A date night in Hamiton has small-town vibes with a dash of OTR appeal

Hear me out. It's time to hang out in the city of Hamilton.

Seriously. It's rad. Its main strip has small-town vibes with just a dash of Over-the-Rhine appeal.

There are breweries, eateries, little shops, a record store, a pinball garage, lots of parks, public art, a pretty bridge. Washington Park, meet your little cousin, Marcum Park , complete with a splash fountain, a verdant lawn, an amphitheater for concerts and even a few dining options on its edges.

It truly is the perfect spot to enjoy a date on a beautiful weekend day. The cherry on top? One gorgeous bike ride, if you're so inclined.

Welcome to our Date the Neighborhood series . We'll test out all the fun things to do in super-datable Cincinnati-area neighborhoods, then share the ideas with you.

Shall we?

We'll begin with a cup of joe at True West Coffee

Before your adventure, drive or bike down Main Street to True West Coffee: The perfect, most vibrantly quaint spot to fuel before your morning ride. Their latte flavors are many and delightful. My top picks: an alluring fig, vanilla and black pepper; a fruity raspberry truffle, and they have pumpkin spice on the menu, too, for you fall fanatics.

There's food, too. My date and I weren't too hungry, but we did share a good breakfast burrito.I wanted to hang out there for hours. With its gorgeously painted floors, hanging lighted stars and stained glass windows, True West manages to be immediately cozy and full of personality. The outdoor area beside the shop is just as pretty, complete with a gazebo and benches sandwiched between lush garden beds and shaded by trees. I will be making a return trip.

If coffee isn't your cup of choice, there is an adorable boba tea and crepes spot just seconds down Main Street called Smoochies. It's pink. You can't miss it.

Next up: The Great Miami Recreational Trail bike route

It's probably my favorite local bike path thanks to its varied and beautiful scenery.

Park at Lodder Park (or all the way out to Waterworks Park in Fairfield if you're an avid biker) and follow the Great Miami Recreational Trail along the Great Miami River, past two rushing dams, across a bridge, around a sharp bend and then – bam! You've suddenly been transported to the countryside.

Vast stretches of farmland extend to your left, and the banks of a Little Miami tributary blossom on your right as you slice between them on the trail while you spot a flock of ducks flying by.

Countryscapes eventually give way to a wooded path that leads to shady Rentschler Park. Perch on a picnic table and admire the view of the Great Miami before your return trip back to downtown. Give yourself a good hour or more to complete the ride.

The drinks: Municipal Brew Works

If you're parched after your ride, hop off your bike (be sure to lock it up – there are bike stands all over town, and use caution riding in the street) and head to one of many breweries and drinkeries (which will be listed at the end of the story).

By the way, Hamilton is a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (Dora), so the option is there to take your drink for a walk. We chose Municipal Brew Works because its Watermelon Blonde Ale sounded irresistible after biking in the sun. It was delicious, as was the less-sweet Orange Agave Blonde. We put our feet up in the shade of the brewery's garage and enjoyed the nice breeze that was blowing in (we really did pick the perfect day).

The food: Billy Yanks

Now is the time to recommend walking your bike if you feel the least bit tipsy. There's lots of traffic and a nice big sidewalk.

Our stomachs were now growling, so we crossed the bridge and made our way to Billy Yanks, a burger and bourbon joint that serves up creative and tasty smashburgers. Skipping a pour of bourbon, we dove straight into some burgers.

Folks, they have a Spam burger. My husband (and date) loves Spam. He got the Big Kahuna: a burger of crispy Spam, American (he subbed pepper jack), pineapple, teriyaki salsa and a runny egg. I ordered the Going Back to Cali: with avocado, griddled onion, bacon, Swiss and arugula, with a side of the joint's special sauce. It hit the spot after all that pedaling.

There are so many quality eateries in Hamilton to choose from if burgers aren't what you crave (they're listed later).

Some sightseeing and recreation

After smashing those burgers, we wound our way through the aforementioned Marcum Park and its gardens and up and down the streets of the German Village, breezing past pretty architectural and old buildings, making our way to the Pinball Garage.

Purchase a card for the games and a drink if you please, and play the many themed pinball games blinking at you in this little establishment. There's Ghost Busters, Walking Dead and Spiderman, to name just a few. A perfect fun ending to a Hamil-date.

Here's a rundown of breweries, drinkeries and restaurants to pick from, most within pedaling distance (or walking distance if you're wary of biking on the road) from the Great Miami Recreational Trail, and many right on Main Street. There are enough bars for a crawl, and tons of food options: from sushi and bistros to local pizza and barbecue.

The bars:

• Fretboard Brewing and Public House .
• Immortal Vibes (the place is lined with guitars – so cool. Plus they also serve coffee).
• The 513 .
• Hamilton's Urban Backyard (they also have food truck cuisine).
• Lounge 24 .
• North Second Tap and Bottle Shop (they were listed as temporarily closed at the time of publication).
• The Casual Pint .
• Pour House .

The eats:

• Richard's Pizza .
• Agave and Rye .
• Rock N Rolls Food Truck .
• Roll On In .
• Smoochies Boba and Crepes .
• Chubby Bunny Bakery .
• Plaza One Grille .
• Tano Bistro .
• Neal's Famous BBQ .
• All8up Pizza, BBQ and Hoagies .
• Mirchi .
• Basil 1791 .
• Alexander's Market and Deli .

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: A date night in Hamiton has small-town vibes with a dash of OTR appeal