Cleveland Scavenger Hunt – 48 Finds, Square to the Lake

How it works

A rubber stamp that says FREE, stone giants holding wagons on a bridge and a submarine on Lake Erie: this Cleveland scavenger hunt holds 48 finds, each free to see.

Read the full guide

Start on Public Square

Public Square opens first. The Mall runs north from it toward the lake, and North Coast Harbor lies at the water's edge beyond. University Circle is a light rail ride east. Set the area in the menu, then press Print this list.

Proof on paper

Each find asks for something small to write: a word, a count or a color. A written answer is the proof, and the note beneath is the rule.

Tips

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and the art museum are both free to walk into, so rain need not stop the hunt.

Questions and answers

Can you do a free scavenger hunt in Cleveland?

Yes. Every find is seen from squares, parks and piers, and the two indoor finds, the Civil War monument and the art museum, charge nothing. The music museum, science center and submarine are ticked from outside.

Is it good for kids?

Yes, with an adult in every team. The giant stamp, the submarine and the lagoon's ducks suit children best. Keep back from the harbor wall and the lagoon's edge.

Where do the finds start?

On Public Square, where the Civil War monument stands in the southeast corner. The Mall and the harbor follow on foot toward the lake.

All 48 finds

Public Square 12

A 52-story tower from 1927 Terminal Tower, 708 feet, was the second-tallest building in the world when finished. Sketch its top.
A bus or train sign naming the square Copy the stop's name.
A Civil War monument you can walk into The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, dedicated on July 4, 1894, honors more than 9,000 people from the county who served the Union. It is free to enter; write one name inside.
A fountain on Public Square Write whether it is running.
A glass roof 300 feet long over an 1890 arcade The Arcade joins two nine-story buildings with five floors of balconies. Step in, look up and count the balcony levels.
A guardian holding a covered wagon Each guardian holds a different vehicle: a hay wagon, a covered wagon, a stagecoach or a 1930s car. Find the covered wagon.
A lawn in the middle of downtown Public Square covers 9.5 acres. Pace the lawn's width.
Bronze soldiers and sailors around the monument Its designer, a Civil War veteran, also made its sculptures. Write what one figure holds.
Four tall towers facing one square Cleveland's four tallest buildings all face Public Square. Count them from the middle.
Giant stone figures guarding a bridge The Guardians of Traffic stand in pairs at both ends of the 4,490-foot Hope Memorial Bridge. Write what vehicle one holds.
The oldest building on Public Square The Old Stone Church dates from 1855. Write its color.
The year the town was laid out Public Square was part of the 1796 town plan. Find 1796 or another early year on a sign or plaque.

Show all 48 finds (36 more)

The Mall 12

A 1916 city hall on Lakeside Avenue Cleveland City Hall followed the city's 1903 Group Plan. Count the columns across its front.
A figure rising from flames in a fountain The Fountain of Eternal Life, dedicated in 1964, honors the region's veterans. Write what the figure holds up.
A flag flying over a public building Count the flags you see from one spot.
A long lawn lined with public buildings Count the grand buildings you can see along it.
A memorial to firefighters beside the stamp Willard Park is the home of the original Cleveland Fire Fighters Memorial. Tick it quietly.
A painting's name on a sign in Willard Park The park is named for artist Archibald Willard, whose best-known painting hangs in City Hall. Write its name if a sign gives it.
A plaque with a veteran's saying Copy its first line.
A view of Lake Erie from the end of the Mall Write what you can see on the water.
Carved scenes around the fountain's base Write one shape or creature you find.
The main public library on Superior Avenue The library system was founded in 1869. Tick it and copy a word carved over its door.
Stone steps where people sit at lunch Count the steps.
The world's largest rubber stamp The Free Stamp, dedicated in 1991, lies on its side in Willard Park. Write the word on it.

North Coast Harbor 12

A big ship far out on the lake Write which way it is heading.
A glass tent leaning off a tower by the lake The music museum's building, by I. M. Pei, opened in 1995 around a 162-foot tower. Tick it from the plaza.
A gull on a post Write how long it stays.
A light rail stop on the waterfront Two waterfront stations serve the harbor. Copy one stop name.
A sailboat in the harbor Count the masts you can see.
A science center on the lakefront The Great Lakes Science Center opened in 1996 and has a NASA visitor center. Tick it from outside.
A walkway out along the water Walk it and count the benches.
A World War II submarine tied up on the lake USS Cod, launched in 1943, is a museum ship and National Historic Landmark. Tick it from the shore.
An old lake freighter kept as a museum Write its colors from the dock.
Canada across the lake Ontario is on Lake Erie's far shore. Write whether you can see land.
Lake Erie from the harbor wall It is the shallowest of the Great Lakes, 210 feet at its deepest. Keep back from the edge and write the water's color.
Why the museum tower is shorter than planned It was cut from 200 to 162 feet to stay clear of the lakefront airport. Count the rows of windows you can see on it.

University Circle 12

A 1927 fountain of water figures Chester Beach's Fountain of the Waters stands in the Fine Arts Garden. Count the figures.
A bronze statue left damaged since 1970 It was partly destroyed in a 1970 bombing and never repaired; a plaque at its base says so. Write what the figure is doing.
A bronze sundial from 1928 It stands in the Fine Arts Garden. Write the time it shows, then check a clock.
A concert hall from 1931 Severance Hall is the orchestra's home. Count the columns at its door.
A garden for one of the city's immigrant groups Rockefeller Park holds 38 Cultural Gardens, each honoring a different people. Write whose garden you found.
A glass-roofed atrium in the museum It covers 34,000 square feet. Step inside, look up and write the shape of the panes.
A lagoon below the art museum The museum's outdoor sculptures sit between its 1916 entrance and the lagoon. Keep back from the edge; count the ducks.
A monument to a Polish hero of the American Revolution It honors Tadeusz Kościuszko. Copy one word from its base.
A statue in a Cultural Garden Write who or what it shows from its base.
A university sign in University Circle Copy the school's name.
A white marble art museum from 1916 The Cleveland Museum of Art is free to enter and holds more than 61,000 works. Count the columns on its original front.
Two Cultural Gardens side by side Write both names and one difference you see.

How this list was compiled: Written for this page in September 2026: 48 finds on foot in Cleveland, Ohio, on Public Square, along the Mall, at North Coast Harbor on Lake Erie and in University Circle, sorted by area, all scored from public squares, parks, piers and sidewalks with nothing bought and no ticket. Nothing was copied from another list; no team, brand, brewery or bar is named. Levels are our judgment. Names, dates, sizes and places in the notes were checked on 2026-09-24 against English Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ followed by Public_Square,_Cleveland, Soldiers%27_and_Sailors%27_Monument_(Cleveland), Terminal_Tower, Old_Stone_Church_(Cleveland), Cleveland_Arcade, Hope_Memorial_Bridge, Willard_Park,_Cleveland, Cleveland_City_Hall, Fountain_of_Eternal_Life, Cleveland_Public_Library, North_Coast_Harbor, Rock_and_Roll_Hall_of_Fame, Great_Lakes_Science_Center, USS_Cod, Lake_Erie, University_Circle, Cleveland_Museum_of_Art, Severance_Hall and Cleveland_Cultural_Gardens. Licence: own work