It’s time to get away, rejuvenate and reconnect

• The girls are getting antsy – you need some time together!
• The kids are impeding on your couples time together and it’s time to reconnect!

There’s a world-class city in Ohio on the southern shores of Lake Erie that blend the best of local hospitality with some world-class facilities that allow some great weekend getaway possibilities. It’s no surprise with Cleveland’s uber-famous Rock & Roll Hall of fame that the music scene will be a vibrant bonanza! With a great music scene goes great drink and great food – perfect pairings for a night on the town.

Balancing the toe-tapping musical excitement are the quieter time activities for some conversation and simple relaxation – a picnic, the beaches, a spa, or an activity together. Our earlier post looked at some of the hotspots in Cleveland – Where to Eat, Sleep and Play. Pairing these together will open a world of weekend getaway possibilities.

Best Live Music for a few drinks and some toe-tapping

The Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland’s greatest venue for catching some of the best up-and-coming indie rockers is the Beachland Ballroom’s specialty. Located in the artsy Waterloo Arts district, the space was once a Croatian Liberty Home, a social center for the large Slavic community in the area. While the space has remained largely the same with original design elements, signage and images from the 1950’s, the venue has become one of Cleveland’s most diverse live music venues with numerous shows throughout the week.

NightTown - From the outside it looks like a small neighborhood place but looks can be deceiving. Nighttown includes three bars, an extensive American menu, a fabulous outdoor patio heated with electric gas panels, massive waterfall and full menu until midnight. Voted one of the top 100 jazz clubs in the world by Down Beat Magazine, Nighttown provides incredible live music nearly every night!

Happy Dog - The Happy Dog is a true Cleveland treasure. Sit back and enjoy a beer from the massive selection at this ultra-retro, old-fashioned bar. Live music offered various nights throughout the week makes this a desirable destination. You can sink your teeth into a gourmet hot dog, with a menu of more than 50 topping offerings such as a sunny side up fried egg and pimento mac and cheese-toppings that were created by 2010 James Beard Foundation award semifinalist, chef Eric Williams.

BOP STOP @ The Music Settlement - Cleveland’s premier listening room to catch up-and-coming and well-established acts with an intimate, acoustically pristine performance venue with sweeping views of Lake Erie. Featuring music most nights, full bar and heavy appetizers, the Music Settlement features tiered seating and an open floor plan – there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Destination Spa’s to check out

• Marengo Luxury Spa – located in Downtown Cleveland, the Marengo Luxury Spa is a full-service day spa that offers massages, facials, and nail and hair services.
• Manifest - A unique lounge bar serving distinguished craft cocktails while offering beauty services to both men and women.
• Cleveland Yoga – need to stretch out and center yourself, Cleveland Yoga offers many drop-in classes for all levels.

Best Picnic spot in Cleveland

Edgewater Park, Cleveland Metroparks - Located in the Lakefront Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks, Edgewater Park features two beaches and magnificent views of Downtown Cleveland within its 6,000 feet of shoreline. Select to dine on the sandy beach or move into other grassy sections where you'll find pavilions, playgrounds, walking paths, shaded areas and the new Beach House that features a second-floor pavilion with seating and a fireplace, seasonal bar and food service and an open-air grove on the ground level with trees, sand, picnic tables and swings for enjoying views of the lake.

A day at the beach

• Edgewater Beach – 2400 feet of sandy beachfront with concessions, beach hut and a bar
• Euclid Beach – smaller 650’ sandy beach on the grounds of the old Euclid Beach Amusement Park.

Spend an afternoon together

• Hike to BrandyWine Falls - a short 20 minute drive outside the city takes you to Cuyahoga Valley National Park and within - BrandyWine Falls, a 65 ft cascading waterfall. A short 1.5 mile hike along the Brandywine Gorge Trail gives you some beautiful scenic views.
• Wineries - For a road trip, choose from the Islands Wine Trail west along the Lake Erie shoreline or east along the Vines and Wines Trail to taste some of Ohio’s finest wines.
• BrewBoat CLE - BrewBoat CLE is Ohio’s first and only pedal-powered paddle wheel party. Visitors bring their favorite beverage aboard the boat and power its movement through peddling for a two-hour trip on the Cuyahoga River, complete with scenic views of Cleveland.
• Cleveland Brew Bus - With so many options in the area, the Cleveland Brew Bus offers visitors a tour and tasting opportunity through the region’s notable breweries and brews.

Unique hands-on shared experiences for couples/girlfriends

• Glass Bubble Project - The Glass Bubble Project gives you the chance to creates unique works of art from specially hand-blown glass and recycled materials. You can sit in on demonstrations or participate in glass blowing classes.
• BRICK Ceramic + Design Studio – the BRICK operates as a shared studio space with a full ceramics studio and gallery. Classes and workshops are held in BRICK's state of the art ceramics studio located in the Waterloo Arts District.
• Greater Cleveland Aquarium Feed a stingray together - Visitors have the chance to dive right into interactive experiences with stingray and tortoise encounters and aquarium feeding times. Do you like seafood … well, here you can feed their seafood dinner to among 19 hungry stingrays!

Opportunities to enjoy a girlfriend or couple’s getaway are easy to find in the urbane, world-class city of Cleveland. A romantic picnic in the park, activities to share together while relaxing at fine boutique hotels to pamper and just having that time to re-connect is a wonderful opportunity. Book a visit soon and explore more of what Destination Cleveland has to offer!  

Have you visited and enjoyed Cleveland as a getaway destination. What did you enjoy most? We’d love to hear. Drop a comment below or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.