Winter in Cleveland Bucket List
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
It’s pretty easy to stay active during Cleveland’s spring and summer season. With a national park located just 30 min outside of the city and the wonderful Metroparks system, plus Lake Erie beaches, there’s lots to do recreation wise. The winter season can be a bit depressing for many (not me as I love the clouds and snow!) due to the ongoing bleak weather and high likelihood of snow.
While I enjoyed hiking and searching for seaglass during the summer months, I also had no problem finding events and things to do to keep me busy all winter long. I think it is important to stay motivated and active all winter, especially in gloomy Midwest climates. Many people lose motivation this time of year and stay copped up in the house for far too long. Thus, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite things to do around the metro in the wintry months. Note that some activities require a drive (less than 1 hr).
Sledding at Big Creek Reservation
The best part about the aftermath of a huge snowstorm is going sledding. Growing up in the Midwest, I couldn’t wait to get a blizzard and then trudge through the snow to my local park to sled. It’s a youthful activity where anyone can feel like a kid again. Instead of fretting over shoveling snow and digging the car out, I get excited about sledding and winter sports.
Engle Rd in Big Creek Reservation is my favorite place to go sledding. The hill is huge (it’s a great workout walking up!) and the scenery is nice. It never gets too crowded, although you can expect a good turnout of snow lovers following any decent storm. Note – there is a quarter of a mile walk from the parking lot to get to the hill.
Winter walks/snowshoeing
No matter how freezing the temps are outside, I absolutely love walking through the woods in the winter. It’s so peaceful and you basically get to enjoy the scenery all to yourself. Oftentimes, it is a better workout as well as you have to trudge through snow. If you get enough snow (at least 8 inches or snow), you can bring your own snowshoes or rent them at various parks (Cuyahoga NP, North Chagrin, Chapin Forest).
Many years ago, I invested in a pair of snowshoes, as well as waterproof boots and snow pants and I stay nice and warm and cozy as I enjoy tranquil views of the pines covered with snow. Any park will do although my favorite place is Big Creek Reservation in Parma Heights. I really love the peaceful creek scenery and the dense pines here. I’ve yet to see more than a handful of walkers at a time.
Cross country skiing
I skied for the first time about 10 years ago while living in southern Idaho. Today, it is on my lineup of favorite winter activities alongside sledding, snowshoeing, and ice skating. Cross country skiing is a great workout and an excellent way to stay motivated during a long winter season. While there is no official nordic center here, you can ski at several Metroparks.
I like Chapin Forest because they offer ski rentals right on-site. The scenery is beautiful and rentals are affordable ($10 per hr). On a side note, there are a lot of small hills here despite the website stating that the main lake loop is flat. Mike actually tumbled down one of the hills. I recommend all newbies to take a lesson. Free lessons are available on select dates with advance registration. This is the way to go and likely I will be signing up next season. It would be nice to learn how to navigate those challenging hills and turns where you basically lose all control.
Cozy up with a cup of joe at a local coffeehouse
I enjoy supporting local coffeehouses all year-round no matter where I am living or traveling at the time. The food and vibe is often better than that which you find at standard chains. During the cold winter months, I prefer businesses which offer a more relaxed vibe where I can hang out for a while. Bonus points for a cozy fireplace, cozy couches, or any type of holiday and/or wintry decorations.
My winter favorites throughout the metro include:
Cool Beans cafe: This coffeehouse in downtown Medina goes all out with the cutest frosty theme. Everywhere you look you see snowflakes and frosty decorations. They offer a nice selection of pastries and the coffee is decent although I wish they provided mugs instead of just paper cups. Also, they offer a popular soup flight which I am hoping to try next season.
Roasted in Tremont: Super casual setting with cozy couches, a fireplace, and board games. You can kick back and relax for a while here. I love the bagels as well as the specialty drinks (they offer great winter and fall specials).
Civilization: Old school coffeehouse located in a historic 19th Century Building in Tremont. The vibe is really dark and cozy and the neighborhood vibe appealing. I love the pastries (esp the danish and muffins) and dark roast coffee.
5 Points: Irish coffeehouse with cute decor and even better homemade bakery treats. I recommend treating yourself to the Cauliflower Curry Pastry or Irish Soda Bread! On one negative note, it’s pretty pricey!
Ice skating
Unfortunately, the city has closed down many of their ice rinks including Wade Oval. To be honest, I love ice skating and I am a bit disappointed in the options here compared to other cities I’ve lived in. There are not enough outdoor rinks and the ones that exist are not that well maintained. My favorite outdoor rink would have to be the ink in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. While the setting is nice, the ice is pretty rough and Mike even took a pretty bad fall. I would recommend getting here right at opening before the ice quality diminishes even more.
This low-key small town is located about 40 min outside of the city. After working up a sweat (skating burns tons of calories), you can dine at a local restaurant and shop for local antiques. Cuyahoga is the cheapest rink (no admission, $5 skate rentals) in the metro which is a bonus. Indoor rinks which I have enjoyed include Michael A Ries in Parma Heights (a great deal) and The Pond in Chagrin Falls.
Holiday events
The best way to get into the Christmas spirit is walking around Zoo Lights. It is one of the better zoo festivals I’ve attended in recent years. This event features hundreds of beautiful light displays, a choreographed show, and holiday treats and drinks. A random snowstorm during our visit made the night even more magical.
Other holiday events throughout December include plays and drive through light displays. Of course, you need to tour the famous house from “A Christmas Story”! The house (located in Tremont) was used for both exterior and interior shots.
The best free light display is the Crown Point Parkway neighborhood house. You can read more about the various free holiday displays in my guide.
Take a quiet walk around The Metroparks Zoo
One of my favorite things about living in this area thus far has been my membership to the Metroparks Zoo. It’s one of the best zoos around. The exhibits are wonderful, the space is clean, and there is lots of space to walk around. I use the zoo as a cardio workout at least a few times a month, even in the winter. In fact, I actually prefer visiting when the weather is cold, rainy, and/or snowy due to the absence of crowds. This is a great time to enjoy the zoo in peace as tourists usually only come out in droves during the summer. Highlights include a Tiger Passage with walkway, an indoor primate exhibit, and a beautiful Red Panda exhibit.
Go back in time via a stroll around a cozy Main Street
There are a number of small towns to explore within a quick drive of the city. Sometimes, it’s nice to escape the hustle and bustle, traffic, and factories for a charming day exploring Main Street. Wintertime is perfect as you can avoid crowds, skip the wait at restaurants, and take all the pics you want without obstruction. Plus, seeing a charming town dusted with snow is so romantic like a scene right out of a Hallmark movie!
A few of my favorites include:
Vermillion: Cute little Lake Erie town home to a historic lighthouse & many local restaurants and boutique shops. I love how you can get to the town beach right from Main St. I like to stop in Brummer’s for some chocolate truffles and enjoy lunch at the hippy themed Woodstock Cafe. My full guide of what to do and see in Vermillion.
Medina: Historic town home to a beautiful park with gazebo. As one of the bigger downtowns, there are a lot of local shops and cafes to enjoy. I usually stop by Cool Beans for a pastry and coffee (this shop features the cutest Frosty theme this time of year) and Dominic’s (old school Italian) for lunch. Attractions include Castle Noel (a year-round indoor Christmas exhibit) and Medina Antique Mall (I have found a lot of treasures here).
Chagrin Falls: I love the small town charm and strolling Main St. which is loaded with independent coffee shops, cafes, and shops. I usually stop by Heartwood Roasters or Your Truly for breakfast. For lunch, you can’t beat 17 River Grille where you can dine overlooking the falls. There are lots of great shops including a great local bookstore (Fireside). The main sight of interest here is the waterfall located right on Main St.
Try out a new restaurant
Wintertime is the perfect time to skip the common chains and try out something new. It’s a great way to spice up an oftentimes boring time of the year. I find that having a new restaurant to look forward to each weekend gives me more motivation during the workweek.
Some of my favorite local gems I have discovered since moving here:
Tandul: Delicious local indian restaurant in historic Tremont. I love the exotic vibe and decor here.
Grumpy’s: Great little breakfast cafe which serves a lot of veggie fare. I love the local artwork. Also in Tremont.
Mimi’s: The best NY style pizza in the city. Limited seating but I love the decor.
Sittoo’s: Decent local Mediterranean chain with several locations in the suburbs.
Enter a mini tropical oasis at Rockefeller Gardens
This is a cozy indoor escape where you can view various plant gardens without paying a dime. In December each year, they showcase hundreds of gorgeous poinsettia plants. It’s always over 80 degrees in here, so come on by for a mini escape to the tropics! Best part of all, admission is completely free all year! Conveniently, the gardens is located a quick drive from Little Italy so you can enjoy some Italian food while you are in the vicinity (I recommend the pizza at Mama Santa’s).
Stroll the Museum of Art
Cleveland is easily home to one of the country’s best art museums. The collection is beautiful and even the building itself is gorgeous. The atrium is really stunning; I would have a cup of coffee here just to enjoy the vibe. Highlights include a huge section devoted to modern art. As one of the city’s more popular attractions, winter is the premier time to explore the exhibits in peace. As a bonus, free street parking is typically available on weekends.
Get a massage
A massage is a treat anytime of the year, but a great choice during the winter season when you are running out of interesting things to do. Sunny’s Foot Spa in Parma Heights is my favorite place for recovery. As I am on my feet a lot (running, walking, ice skating, exploring, etc), it’s always a treat to give my sore feet a break! Don’t let the crappy strip mall location fool you – the therapists are very good at what they do!
General winter fun
Of course, you can also enjoy standard winter activities found in most suburbs/metro areas
- Stroll around the mall (I like SouthPark in Strongsville)
- Dine at popular chains (I like Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden, and Choolaah)
- Sign up for a 5k (Lots of winter runs. I recently ran the in Santa Run in Tremont)
- See a play (Check the lineup of productions for the 2025-2026)
- See a movie (lots of theatres in the metro. Crocker Park offers a nice theater, plus great dining & shopping.
- Play a board game (my favorite is Scrabble)
- Challenge yourself to a new puzzle
- Movie marathons (80’s and 90’s are my favorites!)
