Things to Do in Cleveland: Because Sitting in Your Hotel Room Is a Waste of Downtime
Let’s get one thing out of the way.
If your mental image of Cleveland is based on a joke from a sitcom you watched 15 years ago, it is time for an update.
My city sits right on Lake Erie, has an incredible food scene, enough entertainment to fill a long weekend, and has both laid-back and exciting stuff to do.
Whether you are only here for MSBC or looking for an excuse to extend your stay, here’s what you should check out.
Go Wild at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
My favorite place growing up, as a college kid, and as a thirty-something child-free adult. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is home to thousands of animals from around the world, including elephants, gorillas, giraffes, and more creatures than your elementary school science teacher could ever fit into a single presentation.
It is one of those places that is just as fun for adults as it is for kids. No one is judging you for getting excited to feed giraffes lettuce, or budgies seeds in their enclosures.
Spend an Evening on East 4th Street
Some cities have a main street.
Cleveland has East 4th Street.
This pedestrian-friendly entertainment district is packed with restaurants, bars, live music, and enough energy to convince you that one more drink is a great idea.
It is the perfect place to start your evening and potentially end it several hours later, wondering how you ended up debating life philosophy with strangers at midnight.
Eat Your Way Through Restaurant Alley
Restaurant Alley has become one of Cleveland’s go-to spots for food lovers, offering everything from casual bites to upscale dining experiences.
The biggest challenge is not finding something good to eat.
It is deciding where to stop first. Might I recommend the House of Blues for dinner and a show???
Travel Through Time at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Dinosaurs. Giant fossils. Ancient history. Need we say more?
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History recently underwent a major transformation, making it one of the city’s must-see attractions. Visitors can come face-to-face with towering dinosaur skeletons, learn about the natural world, explore hands-on exhibits, and discover the fascinating story of “Lucy,” one of the most famous early human ancestors ever found.
Explore the Cleveland Museum of Art and see where a Marvel movie was filmed
Even if you don’t consider yourself an “art museum person,” trust us on this one.
The Cleveland Museum of Art is consistently ranked among the best art museums in the country, with collections spanning thousands of years and cultures from around the globe. One minute you’re admiring priceless masterpieces, the next you’re standing in a gallery filled with medieval suits of armor wondering whether you could successfully joust if given the opportunity.
The museum is also home to an impressive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including mummies that have somehow remained cooler than most of us for several thousand years.
Movie fans may recognize the museum, too. Parts of Captain America: The Winter Soldier were filmed here, meaning you can casually walk through the same space where Marvel superheroes once battled on screen. I also know this because, yours truly, was an extra in the film. ~hair flip~ No biggie.
Cross the Bridge Into Ohio City
If you are still standing after Restaurant Alley, congratulations. You are ready for Ohio City.
Just across the bridge from downtown, Ohio City feels like Cleveland’s cooler, slightly artsier sibling who knows all the best spots before you do.
This is where you go when you want local breweries, coffee shops, and neighborhoods that feel lived in rather than staged for visitors.
It is walkable, lively, and very good at convincing you that “just one more stop” is a reasonable life decision.
West Side Market (aka Where Your Food Expectations Get Ruined Forever)
Inside Ohio City sits the West Side Market, and yes, it is absolutely worth the hype.
This historic market has been feeding Cleveland since 1912 and still manages to feel like both a time capsule and a modern food hall at the same time. IT’S INSIDE AN OLD TRAIN STATION.
You will find fresh produce, baked goods, meats, international foods, and probably at least three things you did not know you needed until you saw them.
Fair warning: every grocery store after this will feel emotionally disappointing.
Little Italy
You will get THE BEST cannoli and gelato of your life. And I will fight you on that. Tons of fun bars and restaurants that give a small town feeling to it.
Explore The Flats
If Cleveland has a neighborhood that knows how to have a good time, it is The Flats. You may have heard that the flats used to be a bad place filled with drugs and crime. That’s true. But we bulldozed all of that and now IT’S COOL.
Located along the Cuyahoga River, this entertainment district combines waterfront views, restaurants, nightlife, and plenty of places to grab a drink while watching boats pass by.
Visit the Greater Cleveland Aquarium
The Greater Cleveland Aquarium gives visitors a chance to walk through underwater exhibits, get face-to-face with sharks IN A SHARK TUBE, and spend a few hours pretending they are in a nature documentary that somehow got very expensive.
Also my cousin had a wedding here, but that is besides the point.
Take a Cruise on the Goodtime III
You can see Cleveland from the streets.
Or you can see it from the water.
The Goodtime III offers sightseeing cruises on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River, giving visitors a unique view of the city skyline and waterfront.
Plus, everything feels cooler when you are on a boat.
Experience Cleveland’s Historic Broadway District
The Broadway District offers a glimpse into Cleveland’s past while showcasing ongoing neighborhood revival and cultural history.
You can catch a Broadway show, or just walk around and look at the look buildings and take a pic
Test Your Luck at JACK Cleveland Casino
Feeling lucky?
There is one way to find out.
Located downtown, JACK Cleveland Casino offers slot machines, table games, sports betting, restaurants, and enough flashing lights to make you forget what time it is.
Will you win big?
No promises.
But you will leave with a story either way.
Shop, Explore, and Get Lost at Tower City Center
Some malls are just malls.
Tower City is not one of them.
Located in a historic downtown building, Tower City Center combines shopping, dining, entertainment, and access to some of Cleveland’s biggest attractions.
Even if you are not buying anything, it is worth it just to take in the architecture and energy.
Heritage Gardens and Botanical Gardens
The Heritage Gardens offer a calmer, greener moment in the middle of the city, a reminder that you do not have to be doing something loud to enjoy a place. There are a ton of statues and monuments honoring countries. These line a road that weaves under stone bridges, surrounded by trees. And yes, the whole thing is driveable.
But the Botanical Gardens aren’t! For that you need to buy a ticket. There is a huge desert and rainforest biome in the middle of it.
The Bottom Line
Cleveland has a habit of surprising people.
Maybe it is the food. Maybe it is the waterfront. Maybe it is the fact that we are in every way better than Detroit. YEA. THAT’S RIGHT. The rivalry runs deep…
So bring your walking shoes, bring your appetite, and prepare to discover why Cleveland is a lot more fun than the internet gives it credit for.