Record Visitation, Best of Warren County Award winners announced at CVB Annual Meeting

Warren County, Ohio (March 14, 2025) – Warren County, Ohio welcomed a record number of tourism-related visitors in 2024, the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau (WCCVB) announced at its Annual Meeting Friday morning.

An estimated 14.3 million people visited the county’s numerous tourism draws last year, representing a seven percent jump from 2023’s then-record visitation levels and a 30 percent increase from 2020 - a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the travel and tourism industry.

Long known as Ohio’s Largest Playground for its wide array of visitor-friendly events and attractions, Warren County considers tourism its top industry and one of its most critical drivers of economic success.
A 2024 study conducted by the State of Ohio, showed tourism accounts for approximately $1.7 billion in annual economic impact for the county, and supports more than 13,500 jobs – or approximately nine percent of the county's workforce.

“Tourism is thriving and bigger than ever here in Ohio’s Largest Playground, and that’s due in large part to three major factors,” said Phillip S. Smith, President & CEO of the WCCVB. “We’re affordable, we’re easy to get to and we have a truly incredible array of entertainment, dining, shopping and lodging offerings. Whether you’re a roller coaster lover, an outdoor adventurer, an small town shopper, a foodie or a traveling athlete, you’re going to have a wonderful time here in Warren County, and you won’t have to break the bank to do it.”

Among the county’s most visited attractions in 2024 were Kings Island, Caesar Creek State Park, Miami Valley Gaming, Great Wolf Lodge, the Ohio Renaissance Festival, the Ohio Sauerkraut Festival, the Cincinnati Open and the Warren County Sports Park (WCSP) – a 128-acre destination outdoor sporting facility owned and operated by the WCCVB.

The WCSP welcomed more than 1.5 million people in 2024 (its fifth year of operation), hosted 52 events, filled more than 104,000 hotel room nights and generated an economic impact of $113.4 million for the local community. The only destination sports park in southern Ohio and the area's only sports park owned and operated by a convention and visitors bureau, the WCSP recently added two new synthetic turf fields and will open two additional practice fields this spring.
The WCCVB projects 2025 to be another impactful year for Warren County tourism as the industry will be fueled by a string of exciting new developments including the debut of RiverRacers (Ohio's first and only water coaster) at Kings Island, a massive renovation of the Lindner Family Tennis Center, the expansion of the Cincinnati Open to a two-week-long tournament, and more.
Also announced at the WCCVB’s Annual Meeting Friday were the winners of its 2024 Best of Warren County Awards. This year’s award process, which kicked off with an initial nomination phase in late January, featured 28 unique categories and garnered record online participation. The award winners were:

Best of Warren County Award Winners
Best Caffeine Kick: Taylor's Coffee & Creamery Waynesville)
Best Brewery: Lebanon Brewing Company (Lebanon)
Best Bar or Pub: The Monkey Bar & Grille (Maineville)
Best Pizza Place: Roscoe's Pizza (Corwin)
Best Burger: Broadway Barrel House (Lebanon)
Best International Eats: Phoenician Taverna (Mason)
Best Fine Dining: The Golden Lamb (Lebanon)
Best Breakfast: The Breakfast Club (Lebanon)
Best Lunch: Broadway Barrel House (Lebanon)
Best Sweet Treat: The Village Parlor (Lebanon)
Best Signature Dish: Fried Chicken at The Golden Lamb (Lebanon)
Best Carryout: Kelly's Meats & Deli (Lebanon)
Best Area to Shop: Downtown Lebanon
Best Antique Shop: Lebanon Peddlers Mall (Lebanon)
Best Local Boutique: Buckeye Charm (Waynesville)
Best Specialty Shop: Anna's Gourmet Popcorn (Lebanon)
Best New Addition: Taylor's Coffee & Creamery (Waynesville)
Best Date Night: Valley Vineyards (Morrow)
Best Festival: Ohio Sauerkraut Festival (Waynesville)
Best Sporting Event: The Cincinnati Open (Mason)
Best Music or Theater Event: La Comedia Dinner Theatre (Springboro)
Best Holiday Happening: Lebanon Horse Drawn Carriage Parade & Festival (Lebanon)
Best Outdoor Adventure: Caesar Creek State Park (Waynesville)
Best Park: Armco Park (Lebanon)
Best Fun on the Farm: Hidden Valley Orchards (Lebanon)
Best Historic Attraction: Fort Ancient Earthworks & Nature Preserve (Oregonia)
Best Museum: Harmon Museum (Lebanon)
Best Family Fun: Kings Island (Mason)

Warren County is Ohio’s Largest Playground®! With easy access from Interstates 71 and 75, visitors to Warren County can enjoy more activities within a 30-mile radius than anywhere else in Ohio. The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau is a professional destination marketing and management organization whose mission is to strengthen the community by advancing economic growth and vitality through tourism and overnight stays by encouraging significant participation by visitors in the local tourism economy. Tourism is the leading industry in Warren County. More than 14.3 million yearly visitors drive an economic impact of $1.7 billion and more than 13,500 tourism-related jobs. For additional information, visit OhiosLargestPlayground.com, call 513-204-1900 or visit the WCCVB on social media.