Cleveland in 5 days

Rock and roll, world-class art and a Lake Erie city that keeps its best views free. Best time to visit: May-October. Average daily budget: $110 to $220 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Downtown, The Rock Hall, Playhouse Square, the waterfront and the hotel core.

Morning: Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Seven floors of memorabilia, immersive exhibits and the Hall of Fame inductees, right on the lake.

Afternoon: Explore Downtown, The Rock Hall, Playhouse Square, the waterfront and the hotel core.

Evening: Watch the sunset at Edgewater Park. A city beach and park on Lake Erie with the Cleveland sign and skyline views.

Eat: Polish Boy sandwich: kielbasa, fries, coleslaw and BBQ sauce

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Ohio City, Craft breweries, the West Side Market, historic houses and the best restaurant strip.

Morning: See the Cleveland Museum of Art. One of the best art collections in the US, with free general admission and a stunning atrium.

Afternoon: Explore Ohio City, Craft breweries, the West Side Market, historic houses and the best restaurant strip.

Evening: Eat your way through West Side Market. A century-old public market with butchers, bakers, pierogi vendors and fresh produce.

Eat: Pierogi from a West Side Market vendor or a local Polish restaurant

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Tremont, A food-and-art enclave south of downtown with indie restaurants and gallery walks.

Morning: Walk or bike the Towpath Trail. Follows the historic Ohio & Erie Canal through the Cuyahoga Valley, with a scenic railroad nearby.

Afternoon: Explore Tremont, A food-and-art enclave south of downtown with indie restaurants and gallery walks.

Evening: The Cleveland Cultural Gardens, a string of nationality gardens along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Corned beef sandwich at a Cleveland deli institution

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: University Circle, Museums, the orchestra, botanical gardens and Case Western Reserve's campus.

Morning: The historic West Side Market on a weekday morning, before the weekend crowds arrive.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore University Circle, Museums, the orchestra, botanical gardens and Case Western Reserve's campus.

Evening: The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa), a striking Farshid Moussavi building.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Great Lakes Brewing Company beers and local craft-brewery flights

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Downtown, The Rock Hall, Playhouse Square, the waterfront and the hotel core.

Morning: Little Italy's Murray Hill, for old-school Italian bakeries and red-sauce restaurants near University Circle.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Downtown, The Rock Hall, Playhouse Square, the waterfront and the hotel core.

Evening: Dinner at Polish Boy sandwich: kielbasa, fries, coleslaw and BBQ sauce, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Downtown.

Eat: Polish Boy sandwich: kielbasa, fries, coleslaw and BBQ sauce

Hidden gems

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens, a string of nationality gardens along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
The historic West Side Market on a weekday morning, before the weekend crowds arrive.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa), a striking Farshid Moussavi building.
Little Italy's Murray Hill, for old-school Italian bakeries and red-sauce restaurants near University Circle.

Getting around

Downtown, Ohio City and Tremont are served by RTA buses and the HealthLine bus rapid transit on Euclid. For University Circle and the lakefront parks, Uber is quickest. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is 20 minutes west of downtown. The city is compact enough that most visitors use a mix of walking, transit and short rideshares rather than renting a car.

Safety

Downtown Cleveland, Ohio City, Tremont, University Circle and the lakefront are safe and increasingly vibrant. As in any US city, avoid isolated spots after dark, lock your car, and use rideshare for late nights. The main east-side entertainment districts are well policed. Winters are cold and windy off the lake, so plan indoor attractions from November through March.

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