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Heading to Cleveland during the holiday season and looking to boost your Christmas spirit? Between pop up Christmas bars and over the top holiday lights, you will find cheer all over the city. You can even visit the A Christmas Story House, which is Ralphie’s family home from the classic movie.
Even though I am a local who lives just outside of Cleveland, I had never spent a dedicated weekend exploring my own city. That is, until a cancelled December trip to Montreal a couple year ago had my husband and I pulling a last minute audible. We immediately began dreaming up a fun holiday-themed itinerary that we could do right in own local area.
Lucky for us, there is plenty to do in Cleveland during the Christmas season. We ended up having the ultimate festive weekend, and some of these activities have even become new holiday traditions for us! Today, I am sharing our magical Cleveland Christmas itinerary so that you can do the same.
The Ultimate Cleveland Christmas Weekend Itinerary
The below itinerary will have you frolicking into the best holiday activities that Cleveland has to offer!
Day 1: A Christmas Story House & Zoo Lights
Whether you live locally or are visiting from out of town, start the day at one of Cleveland’s many local coffee shops. My two favorites in downtown Cleveland are Phoenix Coffee Co and Rising Star Coffee Roasters.
Another newer cafe with tons of charm is The Judith in Ohio City. Inspired by French cafe culture, it’s the perfect spot to sit with an artisanal latte while savoring a flaky croissant.
Visit West Side Market
Continue your sightseeing in the Ohio City neighborhood with a stroll through one of Cleveland’s most iconic buildings: the West Side Market. Located on W 25th street, it is the city’s oldest public market.
Since 1912, West Side Market has been home to around 100 vendors, who sell everything from raw meats and seafood to prepared baked goods and gyros. In fact, this beautiful historical building warrants a visit in and of itself.
A Christmas Story House
When visiting Cleveland at Christmas, a visit to the A Christmas Story House is essential. This house was used in the filming of the famous movie. You know – the one on TV for 24 hours every Christmas Eve, with the leg lamp and where Ralphie shoots his eye out?
Tickets to tour the house are $17 (children under 5 are free). It’s just a seven-minute drive from West Side Market and there is free parking adjacent to the museum.
The tour may be guided or self-guided, lasting about one hour and including the house and neighboring museum. Inside the house there are replicas of many props you’ll see in the movie, like the famous leg lamp and the Lifebuoy soap Ralphie consumes.
We also loved seeing all the vintage cookware and appliances, which reminded my husband of his grandmother’s house growing up.
Dinner at Bourbon Street Barrel Room
After touring the A Christmas Story House, you’ll likely be hungry for dinner. Luckily, you’ll already be in the Tremont neighborhood, which has lots of fun and unique restaurants and bars. My husband and I chose Bourbon Street Barrel Room, which only had bar seats left when we arrived around 5:30 pm.
This restaurant lured us in with its traditional New Orleans cuisine. Aaron and I had been to New Orleans before and are basically obsessed with the rich, flavorful food there. However, I was skeptical that a New Orleans restaurant in Cleveland could fill those shoes.
Thankfully, Bourbon Street Barrel Room proved me wrong. They make great Old Fashioned and Sazerac cocktails, the gumbo was perfect, and the fried oysters were crunchy on the outside and tender as could be on the inside. The shrimp and grits were not the spicy preparation I’m used to, but were still full of flavor.
The cherry on top was the décor, with Mardi Gras beads hanging from chandeliers throughout the space. Also, as the restaurant is two stories, there is a mock traditional NOLA balcony on the second floor.
Zoo Lights
The Grand Finale of the evening is “Wild Winter Lights” at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Although admission keeps getting pricier at $27 a person (was $25/person last year), the experience will take you to a magical holiday wonderland.
Save money by following this essential tip: purchase your tickets online in advance for $24 per person ($21 for zoo members). Tickets can also be bought online only as a package of four for $73 ($63 for 4 people).
The lights are over-the-top, with what seems like a new display every few feet. Visitors basically follow a loop around the zoo through different sections, encountering fun themes like enchanted forest and candy land.
There were all sorts of larger-than-life structures, many of which made very popular photo spots. I had a lot of fun strolling with Aaron past all this enchantment, and we even got to see a tiger, snow leopard, red panda, and reindeer.
Need a hotel for your visit? Check out my Cleveland hotel guide here.
Mitchell’s Ice Cream
There is no better way to end the night than with a seasonal ice cream scoop from Mitchell’s Homemade. During the holidays, Mitchell’s features special flavors, like Amaretto Cookie (my favorite), Caramel Gingersnap, and Egg Nog. If you’re lucky, my other fall favorite, Turtle Brownie, may still be on the menu.
The closest Mitchell’s location to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is their flagship shop in Ohio City. As this is my all-time favorite ice cream spot, it is essential to squeeze a single scoop or tasters duo into your evening!
Day 2: Downtown Cleveland Festivities
Even though Day 1 of this Cleveland Christmas itinerary was filled to the brim with holiday fun, we’re not done yet. Believe it or not, there are plenty more festivities to experience in Cleveland.
For breakfast today, either try another local coffee shop, or make your way to The Cleveland Bagel Company. There is sometimes a wait, but their delicious breakfast sandwiches are worth it!
Shop at Cleveland Clothing Company
Keeping with the theme of shopping local, next it’s time to check out one of the coolest shops in downtown Cleveland: Cleveland Clothing Co. This local clothing boutique celebrates the pride that Clevelanders have in their city. Not only does it sell t-shirts and other items related to local sports teams, but its also has unique apparel that honors Cleveland itself.
Every year, Cleveland Clothing Co also makes cute, Christmas themed items. Therefore, it’s definitely worth a look for some Christmas shopping or even to find something cool for yourself.
Walk Through the Old Arcade
When you’re done shopping, head right across Euclid Avenue to discover the Old Arcade, which is one of Cleveland’s local gems. In holiday seasons of yore, this building would have been filled with shops and bustling with activity. Although not quite the case anymore, this gorgeous historic building still houses the Hyatt hotel, serves as a wedding venue, and is decorated to the nines for Christmas time.
All you have to do is simply walk the length of the interior to soak up its classy yuletide spirit, complete with garlands and bows galore and a grand Christmas tree. The other side of the Old Arcade will spit you out onto Superior Avenue, which is perfect for making your way to the next stop.
Bar 32 for Cleveland Views
Next, it’s just a ten minute walk further to the Hilton’s Bar 32 for incredible views of Cleveland from above. This hotel bar has huge windows, guaranteeing a view no matter where you sit. It was actually a bit thrilling to be so high, and more than once I felt a bit dizzy and weak in the knees. Did I mention I’m afraid of heights?
It was worth the mild discomfort to enjoy holiday drinks like the Festivas with this unmatched view. My next drink was the BB (short for basic bitch?), which tasted like boozy pumpkin pie filling and could totally pass as a dessert. Aaron drank Christmas Ale and a bourbon cocktail called the Rust Belt, which I enjoyed tasting as a contrast from my sweet BB.
Bar 32 also has a small food menu if you get hungry for a snack.
Dinner on E 4th Street
Make your next stop Cleveland’s trendy East 4th Street for dinner in order to stay within close walking distance to the lights in Public Square. For elegant Southern flare, great cocktails, and sophisticated family-style dishes, I recommend Cordelia.
To keep things a little more casual without sacrificing great food, Mabel’s BBQ (a Chef Michael Symon restaurant) is the perfect choice. As a bonus, Mabel’s already has a red and green color scheme in the restaurant, which fits right in with the theme of this Cleveland Christmas itinerary.
Public Square Lights
Finally, it’s time for Cleveland’s premier holiday lights display in Public Square. Every year, this primarily pedestrian area of downtown is transformed with heaps of Christmas lights, making Public Square Cleveland’s center of Christmas merriment.
The annual festivities begin the weekend after Thanksgiving with WinterLand, which features the official tree lighting, food trucks, caroling, fireworks, and live music. After this weekend, the fun continues with an ice rink in the square, the gorgeous lights, and the beauty of the Old Stone Church and Tower City flanking either side.
Tower City’s red and green glow can be seen from almost everywhere, also making a statement with big wreaths over the giant front windows. The neighboring Higbee building, where the Jack Casino now resides, adds to the ambiance with its large “Seasons Greetings” sign. All this makes Public Square a downright jolly place to soak in the holiday spirit.
Pop Up Christmas Bar
End your Cleveland Christmas weekend with drinks at the pop-up Christmas bar at Society Lounge. You could also do this before seeing the lights in Public Square if you want.
Society Lounge is one of Cleveland’s best cocktail bars, with handcrafted drinks and a sophisticated speakeasy feel. The bar’s “Miracle” event kicks off on November 17th, when the entire place transforms from top to bottom into a Christmas extravaganza. Like, they are not subtle, with wall to wall colorful lights, ornaments everywhere you look, and wreaths galore.
To top it all off is their special holiday cocktail menu, which sacrifices nothing in quality from the typical drink menu. The entire list of about ten unique cocktails comes in fun glasses while delivering on Christmassy flavors without being too sweet. If this place does not make you feel any yuletide mirth, then I don’t know what will!
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If you want to be in full holiday mode while frolicking around Cleveland, this Christmas season itinerary will bring the North Pole and Whoville vibes. There is no shortage of holiday drinks, delicious meals, and cheery activities to indulge in over a festive weekend. I guarantee your holiday spirit alone will be enough to power Santa’s sleigh.
Are you planning a festive holiday weekend in Cleveland?
