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Things to Do in Cincinnati With Kids

Now that school’s out, are you looking for something fun to do with the kids? During your staycation, consider taking in some of area attractions: Kings Island, the Cincinnati, Columbus or Louisville Zoos and Rumpke’s landfills.

That’s right, Rumpke offers free tours of its facilities, and thousands of residents visit its landfills each year to see exactly what happens to their trash once it leaves the curb.

From the comfort of a bus (or SUV for some of our smaller locations), visitors will travel around the landfill learning about modern landfills and how they differ from “dumps” of yesteryear. Participants will see first-hand the landfill safeguards that protect the environment and our health and safety. They will travel to the working face where trash is being deposited and crushed by 100,000 pound compactors and they will travel to the top of the landfill to get a bird’s eye view of the operation. Visitors will also learn how trash is powering homes, businesses and in some cases vehicles.

And while trash might not seem like an exciting topic, Rumpke tour guides make it a fun experience for all ages. But don’t just take my word for it.

Tours are offered at the Colerain Township landfill on Wednesdays beginning at 9 a.m. Tours are also available at other Rumpke landfills throughout the week. To schedule a tour for your group, shoot us an e-mail: tours@rumpke.com

Rumpke also offers tours of its recycling center for individuals high school age and older. Tours are offered Monday through Friday only. To schedule send us an e-mail: tours@rumpke.com

Of course, if you can’t make it to one of our locations, you can learn about what happens to your waste and recyclables once they leave the curb from the comfort of your own home by watching some of our landfill and recycling videos.

Take a Tour

What destination is recommended by 99.6 percent of visitors?

The overwhelming majority of our tour-takers at Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township, Ohio say they would recommend the tour to someone else. Our guides provide a safe, fun and educational experience… and it’s free! 

If you are interested in learning more about what happens to your trash and recycling, contact us. If you’re unable to visit our facilities, watch videos about our landfills and recycling facilities.

Adventures Around Cincinnati Book

You don’t have to trek the Andes or fly to Europe to have an adventure. There are many opportunities in our communities to explore and learn about the world we live in.

Here’s an idea for your next adventure: find out where “away” is. As in, “I threw it away.” (Hint: your trash doesn’t disappear!)

The second edition of Adventures Around Cincinnati by Laura Hoevener and Terri Weeks encourages readers to tour Rumpke Sanitary Landfill in Colerain Township, Ohio.

“It’s an out of the ordinary tour for anyone who would like to learn more about what happens to their trash after it leaves their garbage cans,” they wrote.

The book features more than 120 destinations in Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati and Dayton that are family-friendly. Every year, thousands of people tour Rumpke’s landfills and recycling centers. Rumpke’s landfill tour is suitable for children and adults alike, taking visitors on a 45-minute bus ride to see the working face, trucks, and one of the world’s largest landfill gas to direct energy pipeline.

Recycling tours take place inside industrial facilities and are better suited to students ages 13 and up. We have created many videos and other educational resources to accommodate anyone who cannot visit or would like to learn more.

We hope to see you on your next adventure!