If you have never been to Lake View, we highly recommend it. It is by far, one of our most favorite places on earth. Lake View is the final resting place to a lot of HUGE names in American history, including John D. Rockefeller, Pres. James A. Garfield and Eliot Ness. There are so many notable figures from not only Cleveland history, not only Ohio history, but American history buried here. Lake View is also known as a park or garden cemetery. There is a huge abundance of plants, flowers and trees. It is really a sight to behold during the growing season.
The cemetery boasts two of Cleveland's most distinctive landmarks- The James A. Garfield Memorial and the Wade Chapel, complete with Tiffany stained glass windows. Neither of these attractions are open during the winter, but it is certainly worth coming to see them in the spring and summer when they reopen. Make sure that you also stop and see the lake that Eliot Ness' ashes are scattered in, the memorial to the victims of September 11, 2001 and the memorial to the those who died in Collinwood School fire. The list of notable figures in this cemetery is just shy of endless. Lake View has provided a link on their website to the famous people buried there.
Word of caution... parts of Lake View butt up against some not-so-great neighborhoods, so use caution while traveling there and at night (which the cemetery locks its gate at 5.30 pm, so you shouldn't be there at night anyway!) The cemetery itself is walled-off from the rest of the city, and seems pretty safe. After your visit the cemetery, swing by Little Italy, just over the cemetery wall (I recommend driving there, not climbing over the wall!) and enjoy the deliciousness that is Little Italy. If you are planning a trip to Cleveland, Lake View is a must-see. You could feasibly squeeze a brief visit in to a trip to University Circle (Art Museum, Severance Hall, Wade Oval, etc.), but especially during the spring and summer months, you will want plenty of time to spend in this huge cemetery with your camera!
:) ABCS