• Experience the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (moCa), where the Farshid Moussavi-designed glass-and-steel building is itself a cutting-edge piece of art. Climb the angular main staircase to access a 34,000-square-foot showcase of vanguard art from the likes of Andy Warhol, Christo, and Roy Lichtenstein. As part of its inclusion intiatives, the museum is free to all.

• Dive into the urban oasis that is the Cleveland Botanical Garden, home to 9 acres of outdoor botanical themes, including Japanese, topiary, rose, and herb, and the Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse featuring biomes drawn from Madagascar and Costa Rica. Look for the treehouse and hidden paths at the Hershey Children's Garden.

• Take in classic views of one of Cleveland's longest-established neighborhoods with a walk through nearby Little Italy. The historic district, centered originally around the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, today offers visitors an array of festivals, art spaces, boutique shopping opportunities, and, of course, Italian cuisine. Guarini's is among the most historic eateries in the city.