The Flats, an old industrial zone turned nightlife hub on the Cuyahoga River, has had a checkered life. After years of neglect, it's on the upswing once again. The East Bank has a waterfront boardwalk, stylish restaurants, bars and outdoor concert pavilion. The West Bank is a bit edgier and further flung, with an old garage turned brewery-winery, a skateboard park and some vintage dive bars among its assets.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum
0.87 MILES
Cleveland's top attraction is like an overstuffed attic bursting with groovy finds: Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster, Keith Moon's platform shoes, John Lennon…
5.02 MILES
Cleveland's whopping art museum houses an excellent collection of European paintings, as well as African, Asian and American art. Head to the 2nd floor…
4.81 MILES
The 1905 hothouse bursts with cacti, orchids, ferns and irises. On cold days the sultry rooms provide a sweet refuge, and you’ll likely have the place to…
0.48 MILES
Whiskey Island floats at the edge of downtown, where the Cuyahoga River empties into Lake Erie. The area consists of a boat-filled marina, a raucous bar…
1.79 MILES
This wide swath of shore is a local hot spot. It has lifeguards, cabana rentals (per day $20), paddleboard rentals (per hour $20), pick-up volleyball…
5.89 MILES
Beyond University Circle to the east, don't forget this eclectic 'outdoor museum' where President James Garfield rests in an eye-poppingly enormous tower …
17.71 MILES
Long considered one of the main attractions within the park, this pretty spill of ice-cold water sits nestled in a wooden idyll, and can be accessed via a…
21.89 MILES
This overlook, which offers a sweeping view of the Cuyahoga, is probably the most photographed place in the park, with an unobstructed vista looking west…
Nearby Cleveland attractions
0.48 MILES
Whiskey Island floats at the edge of downtown, where the Cuyahoga River empties into Lake Erie. The area consists of a boat-filled marina, a raucous bar…
0.71 MILES
Cleveland's centerpiece got a makeover by the firm that designed New York City's High Line. The grassy expanse is a real gathering place now. Kids splash…
0.75 MILES
One of 10 museums in the country with a NASA affiliation, Great Lakes goes deep in space with rockets, moon stones and the 1973 Apollo capsule, as well as…
0.77 MILES
This provocative gallery partners with the Cleveland Museum of Art to showcase avant-garde paintings, photography and new media inside a repurposed…
0.81 MILES
Take a self-guided walk on this humongous freighter incarnated as a steamship museum. It's docked beside the Great Lakes Science Center, which manages it.
6. World's Largest Rubber Stamp
0.86 MILES
The kitschy 'Free' stamp sculpture by Claes Oldenburg is a photo op favorite. Food trucks congregate around it and there are live music performances on…
7. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum
0.87 MILES
Cleveland's top attraction is like an overstuffed attic bursting with groovy finds: Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster, Keith Moon's platform shoes, John Lennon…
0.89 MILES
Pop into this small gallery inside the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and you'll emerge richer than when you entered. Literally, since the Money…