North Coast Harbor

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (Rock Hall) The Rock Hall is like an iceberg; it is much larger than it     appears from the street. Allow at least 2 hours, play the free pinball machines, bring earplugs. Besides the main gift shop, there is a small one in the center of Cleveland Hopkins Airport.

Great Lakes Science Center/NASA Visitor Center/Dome Theater  Hands-on, especially good for kids.

Wm G Mather Freighter  One of the largest lake freighters ever built; separate admission from the Science Center.

USS Cod Submarine  The last intact US WWII submarine, meticulously maintained.

Entertainment & Dining Districts

E 4^th St

The Warehouse District

The Flats

The Historic Arcades  

Stunning architecture  

The Arcade Cleveland    

5^th Street Arcades

Playhouse Square  

The largest theater district after Broadway

Across the river via Lorain-Carnegie and Detroit-Superior bridges

W 25^th St

West Side Market

Micro-Breweries (Great Lakes Brewing, Market Garden Brewery)

Mitchell’s Ice Cream

Ethnic Groceries & Bakeries

Ohio City, Hingetown, Tremont 

Cool urban neighborhoods next to Downtown

Cleveland Aquarium

On Flats West Bank

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo 

A very large zoo with multiple ecosystems, tram, and many activities for kids. Need a car from Downtown – 15 minute drive.

Steve Zilber welcomes any questions about things to do in the Cleveland area.  Feel free to email him at steve.zilber@gocongress.org.



University Circle

Cleveland Museum of Art  

This is a BIG museum, and it is free. Extensive Asian art collections,  armor collection. The huge atrium is an excellent place to enjoy lunch from the café, and Wade Lagoon is a pleasant place to walk & linger. Open till 9 PM on Wednesdays.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History & Planetarium 

Live animals outside, dead ones inside. Dinosaur section under renovation – sorry. Gems, minerals, fossils, and insects; lots of insects. Birdly VR flight simulators ($5) are probably the coolest thing, then the recently-upgraded Planetarium.

Cleveland Botanical Garden & Butterfly Glasshouse, Childrens Garden  

The Glasshouse is the main event for most people, but outside is a delightful Children’s Garden with activities, a water lily pool, and a small Japanese garden, plus rose and herb gardens.

Cleveland History Connection with Carousel/Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum

Carousel rides, impressive antique car & plane collection.

Severance Hall  Home of the world-famous Cleveland Orchestra.

Museum of Contemporary Art (moCa) & Reinberger Gallery at Cleveland Inst of Art (CIA) Little Italy 

Casual to Fine Dining, Pastries, Boutiques. Make reservations for dinner! Also, parking can be challenging. The University Hospitals garage is a safe bet; there are others. Of special note is the Verne Collection of Japanese Art.

Little Italy  Casual to Fine Dining, Pastries, Boutiques.  Make reservations for dinner!  Also, parking can be challenging. The University Hospitals garage is a safe bet; there are others. Of special note is the Verne Collection of Japanese Art.



Lake View Cemetery 

Right next to Little Italy, this large park cemetery has the Pres. James Garfield Memorial, and a really cool dam used in Captain America:Winter Soldier.

Cultural Gardens & Rockefeller Greenhouse 

The Cultural Gardens wind along Doan Brook starting a few blocks north of the Art Museum, and go almost to Lake Erie. The Greenhouse is one block east about 2/3 of the way.

Steve Zilber welcomes any questions about things to do in the Cleveland area.  Feel free to email him at steve.zilber@gocongress.org.



Asia Town 

Four major Asian groceries, lots of restaurants, Chinese bakery, bubble tea, gift shops

Lake Activities / River Activities

     Cruises       Goodtime III and Nautiqua Queen (to be replaced by Lady Caroline in June).

     Paddling    Burning River Adventures      Great Lakes Watersports      Breakaway Excursions

     Rowing      Cleveland Rowing      The Foundry

Cycling 

Check out BikeCleveland first. Much of Cleveland is not bike-friendly, but there are some very nice trails along the river, on the Towpath Trail.

Parks Cleveland Metroparks (The Emerald Necklace) 

Greater Cleveland is surrounded by award-winning parks. Hiking & Multi-Purpose trails beyond comprehension. Also, golf.

Mansions 

A very diverse assortment.  If you have a car, South Park Blvd in Shaker Heights between The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes and Courtland Blvd, and Fairmount Blvd from Cedar Rd to Coventry Rd in Cleveland Hts are worth the drive, as well as Bratenahl on the lakefront. Shaker Blvd and South Woodland Rd in Shaker Hts, plus cross streets, are also good.

Bakeries & Pastry Shops

Ask Steve, he’s the expert.

Radio (& Streams) 

Cleveland is a huge and unusually-active area for broadcast radio.

Our community-supported college stations are especially strong, and have a huge diversity of programming, covering every musical genre: WRUW 91.1 (Case)  WCSB 89.3 (CSU)  WJCU 88.7 (John Carroll). Many shows are syndicated nationally.

NPR, Folk, and Classical can be found at WKSU 89.7, broadcast from Kent State, and Classical and Jazz on WCLV 90.3, which broadcasts The Cleveland Orchestra. Both are part of Ideastream.

Steve Zilber welcomes any questions about things to do in the Cleveland area.  Feel free to email him at steve.zilber@gocongress.org.

The Kent Stage

Right on downtown Main Street minutes from the student center is this famous performance venue. Check often for updated events and bands.

Kent State University Museum

The Kent State University Museum advances the understanding of world cultures through collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting fashion, textiles, and related arts to students, scholars and the general public.

Kent State May 4th Visitor Center

For those who remember the historic tragic events of May 4^th 1970 and those who want to learn about them. This exhibit is also located right on campus, located in 147 Taylor Hall, 300 Midway Drive.

Kent Historic Society Museum

Dedicated to Kent’s history, this museum is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm (or by appointment). Admission is always free. This museum is located near downtown Kent, Ohio. They have an abundance of Kent artifacts, and guess what? Interactive displays allow you to touch, sit, and immerse yourself in Kent’s rich history. 

Jerry Jaffe welcomes any questions about things to do in the Kent area.  Feel free to email him at Jerry@gocongress.org.

Downtown Akron is a lively area with art, culture, dining, shopping, and so on. 

The Akron Art Museum

The Museum showcases modern and contemporary art.  Some popular exhibits include Roy Lichtenstein, Nick Cave, and Marcel Duchamp. General adult admission is $12 but there are various discount and gallery admission is FREE every Thursday. 

Akron Children’s Museum

Children’s museums are places where children learn through play and exploration in environments created JUST FOR THEM.  A gathering place for children and families, where play inspires exploration, discovery, and problem solving.  Exhibits include Farm to Table, Curtain Call Theatre, Jumbo Blocks, and more.  

The Cummings Center for the History of Psychology (Akron, Oh)

On the campus of the University of Akron, a unique institution that cares for, provides access to, and interprets the historical record of psychology and related human sciences.

The Akron Zoo 

You'll come nose-to-nose with more than 1,000 animals from around the world!  Tigers, snow leopards, red pandas, penguins, Komodo dragons and more.

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Originally the property of F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, in 1955 this beautiful estate became a non-profit historic house museum.  The grounds include numerous historic buildings, gardens, and boasts a collection of 95% original furnishings.  The 65-room Tudor Revival Manor House is one of the largest in Ohio. It is open for tours Tuesday - Sunday from 10am-6pm (last entry is at 4pm).  It is approximately 30 minutes by car from Kent State.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton, Oh)

Recognized worldwide as America’s premier sports Hall of Fame, an exhilarating museum and attraction, the Hall of Fame pays tribute to the talents and triumphs of pro football’s greatest legends.  Defining moments in football history, peruse jerseys, helmets, the historic bronze gallery and more.  Learn about the Legends of the Game & experience interactive exhibits.

Surrounding Areas

Cuyahoga Valley National Park 

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is within easy driving distance.  Twenty-two miles of the Cuyahoga River wind and weave through the Cuyahoga Valley, forming the backbone of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The river, with its associated riparian habitat, is just one element of the park’s habitat mosaic.  History runs deep in the valley, with over 12,000 years of human occupation. From the unwritten stories of prehistoric peoples to the environmental disasters and comebacks of modern times, humans have left an impact on the valley.  “Ohio's National Park is a restored landscape of unusual vibrance.” 

The Portage Park District has more information about area parks and attractions in the Kent area, such as the Portage Bike and Hike Trail.

The Funny Stop Comedy Club (Cuyahoga Falls, Oh)

Premiere professional comedy club in the region, check their website for who is on that week and ticket cost.  Warning: Adult content!