Between Cincinnati and Dayton, on the banks of the Great Miami River, sits a 45-acre park with an unusual backstory. Monroe Bicentennial Commons — on the edge of Monroe in Liberty Township, Ohio — was built on the grounds of LeSourdsville Lake Amusement Park, a beloved attraction that entertained visitors for eight decades before going dark.
LeSourdsville opened in 1922 under founder Edgar Streifthau with a restaurant, dance hall, bathhouse and a man-made swimming lake. Entry was 10 cents, with swimming an extra quarter. Over the following decades it grew into a full amusement park, changed hands in the 1960s (sold to two former Cedar Point concessions operators), and was later rebranded as Americana Amusement Park, known for coasters like the Screechin' Eagle. After multiple closures and revivals, it shut for good in 2002. Redevelopment work began nearly two decades later.
Today the clues are subtle — the playground's carousel-topped shelter nods to what stood before — but the park has plenty going for it on its own merits. Families gravitate to the large covered playground, which has a wooden treehouse, bridge and slides, plus shade on hot days and shelter when it rains. Air-conditioned restrooms make longer visits easy, and there's ample open grass for picnics and dogs to run. The old Sky Ride station survives as a nostalgia touchpoint for those who remember the park's glory days.
The river adds another dimension: it's an easy walk down to fish, and anglers report catching smallmouth bass and sunfish. Within the park itself, a paved one-mile loop suits a stroll or a quick bike ride.
For more serious trail users, the location is the real draw. The Great Miami River Trail passes nearby — a 93-mile route that hugs the river for much of its length. The section between Middletown and Trenton is rated easy and offers good chances to spot great blue herons and ospreys. Ambitious cyclists can also hook onto U.S. Bicycle Route 25, which runs from Cincinnati through Dayton, Lima and Toledo toward the Michigan border, mixing paved trails with roads. It's a multi-day ride in full, but shorter out-and-back sections work well.
Who is this for? Probably not anyone planning a dedicated cross-country pilgrimage — but as a stop on a Cincinnati-to-Dayton drive, or a leg-stretcher with actual character, it's a smart pick. Cincinnati itself is having a moment as a Midwest destination, so pairing the park with a city break is easy. It's roughly an hour from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and about 45 minutes south of Dayton International. Hotels in Monroe run around $80–100 a night. If you're in the area with kids, a bike, or a fishing rod, this resurrected parkland is worth the detour.
