I’ll be in Cleveland from Weds-Saturday for March Madness. St. Patrick’s day will fall on one of those days.
So can anyone from Cleveland tell me 1-2 things I could do to occupy my non-basketball time? Basically if I’m going to be in Cleveland once in my life what should I do?
I’d also like some suggestions on a good Irish pub to celebrate St. Patty’s day in, preferably within walking distance of the CSU Convocation Center/Wolstein Center.
I lived in the Cleveland area for most of my life. I’d recommend you head out to University Circle at least one day (easy access from downtown by bus, rapid transit, or private car) and check out a museum or two. The Cleveland Museum of Art features a great variety of works from around the world, from ancient to modern, and it’s truly FREE. I also like the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum (Cleveland was an early center for vehicle manufacture, and such local marques as Winton and Peerless are on display). The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is okay, but not as “world-class” as the other two I’ve mentioned.
Also, try some of the non-chain restaurants. Just about every major American nationality cuisine is well-represented – Italian, Chinese, Mexican, etc. – and there are plenty of good steak houses and seafood/“lakefood” joints as well. Enjoy your stay!
So anyone have any pub advice?
Sorry, things have been crazy for me as of late, and I didn’t see this thread until late. Hope this is still of interest to you.
Most of the more “authentic” Irish pubs are west of downtown. The rest of the taverns and pubs will be celebrating St. Pat’s however, so you won’t have any problem getting green beer or the usual shot of Jameson’s or Old Bushmill’s. The closest one within walking distance of the arena is Peabody’s – 2063 E. 21st St. – right on the CSU campus. The St. Patrick’s day parade also starts nearby, at 18th and Euclid, starting about 1 pm with the US and Irish national anthems being sung. The parade takes about 2 hours total, ending up near the main library.
As for attractions, you may have heard about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Art Museum and the Auto-Aviation Museum are world-class.
Let us know if there’s anything else that you’re interested in, and maybe we can give you more detailed advice.
The House of Blues on Euclid Avenue.
There is a pretty decent Irish Pub (I’m nowhere near Irish tho, so take that w/ a grain o’ salt) on Prospect Ave. It’s called Flannery’s Pub, 323 Prospect (across from the Gund Arena). (216) 781-7782. If you want to go a little further, check out The Harp on 4408 Detroit Ave. (216) 939-0200. It’s definitely the real thing, I’ve been told.
I have nothing else to add, someone already suggested the various cultural delights to be found on University Circle. I hope you enjoyed your stay in our fine town 
Oh, I nearly forgot. We are in the middle of our annual film festival, so there are a lot of activities surrounding that going on in Tower City (on Public Square), and of course, some pretty decent films being shown. For details about that see the Cleveland Film Festival Website.