Weekend in Cleveland one of three ways: on a budget, spending a bit more, or when the getaway calls for a splurge.
Trip tips: Get an overview of the city skyline and the Cuyahoga River Valley ("the Flats") from the north side of the Hope Memorial Bridge. The bridge features the massive art deco "Guardians of Traffic." The city's West 25th Street area has become a mecca for microbreweries, most with restaurants. The Detroit Shoreway with the Gordon Square Arts District is the trendy place to be with many unique restaurants and nightspots.
Getting there: Round-trip rates from $356; Delta, nonstop, 21-day advance purchase. One-way rates from $160 (connection required on American Airlines).
BUDGET
Stay: Built in the 1880s, the Romanesque Revival-style Wallace Manor Bed and Breakfast has just three guest rooms ($115-$125). After a day of touring, chill in the side patio, soak in the private hot tub or see what's growing in the kitchen garden. 4724 Franklin Blvd. 216-961-6298, www.wallacemanor.com.
Eat: Built in the Progressive Era, the city's West Side Market is a living history destination. Its 137-foot clock tower is a Cleveland landmark. Indoors is a vibrant buzz of more than 100 vendors of great ethnic diversity and booths selling ready-to-eat dishes. 1979 W. 25th St. 216-664-3387, www.westsidemarket.org. Next door is the Market Garden Brewery, featuring Cleveland's first American Beer Garden. Open for lunch and brunch with soups, salads, tacos and sandwiches ($5-$12). 1947 W. 25th St. 216-621-4000, http://marketgardenbrewery.com.
Experience: Discover the social significance of rock and roll at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. This 150,000-square-foot world-class museum features four theaters and seven floors of collections and exhibits that tell the story of the world's most powerful art form. On site are a museum store and the third-floor Rock Hall Cafe overlooking the museum's lower levels. Adult admission is $22. 1100 E. Ninth St. 216-781-7625, www.rockhall.com. Tone it down at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, a city center oasis of 20 unique and lush gardens — from a Japanese garden, the largest herb garden in Ohio to a quirky topiary garden; $12. 11030 East Blvd. 216-721-1600, www.cbgarden.org.
MODERATE
Stay: The downtown Hilton Garden Inn offers a "50 Paces From the Bases" package (from $145 per night). Included are overnight accommodations, full cooked-to-order breakfast, parking and peanuts for the ballpark on Game Day. The hotel is located a "home run" away from Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians. On site are a fitness center, pool, whirlpool, a lounge and restaurant. A guest perk is use of a complimentary downtown shuttle. 1100 Carnegie Ave. 216-658-6400, www.hiltongardeninn.com.
Eat: The cozy Dervish Grill serves up the finest authentic made-to-order Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Turkish cuisine. Kebabs to main entrees, $15-$19. 2505 Professor Ave. 216-298-4450, www.dervishgrill.com.
Experience: Northeast Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley was given national park status in 2000. Visitors can journey through the heart of the valley in vintage climate-controlled coaches from the 1940s and '50s. The ride is considered one of the most scenic excursion railways in the country. Board the 90-minute ride from Rockside Station in Independence (less than a 20-minute drive south of Cleveland) for the southern ride to Akron. Get off and then back on at any of the six stations; effective May 1. Adults $18; $13 children ages 3-12. www.cvsr.com.
SPLURGE
Stay: A "Stay for Breakfast" package at the sophisticated Cleveland Marriott at Key Center includes breakfast for two adults and two children and valet parking at rates from $189. This newly renovated 25-story downtown hotel offers guest rooms with views of Lake Erie and the city skyline. 127 Public Square. 216-696-9200, www.marriott.com.
Eat: Americano is a quiet and elegant Euro-American Bistro along the shore of Lake Erie (for a pre-dinner stroll). Contemporary dishes are artfully served. Starters, $8-$13; entrees, $16-$25. 1 Bratenahl Place, Bratenahl. 216-541-3900, www.americanocleveland.com.
Experience: Opened in 1870, Cedar Point often takes the top spot as the best amusement park in the country. Located on a peninsula in Lake Erie (a one-hour drive from Cleveland), the 364-acre park has more coasters than any other park, along with numerous other rides and shows. Opens May 11. Single-day adult tickets $49.99; $34.99 junior/senior ticket (from age 3 under 48 inches tall or age 62 and older). 1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky. 419-627-2350, www.cedarpoint.com. The permanent collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art contains more than 30,000 works of art from around the world, and is renowned for its Asian and Egyptian art. General admission is free. 11150 East Blvd. 216-421-7350, www.clevelandart.org. If you go, try to reserve a table at the museum's Provenance Cafe (brunch, lunch or dinner). This fine dining hot spot features locally sourced and globally inspired cuisine with a prix fixe menu that complements the current museum exhibitions (216-707-2600).
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