Summer Fun Guide 2013: Open All Summer

[ AMUSEMENT PARKS ]

Great Wolf Lodge 4600 Milan Road, Sandusky, 419-609-6000, greatwolflodge.com. Features 271 suites, an outdoor pool and a 42,000-square-foot indoor entertainment area with a water park.

Kalahari Resort and Convention Center 7000 Kalahari Drive, Sandusky, 419-433-7200, kalahariresorts.com America's largest indoor water park, this African-themed resort features the Zip Coaster, climbing wall, zip line, safari park with giraffes and stingray. The stand-up-and-surf FlowRider and nearly 900 guest rooms and suites, Spa Kalahari, 11 restaurants and bars, shopping and more.

Pioneer Waterland & Dry Fun Park
10661 Kile Road, Chardon, 440-285-0910, pioneerwaterland.com Enjoy slides, paddleboats, activity pool, Kiddie Waterland, Tot-Land, go-karts, mini golf, baseball batting cages and more at this 75-acre park. Open for the season June 8. » Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (weather permitting). $13.95-$19.95, children under 40 inches tall are free. Parking $4.

Wildwater Kingdom 1100 Squires Road, Aurora, 330-562-8303, wildwaterfun.com A 60-foot-tall, 253-foot-long funnel slide and 390,000-gallon tidal pool are some of this water park's highlights. » Times vary. $15.99-$31.99. Parking $10.

[ ARTS ]

Beck Center for Arts 17801 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, 216-521-2540, beckcenter.org The home of musicals, comedies and dramas, the Beck Center also houses galleries featuring local and regional artists, including the Cleveland Artists Foundation gallery. Offers classes in dance, music, theater and visual arts. » Call for showtimes. $8-28 (plus $3 service fee per ticket).

Blossom Music Center 1145 W Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls, 800-686-1141; Cleveland Orchestra tickets, 216-231-1111; Ticketmaster, 800-745-3000, livenation.com The summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra and a tour stop for many national acts ranging from rock to country. Kenny Chesney's No Shoes Nation tour arrives June 20, while Kid Rock takes the stage July 2. The Jonas Brothers play July 16 and Train brings its Mermaids of Alcatraz Tour to town July 17. » Visit the website for a full concert lineup.

Cain Park 14591 Superior Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-291-5796, cainpark.com Performing arts center with outdoor theater and an annual art fair. This summer's concert schedule includes Amy Grant on June 28, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings on June 30 and Weird Al Yankovic on July 31. » Visit the website for a full schedule of music, theater and dance performances at both the Alma Theater and Evans Amphitheater.

Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque 11141 East Blvd, Cleveland, 216-421-7450, cia.edu/cinematheque See foreign, classic and indie movies that aren't playing elsewhere in the city. » $9, members and CIA students, faculty and staff $7, a second same-day film costs $6. Anyone under 25 pays $6.

Cleveland Institute of Music 11021 East Blvd, Cleveland, 216-791-5000, cim.edu Conservatory and venue offering a variety of free performances.

Cleveland Orchestra 11001 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 216-231-1111, clevelandorchestra.com The world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra performs at Blossom Music Center each summer. This year's Blossom Festival includes Pixar In Concert the weekend of Aug. 31-Sept.1. » Visit the website for a full lineup of performances. Ticket prices vary.

Cleveland Play House 1407 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 216-241-6000, clevelandplayhouse.com Presents comedies, dramas and musicals. » $15-$66.

Cleveland Public Theatre 6415 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, 216-631-2727, cptonline.org The venue presents theater, dance, music and performance art. Student Theatre Enrichment Program offers free performances in various parks. » $10-$25, $3 discount for students and seniors.

Dobama Theatre 2340 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-932-3396, dobama.org Showcases established and emerging playwrights. » $10-$26.

Jacobs Pavilion 2014 Sycamore St, Cleveland, 216-861-4080, livenation.com Outdoor concert venue. See O.A.R., Fun. and more this summer.

Karamu House 2355 E 89th St, Cleveland, 216-795-7070 or 216-795-2077, karamu.com. The nation's oldest multicultural arts institution. Presents dramas, musicals, comedies, new works and camps.

PlayhouseSquare 1501 Euclid Ave, Suite 200, Cleveland, 216-771-4444 or box office 216-771-8403, playhousesquare.org PlayhouseSquare's theaters spotlight a variety of performances, including DanceCleveland, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Playhouse-Square's Broadway Series and much more.

[ MUSEUMS ]

Children's Museum of Cleveland 10730 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 216-791-5437, clevelandchildrensmuseum.org Hands-on learning center. » Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $7, children 11 months and under free.

Cleveland Museum of Art 11150 East Blvd, Cleveland, 216-421-7340, clevelandart.org As renovations near completion, most galleries are open. » Tue, Thu, Sat & Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wed & Fri 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Most exhibits are free.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History 1 Wade Oval Drive, Cleveland, 216-231-4600, cmnh.org Explore nature, from prehistoric dinosaurs to distant planets. View Megalodon: The Largest Shark that Ever Lived this summer. » Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wed 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun noon-5 p.m. $10-$12, kids 2 and under are free, Wed after 5 p.m. $6.

Great Lakes Science Center 601 Erieside Ave, Cleveland, 216-694-2000, glsc.org The center features hundreds of interactive exhibits and an Omnimax theater. » Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit website for pricing, members and children under 2 are free.

Hale Farm & Village 2686 Oak Hill Road, Bath, 877-425-3327, wrhs.org Outdoor history museum where visitors experience mid-19th century life. » Open daily from June-Aug. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat & Sun from Sept.-Oct. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $10, children (3-12) $5, kids under 3 and members are free.

Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage 2929 Richmond Road, Beachwood, 216-593-0575, maltzmuseum.org Pays tribute to the Jewish-American story with state-of-the-art interactive exhibits, films, oral histories, photos and artifacts. » Tue, Thu, Fri & Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Wed 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat noon-5 p.m. $5-$12, kids under 5 and members are free.

Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland 11400 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 216-421-8671, mocacleveland.org International, national and regional contemporary artists complemented by lectures, special events and more. View Dark Stars through Aug. 25 and Realization is Better than Anticipation from June 29-Oct. 6. » Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thu 11 a.m.-9 p.m. $5-$8, kids under 6 and members are free; first Sat of the month free to all.

Pro Football Hall of Fame 2121 George Halas Drive NW, Canton, 330-456-8207, profootballhof.com Celebrates the heroes and defining moments of professional football. Special events include Father's Day on June 8 and the NFL/Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 4. » Daily 9 a.m.-8 p.m. (5 p.m. after Labor Day). $16-$22, children 5 and under are free.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd, Cleveland, 216-781-7625, rockhall.com The world's first museum dedicated to the heritage of rock 'n' roll. A hall of fame honors inductees. Special exhibit Rolling Stones: 50 Years of Satisfaction will be featured until March 2014. » Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Wed 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sat until 9 p.m. through Labor Day). $13-$22, members and kids 8 and under are free.

Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens 714 N Portage Path, Akron, 330-836-5533, stanhywet.org Explore a Tudor Revival mansion on 70 acres of gardens once owned by F.A. Seiberling. » Hall open Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (last admission time), grounds open Tue-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Steamship William G. Mather Museum 601 Erieside Ave, Cleveland, 216-621-2400, wgmather.nhlink.net. A floating museum created from a 618-foot-long ship that hauled iron ore and coal to steel plants for more than 60 years. » June-Aug. Tue-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sept.-Oct. open Sat & Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Transformer Station 1460 W 29th St, Cleveland, 216-938-5429, transformerstation.org Brings contemporary art from around the world to the West Side of Cleveland. » Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun noon-5 p.m., Thu noon-9 p.m. Free.

USS Cod 1089 N Marginal Road, Cleveland, 216-566-8770, usscod.org. The submarine USS Cod sank more than a dozen Japanese ships during World War II. Peer into an open torpedo tube or sit in the captain's chair. » Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $6-$10, children under 6 and military personnel in uniform are free.

Western Reserve Historical Society 10825 East Blvd, Cleveland, 216-721-5722, wrhs.org Exhibits examine Northeast Ohio's history. The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum contains antique and classic autos, motorcycles and aircrafts. » Tue-Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun noon-5 p.m., library open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thu-Sat. $5-$10, ages 2 and under and members are free. Parking $5.

[ SPORTS & GAMING ]

Cleveland Indians (Major League Baseball) Progressive Field, 2401 Ontario St, Cleveland, 216-420-4487, 866-488-7423 or Ticketmaster 216-241-8888, indians.com

Horseshoe Cleveland 100 Public Square, Cleveland, 216-297-4777, horseshoecleveland.com Cleveland's first casino. Choose from slots, video poker, table games, three local restaurants, an all-you-can-eat buffet and gift shop — all in the heart of downtown's Public Square.

Lake County Captains (Midwest League, Class A baseball) Classic Park, 35300 Vine St, Eastlake, 440-954-9467, captainsbaseball.com

Lake Erie Crushers (Frontier League baseball) All Pro Freight Stadium, 2009 Baseball Blvd, Avon, 440-934-3636, lakeeriecrushers.com

Northfield Park 10705 Northfield Road, Northfield, 330-467-4101, northfieldpark.com Year-round live harness racing, plus simulcasts from throughout the country.

ThistleDown Racino 21501 Emery Road, North Randall, 216-662-8600, thistledown.com Open daily for simulcasting. Racino offers more than 1,100 of the latest video lottery terminal games. » Check website for times.

[ ZOOS & NATURE CENTERS ]

Akron Zoo 500 Edgewood Ave, Akron, 330-375-2550, akronzoo.com Home to more than 700 animals, including Sumatran tigers, African lions, red pandas, otters and a Komodo dragon. » Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May-Oct., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $7-$10, kids under 2 are free. Parking $2.

Cleveland Botanical Garden 11030 East Blvd, Cleveland, 216-721-1600, cbgarden.org Ten acres of gardens and an 18,000-square-foot conservatory. » Tue-Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun noon-5 p.m., closed Mon. $9.50, children (3-12) $4, seniors (60 and older) $6 (Tue), members and children under 3 are free.

Cleveland Metroparks 4101 Fulton Parkway, Cleveland, 216-635-3200, clemetparks.com Comprises more than 21,000 acres in 16 reservations, connecting parkways and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Enjoy picnic areas, all-purpose fields, hiking trails, wildlife-management areas, stables and more. » Call 440-232-7247 for Cleveland Metroparks golf courses.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo & the RainForest 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, 216-661-6500, clemetzoo.com One of the country's oldest zoos, featuring 3,000 animals on 168 wooded acres, including the African Elephant Crossing. » Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Memorial Day weekend-Labor Day and holidays open Sat & Sun until 7 p.m. $8.25-$12.25; kids under 2 are free.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park 216-524-1497 or 800-445-9667, nps.gov/cuva. Explore 33,000 acres of parkland stretching 22 miles between Cleveland and Akron. Includes the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail.

Edgewater State Park 7600 W Memorial Shoreway on Lake Erie, 216-881-8141. A 900-foot-wide beach, a picnic pavilion and a playground. » Daily 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

Greater Cleveland Aquarium 2000 Sycamore St, Cleveland, 216-862-8803, greaterclevelandaquarium.com Ohio's only freestanding aquarium holds more than 1 million gallons of water and creatures ranging from giant seahorses to tiger sharks. » Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (last admission 4 p.m.). $19.95, senior $17.95, children (2-12) $13.95.

Holden Arboretum 9500 Sperry Road, Kirtland, 440-946-4400, holdenarb.org. A 3,600-acre preserve of woodlands, display gardens, horticultural collections, ponds and walking trails. » Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $6, seniors (60 and older) $5 (free on Tue), kids (6-12) $3, kids 5 and under and members are free.

Lake Erie Nature Center 28728 Wolf Road, Bay Village, 440-871-2900, lensc.org. A 22,500-square-foot facility offering science, nature and environmental experiences. » Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

Lake Metroparks 11211 Spear Road, Concord Township, 440-639-7275, lakemetroparks.com Thirty-one parks and 8,147 acres with two golf courses, a 4.8-mile paved trail, five parks on Lake Erie's shore, a nature center and a wildlife center.

Lake Metroparks Farmpark 8800 Chardon Road, Kirtland, 440-256-2122, lakemetroparks.com. More than 50 breeds of farm animals, the Great Tomato Works and hydroponics exhibits. » Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Lake Metroparks Penitentiary Glen Reservation 8668 Kirtland-Chardon Road, Kirtland, 440-256-1404, lakemetroparks.com. More than 7 miles of hiking trails, nature center with hands-on exhibits and Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. » Daily from sunrise to half-hour past sunset.

Lorain County Metro Parks 12882 Diagonal Road, La Grange, 440-458-5121, loraincountymetroparks.com The 9,200 acres in 27 parks offer activities for nature lovers of all ages, including Splash Zone Aquatics, two fitness centers and Forest Hills Golf Course.

Nature Center at Shaker Lakes 2600 S Park Blvd, Cleveland, 216-321-5935, shakerlakes.org. Regular classes for children, plus naturalist-led tours of the trails. » Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun 1-5 p.m. Trails open dawn to dusk.

[ MORE ]

Goodtime III 825 E Ninth St, 216-861-5110, goodtimeiii.com. Two-hour narrated tours of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River. Special tours available. » Check website for times.

Lake View Cemetery 12316 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, 216-421-2665, lakeviewcemetery.com Historic garden cemetery that is the final resting place of President James Garfield, John D. Rockefeller and other notable Clevelanders. » Gates open daily 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Nautica Queen 1153 Main Ave, The Flats, 216-696-8888, nauticaqueen.com. The luxury cruise and dinner ship offers lunch and dinner excursions. » Check website for schedule and prices.