Vacationing in Cleveland ~ Part Two!

by Hedwiga Wood

Cleveland is a tight-knit community

People who live in Cleveland love the city in an almost weird way. We often hear about the mistake on the lake and about the dilapidated neighborhoods as reasons why this is not a great place to live. The lake unfortunately got way better but over time has grown worse again (don’t swim in it, look at it). There also are areas in east cleveland that look like parts of the video game “The Last of Us”. However, this is not nearly the entirety of the living or vacationing situation here. Clevelanders know this and if you ever get into a conversation with them about their home, they will go on and go about all the fantastic reasons to live and visit here. We even do it to each other. Like broken records. As a local, I guess I’m technically in the cult too so here are my reasons:

• We have beaches but no sharks: Due to the freshwater lake, we don’t have a lot of huge or poisonous creatures that can cause harm. You’d probably have to provoke the wildlife which may prove difficult.

• Boater’s playground: A lot of people like sailing and boating here. You can even go on a dinner cruise. I find it fun to watch all the boats milling about. You can even take your boat to the flats and park it like a car before going to a restaurant. 

• Environmentally lasting: We have one of the largest drinking water sources in the US making this place a more stable living situation long term as global warming decimates our planet.

• Iconic seasons: Every season here is distinct and has something to offer.

  • Lively Spring: We have cool springs but there are always flowers everywhere. Clevelanders take gardening very seriously and due to being in zone 6, we can plant quite a variety of flowers, bushes, and trees. The city is known for its daffodils which crop up all over the place like Lakeview Cemetery and Edgewater park.

  • Mild Summers: This is the time to come visit us. Forget Florida during the summer. They come here because it’s actually pleasant outside and rarely goes over 100f. The flowers continue to bloom this time of year and the people are at their happiest and simply do not want to be inside. Cleveland summers are a constant party of life.

  • Colorful Falls: While we aren’t Vermont, we look like it. Almost all the trees change to yellow, orange, and red. Come walk among the fallen leaves and find fall flavored foods. Go to Forage in Lakewood and have butternut squash gnocchi or try the various local coffee shops that celebrate this time of year.

  • Moody Winters: Boston Mills Ski Resort is a great place to go skiing. The appeal of winter here is that it snows but not outrageously so. Cleveland and surrounding cities are highly efficient at removing snow and it’s rarely enough to actually barricade you inside. Unfortunately, I’d say this is probably the worst time to visit. We all hunker down inside and avoid the cold. The trees are like skeletons, the gardens are bare and you must be careful with the lake effect! It snows significantly more on the east side of the cities! The change is baffling!

    
    

A lot of the people here need to take vitamin d supplements too because we just don’t see the sun very much in between Dec.-March. Do yourself a favor and wait for April when everything comes to life and we stop having seasonal depression. The absolute worst time to come is during Jan.-Feb. This is when the weather is the most unpredictable, cold, and frequently snowy. You also need to deal with the temporary pothole season, during the cold weather, holes pop up all over the roads meaning once smooth places now have dips to them that can ruin car suspension. We’re fairly good at filling them in but it can take a minute. 

• Less traffic: People often say this city isn’t high in traffic, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there but the city was made for more than currently inhabit it. It’s definitely denser during the warm season (because people aren’t hiding) but many visitors are surprised by the ease of navigating our area in cars.

• Built by industrial era tycoons: This was John D Rokefeller’s city. Carnegie too was very involved here. The both of them showered their money into the city meaning that there are many things that honestly don’t seem like they belong.

  • Playhouse Square: The second largest acting theater in the US.

  • The Cleveland Art Museum: A free museum with one of the largest Asian art collections in the US.

  • Lakeview Cemetery: People are dying to get in here! Home of many famous dead people who built huge monuments or mausoleums. I’ve been to many a cemetery in my life and this one is still the prettiest. It’s moste like a garden with interesting stonework. Go see the Garfield Monument is it’s open and look on in awe at the mosatics and gold.

  • Severance Hall: Home of the Cleveland Orchestra. One of the big five in the US.

  • Cleveland Botanical Garden/Wade Oval: Lush, curated gardens in University Circle. Ideal for laying around with a book and picnic blanket like you’re part of an impressionist painting. 

Fantastic food

If you know where to look, which you will after I’m done with you, there is amazing food to be had in the area.

• Barroco Lakewood: One of my favorite latin restaurants. They have plantain medallions loaded with toppings that are my personal favorite on the menu. They also have fantastic drinks and a collection of sauces to dip things in.

• Cilantro Taqueria (anywhere): Think Chipotle but better. There’s more toppings and fantastic spicing. It’s also on the less expensive side which is nice.

• Rice Shop (Van Aken): I write this one down because I moved to the other side of the city and haven’t had the chance to be back in a year. I miss you pork belly rice bowl.

• My Friends Restaurant (Detroit Ave): It’s an american style diner. Kind of like an IHOP. Also a chain but important! Why? It’s open 24 hours in case you eat late or are racked with such indecision that everything closes. The brunch crew is lovely and starts my day off right.

• Mahall’s (lakewood): You have to reserve ahead and it only has brunch on Sundays. Worth it. They compete with the 27 Club for my favorite chicken and waffles in the city. This is also a location where you can do a lot of things. Go see a musical performance, vintage clothing shop, drink, or go bowling. 

• Terrestrial Brewing Company: You can bring your dogs or your cats. Basically, we have a lot of great breweries in this city. I personally haven’t been to this one but keep hearing about it from my colleagues and strangers.

• Bottle House: My favorite brewery. Unfortunately, the food has become average but that’s not why you go here. The ciders are thought inducing and amazing and come in a variety of flavors. I go with my partner and we get something different and share between us.

• Stone Oven Bakery (Lee Rd): I worked at one once and it took forever to get sick of eating there. The coffee is average but the bread, sandwiches, salads, soups, and pastries are amazing. I love this location because it has visually pleasing piles of sweets. It’s what one dreams of seeing when they go to a bakery. Their back patio is quaint, foliage filled, and allows dogs.

There’s good coffee almost anywhere ~ I know some great places:

• Ready Set Roasters (Edgewater area Cleveland): Creative flavors, quaint environment, and they give you drinks in ceramics. During March they have a shamrock cold brew and it has little clouds in the inside of the glass!

• Dahlia Coffee Co: It has hispanic themed coffee! It reminded me of visiting Miami and the drinks I had there.

• Caffeine (Lakewood): They have interesting drinks both cold and warm including cold foams. Their sandwiches are absolutely amazing (they have crepes too). I personally go here about twice a month. 

• Edda Coffee Roasters (West Cleveland): Next to Westside market. Extremely trendy looking with a giant starburst light and lots of plants. The food and coffee here is great too. People here are alway oddly stylish meaning I personally feel the need to look my best.

• Six Shooter Coffee (Waterloo arts district): Some of the best coffee and lattes in the area. They have cold brews on tap. Great place to go if you're visiting the local arts places like Praxis and Waterloos arts! Go to Donks for a great burger. 

• Phoenix Coffee Co (Downtown Cleveland): They're a local chain and are all good but the one in the center of Cleveland has the best espresso machine according to people who work at the heights location.

• Milk and Honey (Downtown Cleveland): My coworker loves their Cinny toast crunch cold brew. 

• Judith (South of Edgewater area Cleveland): It’s French themed and they give you drinks in ceramics! Make sure you go before 10 otherwise there may not be anywhere to sit. They have amazing open faced sandwiches and a cottage core environment. 

  
  

Parks

• Metropark system: We have an incredible park system here! Go to their website to find out more https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/parks/visit . I will add a few places of note but their website is truly worth looking at:

  • The Emerald Necklace (see a ton if it via valley parkway): There is a green belt on both sides of the greater Cleveland area. It protects our city from floods but is usually a place locals play throughout the seasons.

  • Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: spans 165 acres and houses over 3,000 animals representing more than 600 species.

  • Bedford Reservation: It has a waterfall that’s incredibly peaceful to gaze at. There are walkways to stroll alone or run.

  • Edgewater park (a local favorite for outdoor frolicing): This is where you can sit on the beach and bake, go for a run, drink, have a barbecue, and watch the sunset to name a few of its uses. It’s a little slice of heaven and everyone looks so happy. During the winter it’s even a vibe. Imagine moody windy weather and an investigator contemplating the inland sea in a noir mystery.

    
    

There’s a willow tree overlooking the water that photographers can’t get enough of. Parking is free and copious… Unless it’s a holiday like July 4th. As I said, Clevelanders LOVE to be under the sun in warm weather. They must photosynthesize enough to last the cold seasons! 

• Other Nature related places:

  • Holden Arboretum: is a place where you can zipline, climb wooden structures to see the tree canopy, Walk on suspended bridges and wave at the little people below, get married (I swear it happens every week during the summer), And overall just enjoy plants with little nametags. They have a fantastic rhododendron garden; the huge bushes sometimes as big as a house, completely covered in scentless vibrant flowers. You look at them and feel color in your eyes. This is a location you must pay to enter.

  • Cuyahoga Valley National park: You don’t need money or a pass to go there. You just go and become one with nature. Sometimes when you walk among the rocks, it feels sacred. 

  • Cultural gardens on MLK: These are a collection of gardens for different cultures on a curving fun road: Driving wise, it’s not my favorite. It’s a one lane road both ways and frequently gets backed up because people need to use it for commutes. In other words, it’s best to keep things moving as cruising too slowly can hold up traffic.

    
    

You can park for free on the side of the road and enjoy a variety of flowers and statues of iconic people from around the world. My advice, park at the Ukrainian gardens and go from there. Gardens are on both sides of the road. Italian, Irish, and Hungarian are my favorites.

• Lakeview Cemetery: It's free, it’s stunning, it's full of history and plantlife. 

Train system

• We have one! That means you might not even need a car if you don’t plan to go to the nature parks. You can even get to it from inside the airport! Locations of note are:

  • 5-Lorain Station: Gordon square or what I like to think of as a place to find lots of food and art.

  • W.25-Ohio City Station: You can go to the West-side market, a giant, old, indoor market full of produce, meats, bread, and treats. There are also a number of other places to eat like Edda Coffee or Cleveland Candle co. 

  • Flats East Bank Rapid Station: The flats are where people go to party by the lakefront, they have places to dance, eat, and drink while looking at the water and big city buildings.

    • The 27 Club: Themed after artists who kicked the bucket before 27. It has pink lattes and chicken and waffles that makes my top 5 list of C&W.

    • Punch Bowl Social: Has a rooftop bar that makes you feel on top of life.

    • Good Night John Boy: Someone told me this is a great place to go dancing. Not my thing but thought I’d put it here.

    • Music Box Supper Club: Music Venue I enjoyed. People go outdoor dancing here.

    • Greater Cleveland Aquarium: Fishies!

  • Tower City Center: It’s going to be in the new superman movie! On the National Register of Historic Places. Gorgeous metalwork, sadly a bit empty. This is however what I like to think of as a starting point to get where you want in the city center. You can go see sports through this exit and well as Cleveland public square, the heart of the city. From here you can wander to a variety of locations.

    • The Arcade and 5th Street Arcades: Old metalwork, shopping, and food.

    • Cordelia: For when you’re rich or feeling so and want to show off or eat something delicious. Small plates.

    • Mabel's BBQ: Haven’t been but heard great things about their barbecue and bourbon. They also have a location in Eton Mall in Woodmere.

    • Playhouse Square: Performing arts broadway style.

    • Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: I’ve honestly never been but it seems to be one of our city’s selling points as a place to go.

    • Heinen's Grocery Store: It has a gorgeous glass dome. You can get anything in a grocery store and Michelle's ice cream (some of the best local stuff), and wine on taps.

  • Little Italy - University Circle: You are in Italian land! The home of the feast festival! It also drops you off close to Lakeview cemetery! Side note, not safe alone at night.

  • Van Aken & Warrensville Stn: This is close to the Van Aken Market hall! A go to date location for those on the east side of Cleveland. It’s full of delicious food, shopping, drink, and is pleasant all year. Visitors can often find different events with people selling local produce, honey, and crafts. I live on the other side of the city and miss it.

A word of note about the Cleveland subway system. While it does exist it’s not as robust as say Boston or Chicago’s. This means visitors will have to look at when the next train is coming since wait times could be as long as 15 minutes. Standard train weirdos still apply.

Technically, you can simply walk onto the train and only need a ticket if you're getting off at Tower city but I’m not encouraging such deviation. From time to time a RTA employee will walk through the train asking to see tickets like in Munich Germany. People without tickets are playing a game of chance that could go very badly. I don’t know what happens if you get discovered. (insert spooky sounds)

Attire

We are a cold city and as such, 6 to 7 months of the year are spent in long sleeves or jackets. Here is my estimate of what you need depending of the time of year:

• November-March: Heavy jacket, gloves, hat.

• April-Mid May: light jacket or long sleeves. 

• Mid May-Mid September: Short sleeves.

• Mid September-October: light jacket or long sleeves.