Online - July 07, 2009

Oh, Hi

Road Trip to Cleveland

Pack your bags, your favorite tunes, and groove your way to the city on the shore of Lake Erie. From beef cheeks to beer to one of the best orchestras in the country, Cleveland rocks.

Start Me Up
Head to the public West Side Market, founded in 1840. Get your joe on at City Roast or sip on a Sun-drenched Pear juice from Juice Garden. After you sample bites from dozens of vendors, hit the road with a crepe from Crêpes De Luxe.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
The Glidden House will feel just like home — if home is a 1910 mansion in the middle of a college campus. Opt for modish rooms with bold colors or sophisticated suites with big city charm.

I Love Rock ’n’ Roll
At the 150,000-square-foot Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, get schooled on rock history from one-hit wonders to the Beatles and Dylan. Don’t miss the Bruce Springsteen exhibit, replete with handwritten journals, on display through spring 2010.

Hungry Like the Wolf
Wet your whistle with an original brew at the Great Lakes Brewing Company, Ohio’s first microbrewery, then head to Lola, one of Iron Chef Michael Symon’s spots, for beef cheek pierogi with wild mushrooms (to. die. for.). Save room for the 6 a.m. Special: French toast and maple-bacon ice cream.

Walk This Way
The Cleveland Museum of Art has more than 43,000 objects in its galleries, including paintings by Dalí, Matisse, Gauguin, Monet, Christo, and Warhol.

We Got the Beat
One of the nation’s finest, The Cleveland Orchestra settles down for summer at the Blossom Music Center, about 25 miles south of the city in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. See and be scene.

Hey, Big Spender
It may be a cool town, but shops are few and far between. One exception: Big Fun Toy Store, a tchotchke-dense haven of action figures, dolls, and gag gifts. Instead, channel that consumerist energy with an indie show at Grog Shop, where bands like The Veronicas and The Dear Hunter rock out.

You’ll never want to Cleve.

  Foodies, Global Art Scene, Global Music Scene