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City Overview

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Cleveland sits on the southern banks of Lake Erie at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River - a city of green parks, lively neighbourhoods and historic buildings. Visitors are often surprised to discover a vibrant Downtown with distinct neighbourhoods and a lively urban atmosphere. True, its roots are certainly more prosaic than those of New York, Los Angeles or Boston, but Cleveland has outgrown its industrial past from the era of Ohio's prolific development, and is now a healthy mix of manufacturing and service industries.

Cleveland's Downtown is the focal point around which the rest of the city sits. In the middle of the Downtown area is the historic Public Square, a European-style square with statues and fountains. The lakefront, having benefited from renewal, is home to the stunningly designed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, which, when it opened in 1995, epitomised not only the renewal of Cleveland's Downtown but the city's growing cultural presence as well. More recent additions to Cleveland's Downtown include Jacobs Field, home to the Cleveland Indians baseball team, and Cleveland Browns Stadium, where the Cleveland Browns play football.

The Great Lakes Science Center with its Cleveland Clinic OMNIMAX Theater, nestled between the 'Rock Hall' and the stadium, features a hands-on look at science. Downtown areas, such as the Theater District, the Historic Warehouse District, the Flats Entertainment District and the Historic Gateway District, are only a few of the trendy spots that continue to grow and prosper. Cleveland is blessed with long, hot summer days, during which locals enjoy the many restaurants featuring alfresco dining, picnic in the surrounding state, national and municipal parks, or gather around the barbecue for casual entertaining. During the cold, sometimes snowy winters, the city's cultural attractions, including theatre, symphony, opera and museums, thrive.

Getting Around

Airport

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)
Tel: (216) 265 6000.
Website: www.clevelandairport.com
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is located 16km (10 miles) southwest of the city centre.

Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, tourist information, car hire (Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Thrifty), duty-free shops, restaurants and bars. The Airport Business Center (tel: (216) 265 3975) offers conference rooms, flight insurance, fax machines and photocopying.

Transport to the city: A variety of transport options are available for transit into Cleveland from the airport. Direct journeys to central Downtown take about 20 minutes. Taxis to Downtown cost about US$25. The RTA subway train service takes less than 30 minutes to Downtown Cleveland via Tower City Station.

Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL)
Tel: (216) 781 6411.
Website: www.clevelandairport.com
Burke Lakefront Airport is a small airport located right in the heart of Downtown. It is used for corporate clients and general aviation traffic.

Airport facilities: These include a restaurant and car hire. Millionaire (tel: (216) 861 2030) and Business Aircraft Center (tel: (216) 781 1200) offer conference rooms, photocopying, fax and Internet services.

Transport to the city: A Regional Transit Authority rapid transit station is located on site. Taxis are available. Downtown is accessible by foot in a matter of minutes.

Approximate flight times to Cleveland: From London is 7 hours 10 minutes; from New York is 1 hour 30 minutes; from Los Angeles is 5 hours; from Toronto is 1 hour and from Sydney is 21 hours.

Trains

Amtrak (tel: 1 800 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com) operates intercity rail services from Amtrak Lakefront Station, 200 Cleveland Memorial Parkway. It is a staffed station and facilities include a wheelchair lift, pay telephones, baggage service and lockers. Rail services: Amtrak offers direct daily services to Pittsburgh (journey time - 3 hours 30 minutes), New York (12 hours) and Chicago (7 hours). Many other US cities on the Amtrak network are accessible, although journeys are often very long due to the distances involved.

By Road

An extensive network of freeways and highways services Ohio. Freeways have a maximum speed limit of 105kph (65mph). Two-lane highways have a maximum speed limit of 89kph (55mph). All freeways and highways are named according to numerical convention. Traffic drives on the right and seat belts must be worn at all times. The minimum driving age is 16 years. Proof of insurance is compulsory and foreign drivers must have a licence from their country of origin. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) (tel: (216) 606 6300 or 1 800 222 1333; website: www.aaaohio.com) can provide information, and may offer benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown services
AAA (tel: 1 800 222 4357/AAA HELP).

Routes to the city
Cleveland is connected to its suburbs and the rest of the state by a series of interstate highways. I-90 and I-80 (Ohio Turnpike) run east-west through the Downtown, connecting Toledo in the west and Ashtabula in the east. Running south from the shores of Lake Erie, I-71 connects with Columbus and Cincinnati, while I-77 connects with Akron and the eastern half of Ohio. I-480 and I-271 services suburbs lying on the southern rim of the city centre, such as Brooklyn, Garfield Heights and Solon.

Coach services
Intercity coach service in Cleveland is operated by Greyhound (tel: (216) 781 0520; website: www.greyhound.com) out of the Greyhound Bus Terminal at 1465 Chester Avenue. Facilities include restaurants, toilets, lockers and tourist information. Charter coach services can be hired from American Sightseeing/Greatday! Tours & Charter Bus Service (tel: (440) 526 5350 or 1 800 362 4905; website: www.greatdaytours.com) and J&F Luxury Travel (tel: (216) 447 1111; website: www.clevelandlimos.com).

Local Transport

Public Transport

Cleveland has a relatively developed public transit system consisting of four rapid transit lines and over 100 bus routes. These services are operated by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (tel: (216) 566 5100). Buses serve downtown and the suburbs; some routes operate 24 hours, others only during rush hour, and the rest throughout the day. Rapid transit lines operate 0400-2400.

The red line is a heavy rail system running from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport through downtown to east Cleveland. Both the blue and green lines run from the eastern suburbs to downtown. And the Waterfront line runs from Tower City along the east bank of the Flats to the Muni Parking Lot. All the lines intersect underground at Tower City Center. It is possible to transfer a fare onto buses. A weekly transit pass is available.

Taxis

Taxi service is cheap and efficient and can be hailed on the street at any time, or can be ordered from a dispatching company if none are available. Companies include: Ace Taxi (tel: (216) 361 4700), Americab (tel: (216) 881 1111) and Yellow Cab Co. (tel: (216) 623 1500). A tip of about 10% is not mandatory but appreciated.

Driving in the City

Cleveland's traffic is usually heaviest around rush hour (0800-0930), particularly on the highways leading into the city. Visitors should be aware that winter snowfalls can bring on dangerous road conditions, particularly on the highways and freeways. The city is laid out on a loose grid system. Roads running north-south are mostly named according to numerical convention, whereas those running east-west are avenues. Cleveland's most important streets are East Ninth Street and Euclid Avenue. Street parking is available in the downtown core at parking meters. Garage parking is often more reliable. An abundance of garage parking is available near Public Square, adjacent to the Tower City Shopping complex.

Car Hire

A number of different car hire companies operate within Cleveland including Avis (tel: (216) 265 3700; website: www.avis.com), Enterprise (tel: (216) 898 2200; website: www.enterprise.com) and Hertz (tel: (216) 267 8900; website: www.hertz.com), all on Maplewood Avenue.

Drivers must be at least 21 years, and some companies will only hire cars to drivers over 25 years. Drivers with non-American licences must have a national licence from their country of origin. It is recommended that individuals always check with the car hire firm first, in case an International Driving Permit is required. Insurance can be purchased from the car hire firm.

Bicycle Hire

Bicycles can be hired from Garfield Bike Shop, 4521 Warner Road (tel: (216) 441 6430).

General Information

Location

Ohio, USA.

Time zone

GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).

Electricity

110 volts AC, 60Hz; flat round two-pin plugs are standard.

Average January temperatures

- 4°C (25°F).

Average July temperatures

22°C (72°F).

Annual rainfall

810mm (31.9 inches).

Things to do

Sightseeing Overview

Among Cleveland’s icons is the striking Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, located on the waterfront in the hub of the Downtown core, next to the Great Lakes Science Center and the Cleveland Browns Stadium.

To the north is the Civic Center District, the city’s business centre, home to banks, government and community buildings, gardens and fountains. West is the Warehouse District and the Flats Entertainment District, the place to go for trendy restaurants and nightlife.

North of the Warehouse District is the Tower City District, home to Public Square, a public area that forms the heart of Cleveland, along with the historic Terminal Tower building.

The neighbouring Gateway District is home to Jacobs Field baseball stadium and Gund Arena, where professional basketball is played. East of the Gateway district is the Theater District, featuring the Playhouse Square Center, the largest performing arts centre in America outside New York, made up of five restored 1920s theatres.

Tourist Information

Positively Cleveland
Higbee Building, 100 Public Square, Suite 100 
Tel: (216) 875 6600.
Website: www.positivelycleveland.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1700. 
Positively Cleveland have an online ticket service called Ctix at www.ctix.org.

Passes

There are no dedicated tourist passes in Cleveland, although there are often visitor package rates that include hotel and attraction/shopping discounts.

Attractions

Western Reserve Historical Society Museum/Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum
This museum combines a glimpse into Cleveland’s past, a research and genealogy library and a record of the city’s prominent role in the transportation industry with more than 200 autos on display. The museum also provides visitors a peak into life along Millionaire’s Row by offering a tour through its Hay-McKinney Mansion located next door to the museum.
10825 East Boulevard
Tel: (216) 721 5722.
Website: www.wrhs.org
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1700.
Admission charge.

Steamship William G Mather Museum
The Steamship William G Mather Museum is a living relic of Cleveland’s historic role in the Great Lakes steel industry. Built in 1925, the bulk freighter plied the waters of the Great Lakes, supplying coal and ore to Cleveland’s steel yards. In 1980, the ship was taken out of active service and, since 1990, has been this floating museum, restored to bring to life the everyday lives of its crew.
305 Old Erieside Avenue
Tel: (216) 574 6262.
Website: http://wgmather.nhlink.net/
Opening hours: Fri-Sat 1000-1715, Sun 1200-1715 (May, Sep-Oct) ; Mon-Sat 1000-1715, Sun 1200-1715 (Jun-Aug).
Admission charge.

Restaurants

Baricelli Inn Restaurant
Baricelli offers fine dining with style and artistry. It has received wide acclaim for its culinary creations. The cuisine is European and American with a creative twist. There are five dining parlours, and in the summer the beautiful private garden is a popular setting for al fresco dining.
2203 Cornell Road
Tel: (216) 791 6500.
Website: www.baricelli.com
Price: $$$$

Corky & Lenny's
Corky & Lenny's is a busy and lively East Side deli that has been around for over 40 years. On the menu are items like beef ribs, ham steak, roast stuffed kishka (sausage pudding) and homemade gefilte fish, and the cheesecake is famous.
27091 Chagrin Boulevard, Beachwood
Tel: (216) 464 3838.
Website: www.corkyandlennys.com
Price: $

Johnny Mango World Café & Bar
Eclectic, international, tropical, flavourful, colourful - Johnny Mango is a place where all kinds of cultural and culinary ingredients are mixed and combined to great effect. There are plenty of vegetarian dishes, but seafood and red meat also feature on the menu.
3120 Bridge Avenue
Tel: (216) 575 1919.
Website: www.jmango.com
Price: $

Lola Bistro
The menu is based on seasonal and locally grown and raised organic meats and produce. The creations concocted at Lola's open kitchen are highly inventive and wonderfully tasty variations on Midwestern culinary traditions.
900 Literary Road
Tel: (216) 771 5652.
Website: www.lolabistro.com
Price: $$$

Ponte Vecchio Ristorante
Located on top of the Old Superior Viaduct on the West Bank of the Flats, Ponte Vecchio has taken its name from the Old Bridge in Florence, Italy. It offers breathtaking panoramic views of Cleveland as well as memorable culinary experiences. Grand, flavoursome Italian cuisine is on the menu.
2100 Superior Viaduct, Suite 520
Tel: (216) 556 8200.
Website: www.pontevecchioristorante.com
Price: $$$

Sergio's
Another favourite for lovers of inventive cooking, Sergio's is based in University Circle, Cleveland's cultural district. The emphasis is on seafood, but the menu is truly global in orientation, featuring Mediterranean, Brazilian and Asian dishes. In the summer, the restaurant features a tropical garden patio with palm trees, bright umbrellas and live music.
1903 Ford Drive
Tel: (216) 231 1234.
Website: www.sergioscleveland.com
Price: $$$

Night Life

The nightlife in Cleveland is vibrant and varied. The Downtown is compact enough that it is possible to walk from bar to bar, through different neighbourhoods. The Flats Entertainment District is packed with bars, nightclubs and live music venues, most of which have a fairly mainstream atmosphere. The nearby Warehouse District has a slightly more alternative, laid-back feel. Younger crowds tend to head to Ohio City, which is slightly further from the Downtown area.

Alcohol can be legally served in Cleveland until 0200 and the minimum drinking age is 21 years. Dress at most bars and clubs is casual. Some nightclubs require jackets and will not permit jeans. Bars usually charge a cover admission if a live band is playing and it is common to pay a fee on the door at nightclubs.

Entertainment listings can be found in Friday!, the weekly magazine accompanying Cleveland's local newspaper, The Plain Dealer, which is also available online (website: www.cleveland.com). Good listings magazines for nightlife are the weekly Scene (website: www.clevescene.com) and Free TimesMagazine (website: www.freetimes.com).

Bars:Rock Bottom Brewery, 2000 Sycamore Street, is located in a restored four-storey redbrick powerhouse and offers a pool, a patio and micro-brewed beer. The Great Lakes Brewing Company, 2516 Market Avenue, is another brew-pub, with a long mahogany bar that still has bullet holes from a 1920s gangster-style shoot-out. In the Warehouse District, try the Spy Bar, 1261 West Sixth Street, which is a loud trendy bar popular with the international crowd. The Mercury Lounge, 1392 West Sixth Street, is a fashionable bar/club, with trendy lounge areas. Other bars in this district include the stylish Liquid Café, 1212 West Sixth Street, and the more peaceful, refined D'Vine Wine Bar, 836 West St Clair Avenue. In the Flats, good bars include Shooters on the Water, 1148 Main Avenue, a riverside bar-restaurant-club, and, on the east bank, O'Connors Pub in The Flats, 1017 Old River Road, a good Irish pub.

Clubs:Wish, 621 Johnson Court, is not the easiest club to find, tucked away in an alley that runs off Sixth Street, but inside there are three different levels, subdued lighting and music ranging from late 1980s nostalgia to cutting-edge techno and beyond. Velvet Dog, 1280 West Sixth Street (website: http://velvetdogcleveland.com), is a more upmarket affair; its three floors (plus rooftop terrace) play dance tunes to a post-work crowd. Funky Buddha, 1360 West Ninth Street, is an extremely trendy club with a swanky feel to it - and long queues to get in.

Live Music: As to be expected, Cleveland is home to some very good, very well-known venues for live rock and roll. Perhaps the best known among these is the gritty Euclid Tavern, 11629 Euclid Avenue, where posters and clippings hanging on the wall lend a sense of history. Fat Fish Blues, 21 Prospect Street (website: www.fatfishblue.com), is the newest place for blues music. Every Wednesday, jazz and blues legend Robert Lockwood Jr plays a live guitar set. There is also the House of Blues, 308 Euclid Avenue, which attracts plenty of well-known blues, jazz, pop and rock artists.

Shopping

Cleveland offers excellent shopping opportunities. Items are inexpensive and in abundant supply and variety. Cleveland-themed souvenirs popular with visitors are, of course, rock and roll memorabilia, which can be found at Daffy Dan's Rock'n'Roll Heaven, 2101 Superior Avenue.

Shopping centres
On Public Square sits the US$400 million development called The Avenue at Tower City Center, whose lower level is a converted train depot. It houses various shops, including names like Brooks Brothers, Borders Express and Nine West. America's first enclosed shopping centre, The Arcade, was built in 1890 on Euclid Avenue and has since been completely refurbished and renovated, offering three levels of speciality shops in an Atrium-style structure.

Factory outlet shopping is also popular in Cleveland. The Aurora Premium Factory Outlets, 549 South Chillicothe Road, has 70 outlet stores, including Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Liz Claiborne. Northeast Ohio's largest factory outlet centre, featuring over 80 stores, is Prime Outlets at Lodi, 9911 Avon Lake Road, located in Burbank, a short drive southwest of Cleveland off I-71S.

Visitors should also not overlook Cleveland's various neighbourhoods when shopping. Larchmere is good for antiques, ethnic specialities can be found in Ohio City, and art galleries, Italian pastries and restaurants in Little Italy.

Shopping hours
Stores are open daily 1000-2100. On Sundays, some stores may open 1200-1800.

Tax information
A state sales tax of 7% applies, which cannot be refunded.

Events

Martin Luther King Jr Day Celebration
January
Cleveland celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. each year with a free regional theater presentation.
Severance Hall

Cleveland International Film Festival
March
The film festival promotes artistically and culturally significant filmsand aims to educate and entertain.
Tower City Cinema
Website: http://clevelandfilm.org

Tri C Jazz Fest
April
Performances from leading artists in the jazz world.
Various venues
Website: www.tricjazzfest.com

Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival
July
Preserving Irish history and traditions in Cleveland through a variety of activites from music events to literary readings.
Berea Fairgrounds
Website: www.clevelandirish.org

Grand Prix of Cleveland
July
Burke Lakefront Airport
Website: www.grandprixofcleveland.com

Boston Mills ArtFest
June/July
Fine art and crafts show held at the Boston Mills ski resort.
Boston Mills
Website: www.bmbw.com

African-American Heritage & Cultural Celebration
August
A celebration of the city's proud African-American heritage.
Western Reserve Historical Society

Latino Heritage Day
August
A celebration of the city's Latin-American population.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Vintage Ohio Wine Festival
August
A range of events including wine tastings and performing arts.
Lake Farmpark
Website: www.visitvintageohio.com

Taste of Cleveland
August/September
Local restaurants serve up taster dishes alongside music on the band stage.
Tower City Amphitheater
Website: www.cleveland.com/tasteofcleveland

Cleveland National Air Show
August/September
Burke Lakefront Airport
Website: www.clevelandairshow.com

History & Culture

The cultural heart of the city is Playhouse Square Center, 1501 Euclid Avenue (tel: (216) 771 4444; website: www.playhousesquare.org), a cultural complex consisting of five restored landmark theatres - the Ohio, State, Palace, Hanna and the Allen Theatres. Playhouse Square is the second largest performing arts centre in the USA, and now attracts over one million patrons every year. Tickets for Playhouse Square productions can be purchased in person from their box office, online from their website, or from Tickets.com (tel: (216) 241 6000; website: www.tickets.com).

Ticketmaster (tel: (216) 241 5555; website: www.ticketmaster.com) also sells tickets for most cultural events in Cleveland.

Entertainment listings can be found in Friday!, the weekly magazine accompanying Cleveland's local newspaper, The Plain Dealer, which is also available online (website: www.plaindealer.com) . The following magazines and newspapers all provide listings: the weekly Scene (website: www.clevescene.com) and Free Times Magazine (website: www.freetimes.com), and the monthly Northern Ohio Live (website: www.northernohiolive.com) and Cleveland Magazine (website: www.clevelandmagazine.com).

Music: The Cleveland Chamber Symphony (tel: (216) 687 9243; website: www.clevelandchambersymphony.org) performs free concerts of musical works by present-day composers. Cleveland Opera (website: www.clevelandopera.org) finds its home at Playhouse Square (see above), performing grand operatic works, such as The Barber of Seville and La Bohème, in the renovated State Theatre. The Cleveland Orchestra (tel: (216) 231 1111 or 1 800 686 1141; website: www.clevelandorch.com) performs at Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue. It offers a popular outdoor concert series during the summer at the Blossom Music Center, 1145 West Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls.

Theatre: The Cleveland Play House, 8500 Euclid Avenue (tel: (216) 795 7000; website: www.clevelandplayhouse.com), was founded in 1915 and is the longest running regional theatre in the country, presenting critically acclaimed major theatrical productions alongside works by more obscure writers. The Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Avenue (tel: (216) 631 2727; website: www.cptonline.org), is the city's best-known alternative theatre, presenting local, national and international avant-garde works.
The Great Lakes Theater Festival (tel: (216) 241 5490; website: www.greatlakestheater.org) puts on the classics from October to May at the Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square (see above). Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street (tel: (216) 795 7070; website: www.karamu.com), is an African-American cultural institution, which has been putting on performances and working with the community for more than 75 years.

Dance: The Ohio Ballet (website: www.ohioballet.org) was formed in 1968 and finds its home near Cleveland in Akron, Ohio. When in Cleveland, the company performs at the Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Avenue, at Playhouse Square (see above). DanceCleveland (tel: (440) 516 7837/STEP; website: www.dancecleveland.org) hosts different contemporary/modern dance troupes from around the world at various Playhouse Square venues (see above).

Film: Fairly recent films, including Rain Man (1988) and Air Force One (1997), show off Cleveland, but one of the most memorable is Major League (1989), a comedy about baseball, directed by David S Ward and starring Charlie Sheen.

Mainstream cinemas worth visiting in Cleveland include Shaker Square Cinemas, 13116 Shaker Square (tel: (440) 349 3306), and Tower City Cinemas, Tower City Center (tel: (440) 349 3306), the only multiplex in downtown Cleveland. The Cedar Lee Theatre, 2163 Lee Road (tel: (440) 349 3306), screens independent and foreign films, plus limited-run Hollywood movies.

Literary Notes: Toni Morrison, author of Beloved (1987), The Bluest Eye (1969) and Paradise (1998), was raised in Cleveland. Langston Hughes (1902-1967), the prolific African-American poet, novelist and essayist, spent his high-school years in Cleveland, where much of his early poetry was written. He was part of the Harlem Renaissance movement of black artists. Cleveland was also home to another of America's early 20th-century poets: Hart Crane (1899-1932). Crane spent his youth here and was expected to follow in the footsteps of his father's business, but instead he gave it all up to move to New York and become a writer.

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