Crisp, cool air and Metroparks foliage ablaze with autumn color await you on the shore of Lake Erie. Pack your flannels and sweaters for a festive, 48-hour fall adventure in The Land.
Day 1
Breakfast: Fall into a foodie paradise and eat your way through Cleveland's storied West Side Market, an Ohio City neighborhood landmark where inside, more than 100 vendors sell meats, cheeses, baked goods and prepared foods in a subway-tiled, barrel-vaulted concourse. Outside, colorful produce lines a covered arcade.
Morning: Stock up on apples, pumpkins, pies, corn and a season's worth of fall foliage at Patterson Fruit Farm (two locations in Chesterland), Mapleside Farm (in Brunswick) or Szalay's Farm & Market (in Peninsula), all of which host their own weekend festivals, in addition to offering all the produce you can carry - or fit in your car.
Lunch: Nestled along the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park, LockKeepers has spent 25+ years serving big, delicious meals and big, beautiful views of the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath. You want views? This place has views.
Afternoon: Get on your bike and hit one of Cleveland's scenic trails that connects Cleveland's neighborhoods to Downtown and Lake Erie, like the Towpath Trail, Wendy Park Bridge or Red Line Greenway. You can even get some rewards using the Trailheads + Parks Passport.
Dinner: Take a trip west to the suburb of Westlake to one of the most beautiful patios around - Luca West. Boasting an incredible Italian menu, no dinner experience is complete without a little apertif on a patio alive with reds, oranges and yellows.
Evening: Enjoy a sunset walk through the Cleveland region's more than 50,000 acres of gorgeous unadultered fall foliage. If you prefer the woods earlier in the day, you can fully experience it on a canopy walk, zip line or outdoor obstacle course. Check out these adrenaline-pumping options across Northeast Ohio for a rather atypical way to leaf peep.
Day 2
Breakfast: Indulge in a Cleveland brunch staple that offers seasonal menu items at Grumpy's Cafe in Tremont, where you'll see fall items like their Pumpkin Spice Pancakes and Cinnamon Apple Walnut French Toast.
Morning: Normally we would advocate for making a pilgrimage to the Muni Lot, where die-hard football fans spend their Sunday mornings pre-gaming before heading into Cleveland Browns Stadium. If you're looking for another viewing option, there are more than a few options for posting up during the game, maybe on an outdoor patio enjoying a locally-brewed beer and dissecting the finer points of your fantasty football team's strategy.
Lunch: You're likely not that hungry after a stick-to-your-ribs breakfast followed by tailgate grub, so sample a pastry and a pumpkin spice-flavored pick-me-up at a local coffee shop, like Rising Star Coffee Roasters or Phoenix Coffee Co.
Afternoon: Take in Cleveland's fall foliage with a hike, pedal through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park with a bike ride along the Towpath Trail or climb aboard the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for a relaxing ride replete with gorgeous fall scenery.
Dinner: By this point, you've had several opportunities to sample one of Cleveland's beloved mainstays: craft beer. Now, go straight to the source by heading to one of the dozens of local breweries for a great meal paired with a perfect pour. From Oktoberfests to pumpkin ales and so much more, we've got amazing festive fall brews.
Evening: End your weekend in Cleveland with a sweet treat at locally famous Mitchell's Homemade Ice Cream, where fall flavors scooped high could literally be the cherry on top of your well spent 48 hours. Head Uptown or to the Ohio City flagship location for flavors like Autumn Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Spice and Campfire S'mores.
Get the Hook Up
Did you like this post? Click here to sign up for one of our e-newsletters and we'll send you periodic info on what's up in Cleveland.