A Family Day in Cleveland: Where to Take Kids

At a glance

• Where: Nine family picks across Downtown Cleveland, University Circle, MidTown, Ohio City, Old Brooklyn and the lakefront
• Best for: Toddlers to teens; the Children's Museum of Cleveland suits ages 0-8, the science center and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame suit school age and up
• Cost: Free: Cleveland Museum of Art and West Side Market entry. Paid: zoo, science center, Rock Hall, Natural History and Children's Museum; check each official site
• Hours: Many museums are typically open 10am to 5pm and closed one weekday; check the official site before you go

The best things to do in Cleveland with kids are the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, the Great Lakes Science Center, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Children's Museum of Cleveland and the free Cleveland Museum of Art. Add the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for older kids and the West Side Market for lunch, and you have a full day without a long drive. Every pick below is inside the city of Cleveland, Ohio, except one clearly labelled side trip.

This is a plan, not a catalogue. Cleveland's family attractions sit in a few clusters, so the trick is choosing one or two per day and matching them to your children's ages.

What suits which ages?

The Children's Museum of Cleveland suits ages 0 to 8, the zoo suits every age, and the science center, Natural History museum and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame work best from about age 6 up.

• Babies and toddlers: Children's Museum of Cleveland, the zoo, the West Side Market and Edgewater Park.
• Ages 5 to 10: the zoo, Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum.
• Tweens and teens: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art, Great Lakes Science Center.

The nine family picks

1. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Old Brooklyn)

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo at 3900 Wildlife Way in Old Brooklyn is the one pick that holds toddlers and tweens at once. Rides such as the Circle of Wildlife Carousel and the Boomerang Line cost extra on top of admission, so budget for them before promising anything. Fall and winter hours are typically 10am to 4pm, which makes it a morning stop. Children under 2 are free, and junior admission covers ages 2 to 11. Official site: clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo.

2. Great Lakes Science Center (North Coast Harbor)

The Great Lakes Science Center at 601 Erieside Ave. in Downtown Cleveland is the rainy-day answer for school-age kids. It has a Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater, and the Steamship William G. Mather docked outside opens seasonally, so check before you count on it. From September to April, Sunday mornings typically have sensory-friendly hours from 10am to noon, with lower lights, sound and crowds. The attached garage has a 6-foot-10-inch height limit and is closed to the public on Browns home game days, and the center itself closes on some of those days, so check the calendar at greatscience.com.

3. Cleveland Museum of Natural History (University Circle)

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History at 1 Wade Oval Drive in University Circle is typically open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm, and closed Mondays. Youth tickets cover ages 2 to 18, and children under 2 are free. Advance tickets cost a few dollars less than door prices. Details at cmnh.org.

4. Cleveland Museum of Art (University Circle)

The Cleveland Museum of Art at 11150 East Blvd. is the only major museum on this list with free general admission, which makes it the easy pick for a short attention span: go for 45 minutes and leave happy. The museum lists Sensory-Friendly Saturdays on the third Saturday of the month, from 9 to 10am, and a weekend Community Arts Center for families. Minors need an adult over 18 in the party. Special exhibitions can need paid tickets. See clevelandart.org/visit.

5. Western Reserve Historical Society's Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum (University Circle)

The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum at 10825 East Blvd. is part of the Cleveland History Center, and one ticket covers all its galleries plus rides on the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel, which typically runs Thursday to Sunday. Children 3 to 17 pay a reduced rate and children 2 and under are free. Cars and planes are an easy sell for a seven-year-old. Hours and prices: wrhs.org.

6. Children's Museum of Cleveland (MidTown)

The Children's Museum of Cleveland at 3813 Euclid Ave. in MidTown is built for ages 0 to 8. Hours are short, typically 9am to 1:30pm, and it is closed Thursdays, so it works as the morning stop. The Wonder Lab has water tables, so pack a change of clothes. Parking is free on site, with overflow at the Cleveland Masonic Auditorium and free street parking on Chester Ave. See cmcleveland.org.

7. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (North Coast Harbor)

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at 1100 Rock & Roll Blvd. is best from about age 8 up, when kids recognize the names. Children 5 and under are free, and ages 6 to 12 pay a reduced rate. Plan on two to three hours, and know that much of the museum is underground. Hours are typically 10am to 5pm daily, with later evenings on Thursdays for most of the year and on several summer nights. Check rockhall.com/visit.

8. West Side Market (Ohio City)

The West Side Market at 1979 West 25th St. in Ohio City is a public market with over 70 vendors under a 137-foot clock tower, and entry is free. It is the easiest meal stop on this list: kids pick from pastries, cheese, fruit and ready-to-eat food while adults browse. Posted hours are typically Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 8am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm; the official site does not list Tuesday and Thursday hours, so check first. Details: westsidemarket.org.

9. Edgewater Park (Detroit-Shoreway)

Edgewater Park at 4101 Fulton Parkway in Detroit-Shoreway is a Cleveland Metroparks lakefront park with a swim beach, a dog beach, picnic tables, volleyball and a seasonal fishing pier. It is the free place to run off energy and watch Lake Erie. The official page lists no playground, and it gives no hours or fees, so confirm with Cleveland Metroparks at 216-635-3200. See the Metroparks page.

Is Cuyahoga Valley National Park worth the drive?

Cuyahoga Valley National Park sits just outside Cleveland city limits, between Cleveland and Akron, and is about 22 miles and 30 minutes from the city by car. It is not one of the nine picks because it is not in Cleveland, but it is the best half-day add-on for kids who need trees. The National Park Service says it is open every day of the year, with no entrance fee. Brandywine Falls and several other areas close at dusk. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad runs from the park, and its seasonal trips book ahead and cost extra. See nps.gov/cuva and cvsr.org.

Where do you park?

Every attraction here has its own parking, and none of it is validated across venues.

• University Circle: the Cleveland Museum of Natural History garage lists a daily maximum of $18. The Cleveland Museum of Art has its own garage off Jeptha Drive. The Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Crawford museum have separate parking. Walking between museums on Wade Oval saves the second parking fee.
• North Coast Harbor: the Great Lakes Science Center garage has a posted daily maximum of $15, or $9 with validation. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a short walk, so park once.
• MidTown: the Children's Museum of Cleveland has free on-site parking.
• Zoo and Edgewater: check the official parking pages before you go, since fees were not confirmed.

For general directions and transit, see Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority.

Where do you eat with kids?

The West Side Market is the best bet for a mixed-age group, because everyone picks their own food and no one waits for a table. It is closed or short on some days, so confirm hours. For University Circle days, eat before or after: there is a long list under food and dining. Pack snacks and water for everything else; the zoo and Edgewater are better with a picnic.

Save this: one full day for a mixed-age family

1. 8:30am, West Side Market (Ohio City). Breakfast and snacks while it is calm. On Sundays the market opens at 10am, so swap this for a later start.
2. 10:00am, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Old Brooklyn). Do the zoo while energy is high. Fall and winter closing is typically 4pm, so plan to leave by 1:30pm.
3. 2:30pm, Cleveland Museum of Art (University Circle). Free, and a calm change of pace. Leave when the mood turns. The museum is closed Mondays, so on a Monday swap in the Children's Museum of Cleveland in the morning instead.
4. Rainy-day swap: Great Lakes Science Center in the morning and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the afternoon, parked once at North Coast Harbor.
5. Small-kid swap: Children's Museum of Cleveland from 9am, a West Side Market lunch, then Edgewater Park in good weather.

When should you leave?

Leave each place before the meltdown, not after it. Two stops is a full day with young kids, and three is the ceiling. Zoo and museum closing times in fall and winter run earlier than in summer.

How we chose

We included only places inside the city of Cleveland, Ohio, that each have an official site confirming they are operating, and we checked hours, kid pricing and parking on those pages. Cuyahoga Valley National Park is noted separately because it lies just outside the city. Prices and hours change, so every figure here is typical, not guaranteed. We skipped seasonal attractions like the downtown skating rink because they are not open year-round. The Cleveland Botanical Garden at 11030 East Blvd. in University Circle is also family friendly, but it closes for short stretches to install seasonal shows, so confirm its schedule at cbgarden.org.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Cleveland with kids?

The most reliable family picks in Cleveland, Ohio are Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Great Lakes Science Center, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Children's Museum of Cleveland and the free Cleveland Museum of Art. Older kids also enjoy the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

What is free to do with kids in Cleveland?

General admission to the Cleveland Museum of Art in University Circle is free, and so is entry to the West Side Market in Ohio City and to Edgewater Park. Special exhibitions and food cost extra.

What can toddlers do in Cleveland?

The Children's Museum of Cleveland in MidTown is designed for ages 0 to 8, and children under 2 are free at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Edgewater Park is a free option on warm days.

Is Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Cleveland?

No. Cuyahoga Valley National Park lies just outside Cleveland city limits, between Cleveland and Akron, roughly 22 miles and 30 minutes from the city by car. The National Park Service says it is open every day of the year with no entrance fee.

Where do you park for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Great Lakes Science Center?

Both sit at North Coast Harbor, so one parking stop usually covers both. The Great Lakes Science Center garage lists a daily maximum of $15, or $9 with validation, and is closed to the public on Browns home game days.