Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yeeeeeet?
Cleveland is the place to be, but what about for young kids, say, around that preschool to early elementary stage? Is there anything for them to do?
Why, yes. Yes there is. There’s actually a ton of amazing, kid-friendly activities and attractions that are educational, adventurous, energy-burning and (of course) fun for the youngsters. Not to mention, plenty of restaurants conducive to toddlers and fidgety kiddos, with kids’ menus and none of those awkward apologetic situations.
Get ready to pack in that playtime! Here’s your guide to 48 hours in The Land with young kids.
Day 1
Image courtesy Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Breakfast
Rise and shine with a morning sit-down at Yours Truly in Playhouse Square. They love kids and it shows with a perfect-for-tots kids’ menu, crayons, and booster seats. Got a picky eater on your hands? Make breakfast fun with their Mouse Pancakes (shaped like a well-known cartoon mouse, of course). Bonus: All kids under 10 get a free scoop of vanilla ice cream with their meal (you’re on vacation — it’s totally acceptable for breakfast). Once you’re done eating, peek outside and show them the enormous, sparkly GE Chandelier that spans the intersection in front of Playhouse Square.
Morning
Head just east of Downtown to Wade Oval, where you’ll find a treasure trove of places that will fascinate and educate your little one. If you’ve got a nature lover on your hands, Cleveland Botanical Garden and Cleveland Museum of Natural History are full of discoveries and adventure. The Botanical Garden’s Hershey Children's Garden (April-October) is a fantasyland of plants, frogs, turtles and a playhouse geared just for young kids. The year-round Glasshouse is home to hundreds of butterflies flittering about. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History has incredible hands-on exhibits, plus the outdoor Perkins Wildlife Center, a planetarium with kids-geared shows, and the toddler-friendly Smead Discovery Center. Both are closed on Mondays.
Lunch
Pop into the gorgeous Cleveland Museum of Art for lunch in the expansive, visually awesome atrium at Provenance Cafe. There’s plenty of menu options to choose from including mac and cheese, sandwiches, flatbreads and some pretty delectable grown-up food. The kids will love running around the atrium and stopping into Gallery One for some interactive fun. Bonus: entrance to the museum and Gallery One is free! Also, closed Mondays.
Afternoon
Children’s Museum of Cleveland will knock your kids’ socks off. It has tons of educational and active ways to explore creative play. Relocated to a historic Cleveland mansion in 2017, CMC has an outdoor, pint-sized obstacle course in the summer and year-round indoor exhibits including a water Wonder Lab, art studio, theater, musical experiences and much more. Reservations only, so call or go online to reserve a spot. Closed Thursdays.
Dinner
Listen, stick with us on this. Hofbrauhaus Cleveland. We know, we know, it’s a beer hall, but it’s actually awesome for little kids thanks to the lively music, wide-open space and ambient noise levels that drown out even the hardiest of meltdowns. Even better, they have a “kinder menu” that comes with crayons. If that doesn’t keep your children occupied, they’ll have a blast laughing and joining in with all the dancing and cheers.
Evening
If they’ve still got a little steam left in them, Tabletop Cafe is the place to wind down with a few board games and activities. A small shop on West 25th Street, Tabletop has classics like Chutes & Ladders and Parcheesi as well as newbies like Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza (yep, that’s a game). Just plan to duck out once the sun goes down, as it becomes a bit more adult-oriented later in the evening. Closed Mondays.
Day 2
Breakfast
Stuff those bellies with breakfast faves like waffles, bacon and eggs, French toast or even a breakfast burrito at Grumpy's Cafe, where your friendly neighborhood diner in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood will leave your kids anything but grumpy. It’s even got free parking just for its customers, so you can fuel up and save some money before you get on your way to another day in The Land.
Morning
Great Lakes Science Center is a jewel on the coast of Lake Erie. With three levels of wall-to-wall scientific discoveries and exhibits ranging from a space-themed NASA Glenn Visitors Center to the massive Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater along with a toddler-friendly playscape, your kids will be having so much fun that they won’t even know they’re learning.
Lunch
Kids love lively visuals and music, and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville delivers. Located in the Flats East Bank entertainment district just a short drive from the Science Center, Margaritaville has a great kids’ menu (of course with a Jr. Cheeseburger in Paradise), music, bright colors and you might just catch a balloon artist or stilt walker while you’re there. Walk along the Flats boardwalk after lunch for a great view of the Cuyahoga River.
Afternoon
Over on the west side of Cleveland in nearby Brooklyn is a cute little amusement park made especially for younger kids. Memphis Kiddie Park has mini-golf, concessions and an arcade to go with 10 rides including a train, ferris wheel, merry-go-round, boats and the Little Dipper, the oldest steel kiddie coaster in North America. The park is open from mid-May through mid-October, so if you’re here in the off-season or have extra time, make your way to the nearby Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, which is open year-round with all-weather-friendly attractions like the Rainforest and the Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building.
Dinner
Big days should be topped off with big meals. Head to the legendary Melt Bar & Grilled in Lakewood for the most epic grilled cheese sandwiches your kids (and you) can handle. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill grilled cheeses we’re talking about here. They’re well known around these parts for their size and creativity. But don’t worry — there’s a kids’ menu with options perfect for tiny hands. Kids’ meals are only $3 on Tuesdays and $6 every other day.
Evening
End the trip with a view from one of the most celebrated community parks around. Lakewood Park has an incredible setting with pavilions, a baseball field, water-side walkways and a giant, newly renovated playground. The Solstice Steps – enormous concrete steps leading down to the Lake Erie coast, perfect for sitting and watching the sunset – are a definite family favorite. Walk down the path for a view of the Downtown Cleveland skyline like you’ve never seen before.