Nightlife

Tickets for many events are sold through Ticketmaster (tel. 216/241-5555; www.ticketmaster.com). Tickets.com (tel. 800/766-6048 or 216/241-6000; www.tickets.com) sells tickets to events at Playhouse Square Center. Another great option is the online-only Ctix outlet (www.ctix.org), where budget culture vultures may purchase half-price, day-of-show theater tickets, and discounted movie tickets.

The Performing Arts

Considered by many to be the finest symphony orchestra in the U.S., the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra (tel. 800/686-1141 or 216/231-1111; www.clevelandorch.com), under the leadership of music director Franz Welser-Most, performs at Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., at East Boulevard, in University Circle. The stately 1931 concert hall was greeted by rave reviews when it emerged from a massive renovation in early 2000. In summer, the orchestra takes up residence at the open-air Blossom Music Center. Blossom Music Center is located in Cuyahoga Falls, 34 miles south of the city off I-77.

The nation's second-largest performing arts center (after New York City's Lincoln Center) is Playhouse Square Center, 1501 Euclid Ave. (tel. 216/771-4444; www.playhousesquare.com), a prime symbol of Cleveland's cultural renaissance. Four beautifully restored theaters present theatrical and musical performances of all kinds, including touring productions of Broadway shows. It's also home to such resident companies as the Ohio Ballet (www.ohioballet.org) and DanceCleveland (www.dancecleveland.org), which presents such renowned modern companies as Alvin Ailey Trinity Irish Dance Company; and the Cleveland Opera (www.clevelandopera.org), among others.

The Bar & Club Scene

To find out what's happening, pick up one of the free weeklies, the Cleveland Free Times and the Cleveland Scene, which are available all over town.

Downtown's newest club is House of Blues, 308 Euclid Ave. (tel. 216/523-2583; www.hob.com), which books live blues acts and serves a soul-stirring Sunday gospel brunch. The east bank of the Flats along Old River Road, between St. Clair Avenue and Front Street, is a former industrial district that used to boast loads of bars. Today the ragged area is in transition, with plans to revitalize it with housing and offices.

On the livelier west bank of the Flats (at Main Ave. and the river) is the waterfront Nautica Entertainment Complex (www.nauticaflats.com), where century-old smokestacks top the four-story warehouse now known as the Powerhouse, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and houses an array of clubs and restaurants. Among the complex's other after-dark attractions are the waterfront Shooters (tel. 216/861-6900; www.shootersflats.com), a hulking behemoth of a restaurant and dance club that caters to young adults on the prowl and other revelers; the Improv Comedy Club (tel. 216/696-4677; www.improvupcoming.com), featuring up-and-coming stand-up talent; and romantic dinner cruises aboard the Nautica Queen.

A somewhat more sophisticated crowd gathers in the Warehouse District, mainly along West 6th Street between Superior and Lakeside avenues. Highlights include Spy Bar, 1261 W. 6th St. (tel. 216/621-7907; www.spycleveland.com), an upscale lounge with a well-dressed crowd and a stylish vibe; hometown boy Trent Reznor celebrated here after a Nine Inch Nails show a few years ago. Young hipsters meet to relax in comfy chairs and play board games at lively Liquid and Fusion, 1212 W. 6th St. (tel. 216/479-7717). Velvet Dog, 1280 W. 6th St. (tel. 216/664-1116; www.velvetdogcleveland.com), is a high-style dance club with an excellent martini bar and retro-hip DJs with a clue. Other trendy options for energetic bar-hoppers include the eclectic Blind Pig, 1228 W. 6th St. (tel. 216/621-0001; www.theblindpig.com); and the upscale dance club Tramp, 1360 W. 9th St. (tel. 216/776-7777; www.liquidliving.com).

Elsewhere around town, jazz lovers flock to Club Isabella, 2025 University Hospital Dr. (tel. 216/229-1177; www.clubisabella.com). In Cleveland Heights, Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Rd. (tel. 216/795-0550), is a bar offering burgers and pub grub, along with live jazz and world music.

Ohio City is great for those looking for an easygoing night on the town. The cozy, candlelit Market Avenue Wine Bar, 2526 Market Ave., at West 26th Street (tel. 216/696-9463; www.marketavewinebar.com), boasts an extensive wine list and a pleasing light-bites menu including cheeses, smoked salmon, and stuffed grape leaves. Next door is the celebrated Great Lakes Brewing Company.