Have a good time in and around Cleveland

Take a musical vacation, to the place in the Midwest where rock 'n' roll is Topic No. 1, and check the Web to see what else you can do for fun in and around the city of Cleveland.

Taking the kids along? For dinosaur lovers, there's a king-sized exhibit, "A T.rex Named Sue," at the Museum of Natural History -- www.cmnh.org/site/ -- running Nov. 11 through April 15. Look under "At the Museum" and click on "On Exhibit" for details on the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever found. After they've oohed and aahed at Sue, take them to the museum's planetarium to see the stars.

Then it's time to give your ears a treat and relive some memories at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- www. rockhall.com/ -- on the shore of Lake Erie. Go to "Exhibitions" for permanent collections including instruments and memorabilia, and featured exhibitions on Roy Orbison and Rick Nelson, both running until Dec. 31, and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

After paying homage to rock 'n' roll, head across town to treat your eyes to works by Picasso, Gaudi, Miro and Dali at the Cleveland Museum of Art -- www.clevelandart.org/ -- host of a special exhibit titled "Bar- celona & Modernity," now through Jan. 7. Take a look at "Special Exhibitions" for upcoming exhibits of European, Chinese and Japanese masterpieces. For a look at some of the Barcelona works, go to the Cleveland section of About.com -- cleveland.about.com/ -- and click on the "Barcelona" link in the left column.

After music and arts, you might want to kick back and relax. There's an area in the heart of the city called the Warehouse District -- www.warehousedistrict.org/ -- a revitalized neighborhood with a concentration of wining, dining, galleries, shops and entertainment. Click on "Architectural Tour" for a map, with profiles of some of the historic buildings and information on walking tours.

Next, make a list of the Warehouse District spots you want to try out with the help of the "Going Out Guide" from Cleveland.com -- www.cleveland. com/warehouseguide/ -- profiling many of the restaurants, clubs and bars. They provide a photo gallery, plus information on parking lots and nearby hotels to make your visit easier.

There's more on that and other neighborhoods at Cityguide -- cityguide.aol. com/cleveland/neighborhoodscleveland/ -- including the landmark area known as The Flats, with its own blend of places to eat and relax.

See what else you can do for fun by visiting the official Travel Cleveland -- www.travelcleveland.com/ -- and clicking on "Where to Play & Eat." Under that section's "Attractions" heading you can search for everything from museums to wine trails, and "Sports & Recreation" has connections to the Browns, Indians, Cavaliers and more. Thinking of visiting in November or December? Click on "Events Calendar" and then "Year at a Glance" to see the dates for pre-holiday happenings such as the Winterfest Holiday Lighting Ceremony.

OK, it's a nice city, but the surrounding region has lots of other things to do and explore.

East of Cleveland, Geauga County -- www.tourgeauga. com/index.htm -- has bed & breakfast inns, farm markets, and Amish County shops and tours, and Lake County -- www.lakevisit.com/ -- offers fishing on Lake Erie. East of Geauga, Ashtabula county -- www.visitashtabulacounty.com/ -- promises 16 historic covered bridges, along with picturesque communities and access to fishing on Lake Erie. Click on "Maps" to see where the bridges are located.

On the west side of the city, Lorain County -- www.lcvb.org/ -- promises more fishing on Lake Erie, a tour of sites on the Cvil War-era Underground Railroad tour, and local festivals. "Things to See & Do" also lists the town of Avon.