VEAR VISITED: 2020 and 2025.

FAVORITE CITIES AND EXPEREINCES: For what seemed like the better part of a decade, my family and I have tried to figure out how to get to the state of Ohio. Whether we were planning a long road trip, or flying east renting a car and venturing west, the state always proved to be elusive. Finally in the summer of 2020 we made it and very much enjoyed touring the city of Cleveland.

Interestingly enough, Ohio was one of the last states we needed in order to complete our goal of traveling to all fifty states. My wife and I are proud of the fact that by the time our kids turned sixteen, they had been to all fifty states. In Cleveland we stayed at the Marriott at Key Tower. We were lucky to receive a room with a view of both Lake Eerie as well as the corner of the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

At the time the world was navigating COVID-19, and as a result much of downtown had just began to re-open. Therefore, when we were there we felt as if we had the run of the entire downtown. Everything we wanted to do was wide open and we certainly didn’t have to worry about navigating crowds. We rented Lime Scooters and rode all over downtown. We saw everything from downtown skyscrapers, the campus of Cleveland State University, and of course the stadiums for the Guardians and Cavaliers.

While I have unfortunately not seen a baseball game in Cleveland, I loved scooting around the outside of the stadium and seeing the statues and commemorative plaque’s dedicated to Indian greats.

My favorite was Earl Averill. Averill, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975, is from the same hometown that I grew up in.

Another highlight of our scooting adventures was seeing the Guardian statues perched on the Hope Memorial Bridge (formerly the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge). These statues have stood since the 1930’s and were designed to be “Guardian’s of Traffic.” In 2021 the Cleveland Indians Baseball team changed their name to the Cleveland Guardians. These statues were the inspiration.

When looking for a place to eat in the city, each visit should begin with a trip to Slyman’s Restaurant and Deli. They have been serving sandwiches for over fifty years and I can attest to the fact that their boastful slogan, “the biggest and best corned beef sandwich” is spot on. Definitely one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten.

Another great place to get a meal is Mabel’s BBQ – but bring your appetite as their slogan is “Eat More Meat”. It is located downtown off Euclid and Fourth street.

We found this whole area a fun and active spot to go for a stroll and just experience the city. Across the street is The Arcade, which opened in 1890. Unfortunately the stores hadn’t reopened when we were visiting, but we were able to stroll around the inside of “America’s inaugural indoor shopping center” and admire the “Crystal Palace” as it has become known.

The architecture of this building alone is worth a visit.

STADIUMS AND/OR SPORTING EVENTS: My friend Jerry and I attended a Cincinnati Reds game in 2025. They were playing the Marlins, former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara was pitching, and we sat right behind the Reds dugout. In fact the CEO of the organization, Phil Castellini and the General Manager, Brad Meador sat two rows in front of us.

The stadium was (at best) half full and the game was lackluster, but we enjoyed our time at the Great American Ballpark. The manager of the Reds is Tito Francona, and he is my favorite manager in MLB. A couple weeks after we left he won his 2,000 game.

Out front of the main gates there are multiple statues of former Reds greats. We took pictures with Pete Rose and Johnny Bench.

Further down the right field line is the 1869 Red Stockings Pavilion. This memorial celebrates the fact the Cincinnati Red Stockings were the first professional baseball team. In the concourse behind home plate there is also a mural that highlights the 1869 club.

Also on that trip we ventured to Columbus. We attended a Columbus Clippers vs Louisville Bats baseball game at Huntington Park. The Clippers are the AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. We were impressed with the stadium, which had a capacity of 10,000.

Since we were in Columbus and had a little time to waste, we explored the outside of Ohio State’s football stadium, The Horseshoe. The stadium holds 102,000, has a distinct shape, and is routinely listed as one of the top facilities in the country. We were impressed with just how gigantic it was, but found the outside rather dull and uninspiring.

However, I am guessing my opinion could change if someday I have the opportunity to see a game there.

ADVENTURE(S): The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is located on the shores of Lake Eerie in downtown Cleveland.

Evidently 1950’s disc jockey, Alan Freed, coined the term “rock n roll” on his 1950’s radio show. Therefore, when deciding what city to choose to house the hall of fame, Cleveland was the easy choice.

The museum opened in 1995 and has been adding musicians and bands to their collection every year since. Artifacts you can view range from Elvis Presley’s military uniform to Michael Jackson’s Grammy award for “Thriller.” We spent two hours wandering from exhibit to exhibit and were most excited to see the tribute to Seattle’s grunge scene.

NOTABLE DESTINATION & STOPS: Christmas is by far my family’s favorite holiday. We love to watch Christmas movies and year after year we watch many of the same classic holiday hits. One of our regular December viewings is the movie “A Christmas Story.” Needless to say we were thrilled when we found out you can actually visit the Christmas Story House. The home is located in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland and the address is 3159 W 11th Street.

We purchased our tour tickets, arrived at the prescribed time, and loved the fact that the home tour was mainly self guided. We entered the home and the tour guide provided an overview, and then allowed us to tour the house at our own pace. It was surreal taking a family photo in front of the Christmas tree holding Ralphie’s red rider bb gun.

Of course the highlight was seeing the infamous Leg Lamp.

This is a ‘must do’ anytime you are visiting Cleveland. While we didn’t wade into the water, we did visit the Edgewater Park located three miles west of downtown. The park, which covers 6,000 feet of beachfront along Lake Eerie offers bike trails, play grounds, and a great view of the skyline.

Roughly thirty minutes outside of Cincinnati is Jungle Jim’s International Market. If and when you visit, I would encourage you to take a look at their website to help you understand what you are visiting https://junglejims.com/ . From what I learned the store began as a fruit stand in the 1970’s and continues to grow and evolve into the phenomenon it has become today. Personally, I would describe the store as a grocery market and gift shop on steroids. It truly has something for everyone!

• OUR LIST TO VISIT OR RETURN TO:
• Ohio State Football Game, Columbus
• Cleveland Guardians Baseball Game
• Pro Football Hall of Fame, Canton
• Toledo Mud Hens MiLB, Toledo
• Cedar Point Amusement Park,
• Cuyahoga Valley National Park
• Hocking Hills State Park
• Drive Amish Country