How to spend 2 Days in Cleveland, Ohio

Ohio has always been a place I have heard much about, but had never been to. So when I got the chance to go to Cleveland I thought it would be cool to explore. I figured Cleveland had to be more than just Lebron James. I was absolutely right. Cleveland is a really nice city with plenty to do and see. Although my Mom and I went in the winter, prior to the snow, I definitely want to go back in the warmer months. Spending 2 days in Cleveland, Ohio, no sweat. We did plenty in that time frame!

Once we arrived in Cleveland we took an Uber to our hotel, Aloft Cleveland Downtown. The hotel has a really nice staff. You can read about the full review of the hotel, but overall it was really nice. I especially liked the lobby area. It was very spacious with a bar, pool table, darts, a fireplace, and ample seating. Our room was also very spacious with comfortable beds.

Even better was the location. The hotel is close to many attractions. There is also a ton of places to eat not only downstairs from the hotel, but right across the way. It was really nice. I can only imagine how much more fun it would be when the weather is warmer.

We relaxed at the hotel for a bit before heading out. We got a ride in the hotel shuttle van to a diner that the lady at the front desk recommended. The service was terrible and the food mediocre. Definitely not recommended. The hotel shuttle came and picked us back up and took us over to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a ton of fun and a must when visiting Cleveland. There is so much music history there. Outfits, instruments, and so much more can be found all throughout. We went during the week so we were able to enjoy it without a ton of people everywhere. There were just a few schools trips with kids running around. Other than that it was very easy to take everything in.

We did a little shopping at the gift store before the hotel shuttle came. Just in time too because it began to pour rain outside. We went back to the hotel to relax a bit as we had been up and moving since 4am. After a brief nap we headed over to Collision Brewery, which was right near the hotel.

Collision Bend Brewery is an artisanal brewery and restaurant. I ordered one of their seasonal beers. I am not much of a drinker as you know, but I will always try stuff. It was pretty good. My mom had a chocolate beer which was so good was in search of the brand when she returned home. The views are really nice and I am sure even better when it is nicer outside.

Once we are done we headed down the block to Coastal Tacos. I loved the decor. It was very beachy. There were Adirondack chairs and all. The atmosphere was really nice and so was our waitress. Management even came by to make sure everything was OK. We ordered a chicken bowl and shrimp bowl. It wasn’t the absolute best, but it was good. A bit too salty.

We were pretty exhausted and headed back to the hotel to relax. I enjoyed the view out the window looking at a building lit up with color changing lights. We could also see all the restaurants and such a cross the street lit up and some people walking around. The comfortable bed and warm room quickly knocked me out.

The next day we got up and took an Uber over to the Westside Market, which opened to the public in 1912. There are over 100 vendors located inside. All types of seafood, meats, and produce can be purchased here. There are also made to order food, desserts, more.  You must look up while there at the pretty ceiling.

There is also the Westside Market Cafe inside which had great food. It has a ton of nostalgic photos all around. There is also a counter you can sit at if you don’t get a booth of a table. Again the food was delicious and extremely affordable. We really wished we had eaten here the first day. I ordered french toast, eggs, and bacon.

Once we left the Westside Market Cafe we walked around a bit. The sun was shining and it was nice to do a little exploring. Of course I ventured over to get some ice cream from Mitchell’s Homemade Ice Cream. They make the ice cream right in the back. There is a huge window where you can see them making the ice cream.

The atmosphere was amazing. It was so nice inside. They also kept the old movie theater facade up outside which I loved. There was plenty of seating. Even for the kids there was some seating where they can also color. The ice cream was delicious. I would definitely want to return in the summer months.

We then caught an Uber over to A Christmas Story House. If you haven’t seen this movie, where have you been? If you didn’t know the house from the movie is located in Cleveland. You can tour the house and take photos of all the infamous things from the movie. We also went to the museum across the street from it as well as visited the gift shop. The museum had all the props from the movie. The gift shop had everything including Ovaltine.

After leaving A Christmas Story House we took an Uber back to the hotel. We relaxed for a very short period before we headed over to the meeting point for the Lolly the Trolley Tour. We took the 2 1/2 hour tour and really got to learn about and see a lot of what Cleveland has to offer. It was a great overview and I highly suggest taking the tour.

I didn’t even realize all that Cleveland had or all the many people who are from this city. Some notable names include Steve Harvey, Machine Gun Kelly, Halle Berry, Drew Carey, Ruby Dee, Dorthy Dandridge, Arsenio Hall, John Heisman, Terence Howard, and so many others. So many companies were also founded there including Chef Boyaredee, Bonne Bell Cosmetics, Mr. Coffee, Jo-Ann Stores, Office Max, and Sherwin Williams.

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We drove by the world’s largest chandelier, saw some of the few mansions still standing on Millionaire’s Row, got to see the cultural gardens, and so much more. After the tour we headed over to Alley Cat Oyster Bar. This was across the way from our hotel. The view out onto lake were beautiful, especially to watch the sunset. Again I can only imagine how amazing it is during warmer months. We ordered some shrimp and fried chicken and sweet potatoes etc. The food was good, but we couldn’t eat it all and took a to go box.

Before heading back to the hotel we strolled a bit on the boardwalk and then walked back to the hotel. Later that night I walked around checking out the different restaurants. They were all really nice with great atmospheres. Just keep in mind when you go at night you will need an ID to get into some of these places since they sell alcohol. I got some pizza from Dante’s Inferno which was across from the Alley Cat Oyster Bar. It was pretty good.

The next morning we got some breakfast from our hotel. They have a Re:fuel area. We were able to get a breakfast sandwich and some juice. Nothing else is the area was opened yet. A little research told me none of them started opening till around 11am so this was a great option. A little more relaxing before we headed out to the airport.

We had a lot of fun in Cleveland, Ohio. I will return in warmer months to get a different experience. There is many other things I would like to see and check out. If you haven’t been, you will be pleasantly surprised at all they have to offer.

Have you ever been to Cleveland, Ohio?

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