Cleveland Travel Guide — Best Time, Things to Do & Where to Stay

Why Cleveland

Cleveland is a major waterfront city positioned along the southern shore of Lake Erie in Northeast Ohio. As the seat of Cuyahoga County, it lies roughly 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border and across the lake from Ontario, Canada. Built upon bluffs carved by the Cuyahoga River, Big Creek, and Euclid Creek, the city serves as a busy Great Lakes port connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the St. Lawrence Seaway. Nicknamed the Forest City, Cleveland also functions as the central anchor for the vast Cleveland Metroparks nature reserve system.

Established in 1796 by General Moses Cleaveland within the Connecticut Western Reserve, the community was originally organized around a classic New England–style Public Square. The settlement expanded rapidly after the opening of the Ohio and Erie Canal in 1832 and the addition of major rail connections. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Cleveland evolved into a major shipping, commercial, and industrial center that attracted large populations of immigrants and migrants. Over recent decades, the city has successfully diversified its economic foundation, building a modern reputation around healthcare, higher education, financial services, and cultural arts.

Downtown Cleveland displays a rich assortment of architectural landmarks. Surrounding the open Cleveland Mall is a notable collection of neoclassical civic buildings constructed under early twentieth-century City Beautiful urban design principles, including City Hall, the Cuyahoga County Courthouse, Public Auditorium, and the main Cleveland Public Library. Overlooking Public Square stands the Terminal Tower, a Beaux-Arts skyscraper finished in the late 1920s. Nearby high-rises, such as Key Tower and 200 Public Square, further shape the skyline by blending Art Deco elements with postmodern designs.

Visitors to Cleveland can experience a wide variety of renowned cultural institutions and entertainment sites. At North Coast Harbor along the Lake Erie shore, highlights include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, and Cleveland Browns Stadium. The city's prominent arts offerings include the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the historic theater district at Playhouse Square, and performances by the world-famous Cleveland Orchestra. Sports fans can also attend professional events hosted by the Cleveland Browns in football, the Cleveland Cavaliers in basketball, and the Cleveland Guardians in baseball.