Cleveland, Ohio was founded by General Moses Cleveland in 1796. The city's Cuyahoga River location led to it becoming a center for railroad and manufacturing industries. Today, Cleveland is known for the health care and financial services fields as well as for its roots in roll and roll music. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Westside Market, Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo all offer great things to do in Cleveland.
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has North America's largest collection of primate species. This highly rated zoo has more than 3,000 animals and 600 species. The Zoo also has some rare animal species as well as 10,000 jungle plants from Asia, Africa and North and South America. Visiting the Metroparks Zoo is one of the best things to do in Cleveland if you love zoos, but it's often recommended that visitors allow enough time to see it and wear comfortable shoes as it's a large zoo.
Visiting the Cleveland Museum of Art is one of the great free things to do in Cleveland. Special exhibits may require an admission fee, but there are over 43,000 pieces in the free permanent collection. The Museum may experience temporary closures while new exhibits are being constructed. The Cleveland Museum of Art focuses on art from around the world and is especially known for its Asian collection.
Cleveland's Westside Market was constructed in 1912 in the Beaux Arts architectural style. This public market has a clock tower and high ceilings and is known for its quality baked goods and old fashioned meats. The Westside Market also sells a variety of produce and dairy as well as prepared dishes.
Spending the better part of a day at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the best things to do in Cleveland for fans of rock music. The permanent exhibits include computers with touch screens and head phones. Museum visitors can access 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll by artists from AC/DC to ZZ Top. Jimi Hendrix is the subject of one of the many permanent exhibits here and the display includes photos, costumes and a video presentation. Music artists from Ohio are honored here also and these include The Isley Brothers, Chrissie Hynde, Macy Gray, Marilyn Manson, Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Nine Inch Nails.
