5 Things to Do in Cleveland, Ohio
Looking for things to do in Cleveland, Ohio? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! We’ve collected our top 5 suggestions on things we recommend doing while in the city. Whether you’re in to the lake front or sports, there’s something for you to do in Cleveland. As you can tell, Cleveland has a little bit of everything and we’ve made sure to capture that in our suggestions!
I. Cleveland Botanical Gardens
The Cleveland Botanical Gardens is an indoor/outdoor garden located in University Circle, about 20 minutes from downtown Cleveland. Having both indoor greenhouses and outdoor gardens, which makes it a great experience throughout the entire year! When we went, they did a butterfly release, so make sure to check their schedule for anything that might be going on when you visit. You can find a list of their programs on their website. We found the garden was peaceful and loved walking around exploring! Its a quiet, peaceful slice of nature in a busy city.
The garden is divided up in to subsections with different themes, so grab a map if there is something specific you want to see or meander and let nature decide your course! We stopped and got a snack in their little cafe, but did find that it was a little expensive (although they had little charcuterie boxes that would have made for a fun picnic outside!) so keep that in mind and if you will be there for an extended amount of time, pack a snack! Tickets are $21 per adult and $15 per child. We also parked in the parking garage below, which was $12. They are open 10am-5pm most days!
II. West Side Market
Westside Market is like a giant food market where you can get anything from fresh baked bread to fish! It is Cleveland’s oldest continuously operating municipally owned market and has over 50 vendors to shop from! The market also has West Side Market Cafe attached where they use ingredients from the West Side Market vendors which we loved - it was a great way to taste the local vendors faire without having to purchase things we didn’t have time to cook or space to bring home with us. This is a great place to stop in to shop local produce and meats or find some great bread/pastries!
As bakers, of course we were drawn to the pastries and we spent too much money on a bunch of them (but they all looked so good, we couldn’t help it!). Our favorite part is the small balcony they have, which is a great place to take your snacks to eat while you watch the hustle of the market below. We spent about ~1.5 hours at the market, including our stop at the cafe for lunch. If you aren’t stopping for lunch at the cafe, you should be able to explore the market in about an hour depending on how long you stop to explore each stall! The market is free, but does have a paid lot you can park in.
III. Lake Erie Boat Tour
One of the best ways to see the Cleveland skyline is through a boat tour! There are a couple different companies you can book through, but we went with Goodtime III. They have different themed tours from scenic, to sunset, to a lunch cruise! We did the sightseeing cruise, which took us along the shoreline and meandered through Cuyahoga River, sharing the city’s history along the way. Our cruise was about 2 hours but they also have shorter ones as well.
If you do decide to take a boat tour, make sure to check the schedule as they do operate seasonally. While they do operate seasonally, when operating they will sail rain or shine! With both indoor and outdoor seating, you can find the perfect seat no matter the weather. And the seating is not assigned, so you can freely move about throughout the cruise. If you want to ensure you get a seat with a great view, make sure to line up early so you can one of the first few on! Boarding starts 30 minutes before your sail time. We sat on one of the upper decks so we could look out over the city without windows and loved it! We definitely recommend getting there early so you can sit on the upper decks!
The boats do not allow outside food or drink, but do have food and drink available for purchase while you are sailing! Unless you book a dinner/lunch cruise, they don’t offer full meals, but have concessions with snacks like chips, pretzels, and sodas. They also have beer and cocktails available as well! Ticket pricing can vary depending on the cruise you book, but ours was $35/person and was worth every penny!
IV. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a must do for music lovers who are visiting Cleveland! The museum explores the history of rock and roll (and music in general) through curated musical objects, exhibits, and interactive experiences. They also have rotating exhibits, so make sure to check out their exhibit guide to see what they currently have! Tickets are $45 and includes entrance in to the museum as well as their featured exhibits and experiences. You can also add on the Backstage Stories experience for an additional cost. This is a tour led by experts that includes stories (and media) that the general admission doesn’t have access to! The museum requires advance tickets, so make sure to grab your tickets before heading to the city! It’s also cashless, so make sure to have a card to pay with!
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is close to the water front, so its great to combine it with any water activities you’re doing (especially the Goodtime boat tour, as they are very close to each other!). There’s also a restaurant called Nuevo just down the street that we loved so we recommend heading there for a margarita before or after your trip to the museum!
V. Cleveland Guardians Game
A list from us wouldn’t be complete without including a Guardians game. And while they are currently disappointing us in the post season, we’ll still recommend a game because win or lose, they are fun! We’ve sat in the lower bowl (the 100s level) as well as the upper concourse (500s level) and when we say that there isn’t a bad seat in the house, we mean it! The view is great from anywhere and the atmosphere makes it to every corner of the stadium! Not only are the seats great, but the food is good too! I still talk about the Slider Dog. Such an unlikely combination, but surprisingly delicious! Make sure to check the bag policy before heading to the game, but last time we were there, you could bring in larger bags. Keep in mind, though, that seats can be pretty tight, so unless necessary for medical reasons, we recommend taking a small waist bag or forgoing a bag all together. The stadium is cashless, so you can just slide your cards in to a pocket!
If you do go to a game, parking can be expensive, but if you aren’t afraid to walk, you can get a good deal! If you do park a little further away, give yourself plenty of time to find a spot and walk to the stadium. It always takes longer than you think! Gates to the stadium open 1-2 hours before the game, so if you get there a little early, no worries, you can explore the stadium (go check out the Terrace Hall!). Make sure to head in to the city and grab a snack on East 4th Street! We stopped in at Butcher and the Brewer and enjoyed it. The vibe around the stadium pre-game is also tons of fun!
If you aren’t in to baseball or its off season, you can also catch a Browns or Cavalier game instead! Cleveland does not lack for sports teams!
Conclusion
Cleveland has so much to do and explore, it’s hard to fit it all in to one blog post! These are the things that we would prioritize when planning a trip to Cleveland. And if you don’t like planing, we’re made a 3-day itinerary for you! We’d also like to make a few honorable mentions before we let you go as well! If you add the Botanical Gardens to your itinerary, the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Natural History are both very close, so consider adding those to your itinerary as well! You can park in one garage and walk to all 3! If you’re doing the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we would also suggest adding the Great Lakes Science Center. The center is within walking center to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and has lots of interactive experiences!