Things to do in Cleveland, Ohio or how I learned to stop worrying and love work

[Jake]

I'll admit, I've been worried about my job lately.

I work at a small branch office for an international, multibillion dollar company. While I work for a great company I'll admit I dislike much of my job duties, basically working as a glorified customer service rep. It's more professional than it sounds and pays well but some days I absolutely dread going into work. Local management has definitely picked up on this, and for a while I've been worrying about being let go for that reason. In some meetings with management, I've been simultaneously praised for my work and then reprimanded for attitude problems, including a come to Jesus meeting with the GM which was basically a "Get on board or leave" affair.

Now, our company is great about training opportunities (I was in Tulsa recently for computer training), however, it's always been understood unless you're in management or in outside sales, going to corporate for any reason will never happen unless you transfer there. So when they announced that they were going to be sending an inside rep from each region for a global summit, I assumed there was a snowball's chance I would even be in the conversation. This is a big deal, because whoever gets picked will represent our entire region, and also involves giving a speech and presentation to not only the other members of the summit but members of upper management, including the friggin' CEO.

This morning, I was told I'll be the one going.

Frankly I'm in a bit of shock. I thought they wanted me gone! Needless to say, my manager warned me that when this will be announced to the rest of the company on Monday to expect some serious backlash from some people. It was assumed the person picked would be based off of seniority, and I'm nowhere near the top. This includes people who've been with the company for longer than I've been alive!


So next month I'll be spending some time in Cleveland. So all that being said...assuming I have any downtime, what's there to do in Cleveland? Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Football Hall of Fame are the two obvious ones, but anything else?

[TheLivingDead]

The Great Lakes Science Center is super awesome.

The Museum of Art is pretty cool.

Catch an Indians game.

Lots of great bands role through there.

TONS of great food.

Cedar Point Park isn't too far away if you're into roller coaster n what not.

Have a good time.

[JOLLY]

Too bad it's not winter. You could go see a crappy football team play.

[TheLivingDead]

I'LL KILL YOU JOLLY

[JollyRoger523]

The Great Lakes Science Center is super awesome.

The Museum of Art is pretty cool.

Catch an Indians game.

Lots of great bands role through there.

TONS of great food.

Cedar Point Park isn't too far away if you're into roller coaster n what not.

Have a good time.

All of this plus:

There are several craft breweries around if you're into beer. I'm a Great Lakes Brewing fan myself. Although I've never taken the brewery tour I've heard it is worth the trip.

I haven't been to the "the flats" for a long time, but I don't think it's the happening place anymore.

You can take a tour of the Steamship William Mather (retired freighter) or the USS Cod (decommissioned Navy sub) if you are into that sort of thing. Both are within a few minutes walk from the Rock hall of fame.

If you like parks, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park system is just a short drive south. Some nice hiking and scenery. Brandywine Falls is a neat location but probably is not flowing very strong due to the recent weather. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad offers train rides through the park. I think some even include a dinner. The only time I've rode it was when we took our son there for their Thomas Train event.

There are at least two boats, the Good Times and the Nautica Queen, that offer a dinner/party cruise around Lake Erie.

There might be some place to rent jet skis/wave runners on the lake. I went to one years and years ago but that one was out near Sandusky.

If you want to lose some money, the Horseshoe Casino has recently opened, but I don't know anyone who has been there yet.

Niagara Falls is a little less than 4 hours away if you have some time and want to take a drive. Put in Bay is a nice little party island and is about 2.5 hours away.

Hope this helps you out. Hell, you could always just stay in town get drunk, act stupid, and wind up in the Cuyahoga County Jail.

[ratherdashing]

Check out these Cleveland tourism vids for a few suggestions.

[HamerPlyr]

"We're so retarded that we think this is art."...lol

Have fun, Jake! Go and present your behind off.

[Hagbard Celine]

I'm from Akron, not Cleveland, and moved away 20 years ago this month but the thing I miss the most is the Cuyahoga Valley Park and the Metro Parks that are near it. I grew up just outside the park boundaries and it's a good place to peace out. Virginia Kendall and The Gorge are good places.

Is Blossom Music Center still a good venue for concerts?

Try going to Parma and bowl a few frames.

Buy a Goulardi T Shirt and walk around and see what happens.

Remember, "There's no Surf in Cleveland" but "Cleveland Rocks."

[newking70]

, who goes to cleveland for a convention?

[BrianS.]

Those videos were HIGH-LARIOUS!

Have fun in Detro...ah, Cleveland!

[LesStrat]

, who goes to cleveland for a convention?

Maybe that's why they "selected" Jakester!

[Jake]

, who goes to cleveland for a convention?

My company is headquartered there.


ratherd, those videos are pretty damn hilarious. I've seen the first but didn't know he made a second

[MetalManiac]

Someone is being groomed for success by a mulitnational Fortune 100 Company.
I see Bmw 700 series cars, a North Houston home, and all the high end guitars one could possibly want! Ride that Gravy Train Son!

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/atascocita.html

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/eagle-springs.html

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/the-woodlands.html

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/summerwood.html

[Bfeeney]

The Great Lakes Science Center is super awesome.

The Museum of Art is pretty cool.

Catch an Indians game.

Lots of great bands role through there.

TONS of great food.

Cedar Point Park isn't too far away if you're into roller coaster n what not.

Have a good time.

Other than that, it's a real sh!t hole.

[JollyRoger523]

Those videos were funny as hell.

[ratherdashing]

"Our economy's based on Lebron James" is especially funny now.

[Jake]

Someone is being groomed for success by a mulitnational Fortune 100 Company.
I see Bmw 700 series cars, a North Houston home, and all the high end guitars one could possibly want! Ride that Gravy Train Son!

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/atascocita.html

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/eagle-springs.html

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/the-woodlands.html

http://www.northhoustonhomes.com/summerwood.html

lol. North Houston definitely is getting more and more affluent neighborhoods for sure. My brother is in the middle class part of Kingwood and even that's a pretty nice area. That said, some parts of The Woodlands have somewhat degraded....it's not necessarily the perfect suburb it once was. Still has those huge mega-mansions for the oil barons and Mattress Mack though. It served as a huge inspiration in Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" (frontman's hometown), and every time I drive through that area I wanna give it a spin.

[misterwhizzy]

lol. North Houston definitely is getting more and more affluent neighborhoods for sure. My brother is in the middle class part of Kingwood and even that's a pretty nice area. That said, some parts of The Woodlands have somewhat degraded....it's not necessarily the perfect suburb it once was. Still has those huge mega-mansions for the oil barons and Mattress Mack though. It served as a huge inspiration in Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs" (frontman's hometown), and every time I drive through that area I wanna give it a spin.

Dude. Memorial is where it's at. Have you driven through Piney Point?

You want to fight I-45 every afternoon? Have fun.

[Jake]

Dude. Memorial is where it's at. Have you driven through Piney Point?

You want to fight I-45 every afternoon? Have fun.

My president (of our region) has a super nice house in Memorial. You're right...I-45 sucks. It can be the middle of the afternoon and have bumper to bumper traffic. And there isn't room to expand it like they did with the Katy freeway.