Cleveland: West Side Market

Vibe: A celebration of ethnic foods

Unique flavors: Exotic herbs and spices like saffron, curry, and cilantro

Insider tip: If you're buying perishable foods, bring along a cooler where you can store goods in your car (ice is not available at the market). Some vendors close on Mondays.

Founded: 1912

Inside the West Side Market there are more than 125 booths displaying everything from delicious falafel at Maha's to deftly cut meats at Vince's Meats and smoked varieties at Walker Meats. At Ohio City Pasta, you can buy homemade varieties in quarter-pound bundles—each day brings tantalizing new flavors like saffron, spicy lime, and roasted red pepper. And at the Westside Market Cafe, everything on the menu is made from market ingredients.

Also worth exploring are the many ethnic restaurants along West 25th Street a couple of blocks away: Nate's Deli, offering Middle Eastern food; Lozada's, featuring Puerto Rican specialties; and Massimo da Milano's Italian fare.

For a narrated tour of the city, hop on Lolly the Trolley (from $10; 800-848-0173, www.lollytrolley.com), which departs from the Powerhouse at Nautica, a complex of restaurants and a comedy club that's a short walk from the market. Also stroll along Lorain Station Historic District, a haven for shops selling ethnic foods and New Age boutiques. The special exhibits at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as a baseball game at Jacobs Field near the market, are also must-sees.

Where to stay: Try the Bourbon House, a Gothic mansion, where you'll eat a regal breakfast complete with elegant linens, candles, and fine china (rates from $95; 877-444-7279, www.bbhost.com/bourbon_house).