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My husband surprised me with a trip to Cleveland for my birthday (trip will be in September) and I'm pretty excited! I'm a big softie for the rustbelt, and Cleveland is one of the few cities I haven't checked out yet. Here's our preliminary plan--I've done like...1.5 hours research and feedback would be helpful.
To put things in perspective, we're a married couple coming with our son who will be 11 months old. So basically, our plan is more laid back/not action packed. We will have a babysitter for our 1st night (we have family in town) but otherwise, we'll be dragging the kid along for the ride. We do not plan to get a car. We are big into architecture, good food, craft beer, and history.
Saturday:
Arrive early afternoon @ CLE
Take Red Line downtown/check into hotel that is TBD--though we're pretty much Hilton loyalists and the Doubletree is sticking out. If you have other recommendations in a better location of downtown, feel free to add ($100ish/night budget, not over $150, 4 star-ish prefered).
Check out Terminal Tower/Town City Center & Heinens (worth checking out? Or see something else downtown?)
Leave son with babysitter, get dinner before the game (I'm thinking either Lola or The Greenhouse Tavern)
See baseball game (Indians are in town & have a night game, this is pretty set)
Sunday:
A day in University Circle (should we stay there hotel-wise Sunday night? Are there places to stay?)
Art Museum
Botanical Garden
Maybe Garfield Monument/Lakeview Cemetary time permitting
Should we eat in Little Italy? Or is it all hype? We have plenty of good italian in STL so I'm leaning towards no. Other recommended suggestions in the area, both lunch and dinner (less fancy than previous day--we'll have the kiddo. He won't eat the food, but I don't want to be looked at like a crazy person for bringing a baby in)
Monday:
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Great Lakes Brewing
West Side Market
Tuesday - late morning flight out. More than likely, we'll leave this empty and sleep in/relax.
This itinerary is doable without a car, right? Wasn't planning to bring a carseat, and the paranoid mom in me would also strongly prefer the light rail with limited bus stuff. My impression is yes...but want to be sure. Any other more interesting neighborhoods to check out (maybe for dinner Sunday or a meal on Monday)? Any other breweries with food?
You won't need a car. Buy RTA day passes for about $5. The baby will ride free. You can buy day passes online, but I've never done so.
What weekend will you be in Cleveland? E.g., are there tours of Severance Hall (arguably the most beautiful concert hall in the U.S.) or PlayhouseSquare on that weekend?
The Cleveland National Air Show is on Labor Day weekend. Hotel rates go up for that very popular event.
Check out reviews of Cleveland hotels at tripadvisor.com. The Doubletree Lakeside is a converted Holiday Inn with a big pool. It's not close to the Gateway entertainment/dining district (where Progressive Field is located). It's also not close to the Euclid Ave. Healthline bus rapid or the Tower City downtown rail station. It is close to the Rock Hall. Some persons complain of train noise on the hotel's north side.
Perhaps check out the Holiday Inn Express as an alternative. It's a unique hotel and ideal for those without cars. The Hyatt in The Arcade also is a possibility. Most hotels have Rock Hall packages.
You could rent a car downtown for a day. Perhaps check out Kirtland here for Holden Arboretum and Lake Metroparks Farmpark. Holden, one of the largest and best arboretums in the U.s., now has a unique canopy walk and emergent tower. A car also would be convenient for visiting Lake View Cemetery, which has somewhat steep uphill walks. Holden is now combined with the botanical garden and perhaps offers combo tickets.
Little Italy is a legitimate Italian neighborhood, but small. See the discussion under dining in the first article linked above.
What type of food do you enjoy? L'Albatros in University Circle is a French restaurant and very highly rated even though somewhat moderately priced. I've never seen a baby there, but I would call and ask for the restaurant's recommendation. It's not extremely formal.
The West Side Market is now open on Sunday, and I think some vendors now close on Monday, but I'm not certain. Perhaps visit it early Sunday morning. The West Side Market Cafe is an historic Cleveland restaurant and ideal with a baby.
Check availability of baby sitters at all Cleveland hotels.
You don't want to take a baby to L'Albatross. It's way too fancy. I'd look at Melt (Cleveland institution though it's chaining it's way across Ohio it seems). Good beer selection and food is okay. Anatolia Cafe is really good in that area as well and low key.
I think it's going to be tougher without a car (at least to get to these places from UC), but YMMV.
You don't want to take a baby to L'Albatross. It's way too fancy. I'd look at Melt (Cleveland institution though it's chaining it's way across Ohio it seems). Good beer selection and food is okay. Anatolia Cafe is really good in that area as well and low key.
I think it's going to be tougher without a car (at least to get to these places from UC), but YMMV.
I would call L'Albatros and ask. I don't consider a restaurant with no table clothes excessively fancy.
Crop Kitchen and definitely Ninja City would be other possibilities with a baby in University Circle.
One of the more unique restaurants in Cleveland that would be easily visited with no car is the Balaton, if you like Hungarian food. The Balaton is a family restaurant, although charming, and would be good IMO with a baby, but call and ask. Take the Blue or Green rail line rapids from Tower City to Shaker Square, and the Balaton is a short walk from the rapid station. It would give you a chance to see Shaker Square, the most densely populated part of Cleveland, and perhaps some of Shaker Heights, one of the nation's great garden suburbs. Read about Shaker Square and Shaker Heights in the Dining section of the "Cleveland Tips" travel article linked in my first post.
Be advised that the large portions at the Balaton definitely require take-out, so consider ordering only the smaller portions. The Balaton has the best Wienerschnitzel in Cleveland IMO if that's of interest.
Fire also is an acclaimed locavore restaurant in Shaker Square. Shaker Square would be a good destination prior to the Indians game. It's a 15-minute rail ride each way and Tower City is connected to Progressive Field by a pedestrian walkway.
Also in Shaker Square is EDWIN's, probably the best French restaurant in Cleveland and very upscale. Zanzibar Soul Fusion also is in Shaker Square.
Use Google Transit at the RTA home page to find a bus from University Circle to Shaker Square (likely a 10-minute ride), then take the Red Line back to Tower City after dining, if you want to visit Shaker Square after your Sunday visit to the art museum, etc. Using the rapid's Green and/or Blue lines to explore Shaker Hts. after dining might be an interesting way to spend Sunday night. If you'll have a stroller, take a walk on North and South Park Boulevard and check out the Shaker lakes. Scan this map to find Park and Lee, then scan south to see Green Lake just south of Woodland.
Make restaurant reservations.
If you go to Kirtland, there is a Melt in nearby Mentor. There is no easily reached Melt in Cleveland. However, the Melt in Cleveland Heights is near University Circle and the Melt in Lakewood is perhaps easily reached by bus from downtown. Check Google transit for either location, if interested.
BTW, you can experience a taste of Cleveland, including Melt, in Progressive Field.
You could take the rapid to the airport and rent a car for a day from there.
You could rent a car downtown, and certainly Enterprise at least would pick you up and deliver you after returning the car, but check the downtown rental car office hours (closed on Sundays?).
I'm in town weekend of 9/24. Nothing at Severance Hall, the options for theatre don't stick out to me, and we don't have a babysitter anyways for an additional night on our own.
I like the feedback on hotel and restuarants. I was using trip advisor but didn't see the article linked. I doubt we'll eat at the ballpark due to the great restaurant choices beforehand. The Hyatt is way beyond our budget, and based on your suggestion for the Holiday Inn Express, I realized a Hampton Inn (which I prefer) is 2 blocks away--I can use points to stay for free, so we'll likely go that direction.
We are more into interesting takes on american/bar classics. I also really enjoy the sort of ethnic stuff we can't find in STL--polish and eastern european in particular. The stuff mentioned in Shaker Square sounds interesting.
I agree that whether babies are welcomed depends on more than whether there are table cloths. Good indicators: whether place has high chairs?
No daytrips for us, we don't have time. I got the vibe on the car situation that its similar to STL--light rail gets close to most major attractions, and the stuff near University Circle sounds like there's a free bus shuttle/circulator thing to get you to attractions. Walking doesn't seem too bad either--we are city dwellers ourselves, walking 1/2 mile to a mile isn't unusual for us at all. I would really prefer not to have a car--hate spending the money (both on the car and parking at the hotel), and the car seat situation is a hassle (don't want to bring one, and the ones available for rent are typically terrible). I am familiar with Zipcar and haven't had a membership in years.
Well billiken congrats on your b'day present ... and on your hubby -- hang onto that man!
WRnative has covered just about covered everything; I'd only add these:
Flats! Especially Flats East Bank. In your vast Cle research, you may have seen that the Flats was Cleveland's hottest party district until the early 2000s when it died... but recently it's being reborn as a restaurant, apartment, hotel and club district, complete with a year-old boardwalk tying it all together; and it's buzzing. If you want food and/or drinks with a stunning view, check out new restaurants: Alley Cat and Coastal Taco which have seating on decks directly on the Cuyahoga River with with it's pleasure boats, jet skiers, kayaks, summer cruise lines (like the Goodtime III, which leaves from North Coast Harbor near the Rock Hall and is worth a ride in itself and has Friday Happy Hour cruises) and even some mega-huge frieghters which squeeze down the River.
note: and this is only the beginning for the Flats. There are some Flats areas that still need reviving and a Phase III to the new Flats East Bank will add more mid-rise apartments, movie theaters, retail and, perhaps, a small grocery store.
...also,
you can take the Red Line east to the Little Italy-University Circle station. There you can tour Cleveland's compact but fascinating, old-school, architecturally, (and delicious) Little Italy... From there, heading the other direction, under the Red Line tracks, you can walk easily to all of the University Circle museums and attractions. First, though, at Euclid and Mayfield, there's the new Museum of Contemporary Arts (MOCA) as well as new area of restaurants, shops, clubs and even a 2-level bowling/cocktail/restaurant establishment.
My notes:
Keep in mind the downtown circulator trolleys are free. You should be able to do everything else on the rail, buy the all day pass for $5.
Edwin's is very good but may not be the place for a toddler.
The CMA has a pretty decent restaurant if you're in a time crunch, CMA is very kid-friendly. You can get a bite to eat at MOCA also, but limited variety.
Drinks at Crop in Ohio City (diagonally across from the West Side Market) is a decent alternative to the microbrewery scene, you can usually get a local brew without the crowd at GLBC. And the OC Crop has a cool building.
Terminal Tower has a viewing level so you can checkout the city from a Peregrine Falcon's perspective.
If you have too much money and need to lighten your wallet, we offer the convenience of a downtown casino.
I realized a Hampton Inn (which I prefer) is 2 blocks away--I can use points to stay for free, so we'll likely go that direction.
The Hampton is a good choice. It's close to the C-line free bus trolley line which operates evenings and on weekends. The bus trolleys are one-way on 20-minute routes. If you have day passes, the Healthline operates both ways on Euclid Ave. Cleveland's main street. It would be good to familiarize yourself with Cleveland RTA's rail rapids and the Healthline before your visit. Cleveland has Uber and Lyft.
Downtown Cleveland is compact, so you likely won't have more than a 10-minute walk to most locations. Walking may be faster than the bus trolleys.
Quote:
Originally Posted by billiken
We are more into interesting takes on american/bar classics. I also really enjoy the sort of ethnic stuff we can't find in STL--polish and eastern european in particular. The stuff mentioned in Shaker Square sounds interesting.
I agree that whether babies are welcomed depends on more than whether there are table cloths. Good indicators: whether place has high chairs?
I agree. That's why I would call the restaurant. I would be surprised if L'Albatros and especially the Balaton don't have high chairs. Given your food interests, definitely try to visit the Balaton IMO. Nate's Deli is a special deli just north of the West Side Market and definitely check out Mitchell's Ice Cream, also just north of the WSM. Note that Mitchell's has second floor seating from which you can view the large ice cream factory operation.
If you like Lebanese cuisine, very good in Cleveland, check out Taza downtown, or the Aladdin's Bakery and Deli near Progressive Field, across from the Hilton Garden Inn.
In University Circle, you might want to check out the Happy Dog in the Euclid Tavern, located in the Uptown District of University Circle. It's essentially hot dogs and tater tots with a zillion free toppings. Now, I'm not certain it would have a high chair.
If you eat at the CMA, check out the Provenance Cafe, which features a Tandoor oven. IMO you would enjoy it more than the Provenance Restaurant.
I don't know the age of your son, but check out Studio Play (and definitely Art Lens) at the CMA. On weekends, the CMA has many family activities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by billiken
No daytrips for us, we don't have time. I got the vibe on the car situation that its similar to STL--light rail gets close to most major attractions, and the stuff near University Circle sounds like there's a free bus shuttle/circulator thing to get you to attractions.
University Circle is very walkable, likely faster than waiting for the Circulator. If you like architecture, definitely check out Frank Gehry's Peter B. Lewis Building. This inside is as interesting as the outside.
You'll have a shorter walk to the art museum/botanical garden/natural history museum/Western Reserve Historical Society (all located within very short walks of each other) if you take the Healthline Bus Rapid from downtown (there's a station at East 9th St., where the Heinen's in the Cleveland Trust Rotunda is located, and less than a 10-minute walk from the Hampton). Get off at the Adelbert Road station near Severance Hall and walk down East Blvd.
The Red Line rapid does have a Little Italy station that is a short walk downhill to University Circle. You could take the Red Line to Little Italy and walk a short distance uphill for a breakfast at Presti's Cafe, Cleveland's top-rated cafe. Then walk downhill to University Circle. Use the Healthline to return to downtown or to go to Lake View Cemetery, but note the hours for the Garfield Monument (you'll likely need to get there about 3 p.m. at the latest), and the walk is all uphill from Euclid Ave. Read about Lake View under attractions in the "Cleveland Tips" tripadvisor article.
If you're a member of AAA, order the Northeast Ohio map. It has an excellent map of downtown and University Circle on its back. You also can print out maps at thisiscleveland.com. Of course, you're smartphone or a GPS could suffice, but I like personally having the big picture in my mind and not having to fool around with an electronic device unless necessary.
Last edited by WRnative; 07-13-2016 at 10:00 PM..
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