Cleveland

A glass pyramid by I. M. Pei on the shore of Lake Erie houses Elvis's guitars, John Lennon's school report card and stage outfits worn by Prince – the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is Cleveland's best-known attraction. A trip to Cleveland also leads you to a world-class cultural district, one of the best orchestras in the world and a down-to-earth pub scene. For a city break in the Midwest, this former industrial city is a pleasant surprise.

Steel, Oil and Rock 'n' Roll

In 1796, Moses Cleaveland founded the settlement at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. With the Erie Canal and the railroad, Cleveland grew into an industrial metropolis: John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil here, and steel mills and shipyards drew immigrants from Hungary, Slovenia, Poland and Italy. In the 1950s, radio DJ Alan Freed popularized the term "rock 'n' roll," which is why the Hall of Fame came to town. After the decline of its industry, the city reinvented itself through medicine – the Cleveland Clinic is world-famous – and culture.

Sights in Cleveland

Besides the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the lakefront is home to the Great Lakes Science Center and the Browns' football stadium. In Downtown Cleveland, the Terminal Tower with its observation deck rises above the skyline, and the 1890 Arcade is a magnificent shopping arcade beneath a glass roof. University Circle, east of downtown, is home to the Cleveland Museum of Art, which offers free admission and an outstanding collection, as well as the natural history museum, the botanical garden and Severance Music Center, home of the Cleveland Orchestra. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Lake View Cemetery, with the grave of President Garfield, are further stops.

Neighborhoods and Food

Ohio City, on the west side of the river, is the most popular neighborhood, with the West Side Market, a market hall dating from 1912, and numerous breweries. Tremont draws visitors with its restaurants and the house from "A Christmas Story," while Detroit-Shoreway offers the Gordon Square Arts District and theaters. In the Flats district along the river, bars and patios have taken over former warehouses, and in the west near the airport you'll find the quiet residential neighborhood of Riverside. Little Italy and the Central neighborhood near University Circle are other places to explore. Restaurants in Cleveland serve pierogi, kielbasa and corned beef sandwiches, along with beer from Great Lakes Brewing.

Music and Theater

With Playhouse Square, Cleveland has one of the largest theater complexes in the US outside New York, topped by a giant chandelier above Euclid Avenue. The Cleveland Orchestra ranks among the best orchestras in the world and performs outdoors in summer at Blossom Music Center. Clubs such as the Beachland Ballroom host indie concerts. Sports fans can catch the Guardians in baseball, the Cavaliers in basketball and the Browns in football – and the lakefront takes on a festive atmosphere on game days.

Getting Around, When to Go and Day Trips

Cleveland Hopkins Airport is about 12 miles southwest of the city, and the RTA Red Line runs directly to downtown and on to University Circle; the HealthLine bus rapid transit also runs along Euclid Avenue between downtown and University Circle. The best time to visit is between May and October; winters on the lake are cold and snowy. Day trips take you to Cuyahoga Valley National Park with its waterfalls and a scenic railroad, to the islands in Lake Erie and to the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, with its record-breaking roller coasters.