincinnati is the fifth-oldest symphony orchestra in America, as well as one of the most respected. Its long history and the wide range of music it performs have made Music Hall (the orchestra's official home during the season proper) and Riverbend (its summertime venue, replete with outdoor seating) must-visit destinations for music lovers living in and visiting the Cincinnati area.

Both the Orchestra and the Pops have performed under the direction of such musical legends as Leopold Stokowski, Walter Susskind, and Jesús López Cobos. The current music director of the Orchestra is Paavo Järvi, and Erich Kunzel has been conducting the Pops since 1965, a testament to the enduring appeal of his style and to the artistry of the musicians. ( www.cincinnatisymphony.org )