UNIOUELY CLEVELAND ITINERARY

By Jen Jones DonatelliFOR THREE GLORIOUS DAYS, THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND—THANKS TO THIS CAREFULLY CURATED ONLY-IN-CLEVELAND ITINERARY.UNIQUELY CLE

Day 1

> A Christmas Story House & Museum

‘Tis always the season for visiting Ralphie and friends at this quirky movie-inspired museum.

A leg lamp beckons not so subtly from the window, signaling to A Christmas Story fans that they’re in the right spot for viewing original props, costumes and memorabilia and enjoying an “A+++” experience. > Lunch at Grumpy’s Café

Conquering Cleveland will require fuel, so power up with some home-style comfort food at Grumpy’s Café in Tremont. This neighborhood spoon has perfected the art of lunch, which it serves all week, with a crazy selection of hearty soups, sandwiches and entrees, everything from

Meatloaf to Jambalaya.

> Dunham Tavern Museum

Just call the Dunham Tavern Museum—which offers glimpses into the lives of early Ohio settlers and explorers—the last building standing. The 1824-built structure is the oldest in Cleveland to remain in its original place. Groups can get the full experience via a 45-minute, docent-guided tour.

> Polka Hall of Fame

Barrels of fun await at the free National

Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame, which celebrates Cleveland’s legacy in the polka world.

Learn more about the evolution of polka music, and marvel at memorabilia including Frank

Yankovic’s accordion and gems from Tony

Petkovsek’s radio show.

> Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage

Tales of immigration also abound at the Maltz

Museum of Jewish Heritage, where that culture’s

American story comes to life with multimedia, tours and ceremonial art—not to mention an oversized ode to the Jewish Clevelanders who created Superman.

> Dinner at Tommy’s

Set in Cleveland Heights’ hip Coventry neighborhood, Tommy’s is a neighborhood staple known for good grub and one mean milkshake. (Rolling Stone said so.) The menu aims to please both carnivores and vegans/ vegetarians with a wide array of selections— from falafel to wraps to meat pie.

A Christmas Story House

Day 2

Karamu House

> Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

See that futuristic-looking pyramid set on Lake

Erie? That’s the Rock Hall, an only-in-Cleveland experience that belongs on every music fan’s bucket list. Amid the highlights are the “Power of

Rock Experience” and “Hall of Fame.” The former showcases an amped-up 12-minute concert montage by Oscar-winning director Jonathan

Demme, while the latter celebrates all of the rock royalty inducted to date.

> Lunch at Heinen’s Downtown

Grocery shopping has never been so appealing.

Set in the historic Cleveland Trust Rotunda and topped by a stained-glass dome, Heinen’s provides a can’t-miss experience for both foodies and architecture buffs alike. Taste your way through wine and espresso bars, and forage for gourmet finds.

> NASA Glenn Visitors Center

For an out-of-this world experience, look no further than the NASA Glenn Visitors Center inside

Great Lakes Science Center. One of just 11 centers of its kind, the center boasts a 1973 Skylab 3

Apollo Command Module and an up-close look at how astronauts live in the International

Space Station.

> Dinner at Masthead Brewing Co.

Rated by Beer Advocate as one of its Top 50 new breweries in 2017, Masthead lives up to its rep with both great beer and food. Located in what was once a 1920s car dealership, the Downtown brewery slings wood-fired Neopolitan pizzas alongside an enticing list of American and

Belgian beers.

> Karamu House

Over at Karamu House, an ambitious renovation has rejuvenated the country’s oldest African-

American theatre (est. 1915). At this culture hub in Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood, live theatre à la Tennessee Williams and Langston Hughes takes center stage alongside comedy and jazz.

Highlights include “Next to Normal” (May 7-31).

Day 3

Baseball Heritage Museum

> League Park & Baseball Heritage Museum

Long before Progressive Field, League Park was

Cleveland’s resident field of dreams. See the spot where the Cleveland Buckeyes clinched the 1945 Negro League World Series, then explore the adjacent museum packed with sports stories and treasures from the lost Latin, Caribbean,

Barnstormer, Negro and Women’s leagues.

> Lunch at AsiaTown

In AsiaTown, grab shareable Dim Sum items for brunch or lunch at Li Wah. Afterward, treat yourself to a delicious baked good from Koko

Bakery. Then hit the various shops in and around Asia Plaza and Asia Town Center for imported dresses, jewelry, collectibles and even groceries.

> Cleveland Metroparks Zoo & RainForest

Go around the world in a day at Cleveland

Metroparks Zoo—where visitors can travel from the African Savannah to the Australian Outback and back again. The RainForest is a popular stop, delving into the jungles of Asia, Africa and the Americas with a 25-foot waterfall, 10,000+ plants and over 600 animals.

> B.A. Sweetie

Welcome to a real-life Candyland! Feeding

Cleveland’s collective sweet tooth since 1950,

B.A. Sweetie offers the largest candy store in

North America at 40,000 square feet. If that’s not enough of a sugar fix, visit Sweetie’s Soda

Shoppe parlor, serving up 200 soda flavors and 36+ scoops of homemade ice cream.

> Dinner & Show at Pickwick & Frolic

The whole dinner-and-a-show thing has never been quite this hilarious. Part restaurant, part martini bar and part comedy venue, Pickwick &

Frolic provides all-in-one fun inside the former

Euclid Avenue Opera House. True to form, the restaurant provides an array of options including gluten-free, vegan and pure carnivore.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Glass Bubble Project

The Foundry Morgan Conservatory

MAKE YOUR OWN FUN

Go outside the box and get hands-on with these immersive group experiences—suitable for everyone from budding rock stars to artists-in-waiting.

By Ilona Westfall

Get the band back together

Step into “The Garage” at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and get ready to shred, strum or drum. The cozy space is stocked with everything newbs and experts alike need to start a jam band—including instruments, tutorials, recording equipment and even a branding station.

Make the dream work with teamwork

Dive deep into the world of rowing at The Foundry, where groups can rent indoor tanks or venture out on the Cuyahoga River together. Ranging from one-hour to full-day and tailored for all levels of experience, customizable field trips can include STEM education, history, and of course, athletics.

Spark something new

Learn the art of blowing glass during a group class at the Glass Bubble Project. Instructors work one-on-one with each student to create their own works of art they can take home. The studio also offers a metal sculpture class where guests learn welding.

Flame on

Ignite a new passion at the new Ohio City outpost of Cleveland Candle Company. Master mixologists are on hand helping groups select from 150+ scents to make unique DIY candles to take home. Bonus: shop for candles, lip balm and other gifts while your creations set.

Channel your inner artist

Talk about pulp and circumstance: the Morgan Art

of Papermaking Conservatory

is one of the foremost schools of its kind. Book a custom program to learn papermaking, letterpress printing, bookbinding or other art forms. Tours give an inside glimpse of the conservatory on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

[ By Annie Zaleski ]5 HERITAGE SIGHTS TO BEHOLD

1 / Cleveland History Center

This exhibit-packed center covers a lot of ground in Cleveland history, exploring its stories from 1796 through today. Joining the fold in 2020 is “Women & Politics,” a new exhibit tracing the rise of the suffragist movement, the passage of the 19th Amendment and the evolution of the League of Women Voters.

2/ Lake View Cemetery

In addition to private, docent-led historic tours, Lake View Cemetery offers gorgeous grounds and must-see monuments. Case in point: a 180-foot-tall memorial to James A. Garfield depicting scenes from our 20th president’s life. As Garfield’s final resting place, the cemetery is also home to the only commander-inchief casket on public display.

3 / McKinley Presidential Library and Museum

The namesake of our 25th president, William McKinley, boasts an interactive science center, the prez’s official library and a planetarium. Groups can experience the latter at no extra cost, and for an extra fee, groups can tour the McKinley National Memorial or (wink) break bread with McKinley himself via a Presidential Experience Package.

4 / National First Ladies’ Library

Down in Canton, the National First Ladies’ Library champions the accomplishments and impact of White House women— from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama. Get schooled inside the education center and tour a mid-1800s restored Victorian that once played home to First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley.

5 / Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museums

Head 90 miles west to Fremont—home to the sprawling Spiegel Grove estate that celebrates the life of Rutherford B. Hayes, a U.S. president who cared deeply for civil and women’s rights and fought for immigrants and the less fortunate. Advance reservations are requested for groups of 15 or more.