Cleveland, Ohio, USA

At first glance, Cleveland appears to be just another ordinary city in the United States, but there are actually numerous activities and attractions to discover. It has the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is one of the most visited art museums in the world, and the Playhouse Square, which contains one of the largest theaters in the USA. The city has a population of around 350,000 people. I would recommend staying for 1-2 days to get the most out of it. I stayed there for one day.

Downtown

I arrived in Cleveland during the evening, when it was snowing. The city looked like any other random city in the United States. However, the downtown area of Cleveland is home to Playhouse Square, a theater district. You can enjoy musicals, plays, concerts, comedy shows, and ballet performances. While I was unable to find the time to visit, I highly recommend checking out Playhouse Square if you have an interest in theaters. It is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States.

Playhouse Square
Playhouse Square
A park near downtown
A park near downtown
Downtown
Downtown

Museum of Art

The Cleveland Museum of Art was the highlight of the trip. It's the fourth wealthiest art museum in the United States and one of the most visited in the world. Additionally, the museum has free admission! It houses a huge collection of paintings and sculptures from various cultures worldwide. I would say it’s one of the finest art museums I’ve ever visited so far.

Medieval European knight and horse armor
Medieval European knight and horse armor
Painting from Van Gogh
Painting from Van Gogh
Medieval crossbow
Medieval crossbow
Painting from Piet Mondrian
Painting from Piet Mondrian
Sculpture of a lion from India
Sculpture of a lion from India
African mask
African mask

Garfield Memorial

Cleveland has the Lake View Cemetery, the final resting place of the assassinated President James A. Garfield. The enormous cemetery is easily accessible by car, but it lacks nearly any sidewalks. (Yes, even American cemeteries are car-centric…) If you have the time, I recommend visiting. Unfortunately, the memorial was closed during my visit.

Outside of the Garfield Memorial
Outside of the Garfield Memorial
View of the Lake View Cemetery
View of the Lake View Cemetery

Conclusion

The Cleveland Museum of Art was undoubtedly the highlight of my trip and the primary reason I would highly recommend visiting Cleveland. Apart from the museum, the city itself appeared quite clean and had an efficient bus network, particularly in the downtown area. If you find yourself in the vicinity and are interested in art museums or theaters, I suggest you make a stop in Cleveland. In my case, I visited the city as a convenient detour on my way back home from Chicago.