I’m thinking about going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. From Chicago, it’s close to 400 miles. I can fly two people for under $250. I can get a good rate on a Holiday Inn. Money’s definitely an issue.
Is the museum worth the trip? Are there good restaurants nearby? Is there anything else worth seeing in the immediate area?
I’m hoping to do the whole thing for around $600. Is it possible to have a good time in Cleveland on so few bucks?
If you really love rock and roll, then yes, the trip might be worth it. I wouldn’t go to Cleveland just for the R&RHoF, but I’m from there. There are good restaurants nearby. Just grab a cab and have the driver take you to “the flats”. There’s tons of bars and restaurants. There’s also Tower City Center, which is full of shops, bars, boutiques and restaurants.
Also in the immediate area: Football hall of fame about an hour away in Canton. You could check out an Indians game. The Cleveland Gran Prix is this weekend at Burke Lakefront Airport. Generally, I visit friends and family in Cleveland, so I’m having a hard time thinking of fun stuff to do. Oh, they do have some sort of Science/Industry museum downtown, near the R&R Hall of Fame – looks like a giant golf ball.
And yes, you could easily have a great time in Cleveland for $600. Cakewalk.
Other Ohioans?
Just for clarification, the $600 would include airfare and hotel. So we’re down to around $250 spending money.
Thanks for the information! I’ll take a pass on the sports stuff (husband and I hate most sports), but I’d like to hit a couple restaurants. Anyone else???
Why not drive? You could drive for under $100, which would save you money. Granted it does take a bit more time, 6-7 hours, but it’s what an hours flight, plus the hour or so you have to be there early, then getting off the plane etc, I would say you wouldn’t save that much time. Other then that I don’t know anything about the R&RHF.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is definitely worth the trip.
Somehow, the curators solved the problem of making what is essentially a bigger version of a Hard Rock Café into something far more than a mere display of used stuff. The exhibits are full of used stuff, but they are witty and interesting and informative and ultimately fascinating.
You can learn an awful lot about the early history of rock if you choose, and I recommend it, because most people know nothing about these - mostly black - musicians. You can also listen to their music on the best “jukebox” ever invented.
The movie about the artists in Hall of Fame is well produced, and the temporary exhibitions are perfectly displayed. And where else could you see John Lennon’s report cards? (He once got a 4 in Latin. Out of 100.)
My wife is not nearly the fan of rock that I am and she also wound up loving the place. All museums should take lessons from it on how to interest their audiences.
Speaking of museums, Cleveland has all its usual museums - Art, Science, Natural History and more - in one beautiful square mile east of downtown so it’s easy to get around once you’re there. You can overmuseum on them easily, but I can’t resist giving any good museum a plug.
Anyone else been to the “Hendrix Museum” in Seattle?
Technically, it’s the EMP: “Experience Music Project” – funded by Paul Allen, designed by Frank Gehry.
It’s very high-tech and cool (displays on History of Guitars, Reggae, and of course Jimi), but don’t try driving there from Chicago for the weekend.
Oh, and I’d drive it. Makes it officially A Road Trip™.
We often drive 2 hrs to Chicago, then the other 6 to Cleveland (but always on our way to someplace else 
I liked it, but I wish I could have spent more time there. My father wanted to get the whole museum done in about two hours, and that wasn’t long enough. I really wanted to spend more time in the John Lennon exhibit.
It’s worth it if you spend the time to look at stuff, and if you really enjoy music.
The gift shop has a nice CD selection, too.
Worth a trip. I dragged my friends all the way from Pittsburg when I was visiting back east. The one thing I didn’t like was that they didn’t allow photography.