Things to Do in Mayfield Heights

It is no secret that Cleveland native, autodidactic historian, and self-proclaimed people person Karl C. Johnson loves his city. After learning everything there is to know about the Sixth City's rich history, he decided to put his newfound knowledge to use by crafting his own distinctive tours that replace standard architectural jargon with vibrant yarns involving history, politics, and personal experiences. He leads his jaunts on segways, buses, limousines, or on foot. During segway tours, Karl gives his guests a choice in the amount of narration he performs, from moderately narrated tours that cover more ground to fully narrated tours that progress more slowly. If guests prefer to travel by bus or automobile, Karl will highlight specific areas of the city that his guests desire to see, such as Public Square or the rack where they hang the key to the city.

Great Lakes Theater’s rich history dates back to 1962, when an English professor and his traveling Shakespearean theater troupe finally found a home to regularly perform classic plays. Today, the theater continues its mission to ignite a passion for the performing arts throughout the community by revisting celebrated theatrical works for as as wide of an audience as possible. In its eight-month seasons, Great Lakes’ resident theater company stages an array of productions, including Shakespearean plays and Broadway classics, in its recently renovated theater, which was originally built in 1921. Inside, wide-eyed audiences marvel at the structure’s marriage of modern and vintage elements, such as state-of-the-art lighting equipment operated by technicians who only speak in iambic pentameter.

What started out as a search for a fun alternative form of artistic expression led to the founding of an institution for preserving and sharing a millennia-old craft. That enthusiasm proved to be contagious, as more than 700 students from all ages and walks of life attended J & C Glass Studio's workshops in the first year alone.

Today, J & C Glass Studio continues to teach the art of glass blowing with instructional workshops that cater to beginner and advanced students. Passionate instructors share techniques performed almost the same way as artisans did thousands of years ago. During sessions, a mixture of sand, limestone, and silica is heated to 2,000 degrees until it reaches a honey-like consistency. From there, students shape it with tools, the power of suggestion, and their own breath, creating custom works of art that can decorate a mantel or desk for a lifetime.

Like many minor-league baseball teams, the Captains didn't start out with their current name or even in their current state. The Columbus Indians (from Columbus, Georgia) were founded in 1991, and a year later, they became the RedStixx. It wasn't until 2003 that the franchise moved to Eastlake, Ohio, where they adopted the Captains moniker and caught their first bluegill. That same year, the newly established Captains treated Eastlake fans to a 97-win season and a trip to the South Atlantic League championship.

It was also in 2003 that the gates opened to Classic Park. The 6,150-seat facility features a grassy berm above its outfield walls and mixes nostalgic charm with modern features. Over the years, Classic Park has hosted many future big leaguers and many classic moments, including the Captains' first-ever championship season in 2010—the team's inaugural year as part of the Midwest League.

Members and children age 5 and younger are admitted for free.

Since 1985, Trolley Tours of Cleveland has shuttled more than one million riders around the city aboard its fleet of open-air, bright-red trolleys. Winding along an approximately 20-mile route, the city tour showcases some of Cleveland's most iconic sights, including the Victorian homes of Ohio City, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and downtown, where an eclectic mix of modern and historic architecture stretches skyward to amaze passersby and to high-five low-orbiting superheroes. Personable, professionally trained guides accompany the nationally known tour with Cleveland-centered facts and stories.

Aside from untangling urban avenues with informational junkets, Trolley Tours of Cleveland also makes its wheels available for conventions, weddings, and more, enabling businessmen and bridesmaids alike to avoid having to hitch rides on vigorously tossed bridal bouquets.