Ohio’s largest city sits on the shores of Lake Erie, the most amenable and warmest of the Great Lakes for recreation. The town has some worthwhile sights, though the best of it is out and about by rental car from Cleveland. Frequent national travel deals make visits here all the more attractive.
Getting there
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is just a few miles to the southwest of downtown by Cleveland car rental and is a useful travel hub between Chicago and New York. Check online for national deals on travel to Cleveland. Amtrak runs in from both Chicago and New York also, and Greyhound buses are very frequent from most regions. This area is also easy to access by car, with interstate highways approaching from the east, west and south, including the main I-90/80.
Key attractions
Theres good variety here, from the Cleveland Harbor-Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to the brilliant Museum of Art and trips on the scenic Cuyahoga River. The Great Lakes Science Center is also worth a look for its exhibits and OMNIMAX theater shows on Lake Erie and the Great Lakes. To see how Cleveland has improved, be sure to take in the Historic Warehouse District on West 6th Street.
Out and about
By car rental from Cleveland are numerous sights of interest, not least the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, about a 30-minute drive. There are some lovely falls and walking trails in here, while farther south is the town of Akron. Many also choose to drive the Lake Erie shoreline, taking in the working waterfronts and lighthouses, while on the north coast are pretty beaches.
Leisure options
Head for Cleveland’s old warehouses for trendy eateries and bars, while swimming, boating, and fishing the lake is very popular in summer. There are also numerous golf courses accessible by rental car from Cleveland, while Brandywine and Boston Mills ski resorts in the Cuyahoga Valley fire up in winter.
Safety
It is best to avoid East and West Side areas at night and stay in your car while driving through. Vehicles should be parked in hotel parking lots. Jet skiing on the lake poses obvious risks, as does skiing in Cuyahoga Valley.