Landed safely in Cleveland (Euclid, Shaker Heights: real estate, renting, transfer to)

[Unicorn hunter]

Just relocated to Cleveland in Shaker Square. Renting for 6 months while looking/hoping to buy and will undoubtedly be asking for info when I get ready for that adventure! Love the area so far, even though we haven't gotten very far and just settling in....arrived Sunday afternoon! Anyhow, if anyone is able to give a quick overview on areas/transit relative to Shaker Square, that would be an immense help to me! I see the green/blue train, the #48 bus and I think a #11 bus......I know I am just being lazy and could try to figure this all out by going to the RTA site, but people on this board are more user friendly than a web site!

Basically, what routes go through this area and what might be points of interest along them? I know the train goes to downtown, so that is very useful and I think I can buy passes at the little diner by the station. We are interested in joining the Y and it looks like the closest one is downtown? Is that pretty accessible from the train? Also interested in the community college branch there. Is there a bus that goes through here to Cedar/Fairmont? That is where my bank branch is located and wondering the quickest route to get there...I will have a car after today.....Where are the things like the closest mall?

Thanks so much for any and all information!

[teacherdad]

Congrats!!!

I live in CA, but when I go to CLE, I take the rail to Sh. Sq. and get a coffee at Dewey's and sit in the window. I love that place. I know starting at some point there is a huge Farmers Market in the Sq. For now, I believe, a smaller one is inside one of the buildings in the Sq. You are near Shaker Lakes, but I have not visited- heard it's a neat area.

OK, one area that you can get to is Little Italy and the Loop (museums). I have taken the Green or Blue back toward CLE, but about 2 stops before downtown, there is a station where the Redline also stops. I get off and then wait for the Red to go east. It'll turn up a bit compared to the G and B lines. Get off at Little Italy. You can walk to the museum loop in about 5 min. and Little Italy is a nice walk- as is the Cemetary.

Added: The Van Akren District is still in progress, but stores are open. It's at the very end of the Green line? Not sure as I've only done that once.

You can take the redline across the river (1st stop after leaving the downtown station) to Westside Market. It's a must for me every visit. Edgewater Pavillion area is another westside stop.

Honestly, there is just a lot of places to see and adventures to have! Check out the MetroParks Website.

Anyway, congrats!

[j_ws]

The train downtown is indeed very convenient. You can download an RTA app for your phone and deal with ticket purchases there. It makes riding the bus very easy because you never have to carry cash or buy passes at the machines. The app also helps you plan routes.

The distance between Tower City and the Y is about 3/4 of a mile. If you don't feel like walking that, I'd recommend signing up for the UH Bikeshare. It makes commuting without a car very convenient and it's a good deal. I rely on it a lot when I don't feel like walking the last mile or so between transit and my destination.

The most annoying trip will be getting to Cedar/Fairmount on transit from Shaker Square. You can take the Green Line to Lee and transfer to the 40 bus which will take you up to Cedar. You'd then have to transfer to the 32 and take that to Cedar/Fairmount. Alternately, you can take the 48 from Shaker Square to the Cedar/University Red Line station and transfer to the 32 and take that up the hill to Cedar/Fairmount (it's also a walkable distance).

[usaf_1832]

Welcome to CLE!

Also, there's some cool shops one block north on Larchmere Blvd. I personally love Loganberry Books. Larchmere also hosts a some fun annual events, including PorchFest, Holiday Stroll, and the Larchmere Festival

Closest shopping would be Tower City downtown via the Green and Blue lines: https://www.towercitycenter.com/directory/

For suburban malls, Beachwood and Legacy village can be reached by the #32 bus, after you take the #48 to Ceder-University. http://www.riderta.com/sites/default...m_Map_Main.pdf

Also, keep an eye on the Van Aken District. That area will be super easy for you to get to via lightrail and has a ton of new stuff opening soon: Shop - The Van Aken District | Mixed-Use Real Estate in Shaker Heights, OH

[WRnative]

If you plan to go all the way downtown for a recreation center, perhaps consider the Cleveland State University rec center as an alternative to the Y. As it can be accessed by the Healthline bus rapid, it may be easier to reach without a longer walk.

https://www.csuohio.edu/recreationce...-information-0

Google Transit is an excellent way to figure out RTA.

https://maps.google.com/landing/transit/index.html

I would recommend buying a day pass and just exploring. E.g., take the Blue/Green line downtown, switch to the Red Line to visit Ohio City and the West Side Market (West 25th St. Station); plan to arrive at the WSM in the morning on a day that it is open. Take the Red Line back to Tower City (which also has some retail in its Avenue mall area), then walk to Public Square and catch the 24/7 Healthline. Take it to University Circle to walk to the art museum, natural history museum, Little Italy, etc. Perhaps catch a bus from University Circle back to Shaker Square. Perhaps get off the Healthline at East 4th St. to visit that entertainment/dining strip as well as The Arcade (with its Euclid Ave. entrance located across from East 4th St.), and again at East 9th St. to explore Heinen's in the Cleveland Trust Rotunda and the Fifth St. Arcades.

The nearest mall area is Legacy Village and Beachwood Place, both located in close proximity to one another. They comprise northern Ohio's upscale shopping mecca. With a car, you easily could visit the new Pinecrest development in Orange Village.

https://www.discoverpinecrest.com/

You also might want check out the Eastgate Shopping Center (Micro Center, Marc's; just east of I-271) and Golden Gate Plaza (just west of 271), as well as the Best Buy and Costco also within several hundred feet of the intersection of Mayfield Road and I-271. Sign up for an affinity card at Giant Eagle.

These dated travel articles still would be very helpful (see right margin at first linked article for additional travel articles).

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...Cleveland.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...de.Market.html

Report back to us on your adventures! These reports should be useful for other new residents to the area.

If you like German/Hungarian food, don't miss the Balaton on Shaker Square.

[Unicorn hunter]

Thanks everyone! WRNative, what you've described sounds like several day trips to me! You must have a lot of energy!! And thanks for the suggestion about the pool....I think I saw there is one at the community college? That might be on a bus line (I think?) Not real sure where Van Aiken is relative to Shaker Square...that's one of the things that is difficult for a newcomer to figure out! Not sure about distances to various areas/neighborhoods. Loganberry books....if I go to Larchmere and turn right, that is one block down? I need to get out and do some more walking!

[Unicorn hunter]

Oh, and Teacherdad, Dewey's is practically right across the street and I've been getting my daily caffeine fix there so far....great place!

[usaf_1832]

Originally Posted by Unicorn hunter

Loganberry books....if I go to Larchmere and turn right, that is one block down? I need to get out and do some more walking!

Not sure what street you're walking up, but it is basically at E.130th and Larchmere Blvd.


Go check it out!

[Unicorn hunter]

Definitely will!

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by Unicorn hunter

Not real sure where Van Aiken is relative to Shaker Square

Take the Blue Line east to the new Van Aken downtown (don't head towards Cleveland). The Blue Line ends at the Van Aken downtown district. You easily could explore it some day that you had an RTA day pass.

Home - The Van Aken District | Mixed-Use Real Estate in Shaker Heights, OH

Expand this map until you can see Shaker Square at Shaker Blvd. and Moreland, then follow Van Aken Blvd. southeast to the Van Aken District. If you have expanded the map sufficiently, you'll see the Blue Line stations.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.4687911,-81.5708244,15z

There also is a strip shopping center -- Shaker Towne Center -- with a popular Heinen's grocery store located just east of the Van Aken & Lee Road Blue Line station.

Here's another web page perhaps of interest. https://shakeronline.com/for-residents/bikes-and-hikes

It's also entertaining to walk residential sidewalks in Shaker Hts., especially along North and South Park to see the old mansions.

Do you have a AAA Northeast Ohio map and the Cleveland map?