There I was, poised to get on a plane and travel back to England for a well-earned holiday when I find out that my flight has been cancelled and I may not get another one for 24 to 48 hours! Well, rather than spoil my holiday by sitting in Newark airport for two days I accepted the airlines offer of upgraded flights to Cleveland Ohio. OK, I hear you cry – Cleveland Ohio, why on earth would you want to visit this old bastion of steel and industry? Well let me answer you……
Gone are the days when Cleveland Ohio languished in the stupor of Industrialisation. Once a city that was almost derelict, the city was saved by a group of yuppies who decided to buy the derelict warehouses and apartment blocks in Downtown Ohio and transform it into a major tourist attraction. What emerges is a vibrant city that is full of culture and class that makes it perhaps one of America’s most forgotten major attractions.
The first thing I noticed on arriving in Cleveland is the tidiness of the city – it is very evident that the population is determined to keep the city pleasant for tourists. Add to this the splendid architecture and the obvious heritage I immediately felt at ease in this sprawling city. Arriving at my hotel in Downtown Ohio – the Regency Hyatt, (which has recently been built by renovating an old shopping arcade) I was struck by the closeness of everything. All the major attractions are either within walking distance or are within a few miles of the city – with the very good road system this makes access to these attractions quick and easy.
The first thing I was interested in was the Heritage of the city – we therefore traveled about five miles from Downtown Cleveland into the University district – this beautiful area boasts lakes and parks and is very relaxing – our main objective was to visit the Art and Natural History museums. (We never got to the History museum!!) The art museum boasted many famous artists such as Picasso, Chuck Close, Yoko Ono and some decidedly ‘dodgy’ modern art from the likes of Pollock etc. Add to this the Egyptian and Roman displays that feature much pottery and architecture from these civilizations and you really feel as though you are in an Art History museum – my favourite section of the museum was the collection of medieval armour and swords – being a chivalrous sort of guy this really appealed to me. We spent a whole day browsing the museum and then spent a pleasant evening drinking wine and listening to a classical music concert.
The following day we decided to concentrate of Downtown Cleveland. Just walking around for a few hours we immersed ourselves in the atmosphere of the area. After walking through several high class malls and looking into dozens of restaurants we finally got hungry and entered a Hard Rock café. The food was pleasant and the memorabilia on display was very cool.
After lunch we visited the Rock and Roll hall of fame. This was the highlight of the holiday for me. Firstly you may wonder why is the Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Well the phrase ‘Rock and Roll’ was coined by a Cleveland DJ and hence the Hall of Fame is in Cleveland. The building is an amazing piece of architecture. A huge glass triangle greets you as you walk towards the Hall, several towers jut out at odd angles; somehow the building itself epitomizes the culture that is Rock and Roll. You pay 12GBP for adults to enter the Hall of Fame (you are given an armband so you can enter and exit many times – you can also get a two day pass for 15gbp). On entering you can walk around the Hall of Fame (HOF) at your leisure. There are many permanent displays – such as the clothes of the rock stars (it was particularly sad to see some memorabilia of Entwistle) – and there are other temporary displays such as the art work on Lenon and my particular favorite, Neal Peart’s drum kit from Rush’s 1994 tour. The HOF is full of memorabilia from many Hall of famers as well as those not in the HOF. Additionally there are many movies to watch, songs to listen to and a 45 minute multimedia presentation detailing each year’s Inductees. This simply is a must visit place for all Rock and Roll fans. (We ended up going for two days – I would advise you go during the week and after about 4:00pm as it gets very busy).
Cleveland also boasts a couple of very successful sporting teams. Cleveland Browns are a good American Football team and their stadium is very impressive and is only a few hundred yards from the HOF. Cleveland Indians are a good baseball team, and their beautiful stadium is five minutes from the HOF. Being English I wasn’t particularly interested in either sports but I could have watched the Yankees play for about 120gbp!
Another impressive part of Downtown Cleveland is the excellent Science Centre on the waterfront (Cleveland is plonked on the edge of Lake Erie). This is a sprawling building that features hundreds of hands on scientific exhibits and experiments. This is a must for families as you will have immense fun playing with the exhibits. Plan to spend a day here too – the cost is 8gbp for adults.
Although I didn’t visit the following attractions they make Cleveland an ideal city to visit. Within 30 minutes is a Six Flags Adventure park – this is a huge adventure park much in the style of Disney – it features many themed rides as well as a huge water village with water rides. Within easy driving range is a Sea World – this is one of the four Sea Worlds in America and is the smallest – howver this doesn’t detract from the fun and educational value of this facility. The zoo is also within driving range and is well worth a visit.
For the golfers out there, there are at least three PGA courses available and many other local golf courses, so bring your golf clubs with you!
Overall Cleveland is an ideal place for a family holiday; with the major attractions that suit all needs and the high quality of hotels and restaurants available most families will find something to enjoy. The city itself is clean and tidy and generally the prices are very reasonable (for a big city).
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