Suggestions for a fun day of exploring Cleveland on your own.
Do you find yourself with some free timeon your hands in Cleveland? Are the kids in school? The business meeting finished early? The shopping's done? Relax and enjoy. Cleveland has a myriad of places to explore in an afternoon on your own.
Enjoy a museum. Cleveland has a wonderful and varied collection of museums. Many of them are located in the University Circle area, just east of downtown Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art; The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, full of dinosaurs, fossils, and such; The Western Reserve Historical Society, housed in two 1900s mansions and concentrating on the history of Northeast Ohio; The Crawford Auto Museum, an extensive exhibit of vintage cars, trucks, and airplanes; and The Cleveland Botanical Gardens.
The Cleveland Art Museum is a "must-see." Admission to the permanent collection is free. And what a collection it is. Rodin sculpture; Impressionist oil paintings and watercolors by Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh; Tiffany glass; and an extensive collection of Medieval crosses, armor, and decorative art are just some of the treasures here. The museum also houses a world-renowned Asian art collection.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has become a Cleveland landmark. Founded in 1995 after decades of debate, the I.M. Pei building is an architectural marvel. Its glass pyramid front and angular sides sit downtown on the shores of Lake Erie. The Rock Hall's permanent collection features hundreds of musical instruments, equipment, memorabilia, and music from jazz, rock, and blues artists and producers. The museum is very interactive with earphones throughout the exhibits to let you experience the artists' music firsthand. Temporary exhibits have showcased such artists as John Lennon, Ray Charles, and Elvis. Each year, The Rock Hall honors the year's inductees with a special exhibition.
Take a walk in the park. The "Emerald Necklace," the scenic name given Cleveland's park system, snakes its way through Cleveland and its suburbs. Bike trails, hiking trails, two golf courses, a marina, a zoo, and several restaurants are all offered within the parks. Visitors' centers are located throughout, offering different experiences such as viewing the restored Ohio Canal, meeting the park animals, and exploring the marshlands. Guided nature walks are given on such topics as wildflowers and birdwatching. The facilities are kept sparkling clean by the Cleveland Metroparks.
Explore a neighborhood. Cleveland is home to many diverse cultures. Slavic Village, just south of downtown, developed in the early 1900s as workers immigrated from Poland and Czechoslovakia to work in the expanding steel mills there. Today, the area is still home to a large Polish-speaking population. Sausage shops, bakeries, and tea shops surround Fleet Avenue, Slavic Village's main street. Polish language newspapers, dvds, music, and periodicals are widely available. Don't be concerned if you don't speak Polish. The friendly shopkeepers here are eager to help you translate.
Murray Hill, near the University Circle area, is Cleveland's "Little Italy." This neighborhood was originally settled by skilled workers brought from Italy to carve stone monuments and mausoleums at the nearby Lakeview Cemetery (President Garfield, John D. Rockefeller, and Eliot Ness are buried here.) Murray Hill, today, is filled with art galleries and delightful Italian trattorias. A former schoolhouse on Murray Hill Drive has been converted into artists' studios housing artists specializing in fashion design, beadwork, glass, oil, watercolors, and textile arts.
Shop "˜til you drop. Sure Cleveland has the usual mall and trendy box stores, but it also has some unique areas just waiting for you to explore. One of these is Shaker Square. Built in the early 1900s by the Van Sweringen brothers, founders of the planned suburb, Shaker Heights, this georgian quadrangle offers an array of ethnic restaurants, most with outdoor, café-style seating in the summer. Shops around the "square" include an independent bookstore, an Ohio fashion designer, a fashion accessory store, and an art gallery.
Just a few blocks away is Larchmere Avenue. This street is lined with antique shops, second-hand stores, bookstores, and trendy restaurants. Items on sale here are priced from a couple of dollars to several thousand dollars. Whatever your budget, this is a fun place to window shop. New, upscale condos in this area promise to bring even more, new, interesting shops.
Screen a movie. Cleveland offers an array of small, independent film houses. The Cedar-Lee theater, for example, on Cleveland's east side has been showing foreign and art films for over twenty years. "Pulp Fiction," "Rocky Horror Picture Show," and "Sideways" have all played here. The theater offers state-of-the-art sound in a vintage theater setting. They also serve beer, wine, and sandwiches. Very civilized.
Each Spring, Cleveland hosts The Cleveland Film Festival. Now in its 29th year, the ten-day Festival showcases over 100 independent films, shorts, and documentaries and gives theatergoers the opportunity to interact with film directors and writers.
Weekends are film days at The Cleveland Cinematique. Housed in the Cleveland Institute of Art at University Circle, the Cinematique shows classic and genre films throughout the day each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Cruise the lake (Erie, that is.) Cleveland is best viewed from Lake Erie. The office towers, lakefront condos, beaches, and downtown museums sparkle from this vantage point. In addition to the view, a day cruise is very relaxing. So hop aboard The GoodTime III (the four-deck, 1000-passenger cruise boat,) or the Nautica Queen (the lunch and dinner cruise boat) and take in the sights.
Hang out at the beach. The shores of Lake Erie offer scenic vistas and public beaches. One of the most popular is Mentor Headlands, a large, wide expanse of sand east of Cleveland, known for its picturesque lighthouse. Also popular is Edgewater Park, just west of downtown. This state park offers cookout facilities, hiking trails, and grassy expanses as well as plenty of sand. The view of downtown is pretty spectacular too.
Make it a spa day. Just want to relax and let someone else pamper you? Cleveland has some great spas all over town. One of the best is the Aurora Day Spa, east of Cleveland in Aurora, Ohio. Enjoy a facial, manicure, pedicure, and even a spa lunch, all in your luxurious bathrobe. Or, spring for a hot stone massage.
Cleveland's rapid transportation system makes it easy to travel around downtown, and from downtown to University Circle and Shaker Square.
Cleveland is friendly, affordable, and rich in culture. However you decide to spend your afternoon in Cleveland, you're sure to have a good time.
