9 days in Cleveland & Columbus Itinerary

A culturally diverse city situated on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland boasts many places to visit, such as world-class museums, popular amusement parks, and sprawling recreational areas.

Family-friendly places like Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and The Cleveland Museum of Art will thrill your kids. Do some cultural sightseeing at West Side Market and Wade Memorial Chapel. Get out of town with these interesting Cleveland side-trips: Beaver Marsh (in Peninsula), Sea Breeze Charters (in Oak Harbor) and F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm (in Akron). And it doesn't end there: find something for the whole family at Cedar Point, look for all kinds of wild species at Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, examine the collection at A Christmas Story House, and contemplate the long history of Thomas Edison Birthplace Museum.

For reviews, traveler tips, photos, and other tourist information, refer to the Cleveland trip builder tool.

Houston to Cleveland is an approximately 4.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or do a combination of bus and train. Traveling from Houston to Cleveland, you'll lose 1 hour due to the time zone difference. Prepare for slightly colder weather when traveling from Houston in June: high temperatures in Cleveland hover around 77°F and lows are around 64°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 14th (Wed) early enough to drive to Columbus.

More than just one of the nation's top business centers, Columbus is a mixture of many different parts of America, situated at the spot where the so-called "Bible Belt" meets the varied cultures of the Great Plains and Appalachia.

Get some cultural insight at National Museum of the US Air Force and Easton Town Center. You'll visit kid-friendly attractions like Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve and Wagner-Hagans Auto Museum. Change things up with these side-trips from Columbus: St. Nicholas Catholic Church (in Zanesville), Charleston Falls Preserve (in Tipp City) and Zipline (in Rockbridge). There's much more to do: stroll through The Wilds, see some colorful creatures with Columbus Scuba, relax in the rural setting at Gallant Farm Preserve, and look for all kinds of wild species at Battelle Darby Creek.

To see other places to visit, where to stay, maps, and more tourist information, read Columbus journey planner.

Getting from Cleveland to Columbus by car takes about 2.5 hours. Other options: take a bus; or fly. When traveling from Cleveland in June, plan for a bit warmer days and about the same nights in Columbus: temperatures range from 83°F by day to 63°F at night. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 18th (Sun) so you can catch the flight back home.