There are many reasons to visit Cleveland, I wanted to see its excellent museum of art, the quirky women’s air and space museum, and its Art Deco buildings. Yes, Art Deco buildings. If you really want to see relics of the roaring 20s, and the splendour of old American public buildings, admire its industrial Art Deco style.
Both the Cleveland Public Library and Tower City Center are excellent examples of this style. Painted reliefs on walls, vaulted ceilings, and gold-painted brass doors. I loved looking up, around, and admiring all the beauty that was on public display to the people of Cleveland. The Arcade, now a Hyatt Regency Hotel, was a shopping venue built in the late 19th century. It, too, was a stunning piece of architecture.
On the cultural front, Cleveland claims to be the birthplace of rock and roll when local DJ Alan Freed coins the term to describe the black rhythm and blues in the 1950s. He also started a nighly rock and roll radio show to help popularize the genre.
Near where all the museums are at, University Circle is a popular place for the city’s academics to hang out. It used to be a streetcar turnaround and two colleges moved to its boundaries. The Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland Museum of Art, and Cleveland Institute of Music are all around the circle. Other museums like the Great Lakes Science Center and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are at the waterfront with USS Cod and Burke Lakefront Airport.
The West Side market is open most days from morning till before dinnertime. It sells fresh fruits and vegetables, some of which are local. Be sure to go just a half hour before closing time to get the best deals on that day’s fresh fruits.
