Cleveland

The rock 'n' roll city on Lake Erie, where the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the free Cleveland Museum of Art and Cuyahoga Valley National Park make for an all-in-one trip.

Cleveland sits in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, where the Cuyahoga River flows into the lake. In the early 20th century it was one of America's wealthiest industrial cities, and oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller got his start here. After industrial decline, the city reinvented itself as a center for medicine and culture; the term "rock and roll" is said to have been popularized by a local radio DJ, which is why the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is located here. The city divides into three areas: downtown and the North Coast lakefront (Public Square, Terminal Tower, Playhouse Square, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Great Lakes Science Center); University Circle, about 6 km east (the free Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland Botanical Garden and Severance Hall); and Ohio City and Tremont on the west bank of the river (West Side Market and craft beer bars). Some 35 km south of the city lies Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and farther south you can reach Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. The climate is humid continental, with cold winters and frequent lake-effect snow; June–September is the most pleasant time, and fall foliage peaks in mid-October. The RTA Red Line runs from Hopkins International Airport to downtown in about 30 minutes; the HealthLine bus rapid transit links attractions within the city, but you'll need a car for the national park and suburban sights. Allow 2–3 days: one for downtown and the lakefront, one for the University Circle museums and one for Cuyahoga Valley. Some neighborhoods are not very safe at night, so it's best to go out in groups.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries