Sponsored by TourismOhio. Opinions are my own.
Imagine a place where fine art is accessible.
Imagine a place where dreamsof trips to the moon can happen with your feet firmly on Earth.
Imagine a place where you can walk on water or relax under the shade of succulents.
Imagine a place where sharks swim amongst the humans and fish photobomb your kids.
Imagine a place where larger than life rock stars shrink to mortal sizes.
Now imagine that all of this were just 90 minutes away from home.
Because it is. Yinz, this is Cleveland.
Now, hold up. I know you have thoughts about the land of the Browns.
But do those thoughts go past football and really look at the city?
Pittsburgh, you have a whole lot in common with Cleveland. I've lived in both places and while Pittsburgh holds my heart between its three rivers, Cleveland does indeed rock.
Both cities are full of hard-working people, terribly inconvenient road construction, and a number of great places to visit.
While we've got Phipps, they've got the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.
Phipps does a great job of creating outdoor spaces indoors. The Cleveland Botanical Gardens does a great job of creating magical outdoor spaces.
We have the Carnegie Museum of Art, but it simply can't compete with the Cleveland Museum of Art. Free admission makes Cleveland's version instantly more accessible, and then that theme is expanded by the way the security guards interact with visitors. Instead of making you feel that your children are not wanted, sometimes you will find a guard who will engage with kids and help them understand the importance of what they are seeing.
Within the Pittsburgh Zoo, a world class aquarium can be found. It's a fantastic space, but the nooks and crannies of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium will leave you with an appreciation for the architecture and a love for the interactive exhibits.
And then there's the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Sorry, yinz. We can't compete with exhibits that lead to moments like this.
She's listening to "Hey, Good Lookin'" by Hank Williams, by the way. All kids should take a moment to appreciate the classics, don't you think?
There's far more to Cleveland than a crappy football team. I swear it.