Friends, winter is coming. And this winter, as the Farmers’ Almanac foretells, there is a so-called Polar Coaster heading our way, meaning we can expect plenty of cold, cold days paired with warmer pockets of sunny days. In the meantime, fall isn’t over. Here are all of the things to do in Cleveland before iciest of seasons comes for your soul. 

Extra Credit: Find a bunch more things to do right here. 

Catch a Flick at the Aut-0-Rama Drive-In 33395 Lorain Rd., North Ridgeville You can have your plush luxury seating; all we really need is the open air and our trusty car. Head out to North Ridgeville to catch a movie at Cleveland’s oldest operating drive-in theater, which opened in the 1950s and was the first two-screen affair in the city in 1972. Aut-o-Rama features new releases as well as retro nights. Photo via Aut-O-Rama Drive-In Theater/Facebook
Tailgate in the Muni Lot 1500 S. Marginal Rd. From the denizens lining up to park before the sun comes up to the Dawg Pound faithful chugging beers throughout the morning, from the decorated RVs to the face-painting fans, there’s no scene quite like the Muni Lot on a Sunday. And it’s sure to be amped up more than usual this year as Baker and OBJ and company bring something called “hope” to the beleaguered fan base. Photo by Emanuel Wallace
Eat a Polish Boy The city’s signature sammie — bun, sausage, coleslaw, fries, barbecue sauce — is seriously delicious and utterly Cleveland. (The origin story, if you didn’t know: Virgil Whitmore launched his first barbecue shop in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood back in the 1940s before opening the more popular Whitmore’s Bar-B-Q at East 85th and Cedar. Whitmore’s grandson Larry Turner, who now runs Mt. Pleasant BBQ, says that it was his grandad who first decided to combine ingredients that he already had on hand into the messy sandwich.) Get one, and get extra napkins. Photo via stu_spivack/FlickrCC
Take a Trip to Put-in-Bay Northeast Ohio’s private little island getaway has seen its share of drunken escapades. Go add your own dose of debauchery, or simply enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and serene surroundings. Photo via Doug Brown
Train to Run the Cleveland Marathon Downtown Cleveland Okay, or a 5-K somewhere. But the Cleveland Marathon is a great chance to push your body and enjoy the city — from west to east — from the streets. Check Hermes’ schedule for plenty of shorter runs around town, because let’s be honest: The Marathon’s a good goal, but few of us will ever reach it. Emanuel Wallace Photo
Visit the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo 3900 Wildlife Way
Get a Shot at a ‘Cleveland’ Sign Multiple locations Show off and bask in one of Cleveland’s scenic views and get some IG love with a shot at one of the numerous “Cleveland” signs around downtown, conveniently located at most of the Forest City’s most stunningly beautiful spots. Bonus points for collecting them all. Photo via Bruce Kratofil/FlickrCC
Get Your Vista on at the Lakewood Solstice Steps 14532 Lake Ave, Lakewood, 216-529-5697 Lakewood Park’s got a lot going for it, and topping that list is the Solstice Steps, which turned an otherwise bland but important stretch of Lakewood’s little publicly owned lakefront into a gathering place and destination viewpoint for Lake Erie and the Cleveland skyline. There are few better or more interesting 480-foot stretches of the North Coast. Photo by Aerial Agents
Visit the Cultural Gardens 10823 Magnolia Dr. The Cultural Gardens that dot East Boulevard and MLK are a tribute to 20th-century America and Cleveland, and to the immigrants and migrants who made the city a vibrant, diverse place to live and work. Self-guided and guided tours will show you the beauty of the dozens of gardens. Photo via the Scene Archives
Take a Spin on the Euclid Beach Carousel 10825 E. Blvd. While you’re at the WRHS, you absolutely must — must! — hop on the refurbished Euclid Beach carousel for a taste of nostalgia and to feel like a kid again. Photo Courtesy of the Cleveland History Center
A Christmas Story House 159 W 11th St. A Christmas Story will remain a cult classic, and Cleveland’s contribution to the Hollywood holiday movie canon is as enjoyable as ever. You might not get the treasured Red Ryder under the Christmas tree. You might not get what you asked for at all. But A Christmas Story never disappoints (especially if you get there now before the crowds descend). Photo via Scene Archives
Pick Your Own Apples at Bauman Orchards 161 Rittman Ave, Rittman Few things are more fresh or refreshing than a just-picked apple, especially when it’s just been picked by your own hands. Only about 45 minutes away from Cleveland, Bauman Orchards offers a more conventional apple picking experience. Decorated with dried corn, red and orange leaves along with rustic trucks, the orchard makes sure visitors know the last days of summer are coming to an end and fall will be here shortly. Photo via Bauman Orchards/Facebook
Drink Your Way Through Lake Erie Wines Head up to Geneva-on-the-Lake and Ashtabula and see for yourself that Lake Erie wines are nothing to stick your nose up at. Sure, it’s not Napa Valley, but Ohio has a long history of making fine wines — in fact, it’s credited with producing America’s first great wine — and the wineries up east are pumping out delectable vintages just around the corner. Photo via Scene Archives
Take a Walking Tour Through Cleveland Chances are you know precious little history about the city you call home. The best way to rectify that is to take a walking tour, and thanks to Tours of Cleveland you can learn about the history of downtown buildings, the Arcade, Public Square, the Warehouse District, Playhouse Square and more while ambling about with some new pals. Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Conquer the Cleveland Brewery Passport With every new year bringing tasty new suds, Cleveland’s exploding brewery scene is an ever-expanding beast ripe for constant exploration. And there’s no better way to drink it all in than conquering them all with the help of the Cleveland Brewery Passport, featuring 34 destinations this year, with prizes and raffles as an additional reward to the satisfying experience of tasting the city’s best beers. Photo by Laura Morrison
Cleveland Botanical Garden 11030 East Blvd., 216-721-1600 The Cleveland Botanical Gardens are way cooler than you think. It’s all about plants, sure, but don’t let that deter you from taking in the shapes and colors of the natural world. You might learn a thing or two. At the very least, it’s simply beautiful to look at. Photo by Scott Sandberg
Run, Bike or Walk the Towpath Trail 6801 Brecksville Rd., 330-657-2752 The historic Towpath Trail was a linchpin of Ohio’s economic development in the 1800s. Now, the miles upon miles of trails are a linchpin of idle wandering and light exercise. Photo via allie_loughry/Instagram
Kayak the Cuyahoga River Yes, kayak down the Cuyahoga River. Cleveland’s history is dominated by the river, from city inception to present day. And there’s no better way to see the city from ground level than to wind from the Flats, under the bridges and as far south as you dare. Photo via Tim Evanson/FlickrCC
Take a Trip on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad Peninsula Depot, 1630 Mill St. W., Peninsula Not everything on the list is in Cleveland proper, but there are certain Northeast Ohio expeditions that we’d be crazy to exclude. Here’s one: Take a trip on the country’s only nonprofit heritage railway operating in a National Park, through the 33,000 acres of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Photo via Jon Dawson/FlickrCC
Take a Tour on the Goodtime III North Coast Harbor, 825 E. 9th St. You can brush it off as lame if you want (it’s not), but you’re hard-pressed to find a better day-tour of some of the city’s finest sights. As a bonus, your guides will fill you in on the history of the river and industry that bubbled up on its shores and the industries that dot the river now. Photo via Susan Barnum/Wikimedia Commons
Catch a Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica Show 2014 Sycamore St. Few things surpass the purity of a Cleveland summer night, distilled to the essence of outdoor tunes on the banks of the Cuyahoga River — especially when the music and commerce align in perfection to bring a freighter around the bend right as the encore hits. Photo via The Zender Agenda/FlickrCC
Visit Lake View Cemetery 12316 Euclid Ave. The final resting place of John D. Rockefeller, Eliot Ness, Revolutionary War soldiers, Ray Chapman and more famous and influential people than we have time to name, Lake View Cemetery is also, of course, home to the President Garfield Memorial. The view from the second floor balcony is one of the most majestic and underrated in the whole city. Photo via Tim Evanson/Wikimedia Commons
Visit League Park 6601 Lexington Ave. Cy Young threw out the first pitch when League Park opened at the corner of Lexington and East 66th. The Tribe won the 1920 World Series there. Babe Ruth hit his 500th home run at the park. Though it was mostly torn down in 1951, parts of the park remain and renovations brought us the B Photo via Wikimedia Commons

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