Things to Do in Cleveland

Cleveland’s major attractions cluster in two zones: the lakefront (Rock Hall, Great Lakes Science Center, FirstEnergy Stadium) and University Circle 5 miles east (Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Music Center, Cleveland Botanical Garden). Both zones are compact and walkable within themselves; a car or the RTA Red Line connects them. The Ohio City neighbourhood adds the West Side Market and a dense restaurant scene a mile west of downtown.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1100 Rock and Roll Blvd) is an I.M. Pei–designed glass pyramid on North Coast Harbor, with Lake Erie as the backdrop. Seven floors of permanent and temporary exhibits cover the history of rock from its roots in blues, gospel, country, and R&B through every major genre evolution since.

The inductee exhibit — floors 4 and 5 — displays artefacts from every class since 1986: Jimi Hendrix’s Woodstock guitar, Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged sweater, Johnny Cash’s black shirts, Jim Morrison’s handwritten lyrics, Bruce Springsteen’s stage clothing. The “7 Ages of Rock” video installation on the lower floors provides an accessible chronological overview.

The archive collection (not all of it on display) holds approximately 100,000 items. Special exhibitions rotate; past exhibitions have focused on individual artists (David Bowie, Dolly Parton) and themes (the evolution of the guitar). Admission approximately $26–$30 for adults; children 5–12 approximately $15; under 5 free as of 2026. Open daily 10am–5:30pm; summer Wednesdays until 9pm.

Cleveland Museum of Art

The CMA (11150 East Blvd, University Circle) holds approximately 61,000 works spanning 6,000 years and admission to the permanent collection is free. The medieval European collection — suits of armour, illuminated manuscripts, Gothic sculpture — is among the strongest in the United States. The ancient Egyptian section, the Japanese and Korean decorative arts, and the contemporary photography collection are also notable strengths.

The 2012 Rafael Viñoly renovation created a glass-roofed Atrium connecting the 1916 original building and the 1970s addition. The Atrium serves as the main gathering and events space. Special exhibitions run approximately $12–$20 for adults. Open Tuesday–Sunday 10am–5pm; Wednesday and Friday until 9pm.

Directly adjacent: the Cleveland Botanical Garden (11030 East Blvd), with a Costa Rican cloud forest and a Malagasy spiny desert in two adjacent biome glasshouses. Admission approximately $14 for adults as of 2026.

Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Music Center

Severance Music Center (11001 Euclid Ave, University Circle) has been the home of the Cleveland Orchestra since 1931. The orchestra is consistently ranked among the world’s top five. The main hall seats approximately 1,800 in a classic European concert hall format — excellent acoustics throughout the house.

The subscription season runs September through May; summer performances move to the Blossom Music Festival at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls (approximately 30 miles south), a 5,700-seat covered amphitheatre with lawn seating for another 14,000. Severance tickets approximately $25–$120 depending on program and seating. Student rush tickets (available same-day) approximately $14. Guided tours of Severance offered on select dates; check clevelandorchestra.com.

West Side Market

West Side Market (1979 W 25th St, Ohio City) operates in a 1912 Beaux-Arts market hall designed by Hubbell and Benes, with an adjacent open-air arcade. It is one of the finest surviving market buildings in the United States. Approximately 100 vendors operate across the main hall (meat, fish, cheese, baked goods, specialty food) and the arcade (produce, flowers, spices).

Market hours: Monday and Wednesday 7am–4pm; Friday and Saturday 7am–6pm. Closed Thursday and Sunday, and for holiday weeks. Arrive before 9am on Saturdays to avoid the heaviest crowds. Sandwiches, pierogi, and prepared foods available from several stalls — a lunch at the market costs approximately $8–$12.

The Ohio City neighbourhood surrounding the market (West 25th St and Lorain Ave) has the city’s most active independent restaurant and bar district.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park sits approximately 20–25 miles south of downtown Cleveland, spanning 33,000 acres along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron. It is the most visited national park in Ohio and one of the most accessible urban-adjacent national parks in the US.

The Towpath Trail (a restored section of the Ohio & Erie Canal towpath) runs 20 miles through the park and connects to the Akron metro. The Brandywine Falls trail (1.5 miles round trip) leads to the park’s most photographed waterfall — a 67-foot cascade over Devonian-era bedrock. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad operates tourist rail trips through the park seasonally; round-trip approximately $30–$45 for adults as of 2026. Park entry is free.

Professional Sports

Cleveland’s three major professional teams all play in or adjacent to downtown.

Cleveland Guardians (MLB) — Progressive Field, 2401 Ontario St. One of the better ballparks in the American League, opened 1994. Lower-level tickets from approximately $30; upper-level from approximately $12 as of 2026.

Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) — Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, 1 Center Court. The arena hosts approximately 180 events per year including concerts. Cavaliers tickets from approximately $40 for regular season. LeBron James’s two championship tenures (2016 title is the most referenced in the city) maintain the franchise’s profile.

Cleveland Browns (NFL) — Cleveland Browns Stadium, 100 Alfred Lerner Way. The lake-front stadium is one of a small number of NFL venues without a roof. Dog Pound (east end zone) is the most vocal section. Tickets from approximately $60 for regular season.

The Flats

The Flats is the industrial river valley along the Cuyahoga’s lower reach, cutting through downtown. The river here has 5 lift bridges in approximately half a mile — more than anywhere else in the United States — and the industrial infrastructure (factories, ore unloaders, working port facilities) creates an urban landscape found almost nowhere else in an American city. The West Bank of the Flats (Nautica district) has restaurants and a river-front entertainment complex. The East Bank has been developing since the 2010s with restaurants and the entrance to the Towpath Trail.