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“You went where on Vacation?  Cleveland?”  Yep, we did – and had a blast!  While planning a family trip to Cedar Point in nearby Sandusky, Ohio, we decided to stay a couple of extra days and explore Cleveland.

My wife Julie found a real cool hotel called “The Glidden House,” but it’s far from a typical hotel.  It’s actually a historic mansion turned into a boutique hotel and situated in the artsy University Circle part of Cleveland.  We loved this place as it it felt like walking into a 1900’s-era mansion (with a parlor and dining area), but with rooms that provide the feel and amenities of a very nice hotel.  The grounds are meticulously manicured and it provided a great setting for a couple that was getting married while we were there (we enjoyed sitting in the courtyard that night and being able to experience part of their reception).

The University Circle neighborhood provides a long list of fun places to see and experience – a botanical gardens, history and art museums (we walked to the art museum, which is fantastic).We could have spent a couple of days checking out the museums, all withinn walking distance.  Plus, plenty of restaurants and even a “Little Italy” section that is close, too.

If you are fans of the holiday movie classic “A Christmas Story,” the house and neighborhood used in the film is available for tours.  Our family enjoyed seeing the house, playing with the props and visiting the museum and gift shop.  Happy to report that nobody shot their eye out!

Of course, no visit to Cleveland is complete without a trip to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  We strolled through decades of rock history, took pics with some of our favorite memorabilia and enjoyed a film that showcased highlights of amazing Rock & Roll Hall Fame induction moments.  And if you are musical, they have an entire floor with studios filled with instruments that you can rock with (nobody in my family has any musical ability, so we spared folks any painful moments for their ears).

Our time in Cleveland was brief and we realized there was so much more we could have done, too.  The good news is that Cleveland is just over 4 hours from Indy, so it’s a relatively easy ride for a weekend or weeklong getaway!

 

Photo Credit: Eric Allen