From renowned cultural institutions to vibrant neighborhoods, inspired food and beverage offerings, action-packed sports and popular greenspaces, engaging experiences can be found around almost every corner in Cleveland.
Cleveland Culture
Cleveland Museum of Art. Art aficionados can admire the nearly 45,000 items on display at the world-renowned and always free Cleveland Museum of Art. The museum brings classics to life with cutting-edge interactive technology that helps patrons engage with the expansive collection. A three-story-high atrium provides visitors with a space to reflect on their art immersion or enjoy a snack or meal from the museum’s café and restaurant, Provenance.
Playhouse Square. Follow the massive, outdoor chandelier to Playhouse Square, the city’s home base for performing arts. Illuminated marquees and opulent theaters, including five restored to their grand 1920s splendor, welcome guests to the largest performing arts center outside of New York City.
Cleveland Orchestra. Orchestra lovers around the globe recognize Cleveland as home to one of the best. To be exact, the Cleveland Orchestra ranks as one of the top five orchestras in the world. Spectators can enjoy performances at Blossom Music Center during the summer and Severance Hall in the winter months.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (moCa). moCa captures the attention of visitors even before they step inside. Acclaimed architect Farshid Moussavi designed the four-story hexagonal building with a reflective steel façade. Inside, visitors can view rotating exhibits that feature installations, photos, paintings, sculptures and audio and video works.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The greatest stories and biggest names in music live on at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Multiple theaters, interactive stations and exhibits tell the story of one of the world’s most powerful art forms. The Rock Hall is dedicated to exploring the past, present and future of music and the cultural context from which it emerges.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History. At the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, guests can meet “Happy,” a 70-foot-long Haplocanthosaurus dinosaur that is the most complete specimen of its kind, “Lucy,” one of the earliest known hominids and explore Cleveland’s natural bio-diversity in the Perkins Wildlife Center and Woods Garden.
Karamu House. Located on Cleveland’s east side, the Karamu House is the oldest African American producing theater in the nation with a rich history and distinguished alumni, including one-time Cleveland resident Langston Hughes.
A Christmas Story House. Fans of the movie “A Christmas Story” can relive the magic of the holiday classic as they tour the famed house and view props including Randy’s snowsuit, toys from the Higbee’s department store window and Ralphie’s Red Ryder BB Gun. For the ultimate fan experience, visitors stay overnight at the house or reserve a suite in the neighboring Bumpus House.
Cleveland History Center. Rare images, films, artworks and artifacts – like the first Cleveland map and LeBron James’ 2016 NBA Championship season shoes – illustrate the triumphs and tragedies that define the city at the Cleveland History Center. A costume collection, Grand Carousel and more than 140 historic vehicles on display in The Crawford Auto Aviation Collection also illustrate the city’s history.
Root for the Home Team
Cleveland Cavaliers & Cleveland Monsters. Inside the newly renovated Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, you can almost taste the excitement when the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) step onto the court or when the Cleveland Monsters (NHL) take the ice. Updated food and beverage offerings feature local chef and restaurant partnerships and state-of-the-art technology.
Cleveland Browns. Win or lose, Cleveland’s football pride is infectious. Visitors can get into the spirit by adorning themselves in brown and orange, tailgating in the Muni Lot and then snagging seats in the Dawg Pound at FirstEnergy Stadium to cheer (or bark) for the Cleveland Browns.
Cleveland Guardians. Visitors shouldn’t miss the chance to cheer on the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. The stadium features local grub and brews from fan favorites including Melt, Barrio, Great Lakes Brewing Co., Happy Dog and Fat Head’s Brewery.
Pro Football Hall of Fame. Relive all the great moments in football history at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The museum pays homage to the greats of the game and features interactive exhibits that put the visitor in the center of the gridiron action.
Live on the Wild Side
Cedar Point Amusement Park. Adventure-seekers need not travel far to find thrills. Located 60 miles west of Cleveland, visitors can experience the ultimate rush of adrenaline with some of the world’s tallest and fastest rollercoasters at
Cedar Point Amusement Park.
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. See the world through a different set of eyes, more than 3,000 to be exact, at the
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Spanning 138 acres just outside of Downtown, the Zoo is home to more than 600 species in numerous habitats, including the recently expanded Rosebrough Tiger Passage and Asian Highlands.
Greater Cleveland Aquarium. At the
Greater Cleveland Aquarium, located in a late 19
th-century landmark structure that once generated electric power for streetcar lines, visitors can walk through the SeaTube, a 230,000-gallon tunnel that is home to sharks, stingrays, eels and saltwater fish.
Great Lakes Science Center. At the
Great Lakes Science Center, visitors can explore science, technology and engineering through more than 340 interactive exhibits. Inquisitive guests can get up close to the 1973 Skylab 3 Apollo Command module in the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, climb aboard a historic Great Lakes freighter and see an immersive film at the Cleveland Clinic Dome Theater – featuring the world’s first giant dome cinema laser system.
JACK Cleveland Casino. Visitors who like to press their luck should head to
JACK Cleveland Casino to try one of the 1,600 slots or 125 table games. Housed in the historic Higbee Department Store building, the casino embraces Cleveland history and celebrates its charm.
Just outside the city,
MGM Northfield Park brings the excitement of Las Vegas with more than 200,000 square feet of gaming space and more than 200 nights of on-site harness racing at the adjacent Northfield Park grounds.
Connect with Nature
Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Cuyahoga Valley National Park provides a natural oasis as the winding Cuyahoga River gives way to dense forests, rolling hills and open farmlands. Visitors can discover mile after mile of green space filled with waterfalls, covered bridges, more than 100 hiking trails and elevated ledges with expansive views. For a relaxing excursion, visitors can travel through the park on the
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
Cleveland Metroparks. The
Cleveland Metroparks encircle the city in parkland so visitors are never far from a spot to connect with nature. Multipurpose trails stretch for miles throughout 23,000 acres of parks, which includes 18 reservations, five nature centers and eight golf courses.
Cleveland Botanical Garden. Twenty lush gardens full of dazzling colors and beautiful plants await visitors at the
Cleveland Botanical Garden. Inside an 18,000-square-foot glasshouse, patrons can interact with rainforest and desert biomes and even make friends with a butterfly or two.