Cleveland area
Around Cleveland area
Photo: EDrost88 · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Greater area · Ohio · 3.8M people
Cleveland area
Locals say Cleveland · “The Land”, “The 216”, “C-Town”, “The Cleve”
Where the lake breeze meets the city's grit.
Cleveland Browns orangeCleveland Cavaliers wineCleveland Guardians navy
Welcome to Cleveland! Grab a Polish Boy and catch a game on the lakefront. You'll find the real vibe in the neighborhoods, from Ohio City's breweries to Tremont's patios.
Clubs for Cleveland area
No clubs for Cleveland area yet.
The room
Cleveland area is big: its rooms are its areas'. This is Cleveland's; the others are below.
One room for everyone around Cleveland. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
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Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Cleveland area. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- West Side Market Iconic 1912 market hall with dozens of vendors.
- Lake Erie Waterfront The city's northern edge, with piers, parks, and beaches.
- The Flats Riverfront district known for nightlife and dining.
- Playhouse Square Largest performing arts center outside of New York.
- Cleveland Metroparks Emerald Necklace of reservations ringing the city.
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Iconic glass pyramid on the lakefront.
- Outdoors Hiking the Cleveland Metroparks Emerald Necklace
- Outdoors Kayaking or paddleboarding on Lake Erie
- With kids Visiting the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
- With kids Exploring the Great Lakes Science Center
- Evenings Bar hopping in the Flats
- Evenings Brewery tours in Ohio City
- Locals love Patio bars along the lake and rivers
- Locals love Neighborhood bakeries and delis
Through the year
- Cleveland International Film Festival Spring Huge film festival at Playhouse Square.
- Cleveland Air Show Summer Air performances over Lake Erie.
- Great Lakes Burning River Fest Summer Music, food, and environmental celebration on the lake.
- Cleveland Marathon Spring Major road race through downtown and the Shoreway.
- Cleveland Browns Home Games Fall/Winter Tailgating and football at Huntington Bank Field.
Cleveland has four distinct seasons with lake-effect snow in winter and warm, humid summers. Best: Late spring (May) and early fall (September) are mild and sunny.
Getaways
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Akron) Waterfalls and scenic railroad.
- Cedar Point (Sandusky) World-class roller coasters on the lake.
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton) Football history and exhibits.
- Downtown Wooster College town with shops and cafes.
Local flavour
Teams
- Cleveland Browns NFL
- Cleveland Cavaliers NBA
- Cleveland Guardians MLB
- Cleveland Monsters AHL
- Cleveland Charge NBA G League
- Lake County Captains MiLB
- Cleveland State Vikings NCAA Division I
Eat and drink
- Polish Boy Sausage sandwich topped with coleslaw and french fries.
- Pierogies Eastern European dumplings, often served with onions and sour cream.
- Corned beef sandwich Thick-cut corned beef on rye from delis like Slyman's.
- Romanburger Local sandwich from Mr. Hero with a unique sauce.
Where people go
- West Side Market A historic public market with diverse vendors.
- Lake Erie waterfront The shoreline with parks and views.
- The Flats Entertainment district along the Cuyahoga River.
- Playhouse Square The largest performing arts center outside New York.
- Cleveland Metroparks The 'Emerald Necklace' of parks and trails.
Heritage and traditions
Cleveland is proud of its blue-collar grit, ethnic diversity, and the fact that it gave the world rock and roll. Locals love their lakefront, their sports teams, and the resilience that turned the Cuyahoga River fire into an environmental wake-up call.
This time of year in Cleveland area
- Apple picking at local orchards Fall Orchards like Patterson's Farm in the surrounding area are popular in September and October.
Say it like a local: “sneakers” — cleats or athletic shoes
Festivals
- Feast of the Assumption August A week-long Italian festival in Little Italy with processions, food, and music.
- Cleveland Polish Festival July Celebrates Polish heritage with pierogi, polka music, and folk dancing.
- Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival July Irish music, dance, and food at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds.
- Cleveland Greek Fest August Greek food, dancing, and music at the Church of the Annunciation.
- Cleveland Asian Festival May Celebrates Asian cultures with performances, food, and art in AsiaTown.
- Cleveland Oktoberfest September German beer, bratwurst, and oompah bands.
Landmarks with a story
- Cleveland Cultural Gardens A series of 30+ ethnic gardens along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, each representing a heritage group.
- Lake View Cemetery Historic cemetery with the James A. Garfield Monument and many notable Clevelanders.
- St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral Onion domes and rich iconography in Tremont, a landmark of the city's Slavic heritage.
- St. Stanislaus Church A Polish Catholic church in Slavic Village known for its ornate interior and community role.
- The Cleveland Arcade A 1890 glass-roofed Victorian arcade, one of the first indoor shopping malls in the US.
- Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument In Public Square, honoring Civil War veterans, with a 125-foot column.
Food traditions
- Lenten fish fries Catholic parishes, especially in Slavic Village, host Friday fish fries with fried perch and walleye during Lent.
- City chicken Pork on a stick, breaded and fried—a Cleveland invention from the Depression era.
- Pierogi sales at churches Polish churches like St. Stanislaus sell homemade pierogi as fundraisers, especially around holidays.
- Kielbasa and sauerkraut A staple at Polish festivals and backyard cookouts, reflecting the city's Eastern European roots.
- Lake Erie walleye and perch dinners Fresh from the lake, often served fried at local taverns and fish fries.
Music and arts
- Cleveland Orchestra One of the 'Big Five' orchestras, performing at Severance Hall.
- Rock and roll heritage Alan Freed coined the term in Cleveland, and the Moondog Coronation Ball was the first rock concert.
- Cleveland Sound 1970s punk and new wave scene with bands like Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys.
- Cleveland hip-hop Artists like Kid Cudi and Machine Gun Kelly emerged from the local scene.
A little history
- 1796 Moses Cleaveland founded the city
- 1827 Ohio and Erie Canal opened, connecting Cleveland to the Ohio River
- 1969 Cuyahoga River fire led to the Clean Water Act and environmental movement
- 1967 Carl Stokes elected first African American mayor of a major US city
- 1995 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened
Rivalries
- Browns vs. Steelers NFL rivalry with Pittsburgh.
- Browns vs. Bengals Ohio NFL rivalry with Cincinnati.
- Guardians vs. Tigers AL Central baseball rivalry.
- Cavaliers vs. Celtics NBA playoff history.
- Game day Dawg Pound
- Game day Browns' no-logo helmet
- Outdoors Fishing for walleye and perch on Lake Erie
- Outdoors Ice skating at Wade Oval
- With kids Christmas Story House
- With kids Tobogganing at the Chalet
Clevelanders speak with a Northern Cities Vowel Shift, making 'bag' sound like 'beg' and 'cot' like 'caught'. They say 'pop' for soda, use 'the' before highway numbers (e.g., 'the 90'), and often address groups as 'you guys'.
Only here
- The city's name lost an 'a'—originally Cleaveland, the 'a' was dropped for simplicity.
- The Cleveland Cultural Gardens are the only collection of ethnic gardens in the world.
- The first traffic light in the US was installed in Cleveland in 1914.
- The Cuyahoga River has caught fire multiple times, and the 1969 fire led to the Clean Water Act.
New here? A few tips
- Invest in a good winter coat and boots—Cleveland gets serious snow and cold.
- Say 'pop' for soda and use 'the' before highway numbers (e.g., 'the 90').
- Try a Polish Boy from a local joint, and get pierogies from a church or deli.
- Visit the West Side Market on a Saturday morning for the full experience.
- The city is divided by the Cuyahoga River; east and west have different vibes, so explore both.
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Areas in Cleveland area
ClevelandOhioWhere the lake breeze meets the city's grit.AkronOhioBig heart, hard work, and a sweet tooth for Buckeyes.CantonOhioLocal rooms for Stark County.WoosterOhioWhere rolling farmland meets a spirited college town.SanduskyOhioWhere the lake is always calling.New PhiladelphiaOhioLocal rooms for Twin Cities.FremontOhioWhere history waves and small-town pride runs deep.NorwalkOhioWhere maple gold meets the heartland.CoshoctonOhioWhere three rivers meet and history flows
Nearby
Every areaTiffinOhioSmall-town charm, glass-city pride.Holmes CountyOhioWhere the buggies roll and the heart slows.AshlandOhioLocal rooms for Ashland area.CambridgeOhioWhere Appalachian hills meet the art of glass.ZanesvilleOhioWhere the rivers meet and the clay turns to art.SalemOhioWhere the Ohio River meets the hillsHarrison CountyOhioRooted in the hills, open to the sky.MansfieldOhioWhere Shawshank's walls meet a carousel's whimsy.
Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH CSA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.