About Cleveland
Wrapping around the banks of the Cuyahoga River and the southern shore of Lake Erie on the north, Cleveland is the second largest city in Ohio, with a population of 478,403. The Greater Cleveland metroplex, with more than two-million residents, is the largest metropolitan area in the state. Established in 1796 near the mouth of the Cuyahoga, it became a burgeoning manufacturing center in the 19th century due to its strategic location at the head of numerous canals and railroad lines. As heavy manufacturing declined in the 20th century, Cleveland businesses diversified into financial services, insurance, healthcare and other service-oriented industries.
As a result of an ambitious downtown revitalization and urban renaissance, Cleveland has transformed itself from a former factory town to a sparkling, cosmopolitan center now known as "The New American City." Cleveland's dedication to re-inventing itself has earned it the distinction of being the only city in the country to be voted an "All-American City" five separate times.
The Cleveland skyline is dominated by three architecturally distinct buildings. Built in 1991, the 57-floor Key Tower is the tallest building in Ohio and formerly the tallest building between New York
New York and Chicago
Chicago. Designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the sleek, post-modern skyscraper helps define the Cleveland skyline. When Key Tower was built in 1990, it surpassed the historic 1930 Terminal Tower which had been the tallest skyscraper for 60 years. At 52 stories tall, Terminal Tower is a beloved shape on the city's skyline. Built in 1985, the third tallest skyscraper is the 200 Public Square building. At 45 stories, the imposing building was originally headquarters for Standard Oil of Ohio.
A major banking center, Cleveland is home to The Fourth District Federal Reserve Bank, one of twelve in the nation, and headquarters for many Fortune 500 companies, including National City Corp, KeyCorp, Sherwin-Williams, Medical Mutual of Ohio and American Greetings. Dozens of hospitals and medical centers are also located in Cleveland, including the internationally recognized University Hospitals of Cleveland, The Cleveland Clinic and the MetroHealth Medical Center.
Cleveland's cultural scene rivals that of much larger cities with distinguished collections at the Great Lakes Science Center and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The Cleveland Art Museum, with 40,000 works of art, is known for its definitive pre-Columbian, medieval Asian and European art collections including masterpieces by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and Michelangelo. It is currently in the middle of major renovations and a 200,000-square-foot expansion that will be completed in 2011.
A centerpiece for Cleveland's performing arts culture is Playhouse Square, the largest theater restoration project in America. Five historic 1920s vaudeville and movie palaces, Ohio, Allen, State, Palace and Hanna, have undergone extensive renovations and now give theater goers world-class experiences on par with New York and London, such as Broadway blockbusters, Jersey Boys, Wicked and The Color Purple. With a total of 10,000 seats, Playhouse Square is second in size to New York.
Why Cleveland?
Cleveland is a convention-friendly town that prides itself in providing premium hospitality and accommodations for visitors. There are 22,000 first-class hotel rooms throughout the city, with more than 4,000 of those conveniently located downtown. Over twenty hotels with some 3,100 rooms are located near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Located at beautiful North Coast Harbor on Lake Erie,
the Cleveland Convention Center
Cleveland Convention Center has 375,000 square feet of space. The International Exposition and Conference Center next to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is one of the largest single-building exposition centers in the world, offering 1,600,000 square feet of exhibit space and parking for 10,000 vehicles.
Cleveland has been a favorite destination for conventioneers and vacationers for a long time. With a population of nearly 500,000, this warm, ethnically diverse city offers a wide variety of world-class cultural and entertainment facilities in addition to numerous family attractions. Music is Cleveland's middle name. Whether it is rock and roll, jazz, R&B or a Mozart symphony, Clevelanders are serious about their music. The world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra plays to packed houses at historic Severance Hall, an equal to the finest concert halls in the United States and Europe.
Cleveland is also the birthplace of the term "rock and roll" and the site of the first rock and roll concert. In honor of that heritage, Cleveland invested millions to build the internationally acclaimed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the only facility of its kind in the world. The stunning pyramid architecture is a signature shape on Cleveland's skyline.
Cleveland is one of the most vibrant cultural centers in the United States. Playhouse Square, with its historic performance venues and 10,000 seats, is second only to New York. Most days and nights, audiences enjoy Broadway musicals, international dance groups, ballet, drama, comedy, opera, and symphony, as well as high-caliber regional and local performance groups.
Cleveland's famous University Circle is one of the nation's most well-developed cultural centers in the U.S. It is made up of a concentration of several acclaimed institutions such as the Cleveland Museum of Art which houses a world-class international art collection with masterpieces by famous artists like Van Gogh and Picasso.
Thanks to its melting-pot population, Cleveland has many terrific ethnic restaurants. Mallorca Restaurant is known for its tuxedoed wait staff, award-winning service and delicious house specialties such as Paella Valenciana. The city also has its share of exceptional, fine dining restaurants like Blue Pointe Grill, voted Cleveland's "Best Seafood Restaurant" every year since it opened, and Michael Symon's Lola Bistro & Wine Bar. Michael Symon was voted one of the "Ten Best Chefs in America" by Food and Wine Magazine.
Cleveland has a flourishing nightlife with hip clubs and bars scattered throughout the city and the many attractions of the Historic Warehouse District. The Historic Warehouse District includes hot spots, from the premier dance club Velvet Dog-complete with rooftop patio and downtown views-to the Spy Bar, a chic, upscale night club with four-star service and the finest DJs from around the world.
Home of NFL's Cleveland Browns, American League's Cleveland Indians and NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland is a great sports town with a year-round schedule of professional and minor league games. The new Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex, a major part of the city's ambitious revitalization efforts, includes Progressive Field where the Cleveland Indians play and Quicken Loans Arena, home court for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Visitors find it easy to get around Cleveland with ample transportation services that include buses, taxis, light rail
RTA Rapid Transit and shuttles. Taxi fares are metered at a rate of $2.00 per mile with the addition of a $2.25 trip fee. Taxi fares from the Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport to Downtown Cleveland (approximately 14 miles one-way) average $30.00.
Cleveland Key Area Facts
Time Zone: Central Standard Time (CST)
Convention Center: Cleveland Convention Center
Airports: Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport
| Population | 478,400 | Destination Type Listings |
| Hotels | 290 | • Beach Destinations |
| Hotel Rooms | 22,000 | • Smoke free restaurants |
| Hotel Rooms (Airport) | 3,100 | |
| Restaurants | 2390 |
Cleveland Climate Information
Cleveland has a traditional Midwest climate with cool and crisp Falls, frigid and snowy Winters, short Springs and hot, humid summers. On average, Summer temperatures range from 70°F - 90°F with the warmest temperatures occurring in the month of July. Cleveland's all-time record high was set on June 25, 1988 when temperatures soared to a boiling 104°F.
Located on the shorelines of Lake Erie, Cleveland experiences the Lake Snow effect from mid-November through early February, which causes snowfall totals to range across the city. The airport tends to receive very limited amounts of snow while areas within the "snow belt" (Eastern Cleveland through Eastern Suburbs and up the Shoreline of Lake Erie) may receive as much as 100 inches in a given season. While cold Winter weather is the typical, Clevelanders also often enjoy a Winter mild spell where temperatures may rise into the 70s for several days. Cleveland receives approximately 38.7 inches of rain received every year.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec High -°F | 73 | 69 | 82 | 88 | 92 | 104 | 100 | 102 | 101 | 89 | 82 | 77 |
| Avg High -°F | 34 | 36 | 46 | 58 | 69 | 79 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 50 | 38 |
| Avg Low -°F | 19 | 21 | 28 | 38 | 48 | 58 | 62 | 61 | 54 | 44 | 35 | 25 |
| Rec Low -°F | -20 | -15 | -5 | 10 | 25 | 31 | 41 | 38 | 34 | 19 | 3 | -15 |
| Rainfall - in. | 2.6 | 2.3 | 3 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 2.9 |
