Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Cleveland

"If your family is a fan of the classic film, “A Christmas Story,” you’ll be delighted to know that you can visit the house from the movie right in Cleveland. The house and museum feature original props and costumes from the film, so you’ll feel like you’re stepping right into your favorite holiday movie. You’ll see Randy’s snowsuit, the family car, the toys from the Higbee’s window, and more."

"See the house from the movie A Christmas Story, located in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood. Today it includes a museum which features original props, costumes and memorabilia from the film."

"The Cleveland Botanical Garden features fantastic flora and fauna from all around the world. Also located alongside the Museum of Natural History in the University Circle, it has a plethora of paths to stroll along with colorful plants, flowers, trees and shrubs. Home to over twenty scenic sections, it was founded in 1930 with wild flower-filled meadows and woodlands, immaculately manicured rose, perennial and Japanese gardens."

"Get a little crazy, and explore some plant life during your trip to Cleveland. This welcome retreat into nature boasts 10 acres of gardens and an 18,000 square foot Glasshouse filled with exotic plants worth exploring. If you need to de-stress and escape traffic and luxury apartment construction, this University Circle oasis could be for you."

"Among things to do in Cleveland on a date, there is an idea for true plant lovers. These Botanical Gardens include 11 green areas. You can find yourself in Japan, explore if something is growing in the desert, or wander through the rainforest."

"A.M.: LITTLE ITALY Take a leisurely stroll around Lake View Cemetery. Hold up--a cemetery, you ask?. Why would I ever want to do that?"

"Home to Major League Baseball team the Cleveland Indians, Progressive Field is a state-of-the-art urban ballpark that offers fans a modern and comfortable environment in which to watch their home team play ball. Visitors can enjoy guided tours of this world-class facility and get a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the home of the Indians. Tours take visitors to the dugouts, batting cages, the visitor’s bullpen, the fan caves, party suites, and Club Lounge."

"Experience adrenaline-pumping excitement as you catch the MLB's Cleveland Indians going for the home run at the Progressive Field, a state-of-the-art ballpark located in downtown Cleveland, just a few miles from our family-friendly hotel. Learn More for Progressive Field"

"Enjoy America's favorite pastime in a state-of-the-art facility and catch the MLB'S Cleveland Indians steal a home base at this landmark ballpark located in downtown Cleveland. Visit Website for Progressive Field"

"Moored along the city’s Lake Erie shoreline, you can find the incredible USS Cod that is now preserved as both a moving memorial and museum. Set right next to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it offers fascinating insight into life aboard a submarine and the service it saw during the Second World War and Cold War. One of the best-preserved submarines in the country, it served between 1943 and 1971 and was impressively awarded seven battle stars in World War II."

"The USS Cod Submarine Memorial is located very near to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. In fact, it’s right next to that famous Cleveland, Ohio location. This memorial is a National Landmark Memorial and was commissioned in 1943 by Commander James Dempsey."

"Lakefront Reservation is Cleveland's premiere downtown waterfront park, offering a wide variety of amenities and facilities letting visitors take advantage of the city's beautiful downtown skyline. Visitors can observe the city's skyline from dramatic views at the park's preserved historic Coast Guard station or soak up the sun's rays at Edgewater Beach during the summer months. A 200-foot ADA-accessible fishing pier is available for visitor use, along with the Edgewater Nature Shop, which offers beachfront rental equipment."

"Garfield Park Reservation is a charming public reservation in Cleveland's Garfield Heights neighborhood, originally opened in 1895 as Newburg Park after the city's purchase of three farmsteads near the city's southern limits. Today, it is home to a diverse array of urban wildlife, along with a number of structures that have been preserved from park development in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. Since 1986, the park has been overseen as part of Cleveland Metroparks."

"Rockefeller Park is a Cleveland city park named in honor of famed oil entrepreneur John D. Rockefeller, Sr., maintained as part of the Cleveland Public Parks District. The park, which is located adjacent to Wade Park, is the largest public park within Cleveland's city limits and begins a chain of parklands that connects the city's heights district and lakefront area. Two areas within the park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the park's Cultural Gardens, which honor the city's diverse ethnic groups."

"Within Cleveland's historical Cultural Gardens (which are also free to roam), you can find Rockefeller Park and Greenhouse. It's a beautiful indoor garden that is perfect to escape to in the colder months (especially when you miss seeing the beauty of plants). RELATED: 10 Most Beautiful Springs In America"

"It is a charming and friendly neighborhood with a lot of young people, couples and families. With its close proximity to the city and Lake Erie, it has Lakewood Park which is an amazing park with a pool, playground, walking track and beautiful views of the lake and the city!. Just a simple walk on a brisk night with my girlfriend — refreshing."

"Lakewood Park is about 15 minutes outside downtown Cleveland, but is worth the drive to get one of the best views of the city. This park is not very big, but offers some great walking paths that lead down along Lake Erie. Lakewood Park is the perfect outdoor space to enjoy on a nice day, especially with such awesome views."

"Euclid Creek Reservation is best known as the former site of the famed Euclid Beach Amusement Park, which operated between 1895 and 1969 and was modeled after New York City's Coney Island. Though many of the park's amusement rides have long disappeared, it retains relics such as a shuffleboard area and remnants of the Flying Turns roller coaster. The park's southern area, divided by its namesake Euclid Creek, is located on the site of the ghost town of Bluestone, which popped up in the late 19th century as a result of quarrying activity."

"Bedford Reservation protects a lovely National Natural Landmark gorge carved by Tinker's Creek, the largest tributary waterway of the Cuyahoga River. The reservation stretches more than 2,200 acres and showcases lovely waterfalls and waterway vistas, as well as forest habitats protecting mature trees and seasonal wildflowers. The Shawnee Hills Golf Course, contained within the reservation, is home to an 18-hole public course, a driving range, and a FootGolf course."

"Nestled on the corner of Sloane and Detroit is my favorite coffee shop to visit. Black Bird Baking Company has delicious hot (and cold) beverages, the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever tasted, and a quaint indoor seating area (plus picnic benches outside for the warmer months). Their internet connection is strong, plus there are just enough outlets to keep a nice mixture of folks working, people chatting, and kids playing."

"1391 Sloane Avenue Lakewood, OH 44107 (216) 712-6599www.blackbirdbaking.com. Patrons looking for freshly-baked artisan breads of all varieties will find a plethora of it at Blackbird Baking Company in Lakewood. The bakery makes its breads fresh daily, and the menu includes items like crusty baguette, rosemary focaccia, white levain, multigrain, rye and even chocolate-cherry bread."

"That’s just one of the options you’ll have for custom cakes if you walk into KB Confections in Lakewood, located on the west side of Cleveland. Owner and award-winning cake maker Karen Bosworth had a long-standing dream of opening a confectionary, which became a reality in 2014. Though the retail space is closed to everything but take-out orders at the moment, Lakewood eagerly awaits the day that it’s fully open again."

"in the heart of Cleveland’s cultural epicenter, University Circle. Cap off a visit to the museum or an evening at the symphony with cheese, oysters on the half shell or a rainbow of perfect macarons. Coquette might be small, but it packs one of the longest lists of grower champagne in the region, along with craft cocktails and hard-to-find draft beers."

"Home to a huge collection of artifacts and exhibits, the outstanding Cleveland Museum of Natural History is fifteen minutes drive east of downtown. Its gigantic galleries have sections dedicated to archaeology, anthropology, geology and paleontology with interesting items and interactive hands-on activities. Founded in 1920, the massive museum is a firm favorite with locals and tourists alike with its captivating collection now containing more than four million specimens."

"Geological Formation, Archaeological Site , Exhibition , Natural History Museum. Located in University circle, this museum was established in 1920 in order to carry out research on subjects like anthropology, archaeology, botany, geology, palaeontology, zoology and few others. The museum has collection of more than 4 million exhibits permanent exhibits focus on how the Universe was formed and the evolution of human beings."

"Dinosaurs and the Perkins Wildlife Center are the highlights at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Explore Madagascar and Costa Rica in the Cleveland Botanical Garden’s Glasshouse. Swing into MOCA for a dose of contemporary art. Or, brush up on your history and ride the Euclid Beach Grand Carousel at the Cleveland History Center."