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UNIQUELY CLE Your

UNIQUELY CLEVELAND

THE LAND, THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE IT THANKS TO THESE ONLY-IN-CLEVELAND EXPERIENCES.

Enjoy traditional Dim Sum at Li Wah

By Annie Zaleski

DAY 1 — MORNING

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

See that futuristic-looking pyramid set on Lake Erie? That’s the Rock Hall, an only-inCleveland experience that belongs on every music fan’s bucket list. Amid the highlights are the “Power of Rock Experience,” an amped-up 12-minute concert montage by Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme.

DAY 1 — AFTERNOON

Lunch at Heinen’s Rotunda

Talk about an awe-inspiring lunch! Seating at the Downtown Heinen’s grocery store—located in the Cleveland Trust Rotunda Building—is under an 85-foot-high dome with Tiffany-style-stained glass panels and Italian Renaissanceinspired touches.

Cleveland History Center

On display are the Euclid Beach Carousel, the first map of “Cleaveland” and, at the adjacent Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, vintage cars once made right here.

DAY 1 — EVENING

Dinner at Maxi’s Bistro

Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood is full of cozy restaurants and bakeries. Chief among them are gems like Maxi’s Bistro. In addition to a menu full of seafood and Italian fare, the restaurant offers a second-floor space for groups of up to 50 people.

Karamu House

Over at Karamu House, an ambitious renovation has rejuvenated the country’s oldest Black 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.

Polka Hall of Fame

DAY 2 — MORNING

Polka Hall of Fame

Barrels of fun await at the free National ClevelandStyle 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.

Museum of American Porcelain Art

Tucked away in the William Telling Mansion in South Euclid, the Museum of American Porcelain Art features delicate and rare sculptures from artists like Edward Marshall Boehm. Groups can book a custom or private curator-led tour of the galleries and mansion.

DAY 2 — AFTERNOON

Lunch at Van Aken Market Hall

Variety is the spice of life — especially when it comes to lunch options. Luckily the Van Aken Market Hall has local restaurant options, no matter if you’re craving pizza, sandwiches or tacos, as well as java jolts from local darlings Rising Star Coffee Roasters.

Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage

Tales of immigration 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.

DAY 2 — EVENING

JACK Thistledown Racino & Dinner

The race is on! Cheer on your favorite horse via either live racing or a simulcast. After you’ve worked up an appetite, grab a bite to eat at one of the on-site restaurants. Choose from pizza, burgers, bar grub and even farm-to-table fare at Millcreek Grille.

DAY 3 — MORNING

A Christmas Story House & Museum

‘Tis always the season for visiting this quirky movieinspired 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.

DAY 3 — AFTERNOON

Lunch at 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 and collectibles.

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.

DAY 3 — EVENING

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.

B. A. Sweetie

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