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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tremont and A Christmas Story House

Across the Cuyahoga valley from downtown, Tremont is a hilly neighborhood of church spires, row houses and restaurants. Fans of the 1983 film A Christmas Story can tour the house used for exterior shots, restored to look as it did on screen, along with a small museum across the street.

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.

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.

Natural history, botany and music

University Circle packs several institutions into a walkable district. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is known for its fossil collection, the Cleveland Botanical Garden has glasshouses representing a Costa Rican cloud forest and a Madagascar desert, and Severance Hall is home to the Cleveland Orchestra.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

First day

Start at Public Square and Terminal Tower, then spend the late morning and early afternoon at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Second day

Breakfast and browse at the West Side Market, then wander Ohio City and Tremont.

Third day

Drive to Cuyahoga Valley National Park for Brandywine Falls and a stretch of the Towpath Trail, or stay in the city for Lake View Cemetery and the Botanical Garden.

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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