Cleveland/West Side
The West Side consists of the Cleveland neighborhoods west of the Cuyahoga River and Downtown. These traditionally working-class neighborhoods have been experiencing urban renewal, particularly in the Tremont, Ohio City, and Detroit-Shoreway neighborhoods.
Get in
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Map of Cleveland/West Side
For information on getting to Cleveland, see Cleveland#Get in
See
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- 1 Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, ☏ +1 216 661-6500, zooinfo@clevelandmetroparks.com. Daily 10AM-5PM. Box office closes at 4PM. The zoo is closed on Jan 1 and Dec 25. Exhibits include Australian Adventure, African Savanna, Wilderness Trek, The Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building, The RainForest, and Waterfowl Lake. Some exhibits require additional admission fees. $20.50 adults 12+, $16.50 children 2-11, free for kids under 2.
- 2 A Christmas Story House, 3159 W 11th St (in Tremont), ☏ +1 216 298-4919, info@achristmasstoryhouse.com. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. This is the actual house used in the 1983 modern-day classic film A Christmas Story. It has since been converted into a museum dedicated to the film - most visitors come during Christmas season. Access to the inside of the house and the museum are limited to tours. Tours run hourly at 15min past the hour and last for about 45min. Inside the house there are props to play with (like a Red Ryder bb gun, a blue bowling ball, several hats, Lifebuoy soap, etc.). Tours start at the gift shop which is also where tickets can be purchased. $11.88/adult, $9.72 seniors, $7.56 children 7-12, children 6 and under free.
- 3 Franklin Castle (Tiedemann House). A Victorian-era stone house that is very castle-like. Many claim the house is haunted.
- 4 Greater Cleveland Aquarium, 2000 Sycamore St, ☏ +1 216-862-8803. Daily 10AM-5PM. Features exhibits representing both local and exotic species of fish.
- 5 Buckland Museum of Witchcraft and Magick, 2155 Broadview Rd (south of Old Brooklyn). Tu-Sa noon-7PM. Contains artifacts from mystics such as Aleister Crowley. $7.
- St. Theodosius Orthodox Christian Cathedral, 733 Starkweather Ave. Orthodox cathedral that was in a scene of The Deer Hunter.
Art
[edit]- Tremont Art Walk. second Friday of every month (6-10PM).
- 6 Doubting Thomas Gallery, 856 Jefferson Ave (Tremont,), ☏ +1 513 555-5555.
- 7 78th Street Studios, 1300 West 78th St (Detroit-Shoreway,), info@78thstreetstudios.com. Varies by gallery. A large art gallery complex housed in a repurposed motor factory building in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. Every third Friday of the month, they have an open house. Features over 30 galleries. Visit the website for events.
Do
[edit]- 1 Lakefront Reservation (Edgewater Park). The West Side's lakefront park. There's a seasonal beach on Lake Erie with grills, picnic shelters, a playground, a snack bar & fishing pier.
- 2 Glass Bubble Project, 2421 Bridge Ave (behind The Garage Bar), ☏ +1 216 696-7043. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Here you can experience the magic of glass blowing. Local artists give free public demonstrations. Take a class or browse the gallery, you might just find a piece of hand blown glass artwork that fits your fancy.
Buy
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- 1 West Side Market, 1979 W 25th St (northeast corner of Lorain Ave (western node of the Hope Memorial (Lorain-Carnegie Bridge). M W F Sa 8AM-5PM, Su 10AM-4PM. An old world produce market directly across the Cuyahoga River from Cleveland's skyscrapers, along with an arcade area containing shops with food of Irish, German, Slovenians, Italian, Greek, Polish, Russian, and Middle Eastern descents, among others.
- 2 Banyan Tree, 2242 Professor Ave (Tremont), ☏ +1 216 241-1209, contact@shopbanyantree.com. M-Th 10AM-7PM, F Sa 10AM-7PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Home decor and jewelry designed to an artwork.
- 3 Steelyard Commons, 3447 Steelyard Dr. Large retail complex featuring a Target, Walmart, K&G Fashion, Old Navy, Marshalls, Petco, Home Depot, and numerous other stores.
- 4 Great Northern Mall, 4954 Great Northern Mall, North Olmsted, OH (12 mi (19 km) southwest of Cleveland on I-480), ☏ +1 440-734-6300. Hosts shopping, Macy's and JCPenney department stores, Dick's Sporting Goods store, and over 120 more shops and restaurants. Family parking near the H&M and Dillard's mall entrances.
Eat
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- 1 Happy Dog, 5801 Detroit Ave (Detroit-Shoreway), ☏ +1 216-651-9474. A uniquely Cleveland restaurant in a repurposed Croatian tavern, featuring hot dogs with over 50 toppings ranging from the normal (ketchup, mustard, and relish) to the insane (Fruit Loops and peanut butter) that you can mix and match in any combination that you'd like. They also have a great beer selection. They often have live music, and there's a basement bar with pinball and shuffleboard. Check the website for events.
- 2 The Parkview Nite Club, 1261 West 58th St (Detroit-Shoreway), ☏ +1 216 961-1341. Somewhat hidden neighborhood bar known for their live blues shows.
Drink
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The West Side is home to many coffee shops, craft breweries, and streets full of bars. One of the West Side's main drinking locations is West 25th St, which is anchored by the West Side Market and home to Northeast Ohio's largest craft brewery, Great Lakes Brewing Company. There are bars scattered throughout the Tremont neighborhood, particularly on Professor Street. The stretch of Detroit Avenue beginning at West 58th St. and ending at West 78th St. is quickly developing into a go-to location for drinking and dining. If you tend to like working-class dive bars that are off the beaten path, consider visiting Pearl Road or State Road in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood, which are guaranteed to have cheap drinks and local color. Below are just some of the many places to grab a drink.
- 1 Jukebox, 1404 W 29th St (Ohio City), ☏ +1 216 206-7699. M-F 5PM-2AM, Sa noon-2AM, Su noon-midnight. Small neighborhood bar based around the idea of having a great music selection and delicious perogies.
- 2 Velvet Tango Room, 2095 Columbus Rd (Tremont), ☏ +1 216 241-8869. Known for its mixed drinks and intimate setting.
- 3 Great Lakes Brewing Co, 2516 Market Ave, ☏ +1 216 771-4404. M-Th 11:30AM-midnight, F 11:30AM-1AM, Sa 11AM-1AM. Largest brewery in the area. Happy hour M-F 4PM-7PM. Offers beer samplers.
- 4 Forest City Brewery, 2135 Columbus Road Suite C, ☏ +1 216-228-9116. Indoor area and beer garden with a variety of food to go with the refreshments.
- 5 Market Garden Brewery & Distillery, 1947 W 25th St (Adjacent to the West Side Market (Ohio City)), ☏ +1-216-621-4000. Daily 11AM-2:30AM, Su brunch till 3PM.
- 6 Rocky River Brewing Company. Brewery and restaurant on the west side.
- 7 The Sacred Vortex Teahouse and Kombuchery, 4125 Lorain Ave, ☏ +1 216-785-9562. LGBT-friendly tea house with coffee, teas, and kombucha with numerous botanics.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 The Victor (formerly The Cleveland Hostel), 2090 W 25th St (take the red line to Ohio City/W 25 St), ☏ +1 216-553-4650. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Hostel in Cleveland for groups with a large kitchen, wi-fi, bike rentals and a very large open common space on the second floor. It's located in Ohio City near the West Side Market.
Connect
[edit]- 1 Cleveland Public Library Jefferson Branch, 850 Jefferson Ave, ☏ +1 216-623-7004, Jefferson.Branch@cpl.org.
- 2 Station A Cleveland Post Office.
Go next
[edit]- Lakewood - The first suburb to the west of Cleveland, Lakewood is full of bars, boutiques, and independent restaurants.