The location of Case Western Reserve University’s campus is not ideal for accessing the vast selection of activities in the downtown Cleveland area. Luckily, each CWRU student receives an RTA pass that opens up a whole new world of excursion opportunities.

The main bus line that runs down Euclid Ave. is the HealthLine, which connects University Hospitals, the Cleveland Clinic and downtown. If you can sit for a 40 minute bus ride to get downtown, you can find a lot of fun activities just waiting to be explored.

Everyone loves to bowl and located off the 6th St. stop is the Corner Alley, a bar and arcade wrapped in one. On one side, the Corner Alley serves both food and drinks. On the other, there is, of course, bowling, including 16 total lanes and arcade games. The prices are fairly reasonable; you pay per lane and can play with up to eight people. The prices are $25 per lane per hour before 5 p.m. and $50 per lane per hour after 5 p.m. If you don’t have your own pair of bowling shoes, you can rent them for $3.50 a person. The atmosphere on the inside is extremely welcoming, upbeat and vibrant.

Another fun downtown attraction, off the last stop on the HealthLine and located a short walk from Public Square, is the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Admission prices are $19.95 for adults aged 13+, $13.95 for children aged 2-12 and free for those under two or over 100 years old. It is open Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last entry an hour before close. The aquarium has some new residents to check out: a dwarf seahorse, gulf pipefish, and boesemani crayfish. They also recently announced the birth of a rare weedy sea dragon on Jan. 31. They also recently opened their Stingray Touchpool back up! This weekend they are hosting an event called “That’s A-Moray.” Throughout Valentine’s Day weekend, the Aquarium will have a romance-themed “I Spy” challenge, animal courtship facts, oversized animal pun Valentine’s Day cards, a heart-shaped photo op and some mood music in the galleries. They are having extended hours until 7 p.m. for this event!

Downtown Cleveland is also home to some amazing sports teams, including the Guardians (baseball), the Cavaliers (basketball) and the Monsters (ice hockey). The Guardians season will begin at the end of March and run through October. They play at Progressive Field off the 9th St. stop, with tickets running as low as $12. The Cavs play at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse right behind Progressive Field. Tickets for the Cavs game go for as low as $30 each. Their season lasts roughly from November to May. Last but not least, the Monsters also play at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and tickets for them go as low as $8. Their season runs from February to April.

As for food, downtown Cleveland has a lot of variety. Downtown does have a Barrio that is fantastic, as we all know. If you are looking for a burger, they have Shake Shack. They also have Taco Bell Cantina for those of legal drinking age. If you’re in the mood for some good diner food, Yours Truly is an excellent pick.

Downtown Cleveland is full of surprises and adventures for everyone to discover. They usually have a ton of free events, but most of the activities downtown are fair priced for college-aged students. The food and nightlife are also attractive for bored CWRU students craving some exploration.  So, go get your RTA pass from the Thwing 

Center basement, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and take a ride downtown.