Nestled on a bend of the Cuyahoga River, this might be the Metropark's best-kept secret. The place is built on the old Lock 44 ("Sloop Lock") that once was located beneath the Merwin Street Bridge between West and James streets. As a result, it offers great views of both the river and the city skyline, and the enormous deck stretches out to the banks of the river. The place regularly has a great selection of craft beers on tap — including several local brews — and when a keg nears its end, it's placed on the "mystery beer" list so you can order it at a great discount, making the brew and view thing all the more appealing.

785 Merwin Ave., 216-664-5696, clevelandmetroparks.com

Do you ever find yourself in East Cleveland for the day and in need of a simple beer? Most people do, in fact. And Columbo Room on Noble Road is the place to go to gratify such a desire. It's a long-running institution in the inner-ring suburb, complete with laid-back vibe and the friendly sort of employees that make bars like this the true gems they are. Order a corned beef sandwich to pair with that bottle of Bud, and lean back into a satisfying respite from the inner-ring bustle just outside those doors. There are diamonds tucked into the rough of Northeast Ohio's urban density, well off any map you'll find at the local tourist bureau, and those are often the best places to while away the day before the boss starts calling you.

1988 Noble Rd., East Cleveland 216-761-3569.

We can't think of too many reasons why we'd want to venture into Middleburg Heights on any given night, but we really only need one: the Fat Heads Brewery and Tap House. Tucked into what seems outwardly like a forsaken patch of industrial warehouses, the Tap House is a wondrous thing. Featuring all the best Fat Heads beers on tap, a sampling of the restaurant's expansive menu (get the wings), and a brewery open to tourists, the Tap House takes care of all your craft brew-related needs in one stop. It's close enough to some of the region's big draws — the airport, the I-X Center — that anyone can reasonably add a side-trip to their itinerary.

18741 Sheldon Rd., Middleburg Heights, 216-898-0242, fatheadsbeer.com.

Much like the Fat Head's tasting room in Middleburg Heights, the Hoppin' Frog Tasting Room in Akron is in a non-descript strip of storage facilities and warehouses. But step inside and you'll find a cozy tasting room where you can find a huge array of the brewery's wonderful libations. The place features "hoppy hour" every weekday from 3 to 7 p.m. The brewers occasionally visit the tasting room and you can often sample "test batches" of suds the guys are developing in the "lab." While they don't fill growlers, you can drink bottles on site or take 'em to go. The place also offers a "Hoppin' Frog Rare & Vintage" list as well as a guest bottle list. And you can order from a limited food menu too.

1680 East Waterloo Rd., Akron, 234-525-3764, hoppinfrog.com/tasting-room.

It's 1 a.m. on a Saturday, and your pals are angling for a West 25th Street nightcap; but really, no one's in condition to drive. That's why the West Side Shuffle, a 48-seat school bus-turned-shuttle service, is your first call. For $4 ($6 for credit card transactions), the West Side Shuffle will ferry bar hoppers around Ohio City, Lakewood, and West Sixth on a designated route. Can you think of a better, cheaper way to go? We can't.

216-673-4222, westsideshuffle.com.

Little Italy's Vino Veritas offers a classy and cozy backdrop to grab a drink when mom and pop swing through town. An expansive wine list, and a live musician seated at the baby grand piano practically every night of the week, will easily turn that pre-dinner aperitif into a table of empty glasses. Prices here are about $9 a glass, but then again maybe your folks are in the mood to treat.

12204 Mayfield Rd., 216-400-7728 vinoveritaslittleitaly.com.

So, we'll count B&B as something around the 374th brewery to open in Cleveland in the past year — we're not complaining! — and it's among the most unique. It's small, by design, and sequestered down on Columbus Road, which is accessible for the first time in forever now that the bridge is reopened. Brick & Barrel has but one small bar that seats about 12, a couple of tables, a couch and a pinball machine. The rest of the facility, which isn't quartered off with walls or anything, is the brewing operation itself, with tanks and beakers and whatever else the magicians that make beer actually need to make beer.

1844 Columbus Rd.216-331-3308, brickandbarrelbrewing.com.