No doubt, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “Cleveland Rocks.”

And, if you’re like me, you might think that people say this just because the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is in Cleveland, Ohio.

But, as I discovered on a recent stop on a Great Lakes cruise with Victory Cruise Lines, there are a lot of things to do in this city that rock.

To be honest, I had no idea that it’s such a friendly and happening place.  With a prime location on the shores of Lake Erie,  stately old buildings and some pretty amazing new ones, Cleveland is truly an attractive city.

So, if you’re wondering what to do in Cleveland to rock your visit, here you go.

12 Things To Do in Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland West Side Market

Naturally, I had to start with one of the best places to eat in Cleveland – the historic West Side Market.

The indoor, European-style market has been around since 1912.  It looks like an old train station and there’s a 137-foot clock tower that serves as a neighbourhood icon.

Plus, there’s great stuff to eat.  Over 100 vendors sell all kinds of food, with many ready-to-eat items like local bratwurst sandwiches, international fare like falafel, and bakery treats.  Cleveland has a large Eastern European population so sausages are a big thing here, as are pierogies – – those delicious dumplings often stuffed with a potato or cheese filling.  Be sure to try a Cleveland pierogi!  You can find some of the best places to get them in this guide.  A fun way to visit the West Side Market is to take a market food tour, so you can sample the best treats.

There are also many great restaurants and brewpubs in the area around the West Side market.  Check out the Market Garden, Nano Brew Cleveland and the Great Lakes Brewing Company.  Or try this tour to three breweries, with tastings.

1979 W 25th St Cleveland OH, 44113  Opening hours are:  Monday & Wednesday 7 am – 4 pm; Friday & Saturday 7 am – 6 p.m; Sunday 10 am – 4 pm.

Amazing Architecture

One tour guide said the architecture in Cleveland is where “hip meets history.”

This building, the Peter B. Lewis Building on the Case Western Reserve University Campus, is by architect Frank Gehry and probably qualifies in the “hip” category.

When you’re planning your Cleveland sightseeing, here are the “7 Wonders of Cleveland”  to include on your list.

10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)

Speaking of architecture, the The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA, to locals) is, itself a work of art.

Inside, you’ll find an angular, zig-zagging staircase that will give you another view on the building.

One of the surprising places to see in Cleveland, this gallery doesn’t have a permanent collection.  Instead, the exhibitions change three times a year, showing some of the most important names in the contemporary art world.

11400 Euclid Ave Cleveland OH, 44106  Visiting hours are limited when the museum is changing its exhibits.  You can check the opening hours here.

Cleveland Museum of Art

A visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the best free Cleveland activities.  With the exception of certain special exhibits, you can see this amazing building, along with some Picassos, Monets and Warhols, for free.

The museum is home to more than 45,000 works of art and is one of the most-visited in the world.  It also includes a new hi-tech gallery with touchscreen, interactive elements that let you create your own work of art.

11150 E Blvd Cleveland OH, 44106  Open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 5pm; Wednesday & Sunday 10am – 9pm.

Street art

I was not expecting to see Prince eating a donut in Cleveland.  But there he is!

Cleveland has encouraged a vibrant street art scene, with numerous large-scale murals throughout the city by local artists and famous ones from around the world.  Now, the murals are among the top Cleveland attractions.  You can see a list of the popular ones and their locations here.

The Prince mural is located under the highway overpass near West 25th Street and Washington Avenue.

Lolly the Trolley

If you have only one day in Cleveland, you can get a great overview and many fun facts on a tour with Lolly the Trolley.

Did you know that Cleveland was the first city in the U.S. to be lit by electricity (in 1879)?  Or that the first ever rock concert was held here in 1952?

Lolly the Trolly covers over 20 miles of facts and city highlights in 1 and 2.5 hour tours.

The tours must be booked in advance and departs from 1101 Winslow Avenue, Cleveland OH 44113.

Lake View Cemetery

One of the unique places to visit in Cleveland is the Lake View Cemetery.

It features 285 acres of history and beautiful gardens, as well U.S. President Garfield’s monument and the tomb of John D Rockefeller.

But the most incredible thing to see is the Wade Memorial Chapel, designed inside by Tiffany.  This spectacular stained glass window, “The Flight of the Souls” was created by Tiffany in 1900 in Paris and reassembled here.  Glass mosaics on two walls symbolize the “Voyage of Life”, and the room is lit by lamps made of alabaster.

12316 Euclid Ave Cleveland OH, 44106  The grounds are open year-round.  The Wade Memorial Chapel is open daily April 1 – November 19, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. but does close for services from time to time.

Cleveland Botanical Gardens

A visit to the Cleveland Botanical Garden is a fun activity with kids, or for a little zen time.

This 10-acre urban sanctuary is filled with plants and flowers from around the globe.

It has a stunning Japanese garden and a glass house, where you can visit the desert of Madagascar and a Costa Rican rainforest with butterflies.

Kids will enjoy the Hershey Children’s Garden which has a treehouse, hidden paths winding through tall grasses and a misting fountain.

11030 E Blvd Cleveland OH, 44106  Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10 am – 5 pm.; Wednesday 10 am – 9 pm; Sunday noon – 5 pm.  Admission fees apply.

Cleveland Arcade

Another fun fact:  The first indoor shopping centre in America was opened in Cleveland in 1890.

This is the Arcade Cleveland, which was modeled after the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy.  Can you tell?

Now one of Cleveland’s iconic landmarks, it’s home to unique shops, fine restaurants and the Hyatt Regency Hotel.  Plus, you’ll come away with a pretty amazing Instagram photo.

401 Euclid Ave Cleveland OH, 44114

Cleveland Playhouse Square

Want to see a show?  Then head for Playhouse Square, said to be the second largest theatre district, next to Broadway.  There are five main theatres, which have been restored from the Vaudeville days of the 1920s, as well as a number of other performance spaces.

Plus, you can’t miss the world’s largest outdoor chandelier.   It’s 20 feet tall and made with 4200 crystals.

Click on the Playhouse Square link for a list of the theatres and locations.

A Christmas Story House

Remember the movie, “A Christmas Story“?  That’s the one about 9-year old Ralphie who wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas but everyone tells him, “You’ll shoot your eye out!”

A fun place to go in Cleveland is the Christmas Story House, where the movie was shot in the early 1980s. The house was originally built in 1895 in the neighbourhood of Tremont.  It was bought by an entrepreneur who sells the leg lamp that you see in the movie, and opened to the public.  You can even stay overnight.

3159 W 11th St   The museum is open every day of the week from 10 am to 5 pm.  (Check the web site for periodic maintenance closures)

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Of course, one of the top things to see in Cleveland is the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Each year, more than half a million people visit the Rock Hall, which was designed by the famous architect I.M. Pei.  It contains an impressive collection of rock memorabilia from the likes of Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson and Madonna, to name a few.

Why is it in Cleveland?  Local DJ Alan Freed came up with the term “rock ‘n’ roll on his radio show in 1951.  (You can see his jukebox gravestone at the Lake View Cemetery.)  The first rock concert was held here, along with a legendary Beatles concert that had to be shut down due to rioting.  And, a local radio station gets the credit for helping to launch the careers of some big name rock stars like David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen and Fleetwood Mac.

So, you see, this city really does rock.  In every sense of the word.

1100 Rock and Roll Blvd   The Rock Hall is open daily from 10 am – 5 p.m., and on Wednesdays until 9 pm. (Check the web site for special hours of operation and holiday closures.)  You can book advance tickets online here.

 

Travel Bliss Now joined the cruise as a guest of Victory Cruise Lines, but my opinions are always my own.

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