Cleveland Ohio Rock Hall and West Side Market Bites

Why visit Cleveland

Founded in 1796 by surveyor Moses Cleaveland, the city grew into one of the largest in the country by the early twentieth century. John D. Rockefeller started Standard Oil here, and the industrialists who lined Euclid Avenue left behind cultural institutions that now anchor the visitor experience.

Cleveland is also the place that claims the phrase rock and roll. Disc jockey Alan Freed popularized it on local radio in the early 1950s and staged the Moondog Coronation Ball here, often called the first major rock concert.

Downtown and the lakefront

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

I. M. Pei's glass pyramid on the North Coast Harbor opened in 1995 and has become the city's signature building. Inside, galleries trace the roots of rock in gospel, blues, country and rhythm and blues, then move through the cities and artists that shaped the music, with stage costumes, handwritten lyrics and instruments on display.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, designed by I. M. Pei, opened on the Cleveland lakefront in 1995. Photo: Derek Jensen (Tysto), Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Great Lakes Science Center and the William G. Mather

Next door, the Great Lakes Science Center has hands-on exhibits that suit families, along with a NASA Glenn visitor center that tells the story of the research center at the city's edge.

The William G. Mather, a restored Great Lakes freighter, is docked beside the Great Lakes Science Center. Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Playhouse Square

Five restored theaters from the 1920s line Euclid Avenue in Playhouse Square, which bills itself as the largest performing arts center in the country outside New York. Touring Broadway shows, concerts and local theater fill the calendar.

An outdoor chandelier hangs above Euclid Avenue at the heart of the Playhouse Square theater district. Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Public Square and Terminal Tower

Public Square is the city's front lawn, redesigned with green space, a splash fountain and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument honoring Civil War veterans. Rising over it, Terminal Tower was completed in 1930 and was long one of the tallest buildings in the country.

Terminal Tower, completed in 1930, overlooks Public Square in the center of downtown Cleveland. Photo: Frank John Aleksandrowicz, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Ohio City, Tremont and the West Side

West Side Market and Ohio City

The West Side Market has traded on this corner of West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue since its brick hall and clock tower opened in 1912, and the market tradition here dates to 1840.

The West Side Market building at West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue was completed in 1912. Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Edgewater Park

Edgewater Park, part of the Cleveland Metroparks, stretches along Lake Erie just west of downtown with a sandy beach, picnic lawns, a pier and one of the city's script signs framing the skyline. It is the place to watch sunset over the water.

Edgewater Park on the West Side pairs a Lake Erie beach with views of downtown. Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

University Circle and beyond

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the finest art museums in the United States, and general admission to its permanent collection is free.

The Cleveland Museum of Art faces Wade Lagoon and the Fine Arts Garden in University Circle. Photo: Tim Evanson from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

Lake View Cemetery and Little Italy

Founded in 1869, Lake View Cemetery is a hilly garden cemetery where John D. Rockefeller is buried. The James A. Garfield Memorial, tomb of the assassinated president, has a mosaic-lined interior and a balcony with views toward the lake, and the Wade Memorial Chapel holds a remarkable Tiffany interior.

The James A. Garfield Memorial, the tomb of the assassinated president, was dedicated in 1890. Photo: Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

About half an hour south of downtown, Cuyahoga Valley National Park protects the wooded valley of the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron.

Brandywine Falls is one of the most visited sights in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, south of Cleveland. Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Food and local flavors

Cleveland's food reflects the Polish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Italian and other immigrant communities that built it. Pierogi are everywhere, from market stalls to church festivals, alongside kielbasa, stuffed cabbage and paprikash.

For a single stop, the West Side Market covers most of these traditions under one roof. Ohio City is the city's brewing hub; Great Lakes Brewing Company has poured beer there since 1988.

Popular dishes to try in Cleveland

Where to stay

Downtown suits first-time visitors, theatergoers and sports fans.

Ohio City and Tremont suit food lovers and anyone wanting a neighborhood feel, with short-term rentals and smaller guesthouses close to the market and brewpubs.

University Circle works well for museum-focused trips and concertgoers, with quick access to Little Italy and the HealthLine bus to downtown.

Where to stay in Cleveland

Best time to visit

Summer is the liveliest season, with warm, sometimes humid days, beaches and patios open, baseball downtown and outdoor concerts.

Winters are cold, and the eastern suburbs in particular get lake-effect snow from late fall into winter.

Getting there and getting around

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport sits southwest of downtown, and the RTA Red Line rapid transit runs from the terminal to Tower City on Public Square and on to University Circle.

Getting around is straightforward.

A suggested itinerary

Practical tips

• Check the West Side Market schedule before you go, since it does not open every day.
• Book Playhouse Square and Cleveland Orchestra tickets ahead for popular performances.
• Use the Red Line from the airport and the HealthLine along Euclid Avenue to avoid parking hassles.
• Pack layers; lake breezes can make evenings cool even in summer.
• In winter, allow extra driving time on the East Side, where lake-effect snow can come quickly.
• Check event calendars, as game days and concerts affect traffic and parking downtown.

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