manneca

(Mods there is a somewhat similar thread but it is several years old. Please merge if appropriate.)

I have recently moved back to Cleveland after more than 15 years. Needless to say, much has changed since I lived here last. I have several family members who live in NC who are planning to visit here this summer or within the next year.

I'm compiling a list of things they might be interested in. I'd love additions to this. One family group includes a 9 year old girl Her grandmother likes to include unforgettable experiences in her travel (when they visited me in Memphis I arranged for her to be a Junior Duck Master at the Peabody). The other family group is a couple interested in civil war history, classical music, theater, and out door activities. They went to grad school in Toronto. I'm including things within about 4 hours from Cleveland since a short overnight or two is possible or ideas for subsequent trips.

Here's what I currently have. I'd appreciate comments on these as well as additions.

WHAT TO DO IN CLEVELAND AND WITHIN (REASONABLE) DRIVING DISTANCE

1. Cleveland Museum of Art
2. Cleveland Orchestra (and Blossom Center)
3. Cleveland Museum of Natural History
4. Cleveland Botanical Gardens
5. Western Reserve Historical Society
6. Cleveland Zoo
7. Cleveland Aquarium (ugh)
8. Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame
9. Sports: Browns, Cavs, Indians
10. Lake Erie beaches
11. Playhouse Square (a variety of theaters ranging from classics to serious to comedy to musicals and music offerings)
12. Shopping: Beachwood Place, Legacy Village, Gordon Square, Crocker Park
13. Tremont (trendy neighborhood, art galleries, restaurants)
14. West Side Market
15. Restaurants
16. Cute village squares: Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Aurora
17. Hiking/Biking (Metro Parks, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Holden Arboretum)
18. Canoeing on Cuyahoga (Camp Hi) on Chagrin River (Chagrin Canoe and Kayak Livery)
19. White water rafting - Ohiopyle - 3.25 hours from Cleveland, visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Waters nearby
20. Niagara Falls - 4 hours from Cleveland
21. Toronto - 4.5 hours from Cleveland
22. Shaw Festival - Niagara on the Lake, Canada (GB Shaw plays and others)
23. Wooster Light Opera Festival
24. Shakespeare Festival - 5 hours from Cleveland
25. Detroit Area - Greenfield Village (Ford Museum), Motown Museum - about 4 hours from Cleveland
26. Cain Park
27. Cedar Point - amusement park - about 2 hours away
28. Great Lakes Science Center (downtown)

Thanks y'all

Wooglin

/r/Cleveland on Reddit has a pretty good list of things to do on the wiki.

http://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/wiki

I'd also second the GLSC. It's fantastic way to spend a day with grade school-middle school kids.

rolltribe

I've lived in CLE for 20+ years and there's stuff on here I haven't even done haha. Definitely do Cedar Point. It's only an hour from downtown. Avoid going on holidays. Try weekdays if possible. Also, Chicago is only 5 hrs on I-80/90. Take one road the whole way. Maumee isn't bad either, but like the rest of Lake Erie, it isn't very blue. Art museum is top notch.

RobS

Depending on the weather, the Holden Arboretum (17 on your list) has great hiking opportunities, some easy, others more challenging. Maybe a picnic?

DavidDTW

If you are going to include Detroit and Toronto, you should also add the Toledo Art Museum to that list. Worth visiting just for the glass collection, but quite good overall too.

manneca

Thanks y'all. The numbers were to help me keep track, not in order of what I think they should do. Thanks for the Reddit link. I'd forgotten about the Cod.

I don't think the 9 year old has been out of the country, so Canada was somewhat of a priority (got to remember to make sure she and her gram have passports), even if it's just to go over the bridge at Niagara or over to Windsor (OK, maybe not Windsor)

guy44134

I would add to your list:

1. Lakeview Cemetery (including the President James Garfield Monument-beautiful view of downtown from on top, Wade (founder of Western Union) Chapel with beautiful interior by tiffany, and John D. Rockefeller (founder of Standard Oil) Monument, among beautiful grounds very close to Little Italy (and University Circle)
2. The Lake Erie Islands (near Cedar Point)-a fun ferry ride from the mainland, including Middle Bass Island with its Perry Victory Monument commemorating the American victory over Britain in the Battle of Lake Erie
3. Johnson Island-for the Civil War buff-the site of a POW camp for Confederate Soldiers in Lake Erie
4. Wineries both east & west of Cleveland along Lake Erie (stear clear of the sickeningly sweet Catawba and Niagara wines and go for the cool weather European varietals (Riesling, Gewurztraminer) or hybrid varietals (Vidal Blanc, which makes outstanding Ice Wine)
5. Amish Country about an hour south of Cleveland-the largest Amish settlement in the world
6. Historic Oberlin, OH, a nice college town with a great art museum and other cultural attractions, and one of the last stops on the Underground Railway (before travelers crossed Lake Erie to Canada)
7. Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron-the historic home of the founder of Goodyear
8. The Terminal Tower observation deck-only open weekends; while there explore the soon to be reopened and totally renovated Public Square with its Soldiers & Sailors Monument (for the Civil War buff) and wander over to the Mall with its Fountain of Eternal Life, also known as the War Memorial Fountain and Peace Arising from the Flames of War; check out the view of Lake Erie from the gently sweeping grass roof of the new Cleveland Convention Center, also on the Mall. If it's open when they visit (sometime by early July), check out the new rooftop bar on 32nd floor of the Hilton Cleveland Downtown, also on the Mall
9. Grab lunch or a snack (along with samples/glasses of 40 wines and multiple beers on tap) at the Heinen's downtown Cleveland grocery store-the fanciest supermarket you've probably ever seen, set in the historic lobby of the old Cleveland Trust Bank building. There is also Azure Rooftop Lounge at the The Metropolitan at The Nine hotel, right next door, with a great view of downtown.

ajGoes

While you're on the Ohio Lake Erie islands, don't miss Crystal Cave in Put-in-Bay and the glacial grooves on Kelleys Island.

I have yet to go, but everyone I know who has visited Pelee Island on the Ontario side has enjoyed it. I'm afraid it would bore most nine-year-olds though.

kklems

To add to some things by GLSC and RnRHOF. There is the USS cod submarine and the Steamship Mather which the last I knew are on the 9th street pier next to GLSC. Also I think the Goodtime 3 departs from that pier and tours Cleveland via the Lake and into the old Flats area.

US Cod http://www.usscod.org/#_=_
The steamship I think is part of the GLSC
Goodtime 3 https://goodtimeiii.com/site/

Federal Reserve Museum and Tour
https://www.clevelandfed.org/learnin...it-us.aspx#_=_

Churches
http://www.ststanislaus.org/#_=_ Renovated and restored to its original status, repaired after fire

http://sttheodosius.org/#_=_

http://saintjohncathedral.com/#_=_




Farther south is Bath, OH is Hale Farm and village-a working reconstructed 19th century village. http://www.wrhs.org/plan-your-visit/hale-farm/#_=_

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway: Think it departs from Independence, OH running south http://www.cvsr.com/#_=_


Oh and if you like Corned Beef and are near the Cleveland Clinic area stop at Vienna Distributing Co of Ohio (8110 Carneige) There is no place to sit (mainly just a deli case) and I don't think they make sandwiches for you but you can buy hot fresh sliced corned beef and a loaf of rye. (They sell mustard by the jar but I don't bother since it all gets eaten before I have a chance to spread it) Whenever I visit Cleveland I try to stop there. I wish my mother in law would drive into the city to get a few pounds before her visit-might even invite her then

ginoa724

I'm based in Akron, so a bit biased in this response, however:
-Akron Art Museum is a great (& free) option on Thursdays
-Don Drumm Art Gallery by the Univ. of Akron is certainly unique
-LUIGI'S - (Go for weekday lunch since it's half the price and no wait)
-CVNP and SCMP are very well maintained and have some historical areas as well.
-Hower House (owned by UA) is a great Victorian era restored home

I'd avoid #6 like the plague on the Free Admission Day every week (Monday?). For lack of a better term, it's a zoo up there.

pudgym29

For people anywhere seeking to go to Cleveland in the next fortnight for some 'epochal' event which may or may not occur, I have composed a World-Wide Web page showing beer-worthy venues to hit, as well as hints and tips on where to stay and (if you're driving) how to get there.
I've been visiting Cleve(a)land since 1992, so I think I know my stuff. Hit it and let me know.

guy44134

Just one small correction on your post. The RTA day pass is only $5.50/day-a real bargain.

Brendan

Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton OH (1 hour south.) Also, you should combine Detroit/ Toronto/ Niagara into a Lake Erie Circle trip if you have the time to be gone that long. If so, London Ontario is a cool town--downtown is what OH & MI & IN cities wish they had.

TWA884

Forbes: