A Family Friendly Guide to Cleveland, OH
Cleveland is a very special place to us. I met Dean at a summer job at our hometown (we were camp counselors). I was in highschool (!) and he was a freshman in college in Cleveland but home for the summer. My parents wouldn’t let me travel to see him until I was older (rightfully so), so he came home often and we dated long distance for 4 years while I went to undergrad in our home town. For the longest time, I hated Cleveland! It kept us apart for so long. To be honest, it doesn’t get the greatest reputation and, instead of trying to love it, I kept my eyes closed and kept touting that our hometown was the best place to be. After he graduated from undergrad, he got a great job in Cleveland and we continued our long distance relationship until I graduated. I ended up getting into a graduate program in Cleveland and we finally moved in with each other. While I wanted to be together, I was kicking and screaming that it had to be in Cleveland.
Which is a real shame, because Cleveland is amazing! And the fact that others don't see that kind of makes it more special in a way.
We lived there a relatively short time (10 years for me, longer for Dean), but I started my life there and so many of my memories are there. A graduate degree. A marriage. Life on our own. A career. Two apartments. One house. Countless amazing friends. Three beautiful children. So many great memories. Nothing else will ever compare, I don’t think. We’ve since moved back to our home town and miss Cleveland dearly. We go back at least once a year to see some friends and visit this special place. I want my kids to have fond memories there.
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our trip this year due to Covid, so I thought I’d make this ode-to-Cleveland blog post instead <3
*Disclaimer— this post was written during Covid, but I have not researched as to what is open and how things are operating during this time. I’d call and check before heading to each place to make sure they are open and operating.
WHERE TO STAY -
Cleveland has a relatively large footprint as Akron is not that far away, so the larger metropolitan area and surrounding suburbs are spread very far, which can mean a lot of driving.
There are a couple of areas to stay in, so I would highly consider your must-sees first and then find a place to stay from there.
I’ve added the things recommended in this post to the map above.
HEARTS - places to visit // FLAGS - hotels // STARS - restaurants //SQUARES - date night restaurants
The cluster to the right is University Circle and contains the art museum, botanical garden, natural history museum, the cultural gardens, little italy, wade lagoon, case campus with green space and sculptures to climb and explore, and various restaurants. I like this as a “home base” when traveling to Cleveland because there’s a lot within walking distance to the hotel and a lot of open spaces for the kids to run around when we are trying to kill time or between activities.
In University Circle:
The Glidden House - A beautiful boutique hotel and the closest to the University Circle attractions All of our wedding guests stayed here for our wedding and walked to the ceremony at the Botanical Garden.
Courtyard by Marriott - This is the next closest hotel to those areas and still very close. It’s steps from various restaurants and Starbucks and my favorite ice cream place. It does have a pool and has probably been our favorite hotel with the kids so far (we usually use hotel points).
Doubletree - My husband is partial to Doubletrees (must be the free cookie) . This is a nice hotel and is also close to University Circle but you have to cross major roads so you might still want to drive, which is an important consideration.
In The Flats:
This area used to be a hot spot during our parent’s generation (when we first moved, we got a lot of “I remember going to the flats!”) and fell out of favor when we there. It has since perked up—a lot! It’s mostly known for its nightlife, but it’s right on the water where the river meets the lake. We stayed here once and got a corner room and the boys loved watching the cars, trucks, boats, barges, and planes go by. During the day, you can walk to different restaurants and see the water, but it’s really known for its nightlife. It was nice when we stayed here because we were able to alternate one of us staying with the kids at the hotel and the other meeting friends out at night.
Aloft — This is where we stayed. Definitely ask for a corner room by the water!
Downtown:
Again this isn’t my personal favorite area to stay, not because it’s not safe but because what we do tends to be closer to University Circle. I don’t find a benefit because you have to still drive to most places staying downtown, but there are tons of options online that I’m sure are great!
Drury — I haven’t stayed here, but this came very highly recommended by my friend — they have a pool, free popcorn, free breakfast and free “hot food and cold beverages” every evening! And it looks beautiful!
Special Mention:
Frank Lloyd Wright Louis Penfield House — You can rent an entire 3-bedroom house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright on a private secluded lot with a lot of land and a little creek. It’s about 20 minutes to downtown Cleveland. We rented this for my 30th birthday and had a small get together on the property and it was really special. There is no central air conditioning so keep that in mind.
WHAT TO DO -
FREE things marked with an *
Cleveland Botanical Garden - This is probably my favorite place in Cleveland! I’d definitely add it to your list if it’s not on there already. It’s where we got married and is an absolute must, in my opinion. There is an amazing outdoor space which has a children’s garden (there is a small splash pad and sand pit, so bring a change of clothes for the kids if you want), so I’d recommend going on a day that the weather is nice. They have some permanent tree houses to explore too. So fun. There is a café but they allow outside food if you want to bring a lunch.
* Cleveland Museum of Art - FREE!!!! and huge. Perfect for a rainy day if you have to kill some time. Recently renovated and such a beautiful place. Really worth it to check it out.
* Wade Lagoon - A beautiful park and green space by the art museum. We usually like to get takeout pizza from nearby little Italy (they are all good) and a cheesecake at Corbo’s bakery and have a picnic under the trees.
* Case Western Reserve University - there are fun things to explore while walking around the campus, including some sculptures (right across from wade lagoon), and the “tissue box” building .
Cleveland Museum of Natural history — We don’t go here often since we have a lot of other things on our list, but it’s right in University Circle and so fun.
Auto-Aviation Museum / Historical Society - we looked at this as a wedding venue but haven’t made it back since. I wanted to add it since it’s in University Circle. If your kids are into cars, it might be worth checking out!
*Cultural gardens - These are a series of beautiful gardens along MLK Blvd, each featuring and celebrating a different culture. Some of them have parks.
*Splash pad - There are a couple of splash pads throughout Cleveland, but this one is new and pretty large and right downtown.
*Edgewater Beach - Nice beach with beautiful views of the city
*Shaker Lakes / Drive around Shaker - Shaker is a beautiful community with several old mansions and big trees and winding roads and I love driving around and getting lost (fun fact — supposedly they created the roads to be confusing to keep people out, so you may actually get lost!) There is also a beautiful lake with walking trails, some of which are ADA compliant.
*Libraries - Ohio has some amazing libraries. Every single one that I’ve been in has had a great indoor children’s play area.
Farm Park - This is a bit away from the city, but it’s my kid’s favorite thing to do in Cleveland! I think it’s worth the drive, especially if you are coming or going from the east of Cleveland. We go on our last day on our way home. We get there when it opens, tire the kids out, eat a packed lunch, and they conk out in the car on the way home. It’s a working farm with a big park and splash pad. You can see a bunch of farm animals and equipment.
Aquarium - I’ve never actually been here, but people love it!
Great Lakes Science Center - This is best for older kids, in my opinion.
Children’s Museum - The children’s museum is pretty new and really nice.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame- on the list because everyone thinks they need to go there, but i dont really recommend it unless you have a serious interest in this. not really kid friendly, and boring for most adults.
Cleveland Zoo - The Cleveland Zoo is pretty big and there is a lot of walking and some hills. Parking can be intense; I’d recommend getting there before it opens as the line starts very early. I’d also avoid going on Mondays as it is free for the local residents that day and often very crowded.
Akron Zoo - If you want a smaller, more manageable zoo, the Akron zoo is really nice and you can do the whole thing in half a day.
*Prestons Hope - This is about a 30 minute drive from downtown Cleveland, but such an amazing playground that I wanted to include it. It’s huge, has a ton of different play options for kids, and is accessible for all children.
Mempkis Kiddie Park - This is great for preschoolers and younger kids.
Indians Game - They have kids fun days on Sundays.
*Natural Playground - This is a bit of a drive east, so I’d only recommend it if you are stopping on your way in or out, but it’s really unique so I wanted to share it.
WHERE TO EAT -
Mitchell's Ice Cream - THE BEST VEGAN (and regular ) ice cream. Really. There’s several locations — one near that cluster of hotels I mentioned in University Circle and one next to the Townhall restaurant recommended below.
Townhall - This is a little trendy but not unapproachable; it’s very casual and kid friendly. They are awesome if you are health conscious or have allergies while still catering to kids. The food is always delicious!
West Side Market - This is a big market that can get crowded, so I tend to avoid it (I don’t like crowds) but I wanted to include it because people love it and it’s such a Cleveland staple.
Winking Lizard - There are various locations. Super kid friendly. Free popcorn. Great beer. My husband loved getting the beer of the month and purchasing the monthly glass.
Barrio - If you like tacos, you’ll love this place. They have a couple of locations and you can create various taco combinations.
Little Italy — I like to get a takeout pizza and salad from Mamma Santa’s and a cheesecake from Corbo’s and have a picnic at Wade Lagoon! Avoid going during the feast of the assumption (usually mid-August) unless you love huge crowds.
Great Lakes Brewing - They have a cute restaurant with some good kid options. They also do brewery tours and have a little shop.
WHERE TO SNEAK OFF TO FOR A DATE NIGHT -
Cleveland actually has a lot of amazing restaurants; it’s hard for me to narrow it down. I chose the ones that were my personal favorites but there really are many great options.
Velvet Tango Room- Off the beaten path but such an insider gem. Amazing craft cocktails — you won’t see a cosmo on the list. The last stop on all our date nights. Live jazz every night after 9pm (8pm on Fridays and Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays).
L’Albatros - A lovely French restaurant in University Circle.
Lola - A Cleveland icon. Michael Symon’s amazing restaurant. Located on E 4th St — an adorable little alleyway with string lights, no cars, lots of bars and restaurants, and a comedy club.
Pier W - So, so special. It’s built into a cliff with the most beautiful views of the water and the skyline. They also have a great brunch and happy hour. It’s a little hard to find, even with GPS directions since it’s built into a cliff. It looks like nothing is there when you get there; you enter a door and go down an elevator to the restaurant.
momocho - Guac and margarita flights. Enough said. Sit on the patio.
WHERE TO GO IF YOU HAVE EXTRA TIME -
Chagrin Falls is a super cute town with a waterfall. There is a small playground for kids, an adorable popcorn shop, various restaurants, and a famous Jeni’s Ice Cream shop. There’s a very casual shop/ cafe called Lemon Falls Cafe that has amazing lobster rolls and treats! Every Memorial Day weekend, Chagrin Falls has a festival called Blossom Time with carnival rides and hot air balloon rides.
Stan Hywet - This is a bit of a drive towards Akron but has a huge estate with a lot of walking ground, a greenhouse, a playground. Pack a picnic and spend the day! There is an entrance fee to tour the gardens and an extra fee to tour the mansion (not recommended with young kids) but is so so beautiful. It’s even worth while going during the holidays.
Cedar Point - Cedar Point is about 1 hour from Cleveland.
WHERE TO MOVE -
I couldn’t include a post about Cleveland and not include an ode to my favorite suburb. Hudson is where we bought our first home and started our family. If you are considering moving to Cleveland area, Hudson should certainly be on your list. One of the best school districts. So family friendly, The town provides so many activities for families and is so picture-perfect. I really felt like I was living in a movie when we lived there. The historic downtown hosts a trick or treating for kids on Halloween every year - truly magical. The library is like none I’ve ever seen in a suburb — there’s a café, a huge children’s library, outside area, teen room, great story times, and a historical center. Hudson Springs Park has a nice lake with a big walking trail around it and a nice playground. Most importantly, Hudson has such a warm and welcoming parenting community. Mt favorite restaurants here include: 3 Palms (wood grilled pizzas and the BEST brownie I’ve ever had), Flipside for burgers, and Downtown 140 for a date night.
I hope you love Cleveland as much as we do! XO
