The Pier & the Guardians
Downtown Cleveland is a very deceptive part of town. There are a number of places to visit and things to do, yet there is a very dreary and desolate vibe throughout. We visited the Cleveland Pier, which has a couple of modern bars and restaurants with outdoor seating and beach volleyball right up against Lake Erie. Directly next to the pier is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Science Center, and Cleveland Browns stadium. It is a really great mix of venues that one would assume would be bustling every day and night yet it was empty and lifeless. Similarly, the downtown area closer to the ballpark was more lively but the mood felt a little depressed and bland. Maybe it was because the area was a little dirty or perhaps nationwide politics were seeping into the psyche of the population, but something just seemed off.
On a brighter note, one fun thing to see in downtown Cleveland is this giant chandelier that hangs over middle of the street. Something else to do is to catch a Cleveland Guardians baseball game. The stadium is pretty average with an average view of the skyline, but they have these standing-only seats down the left and right field lines that allow you to get pretty close to playing field without paying extra. We bought nosebleed tickets but ended up spending eight out of the nine innings in the standing-only area.
