Your musical tastes run the gamut of genres from jazz and blues to neo-soul and R&B. You don’t mind some throwbacks to the greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis, but you’re also listening to current faves like Beyoncé and Usher. If that sounds a lot like you, then this is one great way to spend 48 hours in Cleveland.
Day 1
BREAKFAST
Take a bite out of a vast selection of dishes named after the customers who helped Tommy's Restaurant thrive for more than 30 years at this hip, laid-back joint.
MORNING
Make your way to the Cleveland Botanical Garden for an afternoon of serenity. Of course you can't miss the acres of outdoor gardens, but don't forget to check out the indoor glasshouses, as well.
LUNCH
Head up the street to La Dolce Vita in Little Italy where weekend lunches will have you face-to-fork with some Italian delights like hearty pasta dishes and handmade pizzas. Visit on Monday nights and prepare yourself for live opera performances in the restaurant.
AFTERNOON
Is it a little odd that we’d send you to a cemetery? Perhaps, but once you step into the 285-acre Lake View Cemetery you’ll see why. This outdoor sculpture museum is filled with gardens, incredible architecture and historic structures honoring the likes of President James A. Garfield, John D. Rockefeller, Elliot Ness and more.
DINNER
Have dinner at a Cleveland music tradition that hosts various live music nights. The Brothers Lounge is a restaurant and entertainment venue that showcases some of the best national, regional and local roots, blues, folk, world, jam, reggae and jazz music.
A SHOW
Owned and operated by the prestigious Cleveland Music Settlement, which boasts more than a century of musical expertise, BOP STOP has reemerged as one of the best venues to catch live jazz music several days of the week.
LATE NIGHT
Make a grand finale with a stop at the Velvet Tango Room, an under-the-radar, upscale cocktail lounge in between Tremont and Ohio City that's got decades of experience under its belt. Add in live piano music and you have yourself a perfect nightcap.
Day 2
BRUNCH
On one Sunday every month, Cleveland's House of Blues comes alive with praise for its Gospel Brunch. Besides the array of hearty brunch foods served in buffet-style throughout the venue, there's live gospel music — and tons of it.
AFTERNOON
No music-fueled journey to The Land would be complete without a stop at the ultimate homage to rock music — The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Be sure to swing by the "Respect - The Sound of Soul" exhibit on the bottom floor, which presents dozens of artifacts chronicling soul music’s most influential performers like James Brown, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Al Green, the Isley Brothers, the O’Jays, Curtis Mayfield and, of course, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
HAPPY HOUR
Just steps from the Rock Hall, Flight Social is one of downtown’s newest hot spots. The travel-inspired theme and airplane art set the tone for a menu full of drink and dish “flights,” so you can try it all while catching live music every week.
DINNER & A SHOW
Warrensville Heights' Frederick's Wine and Dine, a 110-seat restaurant, gathers patrons together every Fri-Sun for jazz performances from local artist ensembles. This spot certainly lives up to its name with an extensive menu and impressive live jazz lineup. Our reccomendation? Try the Frederick's spicy shrimp if you're feeling, well, spicy.
LATE NIGHT
Keep the smooth serenity flowing inside CODA on Professor Avenue. No doubt you'll find yourself sashaying with a classy crowd to the sultry sounds of live jazz and rhythm and blues.
Jazzed for More?
These aren't the only hotspots for soul, jazz, R&B and the like. Check out these music venues for even more sounds of CLE.