The Parker family’s house is not a Hollywood backlot. It’s a real house at 3159 W. 11th Street in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. In the early 1980s, the film’s producers needed a street that could pass for a 1940s Indiana steel town. They found it here, a few miles from downtown, and the house has been part of Christmas ever since. The city’s landmark record dates the house to around 1897.
One honest caveat before you go. The outside of the house is the real thing you saw on screen. The inside scenes were shot on a stage set, according to Cleveland Historical, so the rooms you tour today were rebuilt to match the movie. They match it closely, down to the leg lamp in the front window and the crooked star on the tree.
Since mid-2023 the attraction has gone by the name House from A Christmas Story. This guide covers the house tour, the props museum and gift shop that share your ticket, staying the night, where to eat across the street, and a couple of Christmas pairings for the same trip. You’ll also find the extended 2026 holiday hours, parking details and what to know about accessibility.
The House from A Christmas Story (Tremont)
Where: 3159 W. 11th St., Cleveland, OH 44109
When: Year-round, 10 AM to 5 PM, with longer holiday hours in late November and December 2026
Cost: $20 plus digital ticketing fee and admission tax; children under 5 free
Getting there: 3 miles from downtown, 10 miles from Cleveland Hopkins Airport; 23 free off-street spaces plus street parking
The tour moves room by room through the movie’s best scenes. The living room has the leg lamp display, 1940s furnishings and replicas of the gifts under the tree: the fire truck, the bowling ball and the Red Ryder BB gun. The kitchen has period Fiestaware and a vintage oven. Upstairs, the boys’ bedroom is decorated with comic books and movie-era memorabilia. The bathroom holds a decoder ring and a bar of Lifebuoy soap.
This is not a look-but-don’t-touch house. You’re encouraged to act out scenes. Pose with the leg lamp and the replica BB gun. Hide under the kitchen sink like Randy. Decode a secret message in the bathroom, with the Lifebuoy close at hand. Kids under 5 get in free, and they tend to treat the sink cabinet as the main event.
Tours last about 45 to 50 minutes. The first one starts at 10:15 AM, and the last tour during regular hours starts at 4:15 PM. Depending on the season, tours leave every hour or every 30 minutes, on the :15 and :45. Guided tours run daily, except on select November and December dates that are self-guided. The ticket calendar shows which type each day offers when you pick a date.
Ramps reach the first floor only, and the upstairs rooms are stairs only. Staff can’t help guests up or down the staircase. Buy timed tickets on the official hours and admission page before you go, especially for late November and December, when tours often sell out.
Museum of A Christmas Story (Tremont)
Where: Across W. 11th St. from the house
When: Same hours as the house, including 2026 holiday hours
Cost: Included with your house ticket
Getting there: Walk across the street; small lot between the gift shop and museum
Your ticket also covers the museum, which fills the house directly across W. 11th Street. It opened in 2006. If the house shows you the movie’s rooms, this is where the actual objects live.
The collection includes the family car, toys from the Higbee’s window display and the chalkboard from Miss Shields’ classroom. The star piece is an original Official Red Ryder Carbine Action, 200-shot, Range Model Air Rifle, one of only six made for the film. You’ll also see costume pieces and behind-the-scenes photos. Give yourself time here after the tour, since the guide isn’t setting the pace.
The museum is on a single floor, but getting in takes 4 steps up to the front porch, and you leave by 3 steps down off the back porch. There’s no ramp. If that’s a concern, call 216-298-4919 before your visit. Extra parking sits in a small lot between the gift shop and the museum, in front of the garages.
Cross W. 11th Street with care, and hold hands with little kids on the way over.
The Gift Shop (Tremont)
Where: Next to the museum, across from the house
When: During attraction hours
Cost: Free to browse; bunny suit rental $10
Getting there: Same side of W. 11th St. as the museum
The gift shop sits next to the museum, and the operator describes it as huge. Leg lamps come in four sizes, plus an LED nightlight version. You can also get one in a wooden crate, for the full Old Man unboxing.
The lamp has a backstory. Author Jean Shepherd, whose writing the movie is based on, got the idea from an illuminated Nehi Soda advertisement. Reportedly about 10 lamps were made for the film.
This is also where you rent a pink bunny suit for $10. Stop in before your tour time so you can wear it through the house and get the photos. If you show up without a ticket, you can buy one here, or scan the QR code on one of the tour signs around the property. Buying ahead is still the safer move in the holiday season.
The shop is a single-story building and fully accessible.
| Building | Layout | Step-free access |
|---|---|---|
| The house | Multiple floors | Ramps to the first floor only; upper floors by stairs, and staff can’t assist on stairs |
| Museum | Single floor | No ramp; 4 steps up to enter, 3 steps down to exit |
| Gift shop | Single story | Fully accessible |
| Hound Dog Haven Suite (Bumpus House) | First floor | Ramp access and accessible features throughout |
Overnight Stays at Ralphie’s House and the Bumpus House (Tremont)
Where: 3159 W. 11th St. and the Bumpus House next door
When: From one hour after closing until 9 AM; two-night minimum on closed holidays
Cost: Ralphie’s house from $545 per night, varies by season
Getting there: One reserved parking space per rental unit
You can sleep in the house. Overnight guests get the entire place to themselves from one hour after closing until 9 AM the next morning. The private third-floor loft is yours for the whole stay. It sleeps 6, with one queen bed, a queen pull-out sofa and two twin beds in the boys’ room. Rates start at $545 per night and change by season.
Next door, the Bumpus House has two separate suites you can book alone or together. The Stolen Turkey Suite covers the second and third floors. The Hound Dog Haven Suite is on the first floor and is accessible, with ramp access and accessible features throughout.
There’s no minimum stay, except on holidays when the attraction is closed, which require two nights. Specific 2026 holiday availability isn’t published, so check the live calendar on the spend the night page. Each rental unit gets one reserved space in the lot between the two houses.
Staff leave at 5 PM. If you’ll arrive later, arrange check-in ahead of time, or no one will be there to let you in. The overnight FAQ covers the details.
The Rowley Inn (Tremont)
Where: 1104 Rowley Ave., Cleveland
When: Mon to Thu 7 AM to 9 PM; Fri and Sat 7 AM to 10 PM; Sun 7 AM to 8 PM
Cost: Menu prices not posted
Getting there: Walk across the street from the house
The Rowley Inn is directly across the street from the house, which makes it the easiest meal of the day. It’s a family-friendly gastropub with craft beer, cocktails and bowling. The building is more than a century old. It once served as a swing shift bar for workers at the steel mills in the river valley below, which ties it to the same industrial setting that drew the filmmakers here.
Hours posted on its website run 7 AM to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, 7 AM to 10 PM Friday and Saturday, and 7 AM to 8 PM Sunday. Brunch runs 7 AM to 11 AM on weekdays and 7 AM to 2 PM on weekends. The Rowley is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, and serves brunch only from 7 AM to 4 PM on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Check current menu prices before you go.
On a holiday weekend, eat brunch before an early tour or come back after your tour. Squeezing a meal in between is harder than it sounds. If you’d rather wander, Tremont also has Edison’s Pub, The South Side and Dante, plus Lincoln Park and the nearby Towpath Trail for a walk.
The Higbee Building and WinterLand on Public Square (Downtown Cleveland)
Where: Public Square, downtown Cleveland
When: WinterLand kickoff Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026; light show every 30 minutes through 11 PM
Cost: Free
Getting there: About 3 miles from the house
The movie’s other big Cleveland location is downtown. Scenes were filmed at the historic Higbee Building and on Public Square, and Clevelanders still point out relatives who got to be extras. The old Higbee’s department store building now houses a casino, so the movie connection is one to admire from the sidewalk with kids.
In 2026, the free WinterLand kickoff is Saturday, November 28, on Public Square. Tree lightings happen every half hour, so you don’t have to be there at one exact moment. The tree syncs with the new Illuminate CLE light show, which repeats every 30 minutes through 11 PM. Details are on the WinterLand page.
The house is open 10 AM to 9 PM that day. Tour it in daylight, then drive the roughly 3 miles downtown after dark for the tree and the show.
Castle Noel (Medina)
Where: 260 S. Court St., Medina
When: Open all year except Jan. 15 to Feb. 15; daily hours vary
Cost: Public tours from $21.50; reservations required
Getting there: Downtown Medina, south of Cleveland
Castle Noel, in downtown Medina south of Cleveland, is an indoor Christmas attraction packed with holiday movie costumes and props. All tours are guided and run about 90 to 120 minutes. You’ll go through interactive exhibits and a series of animated New York City Fifth Avenue windows. The A Christmas Story link is the finale option: every guest can ride Ralphie’s Giant Slide.
It’s open all year except January 15 to February 15. Daily hours vary and are posted on the Castle Noel hours page. Reservations are required. Public tours are listed from $21.50, so confirm adult and child prices when you check out.
Two 2026 holiday events are on the calendar: Breakfast with the Grinch on Saturday, November 21, and Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 6. The breakfasts are separate from the regular tour; check current prices and what’s included when you book.
Plan on about two hours. It makes a good second day, or a stop on the way home if you’re heading south on I-71.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Nov 1–22 | 10 AM–5 PM |
| Nov 23–25 | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Nov 26 (Thanksgiving) | Closed |
| Nov 27–28 | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Nov 29–30 | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Dec 1–3 | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Dec 4–5 | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Dec 6–10 | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Dec 11–12 | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Dec 13–17 | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Dec 18–19 | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Dec 20–23 | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Dec 24 | 10 AM–3 PM |
| Dec 25 | Closed |
| Dec 26 | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Dec 27–30 | 10 AM–7 PM |
| Dec 31 | 10 AM–3 PM |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Closed |
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| House + museum ticket (age 5+) | $20 plus digital ticketing fee and admission tax |
| Children under 5 | Free |
| Bunny suit rental | $10 |
| Overnight, Ralphie’s house loft (sleeps 6) | From $545/night, varies by season |
| WinterLand kickoff, Nov 28, 2026 | Free |
When to go
The house is open year-round, seven days a week, from 10 AM to 5 PM. Holiday hours stretch later starting November 23, 2026, with 9 PM closings on November 27 and 28, most December Fridays and Saturdays, and December 26. The full schedule is in the hours table, and the chart below shows how late it stays open across the season.
- Closed New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving (Nov. 26, 2026) and Christmas Day.
- Short hours, 10 AM to 3 PM, on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31.
- Closed the last two full weeks of February for annual maintenance.
- Some November and December dates are self-guided instead of guided. The ticket calendar tells you which.
Tickets and booking
- Admission is $20 plus a digital ticketing fee and admission tax. Kids under 5 are free. One ticket covers the house and the museum.
- Tours often sell out, and the operator can’t predict which slots will fill. Book ahead on the official ticket page.
- Paper tickets aren’t accepted, and paper tickets bought before 2024 aren’t valid.
- Private group tours aren’t offered during the holiday season.
- Overnight stays and Castle Noel tours also need reservations.
Getting there and parking
The house is at 3159 W. 11th St., Cleveland, OH 44109, about 3 miles from downtown and 10 miles from Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Drive or take a rideshare.
- A free lot has 17 spaces, including one accessible spot. Six more spaces sit across the street, for 23 off-street spots in all.
- A small lot between the gift shop and the museum adds a few more, in front of the garages.
- Street parking is available on both sides of W. 11th, Rowley Ave. and Buhrer Ave.
- RVs, campers and buses, including group tours, must use street parking only.
Accessibility
Accessible parking is in the lot between the house and the Bumpus House. Guests with disabilities don’t need to wait in the regular line. The house’s first floor has ramp access, but the upstairs rooms don’t, and the museum has steps with no ramp. Call 216-298-4919 with specific questions before you visit.
What to bring
- A phone with your digital ticket.
- A camera for the leg lamp window, the staircase and the backyard.
- $10 if you want the bunny suit, rented at the gift shop before your tour.
- Warm layers. The house, museum and gift shop are separate buildings on opposite sides of the street, and Cleveland in December is cold.
- A little cash for tips if you like. Tips for guides and staff are never expected, though they’re appreciated.
Etiquette and safety
Posing with the props is part of the fun, so play along. Keep an eye on young kids crossing W. 11th Street between buildings. If you’re staying overnight and arriving after 5 PM, coordinate check-in in advance, since staff aren’t on site in the evening.
Closures and advisories
The A Christmas Story 5K/10K run has been permanently canceled. Ignore race-calendar sites that still list a 2026 date. Older guides may also show lower ticket prices or the attraction’s former name. Current prices and hours are on the official site.
The trip comes down to a yellow house on a Tremont side street, a leg lamp in the window and a room you’re allowed to be silly in. Book a timed tour, cross the street for the museum, and rent the bunny suit if you’re brave. Add brunch at the Rowley Inn, or a night on Public Square on November 28, and you have a full Cleveland Christmas day built around a movie most of us can quote by heart.
Photo credits
- Back Door, House from a Christmas Story, Cleveland, Ohio, March 26, 2016.jpg by HeatherMarieKosur, CC BY-SA 4.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- Radio, House from a Christmas Story, Cleveland, Ohio, March 26, 2016.jpg by HeatherMarieKosur, CC BY-SA 4.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- Bathroom, House from a Christmas Story, Cleveland, Ohio, March 26, 2016.jpg by HeatherMarieKosur, CC BY-SA 4.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- Car, House from a Christmas Story, Cleveland, Ohio, March 26, 2016.jpg by HeatherMarieKosur, CC BY-SA 4.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- Leg Lamp, House from a Christmas Story, Cleveland, Ohio, March 26, 2016.jpg by HeatherMarieKosur, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- Randy’s snowsuit at A Christmas Story House Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.jpg by Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- 2 Leg lamp.jpg by Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- 2015-05-11 17 49 15 View north along West 11th Street from in front of A Christmas Story House in Cleveland, Ohio.jpg by Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- Professor Avenue, Tremont, Cleveland, OH (28672039367).jpg by Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
- Cleveland Horseshoe Casino and Terminal Tower (8254268104).jpg by Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
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Please note that some of the imagery in this article were created with the aid of AI image generators.