Cleveland, Ohio-2025

Yep, you read that right—a day trip to Ohio… from New Jersey. A 16-hour round trip. Crazy? Maybe. But spontaneous trips are what we do best!

My brother, a flight attendant, is currently stationed in Ohio. While the job sounds exciting, the reality is tough—you can go months without seeing your family, constantly moving across the country to gain seniority or the constant pressure of losing hours of work due to due ignorant people delaying take off. Just hearing my brother’s stories stresses me out! Since we hadn’t seen him in a while, my family decided: Pack up the car—we’re heading west!

Surviving the Ohio Blizzard

The moment we arrived in Ohio, we were hit with a full-on blizzard—snow coming down, zero visibility, cars spinning out, semi-trucks flipping, and us creeping along at 5 mph. Before we left, my friend Rachel (who’s from Ohio) warned me:

“Just be prepared—because in the winter, they don’t plow.”

My naïve New Jersey self didn’t think much of it… but oh, she wasn’t kidding. Three inches of snow on the ground, no plows, no shoveling… just vibes, apparently!

©️victoriaam

Exploring Cleveland

First stop? Food. (Well, first we picked up my brother—the whole reason we came—but yes, then food!)

We were starving after the long drive, so we stopped at Yours Truly Diner, a chic, two-story spot with floor-to-ceiling glass windows. We devoured a skillet breakfast with layers of eggs, bacon, sausage, and perfectly crispy home fries while watching the white out completely take over the cars in the street. Oh, and the toast? Buttery, delicious, and tasted like an English muffin. Oof—my favorite!

The diner is located in Playhouse Square, home to the world’s largest outdoor chandelier. (Remember my last blog post about Ohio, when I visited the world’s largest basket building? Apparently, Ohio is the land of giant things—and that wasn’t even the last one we’d see!)

The World’s Largest Rubber Stamp?

After wandering through Playhouse Square in the mushy, cold snow, we drove to Willard Park, home to—you guessed it—the world’s largest rubber stamp. Because… why not?

The massive red stamp has the word “FREE” carved into it. So, of course, we had a quick photoshoot before running back to the car to avoid frostbite.

©️victoriaam

Tower City Center & Hidden Gems

Next stop: Tower City Center. While most of the stores were vacant, there were plenty of food spots still open. According to my brother, this place is usually buzzing during the holidays. Maybe we’ll have to come back then!

On the bottom level is Cleveland’s subway station, giving off major Oculus vibes from NYC, where the mall sits on top of the transit center. We walked through the town center, then headed across the street to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument—a free memorial honoring U.S. veterans, with a small tribute to Abraham Lincoln. Fun fact: When Lincoln died, his body was brought through Cleveland for a public viewing. I took a picture of the tribute if you want to check it out.

©️victoriaam

A Well-Deserved Nap & Evening Stroll

By this point, it was noon, and we were exhausted. We crashed at my brother’s apartment for a power nap and hit the streets again around 4 PM.

We wandered through another eerily empty mall—seriously, where are the people in this town?—but wow, was it beautiful. Picture old, antique architecture, string lights, and grand staircases. You’ll find the Hyatt Regency at one end and a post office at the other. At least it’s still being used for something!

If you’re ever in the area, my brother recommends checking out:

• The House of Blues for live music

• The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (we didn’t have time, but next visit!)

Dinner at Otani Noodle House

For dinner, we stopped at Otani Noodle House, and let me tell you—it did not disappoint. The place had a cozy, hole-in-the-wall vibe, packed with locals who clearly knew this was the spot for comfort food on a snowy night.

We ordered ramen and rice bowls—you really can’t go wrong with either. The broth was rich and flavorful, the noodles had the perfect bite, and the toppings were generous. But the real MVP? The bao buns and shrimp tempura—crispy, light, and absolute perfection. The cups, reusable! I took mine home and now use it for my iced matcha lattes.

©️victoriaam

Pammy’s Ice Cream: A Dessert Wonderland

After dinner, we walked across the street to Pammy’s Ice Cream, and WOW—this wasn’t just any ice cream shop. It felt like stepping into a cartoon.

The entire interior was designed in black and white with hand-drawn doodles, making it feel like we had just walked into a sketchbook come to life. The walls, tables, even the chairs—everything looked like a 2D comic strip.

As for the ice cream? Homemade, creamy, and absolutely delicious. I got fudge brownie, which was rich, chocolatey, and filled with chunks of brownie goodness. My husband went for Cookie Monster blue, which was a vibrant blue color with the perfect mix of chocolate chip and Oreo cookies blended in. 10/10 experience.

Honestly, Pammy’s is worth visiting for the aesthetic alone, but the ice cream was just as amazing. If you’re ever in Cleveland, this is a must-stop—both for the dessert and for the Instagram-worthy backdrop!

©️victoriaam

Candy Haul at Rocket Fizz

Right after indulging in ice cream, we wandered into Rocket Fizz, a quirky candy store packed with nostalgic treats, novelty sodas, and all kinds of sweets from around the world.

We loaded up on candy, grabbed some weirdly fun juice drinks that reminded me of those purée baby food pouches, and—best part? I scored the perfect postcard and stickers for my collection! Anytime I find a good sticker from my travels, it’s a win.

©️victoriaam

One Last Look at the Chandelier

Before heading home, we drove through Playhouse Square one last time to see the chandelier lit up at night—and wow, it was breathtaking with the snow falling around it.

At 9:30 PM, we said our goodbyes and hit the road—driving back through another blizzard to New Jersey.

Was This Crazy? Yes.

Was It Worth It? Absolutely.

Was it fun? Heck yeah!

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.

I got to see my brother after months apart and be a tourist for eight hours in a city I’d never explored. It was a wild, spontaneous adventure—and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Till next time Ohio!