Quote:
Originally Posted by edale
Yeah, I agree with this. Cleveland does have some really nice areas, and some top notch cultural institutions (art museum, symphony, rock hall). But in terms of offering vibrant, walkable neighborhoods, there is very, very little to pick from. Almost all of the neighborhoods are characterized by very plain looking detached housing. Very little brick or ornamentation, very few functioning business districts...just kind of utilitarian. Downtown is clean but very quiet and hardly any street level retail, even when it comes to little corner stores and the like. You can walk for blocks in downtown Cleveland and not come across a single commercial use. That was shocking when I visited for the first time.
Ohio City is pretty nice. Never got the appeal of their other 'premier' neighborhood of Tremont, though. It has some nice restaurants and bars, but they feel just scattered throughout the neighborhood rather than forming any real district. And for all the hype I had seen about Tremont, I found it quite non-descript at best, ugly at worst. This doesn't seem like a neighborhood deserving of the hype it gets: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4805...7i13312!8i6656
That said, there is some cool stuff in Cleveland. I really like their Little Italy, even if it's tiny. I think Shaker Square is very cool and unique, and very pretty: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4835...7i13312!8i6656
Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights are great inner suburbs, and are great areas to walk around. Lakewood isn't very pretty, but it's pretty dense and has some great bars and restaurants. There is definitely cool stuff throughout the Cleveland area, but you kind of have to work to find it. And a lot of the 'connective tissue' between the cool stuff is just boring/ugly. IMO. |
and here's current visitor tips for how you connect the nodes in cleveland
metrocity
Posted 11 hours ago
So I went to visit a friend in Findlay OH over the weekend for the purpose of going to the haunted Mansfield Reformatory Prison on Saturday night. So he's from down near Columbus originally and has only been to Cleveland once to the RNR HOF. He explained that Findlay being south of Toledo on the I75 corridor, is not really connected to Cleveland directly and is not really on the radar of places to go for that part of Ohio. It's roundabout to go up 75 and turnpike...and takes a few hours. It's easier to go to Toledo (of course), fly for work out of Detroit, go to Columbus or Dayton...etc.
So, I suggested that we go to Cleveland for the day, then drive down to Mansfield at night for the haunted prison.
He was right...getting to the turnpike was a lot of country highways, took 2 hours.
Valet parked at E 4th St. Walked around Downtown and an Amish Choir was singing on Public Square. Grabbed a slice at a pizza shop on Euclid. Went to the top of Terminal Tower. Took the Rapid (he didn't even know CLE had trains) to WSM and GLB...all packed with people, and there was an outdoor thing going on in the little plaza by GLB.
Took the rapid from Ohio City to Little Italy. Rapid seemed to be running nicely every 15 min as scheduled. Little Italy was packed with people, had coffee and some bakery. Walked over to University Circle. Tons of people out and wedding party photos being taken.
Took the Healthline back to Playhouse Square, went in Heinen's and had a drink. Stopped into the candy store and popcorn shop at the 5th St arcade. Went to Greenhouse Tavern for Dinner, and had a drink at Society afterward. Picked up the car at the Valet...and it was off to Mansfield.
My point? Everywhere was lively and filled with people. Rapid and Healthline were both full...we had to stand (not complaining). Saw TWO people randomly pick up trash from the street downtown and the rapid and throw it away. The City looked great, and the people were friendly and Cosmopolitan. It felt like a real city..and was so damn easy to have a great day site seeing.
Granted, it was beautiful weather Saturday...but every time I go back to Cleveland it just gets better and better and there are more people out and about. My friend was really impressed.
The End.
metrocity
Posted 8 hours ago (edited)
A few more notable notes or musings:
Near Case Western, there was a Jewish guy speaking to a group of people in an outdoor forum about how and why the Jewish community power structure began to move to Beachwood in the 1970's.
In the same area in University Circle we heard 5 different languages being spoken in a matter of minutes.
At the plaza near GLB there were a lot of political activists working to sign up people to vote in Cuyahoga county and make change.
We saw multilple street perfomers singing and playing instruments...I always give those folks money.
We passed what I think was a Nation of Islam group having a discussion on the street downtown...and videotaping it.
I witnessed 4 people help an older lady get on the Healthline with her granny cart of groceries, my friend and I helped her get the cart off the bus at Playhouse square because the gap to the platform was too wide.
People were riding Bird Scooters in all the neighborhoods
On the Rapid out the window, we saw a skateboard park full of kids at one point.
Homeless asking for money...of course you'll have that. Worse than any other city? Probably less. In front of Tower City? Seriously not bad.
So yeah...all that looks really cool IMO to my friend 😀