Best free things to do in Cleveland?

There are plenty of free things to do in Cleveland and here are a few:  The Cleveland Museum of Art, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland , Rockefeller Park which has many acres of cultural gardens which will be in full bloom or take a tour of Campbell's Sweets Factory, shop for some great foods at West Side Market. The Cleveland Metroparks Administration have a lot to offer such as walking, hiking, frisbee, biking (not free but you can rent Bike and Hike Trail) or you check out one of the nature/visitor centers Nature Center At Shaker Lakes, Rocky River Nature Center , Brecksville Nature Center.  Cleveland also has many museums that aren't free but very interesting such as Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Great Lakes Science Center, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Crawford Auto Aviation Collection, Steamship William G. Mather, A Christmas Story House.  Have fun and I hope you enjoy yourself!

Valerie,

The The Cleveland Museum of Art is a must, I couldn't believe it was free-the recent renovations are beautiful!

The Cleveland Cultural Gardens are a collection of 31 public gardens, each commemorating a different ethnic group whose immigrants have contributed to the heritage of the U.S. and Cleveland-some aren't exactly kept up, but it's a neat area to explore on a nice day.

West Side Market is another great option - huge market with tons of vendors, great place to walk around, open M, W, F, and Sa. The rest of the area is also very cool to walk around-lots of neat shops and restaurants. Mitchell's Ice Cream is nearby and while the ice cream isn't free, the views of the production floor are. Grab a scoop and go upstairs to overlook all the ice creams being made.

I have to mention another nearby pocket that I really loved, a small neighborhood within the Ohio Cityneighborhood called Hingetown. They have a great coffee shop, Rising Star Coffee Roasters, and spin studio Harness Cycle, and juice bar BEET JAR juicebar & takeaway. Not free but it was one of my favorite mornings in Cleveland!

E 4th St is a great spot for people watching and while you're in that area check out The Arcade-an old shopping mall turned very cool event venue!

Want to see the world's largest permanent chandelier? Playhouse Square has you covered!

Have fun!

You'll be in CLE July or August 2016? well, downtown Cleveland will have the Republican convention swarming downtown mid July....so do NOT go then. Otherwise, E 4th St downtown has tons of cool places, comedy, great food...or the The Flats, Shooters On the Water. There are suburbs, like Lakewood (Ohio) just west of downtown, that are easier maybe for parking - a park right on the lake (Lakewood Park) where you can just grab a picnic lunch & sit. Tons of bars & restaurants all over Detroit Ave. in Lakewood...great little town! Or, Thursday nights at Edgewater Beach (between Lakewood & downtown Cleveland), bands play free there. WE LOVE MUSIC in this town!  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, The Cleveland Museum of Art (East of downtown, congested near the main hospitals though). If you are still a little to our west: in Lorain is Rocking on the River where you can catch some great double-bill cover acts outdoors for just $5-10 every Friday & Saturday (so much fun, bring a blanket or lawn chair...vendors, bathrooms, and lovely river sunsets provided). We also have gorgeous wineries heading East (Geneva-on-the-Lake), and a pretty incredible Metroparks system to drive through, winding trails to hike, people out playing frisbee, picnics, creeks....if you ever visit here mid-late October, the colors changing through the Cleveland Metroparks Administration (aka "the Valley") are nothing short of spectacular!! But we can get the first snowflakes then, too. Have fun! 

I was in Cleveland last year.  Definitely check out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.  It wasn't free, but if I remember correctly, the tickets should be less than $15.00 per person.  You'll enjoy learning about decades of music and culture.

Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art. Its it really great and I remember most of it is free to look at.

Also check out the rock and roll hall of fame. 

Lots of restaurants downtown like House of Blues etc.. and there is a casino and movie theatre all in the downtown area which is a pretty small area feels really nice. Except for some homeless people roaming about so don't walk alone at night or in empty neighborhoods. 

Also you must check out Little Italy (Ohio)! Its got a great warm vibe and lots of good bakeries and bars. 

There is also a burger place a little way from downtown called Melt Bar & Grilled! Really large and inexpensive burgers that taste good. Case Western Reserve University is worth looking at especially the business department which has a unique architecture.