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Fact: Cleveland rocks. It’s true, and it’s why they built the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum here on the eastern shore of Lake Erie. The city that gave us Arsenio Hall, Drew Carey, and Superman has a grand tradition of theater, music, folk festivals, and culture. Here’s our guide to help you make the most of your time here. Fun FactsCleveland’s elevation ranges from 600 to 1,100 feet above sea level.
The average winter temperature in Cleveland is 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Annual rainfall in Cleveland is 37 inches. | Your Itinerary If You Have Two Hours
Want to look good on the dance floor? Try Salsa Club. The $10 Monday night drop-in sessions, hosted by Cleveland Swing and Salsa in South Euclid from 7–9 p.m., are a high-energy hybrid of training and trying. Get pointers from the experts and then partner-up and put in some practice time to polish your steps. All levels of skill — or lack of it — are welcome, and advanced sign-up is not required. 440.350.9969, clevelandswingandsalsa.com
If You Have 2 Days
The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake hosts a weekly Vineyard Experience every Thursday and Friday. The overnight stay-and-sip event features a five-course dinner with pairings and a behind-the-scenes tour of two area wineries the next day, with lunch served at one, dessert at the other, and wine tastings at both. The more independent-minded can opt for a less structured Wine Country Getaway. The package, good for any single-night stay, includes a bottle of local wine in your room, breakfast for two, and a map that points the way to 20 wineries for a self-guided tour. Those who prefer hops should consider making a reservation for October 18. The Oktoberfest package gets you a four-course dinner with beer pairings, a brew tasting and seminar, live entertainment, and Sunday brunch. 866-806-8066; thelodgeatgeneva.com
If You Have a Long Weekend
Cinematheque shows films from around the world every Thursday through Sunday, and the programming is a cinephile’s dream come true. The series, founded in 1986, is an ongoing festival of famous, forgotten, and unusual gems, with a periodic focus on specific directors, countries, and genres. Stay nearby at Glidden House Inn, a beautiful B & B in a 1910 mansion that’s walking distance from the Cleveland Institute of Art, where the movies are screened. cia.edu/cinematheque; gliddenhouse.com | Convention & Visitor's BureauPositively Cleveland and Visitor Information Center
Higbee Building
100 Public Square
Suite 100
Cleveland, OH 44113
800.321.1004
positivelycleveland.com
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Local FlavorSwingos on the Lake, has been part of the local fine-dining landscape since 1986. And like the great wines in its award-winning cellar, the place is aging well. The kitchen turns out classic high-life dishes like oysters Rockefeller and filet mignon, and the views of the lake and downtown are some of the best in town. 12900 Lake Ave., Lakewood, 216.221.6188; swingos.com
Executive Chef Jonathan Bennett and Chef de Cuisine Peter Vauthy do great things with beef and seafood at Red the Steakhouse and also create sophisticated sauces and sides to serve with them. The bar, which stays open late, is a suburban hot spot that attracts deal makers and power players. 3355 Richmond Road, Beachwood, 216.831.2252; redthesteakhouse.com
For a little taste of France, try Le Bistro du Beaujolais. An utterly charming spot in a renovated 1830s house. Claudie D’Arras does heavenly things with duck, rabbit, mussels, and skate, and her husband, Georges, knows just the right wine to pair with everything Claudie cooks. 8134 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls, 440.235.8883; lebistrodubeaujolais.com
— Laura Taxel
Photographs: Getty Images (skyline); Courtesy of the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake
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