Another must-see on the art scene is the Museum of Contemporary Art (11400 Euclid Avenue. Tel: 216-421-8671. mocacleveland.org), which is hosting multiple exhibitions that run July 7-December 31, 2023, including “A Soft Place to Land,” which showcases work by artists who use textiles to tell personal stories, and “Andrea Bowers: Exist, Flourish, Evolve,” in which Cleveland-raised artist Bowers addresses environmental threats to the Great Lakes ecosystems. Running October 27-December 31 is a multimedia exhibit by Cleveland-based artist Erykah Townsend that investigates the relationship between innocence and beauty.
Public Art in Cleveland (Credit by Cody York)
Music enthusiasts, meanwhile, may want to put Treelawn (15335 Waterloo Road. Tel: 216-677-8733. thetreelawn.com) on their itinerary. Set within a historic building that once housed the Slovenian Workmen’s Home cultural center, Treelawn is in the process of being reborn as a live music club and is ramping up a schedule of performances, accompanied by a menu of craft beers and comfort food.
Speaking of food, renovations at the historic West Side Market (1979 W. 25th St. Tel.: 216-664-3387. westsidemarket.org), the city’s oldest operating indoor/outdoor market, have made this culinary destination even more attractive. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the market has benefitted from a multi-milliondollar upgrade that’s resulted in new and refreshed vendor booths and better climate control. Locals visit for the fresh fruits, vegetables and meats, but travelers love the tasty, ready-to-eat foods, including Jack Frost Donuts and Orale! Contemporary Mexican cuisine.
Also slated for big improvements is the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (3900 Wildlife Way. Tel: 216-661-6500. clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo), where a $7.7-million project is creating four new living spaces for tropical Andean and sloth bears at the Bear Hollow Habitat. The new facilities, which debut in summer 2023, will triple the current habitat space.
Playhouse Square (CREDIT Destination Cleveland)
Cleveland is also known for its vibrant performing arts scene, and it’s always a good idea to see what’s playing before any visit. Karamu House (2355 E. 89th Street. Tel: 216-795-7070. karamuhouse.org), for example, is billed as the country’s oldest Black producing theater, while Playhouse Square (1501 Euclid Avenue. Tel: 216-771-4444. playhousesquare.org), is a nonprofit performing arts center that stages largescale productions in multiple venues. While in the city, make sure to get tickets to the Cleveland Orchestra (clevelandorchestra.com), which is celebrating its 105th season in 2023. The group often features big-name performers as well as varied programs that appeal to many different musical tastes.
HOTEL NEWS IN CLEVELAND
Cleveland offers visitors an array of attractive accommodations, and it will soon be home to even more. I had a super comfortable stay at the Kimpton Schofield Hotel (2000 East 9th Street. Tel: 216-357-3250. theschofieldhotel.com), a beautifully designed downtown property that last year added seven new suites. I especially loved the décor, which provides some retro flair to complement the contemporary design (my favorite: the vintage Matchbox car illustrations in my guest room).
Also new in town is the Roost Apartment Hotel (105 Prospect Ave. Tel: 216-877-0500. myroost.com), which offers one- and two bedroom apartments with kitchens, and the Orbit Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham (21500 Brookpark Road, Fairview Park. Tel: 440-471-4828. wyndhamhotels .com) just outside the city limits, which sports mid-century architecture and an outdoor pool.
If you’re planning a visit in 2024, you’ll find even more fresh options. Still in the works is the debut of the aptly named Hotel Cleveland (24 Public Square. Tel. 800-468-3571. marriott.com), which will open in 2024 as part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection.
Also available next year is a new W Hotel, which will be stylishly set in a 1960s modernist high-rise in downtown Cleveland with 210 guest rooms, a spa and gym, a 15,000-square-foot ballroom and event center and a 38th-floor restaurant and bar that promises memorable views and photo opportunities.
Another hotel slated to open in 2024 is the Fidelity Hotel, a 97-room boutique hotel that set in a renovated, historic office building. The property will have a restaurant and a speakeasy-style bar.
Speaking of bars, beer enthusiasts should note that Destination Cleveland’s 2023 Cleveland Brewery Passport (thisiscleveland.com) provides a fun and efficient way to sample brews in multiple locations. Functioning like a “digital passport,” the platform provides users with a chance to win a prize for starting and finishing their passport tour of any of 44 participating breweries. Visitors can also trade in points for additional prizes.
EXCITING EVENTS IN CLEVELAND
Cleveland hosts an array of interesting events every year. Top of the list for many LGBTQ+ travelers, of course, is the city’s pride celebration, Pride in the CLE (lgbtcleveland.org/pride), which takes place in early June (this year it’s June 3, 2023), with a parade and two stages for live entertainment and speakers.
LGBTQ Civil Rights Movement Marker (Photo: Courtesy of Arlo Grey)
Additional annual events include WonderStruck (7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirkland. wonderstruckfest.com), which Destination Cleveland describes as one of the midwest’s largest contemporary music festivals. Taking place every July, the event fills a 400-acre site; 2023 performers include Khalid, Walker Hayes, Nelly, and Flo Rida.
Next year will bring even more events to Cleveland’s calendar, including the 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four, scheduled for April 2024, and the 2024 Pan-American Masters Games, the Olympic-style sports festival slated for July 12-21, 2024.
One additional special event that is a must-see if you’re anywhere in the Cleveland area next year will be the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.
