Touchdown in Cleveland Plus

You don’t have to be a football acionado to appreciate the gridiron greats commemorated in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (www.profootballhof.com). Located in Canton, Ohio, the hall of fame opened its doors in 1963 and inducted 17 members that same year. The 80,000 square foot museum houses 10,000 items, including things like an elevator panel from the old Three Rivers Stadium, leather facemasks from early football teams and a program from the very rst play game.

The Museum has two main halls: Pro Football Today, a room devoted to new records, and the Superbowl Theatre which features highlights from the past season’s championship game. “The Pro Football Today room is constantly being updated,” explains the Hall’s Travel & Tourism Marketing Specialist Tonja Marshall. “This past season when [Vikings quarterback] Brett Favre broke the passing record, we had our VP on the eld waiting that day to receive the ball and it was on display within a week.” Group tours through the museum devoted to all-things pigskin-related are self-guided and last about two and half hours. “Volunteer docents assist with questions and make presentations throughout the day highlighting dierent artifats that aren’t on display and that you normally don’t get to see,” says Marshall. For groups looking to include a special event in their outing, there are room rentals that can include a catered breakfast, lunch or dinner or snack or anything in between. “That includes aer hours,” Marshall adds. “You can bring your group in to truly to have the museum to yourself.”

For Hall of Fame weekend, there are a variety of packages depending on how long you want to stay.

Get Your Game Face On

Major or minor league, indoor or outdoor, pro or amateur…fans welcome.

Cleveland Browns (D+NCH)

440. 891.5050 www.clevelandbrowns.com www.facebook.com/clevelandbrowns Twitter: @OfficialBrowns 76 Lou Groza Blvd. • Berea, OH 44017 One of the nation's oldest and most-storied football franchises plays its home games on the shores of Lake Erie, just 50 miles from the birthplace of professional football. Every Sunday from Sept. through Dec., Cleveland is "Brownstown."

Cleveland Cavaliers (D+GTWY)

216. 420.2000 • www.cavs.com www.facebook.com/Cavs Twitter: @cavs Quicken Loans Arena 1 Center Court • Cleveland, OH 44115 The Cleveland Cavaliers, under the direction of new Head Coach Byron Scott, bring their trademark defensive focus and a fresh new fast-paced, high-energy style of play to compete at the highest level night after night. The winning spirit and fan frenzy inside The Q combined with the award-winning game presentation makes this the best fan experience in the NBA.

Cleveland Gladiators (D+GTWY)

216. 685.9000 • www.clevelandgladiators.com 631 Huron Rd. • Cleveland, OH 44115 Football and Cleveland — a perfect match. All the hard-hitting, high scoring excitement of Arena Football at The Q is the perfect football family outing.

Cleveland Indians (D+GTWY)

216. 420.4200 • www.indians.com www.facebook.com/Indians Twitter: @tribetalk Progressive Field 2401 Ontario St. • Cleveland, OH 44115 Progressive Field is the most unique venue in the city to host your next event, meeting or celebration. The home of the Cleveland Indians offers gourmet catering along with state-of-the-art meeting rooms and first-class banquet facilities. With indoor and outdoor facilities, Progressive Field is perfect for any event.

Lake County Captains Professional Baseball Club (E)

440. 975.8085 • www.captainsbaseball.com www.facebook.com/captainsbaseball Twitter: @lccaptains 35300 Vine St. • Eastlake, OH 44095 Offers several indoor and outdoor banquet and catering options for groups of all sizes in a family-friendly environment.

Lake Erie Monsters (D+GTWY)

216. 420.0000 www.lakeeriemonsters.com www.facebook.com/lakeeriemonsters Twitter: @monstershockey 1 Center Ice • Cleveland, OH 44115 Primary affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, they play professional hockey at Quicken Loans Arena. Under ownership of Dan Gilbert (Cavaliers’ owner), they have an entertaining atmosphere: activities for all ages. Promotions and giveaways October thru April. Affordable fun with tickets starting at $10.

Great Lakes Adventures of Rod and Reel By Keith Gribbins

Maybe there’s already a picture on your wall holding that oversized trophy walleye in your hands, with a grin as big as the Lake Erie waters in the background. Perhaps you’re still reworking big fish story to tell. Either way the shores of Northeast Ohio offer some of the best opportunities for new tales of hook, line and sinker -- especially with Cleveland’s accommodating charter boat industry.

Friends, family and sportsman of all sorts haul out walleye, steelhead, bass and loads of delicious perch from Port Clinton to Ashtabula on Lake Erie charter services. According to captains like Vitas Kijauskas, owner of Wildwood Marina charter service located in the Wildwood State Park on Lakeshore Boulevard in Cleveland, sometimes your particular story just needs a new cast in the right direction.

“Be patient,” says Captain Vitas. “If the fish aren’t biting one minute that doesn’t mean that they won’t bite all day. Most fishermen are very helpful and friendly, so ask a lot of questions if you’re not catching. Or ask us... we are always willing to share locations, tips and tricks. We even post a daily fishing report on our website.” (www.WildwoodMarina.com)

Charters like the Wildwood Marina with its three boats the Linda Mae, Express and Popeye (which can accommodate individuals and hold passenger parties from six to 28) are taking fishing lovers to hotspots in the cool waters of Lake Erie. A four-hour perch charter can cost as little as $30 per person or a gathering of 28 of your closest friends for a six-hour private charter comes in around $700. Tailor your trip exactly. Bring your own beer, gear, food and fun or you can let the boat supply it all. A great place to start your search is at the North Coast Charter Boat Association or NCCBA.

“We are a group of over 80 professional charter boat captains eager to provide you with an enjoyable, rewarding and exciting day of fishing on Lake Erie,” says Captain Roger St. Clair, treasurer of NCCBA (northcoastcharter.com or eriefishingcharters.com). “We supply the rods, reels, coolers, ice and everything else for an enjoyable day on the lake.”

Typically, the fishing season begins around May 1 and ends around November 1, which gives you plenty of time to compare vessels, equipment and crew experience before booking a charter; NCCBA has captains in every port from Port Clinton to Erie, Pennsylvania. If you enjoy competition, keep a keen eye out for contests like NCCBA’s 18th Annual Walleye Steelhead Tournament or the 9th annual Battle of Lake Erie Perch Tournament at Wildwood Marina (both of which happen June 12 and/or 13).

And remember a lot of these charters do more than just fishing. Take Trident Marine for example, on Scranton Road in Cleveland (www.holidaycleveland.com), which specializes in a wide variety of custom designed charters-- fishing, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, cocktail and theme cruises and even funerals conducted by the captain.

“Our flagship, the HOLIDAY, is USCG inspected and certificated to carry in excess of 75 passengers in comfort and safety,” says Captain Wayne E. Bratton, president of Trident Marine Corp. “Our vessels can operate anywhere on the Great Lakes 24/7, and each cruise is custom designed as to routing, times, food, beverage and music to satisfy the customer’s wants and needs.”

Each local charter has a unique experience for customers who crave the open water of Lake Erie. With an expansive knowledge of the lake, the latest safety standards and great customer service, you’ll soon realize fishing is much more than just catching fish. It is the great occasion when we can return to the fine simplicity of family, friends and good-natured fun.