Cleveland is having a moment, and the world is taking notice.

From being named a must-visit destination by National Geographic to earning top spots for its museums, food  and iconic attractions, our city is getting some much-deserved recognition. Whether it’s new buzz around the Rock Hall, Superman shining a spotlight on our streets or fresh energy revitalizing old favorites, there’s never been a better time to be a Clevelander. Here’s a look at why everyone else is catching on to what we’ve known all along:

National Geographic named Cleveland one of the 10 Places Where Families Should Travel in 2025

Cleveland’s budding arts and culture scene might surprise some family travelers. Its underrated attractions include the recently renovated Cleveland Museum of Natural History and America's oldest African-American producing theater, Karamu House. … The city will also have iconic locations featured in the upcoming Superman film, such as the Cleveland Public Library and Progressive Field. 

Cleveland was named a 2025 top trending destination by Tripadvisor

Whether rocking out to music legends inside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or viewing Monets and Picassos at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland is a city that mixes equal parts grit and sophistication. 

Cleveland Clinic was ranked No. 2 in the world on Newsweek's World’s Best Hospitals 2025 list

Travel + Leisure praised Cleveland’s new Fidelity Hotel

Though Cleveland is home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this Great Lakes city is not exactly known for its raucous atmosphere. But that wasn't always the case; from the 1920s to the 1960s, the block in front of the Fidelity Hotel was the city's go-to spot for whiskey drinking and general debauchery. The block-long nightlife hub, known affectionately as Short Vincent, has been a shadow of its former self for decades. But Fidelity, with the help of Austin-based hotel management company New Waterloo, is now breathing fresh life into the once bustling neighborhood.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has been named one of the 27 Best Museums in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure

Set on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland is this museum dedicated to the musicians and songwriters who have shaped music through history. Highlights include an exhibit where you can play instruments as well as photo displays that showcase rockstars and the iconic moments they created.

Cleveland was named one of the most underrated travel destinations in the U.S.

In addition to attractions like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Art Museum, the city features impressive street art, famous Polish food and plenty of professional sports entertainment. 

The WSJ lauded the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Picasso and Paper exhibition

The best-kept secret of the current art season—at least to judge by the absence of prior national news coverage—is “Picasso and Paper” at the Cleveland Museum of Art, through March 23. Note that it’s “and,” not “on,” paper. While there’s plenty of the familiar sort of paper-based work in the show—drawings and prints—its main thrust is exploring the works in which paper went from being the support for an image to a material with as many creative possibilities as stone, clay, pigment and graphite.

Little Italy was named one of the top Little Italy neighborhoods in North America by InsideHook

Cleveland’s Little Italy can lay claim to having the oldest restaurant in the city that’s still just as impressive in the 21st century. Guarino’s Restaurant dates back to 1918 and is as good a white tablecloth red sauce joint as any along Mayfield Road, which divides the neighborhood into north and south. Mamma Santa’s is a casual pizza spot with checkered tablecloth-covered tables, also known for its red sauce.

Midwest Living Magazine highlighted Brandywine Falls as one of the 14 most spectacular waterfalls in the Midwest

More than 100 waterfalls dot Cuyahoga Valley National Park; the tallest is Brandywine, 65 feet high, which sparkles with icicles in the winter. Less than an hour’s drive from Cleveland, the park attracts both locals and tourists year-round … Visitors have easy access to the waterfall via a boardwalk over the area’s celebrated, 300-million-year-old Berea sandstone.