Have you visited the 12 most Instagrammable spots in Cleveland?
Cleveland is a photographer's wonderland—just ask FreshWater's own Bob Perkoski. The same goes for Instagram aficionados, who can be seen snapping their way through the Land on the regular.
With so many photo opps to choose from, we thought we'd do the legwork of compiling a list of the city's 12 most Instagram-worthy places with the help of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (which has awarded grants and/or ioby matching funds to all of the places and organizations on our list).
And here's our challenge: visit all 12 and post each shot to Instagram using the hashtag #CACinCLE by August 1, and you could win VIP seats to the Cleveland Orchestra's Star Spangled Spectacular on Wednesday, August 7. (The winner will be chosen in early August.)
Snap to it!
Long Live Rock sign
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: Since it was unveiled in 2016, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s eye-catching “Long Live Rock” sign has become a calling card for the museum’s ultra-cool contents—as well as a de rigueur spot for selfies and “I was there” shots. Six feet high and 78 feet wide, the bold red letters beckon Clevelanders, tourists from around the world, and celebrities alike into this music mecca.
How to find it: It’s hard to miss, as the sign is situated directly in front of the I.M. Pei-designed building located at 1100 Rock and Roll Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44114.
GE Chandelier at Playhouse Square
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: The world’s largest outdoor chandelier is right here in Cleveland—at 20 feet high with a bling factor of 4,200+ crystals. Cleveland.com called it an “instant icon for Cleveland’s theater district,” which also happens to be pretty notable as the largest theater district in the country outside New York City. Let there be lights!
How to find it: The GE Chandelier is located at the intersection of E. 14th St. and Euclid Ave.
League Park
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: As Cleveland’s real-life Field of Dreams, League Park played home to a host of pro sports teams from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. (Two World Series wins for CLE went down, and Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio hit personal bests there—no big deal.) Today the beautifully restored ball field makes a perfect photo for baseball lovers, who can then head into the adjacent Baseball Heritage Museum.
How to find it: League Park and the Baseball Heritage Museum are located at 6601 Lexington Ave., Cleveland, OH 44103.
Lakeview Cemetery
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: With over 100,000 graves and the stunning Wade Chapel featuring Tiffany stained-glass windows, it’s easy to get lost in beautiful Lakeview Cemetery, but one must-see is the Haserot Angel. Situated on top of the marble gravestone of canning entrepreneur Francis Haserot, the hauntingly compelling sculpture is often referred to as the “Weeping Angel”—thanks to the appearance of black tears caused by aging bronze.
How to find it: The angel is located in Section 9 on Lot 14 at Lakeview Cemetery. (Pick up a map at the gate or main office to find your way there.)
Stockyard Meats Mural
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: The Gordon Square neighborhood has become one of Cleveland’s most popular canvases for public art. Exhibit one: the Stockyard Meats mural, co-created by local artist Eileen Dorsey and Chicago artist Ish Muhammad Nieves in partnership with Graffiti HeArt. Titled “More heart than art,” the mural packs a colorful geometric punch.
How to find it: The Stockyard Meats building is located at 6105 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102.
Cleveland Cultural Gardens
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: The Cleveland Cultural Gardens have it all—Zen scenery, international flair, and more than 30 gardens paying homage to cultures all over the world. Two of the most photogenic spots are the Syrian Garden (with its stately Palmyra arches paying homage to the ancient city of Palmyra formerly occupied by ISIS), and the African-American Garden (which houses symbolic visuals of the past, present, and future of the black community and rising above slavery).
How to find it: The African-American Cultural Garden is located at 890 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. in historic Rockefeller Park between East Blvd. and St. Clair St. The Syrian Garden is located at 1191 Martin Luther King, Jr .Dr., Cleveland, OH 44108.
Cozad-Bates House
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: Leave it to University Circle to be the home of a relentlessly interesting pre-Civil War residential structure (the only of its kind in the area). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1974, the 1853-built Cozad-Bates House was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. It’s also an architectural icon with its Italianate-influenced hipped roof, curved bay windows, paired eave brackets, and prominent belvedere.
How to find it: The Cozad-Bates House is located at 11508 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106
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Western Reserve Historical Society/Cleveland History Center
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: Fashionistas and history buffs alike will find plenty of photo opps at the new Si Jolie! exhibit at the Cleveland History Center. Highlighting French fashion and its Cleveland connections, the exhibit kicks off this Sunday, July 14, with—wait for it—a Bastille Day celebration.
How to find it: The Si Jolie exhibit is located at the Cleveland History Center (10825 East Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44106) in the Chisholm Halle Costume Wing.
Euclid Beach Pier
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: Though the beloved Euclid Beach Amusement Park is now just the stuff of cotton candy-coated memories, the brand-new Euclid Beach Pier pays playful homage to its past with arches featuring carousel horses, Flying Turns cars, dancers, and the park’s original arches. (The panoramic Lake Erie and skyline views don’t hurt, either.)
How to find it: The pier is located on the northwest part of Euclid Beach Park (16301 Lakeshore Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44110).
Pro tip: Want to relive the Euclid Beach days of yore? Check out Euclid Beach Day at the Cleveland History Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 20.
It’s Up to Us Mural
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: Do call it a comeback—after being defaced in late 2017, this iconic Cleveland mural has been restored via a crowdfunding campaign, paint donations from Sherwin-Williams, and a whole lotta community love. Meant to symbolize hope amid the changing dynamics of La Villa Hispana and Clark-Fulton, the 2,000-square-foot mural was designed and painted by John Rivera-Resto and named Scene’s “Best Public Art” selection in 2015.
How to find it: The mural is located at the corner of W. 25th Street and Clark Ave in Cleveland's Clark-Fulton neighborhood.
Never, Ever Give Up CLE
Why it's Instagram-worthy: Cleveland is known for its grit, and this unique art installation/social change project puts the resilience and hope of its people on full display. A bright yellow mailbox collects Letters of Hope for those who submit stories answering the question: “What is the hardest thing you ever had to do?” The project was funded by Cuyahoga Arts & Culture's ioby match fund, which runs through August 31 and provides dollar-for-dollar contributions of up to $5,000 on ioby crowdfunding campaigns for projects that bring arts and culture to Cuyahoga County residents.
How to find it: The installation is located at Hart Crane Park on the Cuyahoga River in the Flats, just north of the Columbus Road Bridge. (Get directions here.)
Ruby Dee Mural at Karamu House
Why it’s Instagram-worthy: Cleveland native Ruby Dee rose to fame on stage and screen in A Raisin In The Sun opposite Sidney Poitier, and now her legacy is preserved on the west-facing wall of Karamu House (the oldest African-American theater in the country). Created by muralist Kent Twitchell, the 40-foot mural provides a colorful ode to this notable Karamu House alumna.
How to find it: Karamu House is located in Fairfax at 2355 E. 89th St., Cleveland OH 44106, and the mural can be seen on the side of the building facing E. 89th St.
About the Author: Jen Jones Donatelli
As an enthusiastic CLE-vangelist, Jen Jones Donatelli enjoys diving headfirst into her work with FreshWater Cleveland. Upon moving back to Cleveland after 16 years in Los Angeles, Jen served as FreshWater's managing editor for two years (2017-2019) and continues her work with the publication as a contributing editor and host of the FreshFaces podcast.
When not typing the day away at her laptop, she teaches writing and creativity classes through her small business Creative Groove, as well as Literary Cleveland, Cleveland State University, and more. Jen is a proud graduate of Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
