Cleveland Botanical Garden

The Cleveland Botanical Garden occupies East Boulevard in University Circle, a short walk from the Cleveland Museum of Art, and it is the city's most reliable answer to a gray November afternoon. The garden describes itself as open year-round, rain or shine, and it combines manicured outdoor gardens with specially curated glasshouses, so the winter visit is as rewarding as the summer one: you can drift from cold air into a warm, humid room of tropical planting and back out into the beds. It forms part of Holden Forests and Gardens, the organization that also runs the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, and it hosts seasonal displays and events through the year, with details posted on its own calendar. Admission is by ticket, and the garden recommends buying online. It is a calm, unhurried place, easy to combine with the museums around it, and a good fit for couples, photographers and anyone who has had enough of busy downtown attractions. Visitors who want to see more of the organization's work can also look at the Holden Arboretum, a longer drive east of the city, but the Cleveland garden is the one that fits a short city break.

There is a parking garage, open daily from 7am to 7pm, with a tariff that is free for the first half hour and rises with the length of stay, so a two-hour visit costs a modest amount. The garden is a short ride from downtown on the HealthLine bus, which is the cheaper option if you are staying in the city center.

In spring and summer the outdoor beds are the draw, while in winter the glasshouses carry the visit. If you are visiting with children, check the garden's calendar for family events and seasonal displays before you go, since these change through the year and are not something this guide can promise. Sunday opens later than other days, at noon, so do not plan an early start that day, and remember that Thursday is the one day the garden stays open until 8pm.