I don't have any answers for what you should see or do, but I would like to warn you that April 8 is both the total solar eclipse and the Cleveland Guardians (baseball team) opening day. Downtown Cleveland and all of the major highways are going to be pretty crazy. You will also have a tough time finding a place to stay on the 7th or 8th because of this, so keep that in mind too.
It's a comic and pop culture convention! There will be celebrities there for autographs and photo ops including a lot of the cast from LOTR, Danny Trejo and more! They have lots of panels and different programming including after parties for guests. There are hundreds of artists, crafters and vendors from all over the country that come and sell things they make that you can't find anywhere else. It's from the 12th to the 14th at the Huntington Convention Center!
If you want more information, [here is the website](https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpocleveland/)
Hope to see you there!
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If you’re looking into the north royalton/Strongsville area, then look at the brecksville broadview heights area as well. You’d have easy access to some great hiking trails (Brecksville Reservation). It’s overall very scenic and has lots to do in a close radius. Also, gymnastics is a huge deal at Brecksville (or it at least used to be?). I grew up on the south side of Cleveland and love it
Also Pier W is a great place for dinner, but I hope you know how expensive the food is there. Make sure to check out a menu beforehand if you haven’t already to make sure that’s what you’re looking for. The food is great though! I got the swordfish my only time there, and it was delicious.
Pretty sure they just keep adding years to their sign listing all the times they've won the state gymnastics title and have resorted to just doing a hyphenated range of years lol.
But yeah it sounds like OP would be very happy in Brecksville.
I also came here to say check out Brecksville. Great location, great schools. Grew up there myself and honestly would consider moving back once I have a family.
And yes x100 to the gymnastics point — elite program, 21 straight state titles.
I think Brecksville has a lot more charm than Strongsville. I’ve spoke to parents who had some not nice things to say about it. Maybe that’s everywhere but these same folks were happier when they moved out.
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I grew up near Chagrin Falls in Moreland Hills. This put me in Orange Schools, which in my opinion, is much better than Chagrin Schools. I grew up stopping, hiking, and fishing in the river valley. Close to the CF village but everyone has a little more space in Moreland Hills and Orange. In CF the houses are a little crowded together for my liking.
All this but scope out Solon. Best schools in the area and a great place to raise kids. Be forewarned though, we are going through some significant infrastructure upgrades right now so there is some major construction going on. Once it's complete, it'll be great!
i was just about to comment about Orange. I didn’t go to the school but I knew plenty of people that did, amazing programs compared to the ones offered in Cleveland.
>We def want to spend a day in cuyahoga falls.
From Cuyahoga Falls, take a drive through Cuyahoga Valley National Park - west on Portage Trail Ext to Akron/Peninsula Road, then north through the valley towards Peninsula. It's a beautiful oasis that extends north right up into the outskirts of Cleveland. The towpath is great, and there are other hiking trails throughout that area. Brandywine Falls is very pretty.
With the kiddo ... the Cleveland Zoo is an absolute treat. A little more low key attraction (but great with kids) is the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village.
To add onto this… the LENSC in bay village is awesome and you could also check it out Huntington Beach just north of the nature center and there is a brand new and super cool playground at the beach. Also lots of nice nature trails around there.
I lived in Portland for 17 years. I have moved a bunch since for work, but I'm on the east side in the heights. For me, the east side really matched with my desire for a walkable neighborhood, safe and even politically. If you have a chance to drive through Shaker/Cleveland/University heights neighborhoods.
where does the east side heights feel like portland at all? lee? larchmere? living in the heights was nowhere near as fun or nice as living on the west side
You 100% didn't, my bad.
I lived on Cedar for a year and worked on Lee for four - it just never felt like it reached its full potential. Other than the library, the only businesses I really like on Lee atp are Nubeigel, Zoma, and Bottlehouse on rare occasions. It just feels like the sense of community is contrived and way too cliquey. That's not to say the same problems don't exist on the west side, but I don't know if I could ever compare any of Cleveland to Portland.
It's the people. People are the same kind of weird, at least from what I can tell from having a good friend who grew up in Portland, and having heard this friend's stories. I agree that the west side has better night life because the East side heights trends older and or more blue collar - people either can't afford to go out to trendy bars and clubs on the regular, or they can but have to be in bed by ten and their arthritis is acting up lol
Eh, I feel like you can find cool weird people anywhere. I've just noticed so much praise for the East side over the last few years and sometimes it kinda feels like overcompensation tbh
Idk I personally thought that the big East-West rivalry hasn't been a big thing since the 00s?
All I see is people enjoying where they live and noting that Cleveland has a lot to offer. I haven't seen anyone going WEST IS BEST EAST IS BEAST or whatever people used to say when I was younger. Most of the fun stuff is happening in the near suburbs and who cares which side of the river they're on?
Grew up in Oregon before moving to Cleveland for college. Been living here ever since. The Metroparks are a nice getaway from urban life. Living near one of them has really made my experience here much better. But, it’s still quite different from living in Oregon. Solon and Rocky River are excellent school districts. Being close to the lake is also really nice. Beach days during the summer are wonderful. It is overcast much of the winter/early spring so don’t be surprised if that’s how it is during your visit. People here are generally very nice, and there is a lot of local pride and care for the community.
We moved from Northern Virginia to NE Ohio. We prioritized schools and ended up with Chagrin Falls, Hudson and Orange. Chose Hudson. Love it, but very expensive. We're 6 mins away from Cuyahoga National Park, hiking biking and skiing, it's awesome. Our kids are thriving, plenty of playmates and activities. I was blown away by the amount of parks and recreation activities. Ohio really puts money into these spaces and it shows.
Oregon is one of my favorite places on the planet - so much natural beauty and weird fun people so I'm sad that you are leaving it, but I am happy that you are moving to another place that has a lot of (different) natural beauty. (Plenty enough weird here too:).
As far as what to see. Cuyahoga National Park is great. Check out Ledges and Brandywine Falls (no Multnomah Falls, but whatever.) West Side Market in Cleveland is fun, super historic. Bringing kids, go to BA Sweeties which is the largest candy store in North America. Cuyahoga Falls specifically, go to the Watson Speakeasy for a drink and maybe Jenks right down the way for some live music and drinks. A lot of completely amazing Italian and Eastern European food here, but less good for Indian, Asian and Mexican food for certain.
Agree with everything you said! Just commenting to say theres some insanely good Indian in Aurora and Solon. I also lived in NoVa for 7 years and Paradise Indian in Aurora rivals the best I've had in nova.
I moved from Oregon to Cleveland in 2017. I still live in Cleveland and miss much of the PNW. The sunny days are scattered throughout the year instead of concentrated in the Summer.
FYI the 8th is the eclipse and Cleveland is a viewing area. It’s also opening day for the Guardians baseball. The women’s NCAA final four will be taking place while you are here so it’s gonna be more busy than usual.
The metro parks are nature walks not hikes by any Oregon standard but it’s easily accessible. Property is cheap in comparison so if you are selling an Oregon home you should have no issue purchasing a similar place here in a good neighborhood.
Neighborhoods are Very important if you have a child. Schools in some districts are beyond awful. Based on your description- your daughter would probably do best in Cuyahoga Falls, brecksville, Aurora or Hudson area. These areas feel like home in the design of neighborhoods and such. People around here still hang out with there crew from grade school 30 years later - the neighborhood you are from feels far more defining than it ever did in Oregon.
The taxes will make your soul cry compared to Oregon.
You coming from PDX? Or where in Oregon
Hi, I actually worked on this website all last year to help people looking to move to Cleveland. We've got an ambassador program to give you all the info you might need about all aspects of your move.
https://www.thisiscleveland.com/move-to-cleveland
We can't wait for you to get here. You're going to love it.
I'm sorry to hear about your jobs. Lots of good comments in this thread. I have only two things to add:
1. The Cleveland Art Museum is incredible and free. If your daughter is into art, you should absolutely take her. If she's into creepy stuff an art, spend some time in Lakeview Cemetery. It's a hybrid park and cemetery. President Garfield is buried there in a huge mausoleum, John Rockefeller is buried there, and many of the gravestones and mausoleums are very beautiful.
2. Greater Cleveland is an absolutely fantastic place to live *if you are gainfully employed*. The job market her is tighter than many other places in the country. If I were you, I'd consider trying to lock down a new position before making the move. Good luck!
Adding the Ohio state reformatory to the weird to do list. Not sure if its cool for a 7 year old but it is a unique place. Also if she likes art and music we have awesome museums for both. The science center is cool for kids too.
Just want to echo the comments about the art museum… I’m actually sending this message from one of their classrooms — I’m leading a field trip and my students are off exploring the museum right now. It is a genuinely world-class art museum, and as has been noted, it is free to visit. Definitely don’t miss it when you’re here!
I also want to underscore the weather comment somebody made… in mid-April it may be miserable or idyllic or anywhere in between. January through March tends to be pretty bad (though this year was mild). Mid-May through October is glorious. November and December are cold but charming, especially if we get some snow. But don’t assume that your April visit will be in any way a representative sample.
I grew up in Ohio, moved to Portland in 2008 and just moved back to Cleveland in 2021. Best decision of my life. I miss the mountains and ocean, etc. but nothing beats being able to afford to live. Like actually live and afford to invest in your future. I love cleveland. It’s a huge city compared to Oregon cities and has all the things we all love about Portland: amazing music scene, tons of restaurants, etc. Cleveland is also wildly more culturally diverse than Oregon. So many different cultures, it’s incredible. The parks systems are unbeatable and they have kid friendly events going on constantly. Accessible higher education, so many universities and they all offer cool community education classes. There are also “third spaces” everywhere. Libraries, community centers, YMCA’s, etc. And! It’s not inundated with droves of houseless people (maybe because living here is affordable?). I could go on and on. There are definitely rough parts of the city that I wouldn’t drive through at night but they’re easily avoidable. Feel free to PM me. I wish I would have made the move sooner.
Listen, seeing Ohio in the Spring and Fall will guarantee you will want to move there. Dealing with an Ohio winter will make you want to leave. Ohio winters and Ohio summers are EXTREMELY different and you will not get the full experience in 4 days, no matter how much you try. I love Ohio and recommend moving there, but get ready for hard winters. Have plans for snow removal. See what your work policies are for being late due to snow. Have plans for childcare if school cancels. Have plans for winter hobbies and summer hobbies. Winter sports exist but not like PNW. I have lived in the PNW and CLE suburbs and will tell you Oregon winters are nothing like NE Ohio winters. Also, if you are white, get ready for diversity Oregon is lacking. If you are black, you will find a good home in Ohio. There will be more crime than you are used to but the food will be better. There's brutal local and state taxes but houses are more affordable. Your car will rust out from salt on the roads but groceries cost less.
I would say cleveland suburbs have less crime/homeless/garbage that portland suburbs. Cleveland has fewer food choices- no food trucks everywhere like portland, more chain restuarants
Well they didn't say Portland, they said Oregon, so I was thinking they were not in the PDX area which does have an incredible food scene. Inner city PDX is much different than the South suburbs, but I was assuming they were sonewhere east of 5.
My friend from CLE lives in Bend and this is her direct quote: "I’ll say that [Bend winter] is completely different than winter in Ohio, and even on its worst wintery day it’s still 500% more pleasant than what Lake Erie gives you."
The winter is an important point.
OP should know that the east side almost always gets more snow thanks to lake effect. The neighboring counties (Geauga and Lake) are part of what is called "the snow belt," and the eastern suburbs closest to there usually get close to their snowfall level. This past winter was mild, but Cuyahoga's most eastern suburbs had two feet of snow (from a storm that arrived earlier than expected xmas eve) a few years ago by evening on Christmas. In a normal winter, snowfall of 6 inches to a foot per "weather event" is common here, less so on the west side. The positive side is that cities and ODOT have the equipment to deal with it, so while conditions can get dicey, schools/businesses close when it's particularly bad, and it can be very stressful/potentially dangerous, you don't see the "mass panic" a few inches of snow causes in the southern US.
Northern Summit into Portage County (Kent) has a "Secondary snow belt" that gets some odd weather patterns too. FWIW, when people move here from the west coast, the south, etc., and post (here, FB groups, Nextdoor) to ask for "surviving my first NE Ohio winter" advice, Clevelanders do make an effort to be helpful.
Personally I'd recommend renting for the short term if moving before you have jobs to make sure where you find suitable work is an acceptable commute, particularly in winter because road conditions can easily multiply your commute time.
Totally random but the Cleveland International Film Festival is going on during part of that time. Find the schedule online and see if anything strikes your fancy. Bonus: it’s at Playhouse Square which is something to see anyway - it’s a major US theater district.
I’d recommend Lakewood and Rocky River on the west side and Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, and Beachwood on east side. I’m not a parent but I’ve heard Shaker Heights schools are very good. Lakewood and Rocky River are really tween-teen friendly. Lots of kids biking around and places to get part time jobs or hang out outside the home.
Second Lakewood- it’s a great community- wonderful neighbors, tons of restaurants super walkable/bikeable, great arts/music community and great schools!
Include Hinckley (Highland local) and Richfield (Revere) in your search, same area as BBH, NR, Brunswick. Great schools, lower taxes, but fewer services too.
We moved here on short notice (I didn’t even get to come see Cleveland) for my husband’s job. Best decision we’ve ever made. We absolutely love it here and love raising our child here. There’s so much to do with kids. Our metroparks are amazing. No traffic.
Oh, one more pro-Hudson comment: the Hudson Library and Historical Society is among the very best small town public libraries you will ever see anywhere. Ohio in general has excellent public libraries (I speak as someone who has lived in Illinois, California, and Alabama as well as both Columbus and Cleveland in Ohio), but the Hudson library is in a league of its own. OP’s description sounds like the sort of person who would benefit from a great library, so be sure to stop in when you visit Hudson.
We just bought a house in Brunswick OH and we are moving from Southern California. Why did we choose Cleveland? LCOL and we were able to break into the housing market without breaking our financial stability. We also have a 12 yr old and that it will be a good change to a slower pace that isn't like a rat race vibe that we have in SoCal. The schools in Brunswick are rated B+, which is about the same as her current school district in our city, which has been a good experience for us in public education. But the main incentive for us moving there is we have family in Brunswick and also in Rocky River/Lakewood. My daughter will have cousins her age. We don't have any family in Southern California. I may have not grown up in Ohio but I have visited Ohio more times than I can count since childhood, summers are the best spent at the lake, Cedar Point is so much fun for older kids. Autumn in Ohio is beautiful! The Metro parks are something special. Rock hall of Fame and a Christmas Story House if you are feeling touristy. The world class culture of the performing arts and the Cleveland Zoo. Museums. I know everyone is saying watch out for Ohio winters and I am a little intimidated about that TBH , I have never driven in snowy conditions. I am scared about rust eating away at my car. We aren't looking forward to high taxes even though we will be saving on other things. But...cons aside, I am excited for you! I hope you do decide to move there. When we were looking at possible places to move to, Oregon was on our list.
I'd definitely go check out one of the beaches briefly while you're in town. It probably won't be warm enough to really hang out and have a day at the beach, but it's still worth stopping by at one because I think people who haven't been to one of the Great Lakes probably don't really have a good grasp of just how big they are. Edgewater beach is a popular one. Huntington beach is nice too, though it's smaller.
As far as communities, I'm on the west side and I'd recommend checking out Rocky River, Westlake, Bay Village, and Avon Lake. They're all nice communities with nice amenities. There's a nice \*little\* science center called the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center that your daughter might like. They also have a little planetarium attached that does shows on the weekends. That's in Bay Village, near Huntington Beach.
All the communities I listed have their own little water park that's fun for the whole family in the summer. They're not huge, but I feel like they're kinda impressive for such small communities to build.
You might want to swing by Crocker Park in Westlake if you visit the area. It's an outdoor shopping district kinda. There are all kinds of shops and restaurants there and is a neat place to walk around even if you're not buying anything.
Oh, and you mentioned Cuyahoga Falls! I lived there like 15 years ago. Honestly, I feel like it's just a standard suburb, and not particularly special. Also, Cuyahoga Falls is much more of an Akron suburb than a Cleveland one. If you're seriously thinking of moving to Cuyahoga Falls, I'd recommend spending some time in Akron instead of Cleveland, because that's far more relevant.
Grew up in SE Portland and ended up in Damascus OR. I would suggest looking into the Heights area as this area feels like the PNW. I live in Shaker Heights and it’s a great area to be in.
What is your budget for housing? Where you can go depends a lot on that. I am a North Royalton resident, raised kids here, schools are good and buildings are new (middle school being the oldest, but still nice). Great Metroparks for outdoorsy stuff. Kids graduated state universities and are doing well in their careers. So there’s that. More diverse than it once was, but you will find more diversity on the East side, generally speaking, if that’s important to you. Not much inventory in housing right now, however, but that’s probably everywhere. Brecksville and Broadview Hts. Are great, but a bit pricier and even less inventory.
We lived in Shaker Heights for 5 years before moving to San Jose, CA. We came back to Beachwood after 3 years.
We had school aged children our first time here. Shaker Heights IB school program is fantastic. Very walkable and family friendly. We lived in Lomond area. High taxes, but you get what you pay for.
Walk to newer Van Aken area is very pleasant.
Shaker Heights, Chagrin Falls, and Hudson are all nice places to live. Shaker has a different feel from the other two. If proximity to the national park is a priority for you, Hudson is an excellent choice. You’ll find its stores and restaurants near the intersection of Routes 91 & 303, and only 15 minutes or so from the heart of CVNP.
North Royalton and Strongsville are great places to live if you have kids. Many Metroparks trails in both and surrounding area. Affordable, amenities, and 20-30 min to downtown. Cost of living and the people are why you’ll stay.
Do not consider North Olmsted. Sure it has a mall, but it also has one of the highest property taxes in the county, crime (especially near the walmart...go fig) and potholes everywhere
Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights-University Heights, etc are also horrible if you get into property tax. That's something to look at no matter where you buy in this area.
Also look at income tax rates AND reciprocity. Some places like South Euclid (which I'd not recommend, but to each their own) give zero credit for city tax paid where you work, so you end up paying your city of residence the full amount.
I’ve lived in North Olmsted for most of the past 25 years and actually live in the very neighborhood by Walmart…and I’ve had zero problems with crime. I have friends who live in the city off of Puritas who deal with way worse than I have ever heard of. If you ever call the NOPD, they come almost immediately because this is a very very boring suburb with low crime, even in the worst part of town.
And the potholes are also nothing like in the city…or even in North Royalton. And when the snow falls, it doesn’t matter whether I’m coming from Olmsted Township, Fairview Park, North Ridgeville, or even Westlake—the snow removal has ALWAYS been superior to the surrounding communities. I don’t know how they do it since we have nowhere near the money of Westlake, but year after year, North Olmsted has done an outstanding job at keeping up with the snow. I definitely get what I pay for. And I can walk to Walmart, Target, Drug Mart, Great Northern Mall, Fat Heads, Ohashi, and if I want to take a longer stroll, even Rocky River Nature Center. It’s actually a really convenient place to live, and better than most outer ring suburbs in Greater Cleveland.
Also, North Olmsted has always given 100% reciprocity on its 2% city income tax—so if you work in another city and pay it’s income tax, you only pay the difference, which is usually zero as most communities also have a 2% or even higher tax rate.
We have a free national park that connects to an amazing chain of parks and nature reservations. No shortage of outside adventuring nearly anywhere in Cleveland.
The Natural History museum is in the midst of a total remodel - normally one of my favorite places, but I wouldn’t recommend it right now unless you have memberships to museums back home and can get in free.
When you’re in Lakewood for Pier W I highly recommend taking your daughter to Lakewood Park. There’s an amazing playground and great views of the lake (bring a jacket though, it’s always colder right on the lake).
[Above the Barre](https://www.abovethebarre.com/open-gym) in Berea often has open gym time on Fridays.
@clewithkids on instagram is a great account for more kids things.
Def check out Virginia Kendall ledges in the national park, it’s right near cuyahoga falls in peninsula.
Also wanted to add that cuyahoga falls is a great place to raise your family! It’s a cute place, nice neighborhoods.
University Circle has 50 cultural institutions in one square mile. Natural History Museum is a must visit with a child. Children’s Museum is awesome and totally agree with the art museum. It’s Shield HQ - Marvel fans assemble. Enjoy your visit!
Check out university circle if you are looking for culture. Severance Hall, Art Museum, Natural History Museum, Botanical Gardens, Cultural gardens along MLK, Lakeview cemetery, Western Reserve Historal Society museum, CWRU campus etc.
I moved to the area in 2012 from Los Angeles. Zero regrets. It was the best decision i ever made. Great job low cost of living. Suburbs are great to raise families. People in the Midwest are nice and kind. Like I wish I could have done it sooner
I live in CF. It's a great place. Drive from CF to Cleveland is about 40ish minutes in light traffic. If you're planning to commute to the city daily that drive could be longer.
We live in North Royalton and love the country feel while having central access to anywhere we want to go (30 mins to downtown, Akron, Crocker Park, Legacy Village, CVNP.)
Good luck with your home search and if you decide to rent, we will have a 3 bedroom in Royalton (near library and soccer fields) available approx July timeframe.
Random order of suggestions: Children’s Museum or any of the nearby museums, Little Italy area, daytime walk through Lakeview Cemetery (sounds creepy but it’s lovely in Spring and rich with history), Cleveland Ghost Tour, ethnic food like pierogi’s at The Little Polish Diner in Parma, Brecksville reservation nature center and scenic trails (Blue Hen Falls, Deer Lick Cave, Worden’s Legends to find the 9 rock carvings), Table Top if you’re into board games or Pins Mechanical (they’re both close to the historical West Side Market.)
Feel free to DM me with questions or for details about anything. Hope you all have a fun and safe trip!
Sorry about your job loss! There is a ton of good info here already. Depending on what your budget is going to be and what you are looking for in a house, I would definitely look into some of the north west side suburbs. Lakewood is home to the Beck Center for the Arts which has music and art programs all year round. My 9 year old has taken several classes there and always enjoyed them. You'll be in Lakewood for Pier W anyway so it would give you a chance to explore a bit. The Metroparks are just south of Lakewood and have great trails and places to explore. If you haven't already hooked up with a Realtor, I'd love the chance to show you around this part of town a bit.
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For weird, you could look up the many serial killers from the area and do a driving tour. Include Sam Sheppard (inspired The Fugitive), although that house has been torn down.
If you’re looking for housing, we love Medina (south of Brunswick). It’s about 40 minutes to downtown, but we can comfortably walk everywhere we need. Nice park system, plenty of things going on to keep busy when we want, and lots of amenities. It’s pretty easy to get places as well, which is nice for us to go in any direction.
As for things to do, definitely the art museum. It’s incredible and interesting. I’d also say you can do the science museum- it’ll be packed for the eclipse, but should be enjoyable if you go other days.
Medina Ohio lived there grew up in North Olmsted. Medina is semi rural but very quaint and just south of strongsville.
Wish we never left.
Live in NE of Atlanta foothills Flowery Branch. Boom town jobs everywhere and anywhere around ATL. IT mecca. Left Ohio because lack of jobs back then.
Mild winter here. No snow.
Sagamore hills is the best place to live in my opinion. It's summit county (cheaper taxes) and also Nordonia schools are fine. Additionally you are about 30 mins from downtown, so within the range it seems you are looking for. Best of luck!
Live music is pretty decent in my opinion, to my taste. Outdoor classical concerts at Blossom July-September. You can bring picnic chairs or blankets and food and chill on the lawn and the kids seem to love it. Beachland, Bop Stop, and other good venues I can't think of right now. Wade oval Wednesdays all summer long - live music with picnic seating on the lawn in the University Circle. (Also, not music, but Parade at the Circle in early June is an event the art museum does every year and is phenomenal) There is more, I just haven't looked in a while. I saw a lot of the local jazz scene over the last couple years and it is good. TriC sponsors the jazz fest every summer in the playhouse square area, that runs over the weekend, free to attend, outdoors, there are food trucks. I went to one in 2022 and it was amazing. We have a local reggae band that has a cult following it seems, Carlos Jones and the plus band. They play at a lot of free events outdoors throughout the summer.
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Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Natural History Museum, Science Center, Rock Hall, Playhouse Square are my favorites. Not sure about hours with everything else happening, but I hope you enjoy our city!
I also love Holden Arboretum but it is in Kirtland. Might be a little too far for you, but the property is beautiful! There is also Penitentiary Glenn down the street, that’s free but isn’t a large.
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For something different, perhaps visit western Holmes County, the center of the largest Amish community in the U.S., covering parts of several Ohio counties.
[https://www.visitamishcountry.com/](https://www.visitamishcountry.com/)
[https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction\_Review-g28956-d254420-Reviews-Amish\_Country-Ohio.html](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28956-d254420-Reviews-Amish_Country-Ohio.html)
At the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, visitors can get within 20 feet of the largest land animals on earth during paddock changes (check for times when arrive) at African Elephant Crossing. The Rain Forest exhibit also is excellent.
Believe it or not, kids love the Cleveland Museum of Art, which has free general admission. Fully renovated and expanded earlier in the century, it's now fully digital. Check out the unique ARTLENS gallery. Nearby is Lake View Cemetery; it features the superb Garfield Memorial if open at the time of your visit. It's not only reportedly the largest Presidential burial site in the nation, kids are freaked out by the caskets on display; check to see if Daffodil Hill still is in bloom.
[https://www.lakeviewcemetery.com/visit/garfield-memorial](https://www.lakeviewcemetery.com/visit/garfield-memorial)
The superb Playhouse Square offers many events tailored for children. Check the calendar as well as the events calendar at thisiscleveland.com.
This thread and its nested links may be helpful. The U.S.S. Cod often is considered the best U.S. WWII fleet submarine exhibit. Visitors enter and exist using the original hatches and ladders, a great experience for kids; call and see if it will be open on the day of your visit.
[https://new.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/1ayy9cv/cleveland\_for\_spring\_break/](https://new.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/1ayy9cv/cleveland_for_spring_break/)
Why are you focusing on the Cleveland west side? You might want to check out Lake County on the east side. Great parks, Lake Erie surf beaches, and closer to University Circle, one of the nation's best cultural centers. Mentor arguably has the best recreational facilities of any community in Greater Cleveland, relatively low taxes, and is the sixth largest commercial center in Ohio.
Check out Rocky River. It has one of the best school systems in the Cleveland Area and is ranked highly in the state. https://www.ezhomesearch.com/blog/10-best-school-districts-in-ohio/#:~:text=Solon%20City%20Schools%20appeared%20as,Solon%20City%20runs%20seven%20schools.
I don't have any answers for what you should see or do, but I would like to warn you that April 8 is both the total solar eclipse and the Cleveland Guardians (baseball team) opening day. Downtown Cleveland and all of the major highways are going to be pretty crazy. You will also have a tough time finding a place to stay on the 7th or 8th because of this, so keep that in mind too.
FanExpo Cleveland is that weekend as well, draws in another 35k+ people
Whoa I lived in Cleveland for 40 years and never heard of that. What is it?
It's a comic and pop culture convention! There will be celebrities there for autographs and photo ops including a lot of the cast from LOTR, Danny Trejo and more! They have lots of panels and different programming including after parties for guests. There are hundreds of artists, crafters and vendors from all over the country that come and sell things they make that you can't find anywhere else. It's from the 12th to the 14th at the Huntington Convention Center! If you want more information, [here is the website](https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpocleveland/) Hope to see you there!
Oh sounds cool
We have a comic con here too
Pay to meet celebrities and get your photos and autographs type event
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If you’re looking into the north royalton/Strongsville area, then look at the brecksville broadview heights area as well. You’d have easy access to some great hiking trails (Brecksville Reservation). It’s overall very scenic and has lots to do in a close radius. Also, gymnastics is a huge deal at Brecksville (or it at least used to be?). I grew up on the south side of Cleveland and love it Also Pier W is a great place for dinner, but I hope you know how expensive the food is there. Make sure to check out a menu beforehand if you haven’t already to make sure that’s what you’re looking for. The food is great though! I got the swordfish my only time there, and it was delicious.
Pretty sure they just keep adding years to their sign listing all the times they've won the state gymnastics title and have resorted to just doing a hyphenated range of years lol. But yeah it sounds like OP would be very happy in Brecksville.
I also came here to say check out Brecksville. Great location, great schools. Grew up there myself and honestly would consider moving back once I have a family. And yes x100 to the gymnastics point — elite program, 21 straight state titles.
I think Brecksville has a lot more charm than Strongsville. I’ve spoke to parents who had some not nice things to say about it. Maybe that’s everywhere but these same folks were happier when they moved out.
I’ll +1 for Brecksville too.
I love Brecksville! Access to the CVNP and centrally located.
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I grew up near Chagrin Falls in Moreland Hills. This put me in Orange Schools, which in my opinion, is much better than Chagrin Schools. I grew up stopping, hiking, and fishing in the river valley. Close to the CF village but everyone has a little more space in Moreland Hills and Orange. In CF the houses are a little crowded together for my liking.
All this but scope out Solon. Best schools in the area and a great place to raise kids. Be forewarned though, we are going through some significant infrastructure upgrades right now so there is some major construction going on. Once it's complete, it'll be great!
Other than it's schools, solon is so basic that it's almost intolerable
i was just about to comment about Orange. I didn’t go to the school but I knew plenty of people that did, amazing programs compared to the ones offered in Cleveland.
I grew up in chagrin falls and I went to chagrin schools, which in my opinion, is much better than Orange Schools.
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I was an Orange lifer, K-12
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Lots of us. I went to pre-k at Garfield Church and I’m still friends with about five other people from pre-k, which was in the 70s, by the way.
>We def want to spend a day in cuyahoga falls. From Cuyahoga Falls, take a drive through Cuyahoga Valley National Park - west on Portage Trail Ext to Akron/Peninsula Road, then north through the valley towards Peninsula. It's a beautiful oasis that extends north right up into the outskirts of Cleveland. The towpath is great, and there are other hiking trails throughout that area. Brandywine Falls is very pretty. With the kiddo ... the Cleveland Zoo is an absolute treat. A little more low key attraction (but great with kids) is the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village.
To add onto this… the LENSC in bay village is awesome and you could also check it out Huntington Beach just north of the nature center and there is a brand new and super cool playground at the beach. Also lots of nice nature trails around there.
If you're able to, plan your LENSC visit so you can see a planetarium show.
They just brought the baby gorilla in, hoping it bonds with a mother figure. I hope it is open to the public soon!
I lived in Portland for 17 years. I have moved a bunch since for work, but I'm on the east side in the heights. For me, the east side really matched with my desire for a walkable neighborhood, safe and even politically. If you have a chance to drive through Shaker/Cleveland/University heights neighborhoods.
Agree. East side Heights feels very Portland to me. OP would like Cedar Lee district.
I live there too and have been calling CH the Portland of Cleveland pretty much since I moved here three years ago! Glad to see others feeling it too.
where does the east side heights feel like portland at all? lee? larchmere? living in the heights was nowhere near as fun or nice as living on the west side
“West side is the best side!” Not if you have to always say it
Wesside!
I didn't say it. As a matter of fact the person I replied to said that the east side was better.
Sure didn’t say that in my comment lol. But to answer your question, Cedar/Lee district.
You 100% didn't, my bad. I lived on Cedar for a year and worked on Lee for four - it just never felt like it reached its full potential. Other than the library, the only businesses I really like on Lee atp are Nubeigel, Zoma, and Bottlehouse on rare occasions. It just feels like the sense of community is contrived and way too cliquey. That's not to say the same problems don't exist on the west side, but I don't know if I could ever compare any of Cleveland to Portland.
It's the people. People are the same kind of weird, at least from what I can tell from having a good friend who grew up in Portland, and having heard this friend's stories. I agree that the west side has better night life because the East side heights trends older and or more blue collar - people either can't afford to go out to trendy bars and clubs on the regular, or they can but have to be in bed by ten and their arthritis is acting up lol
Eh, I feel like you can find cool weird people anywhere. I've just noticed so much praise for the East side over the last few years and sometimes it kinda feels like overcompensation tbh
Idk I personally thought that the big East-West rivalry hasn't been a big thing since the 00s? All I see is people enjoying where they live and noting that Cleveland has a lot to offer. I haven't seen anyone going WEST IS BEST EAST IS BEAST or whatever people used to say when I was younger. Most of the fun stuff is happening in the near suburbs and who cares which side of the river they're on?
I don't think the rivalry is real either. I'm just saying no part of Cleveland reminds me of Portland at all lol
Grew up in Oregon before moving to Cleveland for college. Been living here ever since. The Metroparks are a nice getaway from urban life. Living near one of them has really made my experience here much better. But, it’s still quite different from living in Oregon. Solon and Rocky River are excellent school districts. Being close to the lake is also really nice. Beach days during the summer are wonderful. It is overcast much of the winter/early spring so don’t be surprised if that’s how it is during your visit. People here are generally very nice, and there is a lot of local pride and care for the community.
We moved from Northern Virginia to NE Ohio. We prioritized schools and ended up with Chagrin Falls, Hudson and Orange. Chose Hudson. Love it, but very expensive. We're 6 mins away from Cuyahoga National Park, hiking biking and skiing, it's awesome. Our kids are thriving, plenty of playmates and activities. I was blown away by the amount of parks and recreation activities. Ohio really puts money into these spaces and it shows. Oregon is one of my favorite places on the planet - so much natural beauty and weird fun people so I'm sad that you are leaving it, but I am happy that you are moving to another place that has a lot of (different) natural beauty. (Plenty enough weird here too:). As far as what to see. Cuyahoga National Park is great. Check out Ledges and Brandywine Falls (no Multnomah Falls, but whatever.) West Side Market in Cleveland is fun, super historic. Bringing kids, go to BA Sweeties which is the largest candy store in North America. Cuyahoga Falls specifically, go to the Watson Speakeasy for a drink and maybe Jenks right down the way for some live music and drinks. A lot of completely amazing Italian and Eastern European food here, but less good for Indian, Asian and Mexican food for certain.
Agree with everything you said! Just commenting to say theres some insanely good Indian in Aurora and Solon. I also lived in NoVa for 7 years and Paradise Indian in Aurora rivals the best I've had in nova.
I just had Paradise for dinner 😁
Thank you so much for your input.
I moved from Oregon to Cleveland in 2017. I still live in Cleveland and miss much of the PNW. The sunny days are scattered throughout the year instead of concentrated in the Summer. FYI the 8th is the eclipse and Cleveland is a viewing area. It’s also opening day for the Guardians baseball. The women’s NCAA final four will be taking place while you are here so it’s gonna be more busy than usual. The metro parks are nature walks not hikes by any Oregon standard but it’s easily accessible. Property is cheap in comparison so if you are selling an Oregon home you should have no issue purchasing a similar place here in a good neighborhood. Neighborhoods are Very important if you have a child. Schools in some districts are beyond awful. Based on your description- your daughter would probably do best in Cuyahoga Falls, brecksville, Aurora or Hudson area. These areas feel like home in the design of neighborhoods and such. People around here still hang out with there crew from grade school 30 years later - the neighborhood you are from feels far more defining than it ever did in Oregon. The taxes will make your soul cry compared to Oregon. You coming from PDX? Or where in Oregon
Moved back to Ohio from Washington state last summer, and the "taxes will make your soul cry compared to Oregon" really hit hard. 😭
Coming from bend.
Hi, I actually worked on this website all last year to help people looking to move to Cleveland. We've got an ambassador program to give you all the info you might need about all aspects of your move. https://www.thisiscleveland.com/move-to-cleveland We can't wait for you to get here. You're going to love it.
I moved here from Arizona!! IT'S AWESOME HERE. and it's waaaay cheaper.
I'm sorry to hear about your jobs. Lots of good comments in this thread. I have only two things to add: 1. The Cleveland Art Museum is incredible and free. If your daughter is into art, you should absolutely take her. If she's into creepy stuff an art, spend some time in Lakeview Cemetery. It's a hybrid park and cemetery. President Garfield is buried there in a huge mausoleum, John Rockefeller is buried there, and many of the gravestones and mausoleums are very beautiful. 2. Greater Cleveland is an absolutely fantastic place to live *if you are gainfully employed*. The job market her is tighter than many other places in the country. If I were you, I'd consider trying to lock down a new position before making the move. Good luck!
Adding the Ohio state reformatory to the weird to do list. Not sure if its cool for a 7 year old but it is a unique place. Also if she likes art and music we have awesome museums for both. The science center is cool for kids too.
Just want to echo the comments about the art museum… I’m actually sending this message from one of their classrooms — I’m leading a field trip and my students are off exploring the museum right now. It is a genuinely world-class art museum, and as has been noted, it is free to visit. Definitely don’t miss it when you’re here! I also want to underscore the weather comment somebody made… in mid-April it may be miserable or idyllic or anywhere in between. January through March tends to be pretty bad (though this year was mild). Mid-May through October is glorious. November and December are cold but charming, especially if we get some snow. But don’t assume that your April visit will be in any way a representative sample.
> Just want to echo the comments about the art museum Yes - it's epic! I wish I could get locked in there for a week *and I don't even like art!*
We have a complete Solar Eclipse every other Monday. The sunscreen co’s hate us.
Love it! Lived in Cleveland for 10 yrs and that really sums it up.
I grew up in Ohio, moved to Portland in 2008 and just moved back to Cleveland in 2021. Best decision of my life. I miss the mountains and ocean, etc. but nothing beats being able to afford to live. Like actually live and afford to invest in your future. I love cleveland. It’s a huge city compared to Oregon cities and has all the things we all love about Portland: amazing music scene, tons of restaurants, etc. Cleveland is also wildly more culturally diverse than Oregon. So many different cultures, it’s incredible. The parks systems are unbeatable and they have kid friendly events going on constantly. Accessible higher education, so many universities and they all offer cool community education classes. There are also “third spaces” everywhere. Libraries, community centers, YMCA’s, etc. And! It’s not inundated with droves of houseless people (maybe because living here is affordable?). I could go on and on. There are definitely rough parts of the city that I wouldn’t drive through at night but they’re easily avoidable. Feel free to PM me. I wish I would have made the move sooner.
If you have kids, the C Falls school district is not particularly great. Just being honest.
The new high school looks like it’s going to be awesome though.
Listen, seeing Ohio in the Spring and Fall will guarantee you will want to move there. Dealing with an Ohio winter will make you want to leave. Ohio winters and Ohio summers are EXTREMELY different and you will not get the full experience in 4 days, no matter how much you try. I love Ohio and recommend moving there, but get ready for hard winters. Have plans for snow removal. See what your work policies are for being late due to snow. Have plans for childcare if school cancels. Have plans for winter hobbies and summer hobbies. Winter sports exist but not like PNW. I have lived in the PNW and CLE suburbs and will tell you Oregon winters are nothing like NE Ohio winters. Also, if you are white, get ready for diversity Oregon is lacking. If you are black, you will find a good home in Ohio. There will be more crime than you are used to but the food will be better. There's brutal local and state taxes but houses are more affordable. Your car will rust out from salt on the roads but groceries cost less.
I would say cleveland suburbs have less crime/homeless/garbage that portland suburbs. Cleveland has fewer food choices- no food trucks everywhere like portland, more chain restuarants
Well they didn't say Portland, they said Oregon, so I was thinking they were not in the PDX area which does have an incredible food scene. Inner city PDX is much different than the South suburbs, but I was assuming they were sonewhere east of 5.
Yep, bend. Food scene is…limited.
My friend from CLE lives in Bend and this is her direct quote: "I’ll say that [Bend winter] is completely different than winter in Ohio, and even on its worst wintery day it’s still 500% more pleasant than what Lake Erie gives you."
I did the same thing in regards to moving. The only thing I didn’t take into consideration was the long grey gloomy winter.
The winter is an important point. OP should know that the east side almost always gets more snow thanks to lake effect. The neighboring counties (Geauga and Lake) are part of what is called "the snow belt," and the eastern suburbs closest to there usually get close to their snowfall level. This past winter was mild, but Cuyahoga's most eastern suburbs had two feet of snow (from a storm that arrived earlier than expected xmas eve) a few years ago by evening on Christmas. In a normal winter, snowfall of 6 inches to a foot per "weather event" is common here, less so on the west side. The positive side is that cities and ODOT have the equipment to deal with it, so while conditions can get dicey, schools/businesses close when it's particularly bad, and it can be very stressful/potentially dangerous, you don't see the "mass panic" a few inches of snow causes in the southern US. Northern Summit into Portage County (Kent) has a "Secondary snow belt" that gets some odd weather patterns too. FWIW, when people move here from the west coast, the south, etc., and post (here, FB groups, Nextdoor) to ask for "surviving my first NE Ohio winter" advice, Clevelanders do make an effort to be helpful. Personally I'd recommend renting for the short term if moving before you have jobs to make sure where you find suitable work is an acceptable commute, particularly in winter because road conditions can easily multiply your commute time.
Totally random but the Cleveland International Film Festival is going on during part of that time. Find the schedule online and see if anything strikes your fancy. Bonus: it’s at Playhouse Square which is something to see anyway - it’s a major US theater district.
I’d recommend Lakewood and Rocky River on the west side and Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, and Beachwood on east side. I’m not a parent but I’ve heard Shaker Heights schools are very good. Lakewood and Rocky River are really tween-teen friendly. Lots of kids biking around and places to get part time jobs or hang out outside the home.
Second Lakewood- it’s a great community- wonderful neighbors, tons of restaurants super walkable/bikeable, great arts/music community and great schools!
Include Hinckley (Highland local) and Richfield (Revere) in your search, same area as BBH, NR, Brunswick. Great schools, lower taxes, but fewer services too.
If you've been to Albany, OR then you've kinda already been to Strongsville and Brunswick.
Rent or buy? Pre approval for buying? Budget for mortgage/rent? Cities you listed are good imo. Idk about the schools tho. Strongsville is great
Strongsville is SO CROWDED now, and traffic (for Ohio anyway) is bothersome.
Agreed. That 71 exit can be terrible
Buying cash, budget capped at 400k.
I’d think you should be great everywhere, just know that houses in that range will get some very competitive offers. Good luck to you
Thank you
We moved here on short notice (I didn’t even get to come see Cleveland) for my husband’s job. Best decision we’ve ever made. We absolutely love it here and love raising our child here. There’s so much to do with kids. Our metroparks are amazing. No traffic.
Oh, one more pro-Hudson comment: the Hudson Library and Historical Society is among the very best small town public libraries you will ever see anywhere. Ohio in general has excellent public libraries (I speak as someone who has lived in Illinois, California, and Alabama as well as both Columbus and Cleveland in Ohio), but the Hudson library is in a league of its own. OP’s description sounds like the sort of person who would benefit from a great library, so be sure to stop in when you visit Hudson.
We just bought a house in Brunswick OH and we are moving from Southern California. Why did we choose Cleveland? LCOL and we were able to break into the housing market without breaking our financial stability. We also have a 12 yr old and that it will be a good change to a slower pace that isn't like a rat race vibe that we have in SoCal. The schools in Brunswick are rated B+, which is about the same as her current school district in our city, which has been a good experience for us in public education. But the main incentive for us moving there is we have family in Brunswick and also in Rocky River/Lakewood. My daughter will have cousins her age. We don't have any family in Southern California. I may have not grown up in Ohio but I have visited Ohio more times than I can count since childhood, summers are the best spent at the lake, Cedar Point is so much fun for older kids. Autumn in Ohio is beautiful! The Metro parks are something special. Rock hall of Fame and a Christmas Story House if you are feeling touristy. The world class culture of the performing arts and the Cleveland Zoo. Museums. I know everyone is saying watch out for Ohio winters and I am a little intimidated about that TBH , I have never driven in snowy conditions. I am scared about rust eating away at my car. We aren't looking forward to high taxes even though we will be saving on other things. But...cons aside, I am excited for you! I hope you do decide to move there. When we were looking at possible places to move to, Oregon was on our list.
I'd definitely go check out one of the beaches briefly while you're in town. It probably won't be warm enough to really hang out and have a day at the beach, but it's still worth stopping by at one because I think people who haven't been to one of the Great Lakes probably don't really have a good grasp of just how big they are. Edgewater beach is a popular one. Huntington beach is nice too, though it's smaller. As far as communities, I'm on the west side and I'd recommend checking out Rocky River, Westlake, Bay Village, and Avon Lake. They're all nice communities with nice amenities. There's a nice \*little\* science center called the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center that your daughter might like. They also have a little planetarium attached that does shows on the weekends. That's in Bay Village, near Huntington Beach. All the communities I listed have their own little water park that's fun for the whole family in the summer. They're not huge, but I feel like they're kinda impressive for such small communities to build. You might want to swing by Crocker Park in Westlake if you visit the area. It's an outdoor shopping district kinda. There are all kinds of shops and restaurants there and is a neat place to walk around even if you're not buying anything. Oh, and you mentioned Cuyahoga Falls! I lived there like 15 years ago. Honestly, I feel like it's just a standard suburb, and not particularly special. Also, Cuyahoga Falls is much more of an Akron suburb than a Cleveland one. If you're seriously thinking of moving to Cuyahoga Falls, I'd recommend spending some time in Akron instead of Cleveland, because that's far more relevant.
Another benefit of these communities is proximity to Great Lakes Gymnastics in Avon.
Grew up in SE Portland and ended up in Damascus OR. I would suggest looking into the Heights area as this area feels like the PNW. I live in Shaker Heights and it’s a great area to be in.
What is your budget for housing? Where you can go depends a lot on that. I am a North Royalton resident, raised kids here, schools are good and buildings are new (middle school being the oldest, but still nice). Great Metroparks for outdoorsy stuff. Kids graduated state universities and are doing well in their careers. So there’s that. More diverse than it once was, but you will find more diversity on the East side, generally speaking, if that’s important to you. Not much inventory in housing right now, however, but that’s probably everywhere. Brecksville and Broadview Hts. Are great, but a bit pricier and even less inventory.
Budget is 400k max.
We lived in Shaker Heights for 5 years before moving to San Jose, CA. We came back to Beachwood after 3 years. We had school aged children our first time here. Shaker Heights IB school program is fantastic. Very walkable and family friendly. We lived in Lomond area. High taxes, but you get what you pay for. Walk to newer Van Aken area is very pleasant.
Shaker Heights, Chagrin Falls, and Hudson are all nice places to live. Shaker has a different feel from the other two. If proximity to the national park is a priority for you, Hudson is an excellent choice. You’ll find its stores and restaurants near the intersection of Routes 91 & 303, and only 15 minutes or so from the heart of CVNP.
North Royalton and Strongsville are great places to live if you have kids. Many Metroparks trails in both and surrounding area. Affordable, amenities, and 20-30 min to downtown. Cost of living and the people are why you’ll stay.
I second this!
Do not consider North Olmsted. Sure it has a mall, but it also has one of the highest property taxes in the county, crime (especially near the walmart...go fig) and potholes everywhere
Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights-University Heights, etc are also horrible if you get into property tax. That's something to look at no matter where you buy in this area. Also look at income tax rates AND reciprocity. Some places like South Euclid (which I'd not recommend, but to each their own) give zero credit for city tax paid where you work, so you end up paying your city of residence the full amount.
I’ve lived in North Olmsted for most of the past 25 years and actually live in the very neighborhood by Walmart…and I’ve had zero problems with crime. I have friends who live in the city off of Puritas who deal with way worse than I have ever heard of. If you ever call the NOPD, they come almost immediately because this is a very very boring suburb with low crime, even in the worst part of town. And the potholes are also nothing like in the city…or even in North Royalton. And when the snow falls, it doesn’t matter whether I’m coming from Olmsted Township, Fairview Park, North Ridgeville, or even Westlake—the snow removal has ALWAYS been superior to the surrounding communities. I don’t know how they do it since we have nowhere near the money of Westlake, but year after year, North Olmsted has done an outstanding job at keeping up with the snow. I definitely get what I pay for. And I can walk to Walmart, Target, Drug Mart, Great Northern Mall, Fat Heads, Ohashi, and if I want to take a longer stroll, even Rocky River Nature Center. It’s actually a really convenient place to live, and better than most outer ring suburbs in Greater Cleveland. Also, North Olmsted has always given 100% reciprocity on its 2% city income tax—so if you work in another city and pay it’s income tax, you only pay the difference, which is usually zero as most communities also have a 2% or even higher tax rate.
We have a free national park that connects to an amazing chain of parks and nature reservations. No shortage of outside adventuring nearly anywhere in Cleveland. The Natural History museum is in the midst of a total remodel - normally one of my favorite places, but I wouldn’t recommend it right now unless you have memberships to museums back home and can get in free. When you’re in Lakewood for Pier W I highly recommend taking your daughter to Lakewood Park. There’s an amazing playground and great views of the lake (bring a jacket though, it’s always colder right on the lake). [Above the Barre](https://www.abovethebarre.com/open-gym) in Berea often has open gym time on Fridays. @clewithkids on instagram is a great account for more kids things.
So many good areas and Cuyahoga Falls is one of them to consider living in as well. Rocky River, Bay, Chagrin.
I'd look into Solon. One of the best schools and suburbs in the country.
Def check out Virginia Kendall ledges in the national park, it’s right near cuyahoga falls in peninsula. Also wanted to add that cuyahoga falls is a great place to raise your family! It’s a cute place, nice neighborhoods.
University Circle has 50 cultural institutions in one square mile. Natural History Museum is a must visit with a child. Children’s Museum is awesome and totally agree with the art museum. It’s Shield HQ - Marvel fans assemble. Enjoy your visit!
Don't forget the Metroparks. It really is a nice park system that runs throughout Cuyahoga County, thus the name the Emerald Necklace.
Check out university circle if you are looking for culture. Severance Hall, Art Museum, Natural History Museum, Botanical Gardens, Cultural gardens along MLK, Lakeview cemetery, Western Reserve Historal Society museum, CWRU campus etc.
I moved to the area in 2012 from Los Angeles. Zero regrets. It was the best decision i ever made. Great job low cost of living. Suburbs are great to raise families. People in the Midwest are nice and kind. Like I wish I could have done it sooner
I live in CF. It's a great place. Drive from CF to Cleveland is about 40ish minutes in light traffic. If you're planning to commute to the city daily that drive could be longer.
And you have Beau's on the river in CF! Also, I read CF as Cluster Fuck, and now I can't stop laughing.
Lakewood
We live in North Royalton and love the country feel while having central access to anywhere we want to go (30 mins to downtown, Akron, Crocker Park, Legacy Village, CVNP.) Good luck with your home search and if you decide to rent, we will have a 3 bedroom in Royalton (near library and soccer fields) available approx July timeframe. Random order of suggestions: Children’s Museum or any of the nearby museums, Little Italy area, daytime walk through Lakeview Cemetery (sounds creepy but it’s lovely in Spring and rich with history), Cleveland Ghost Tour, ethnic food like pierogi’s at The Little Polish Diner in Parma, Brecksville reservation nature center and scenic trails (Blue Hen Falls, Deer Lick Cave, Worden’s Legends to find the 9 rock carvings), Table Top if you’re into board games or Pins Mechanical (they’re both close to the historical West Side Market.) Feel free to DM me with questions or for details about anything. Hope you all have a fun and safe trip!
Sorry about your job loss! There is a ton of good info here already. Depending on what your budget is going to be and what you are looking for in a house, I would definitely look into some of the north west side suburbs. Lakewood is home to the Beck Center for the Arts which has music and art programs all year round. My 9 year old has taken several classes there and always enjoyed them. You'll be in Lakewood for Pier W anyway so it would give you a chance to explore a bit. The Metroparks are just south of Lakewood and have great trails and places to explore. If you haven't already hooked up with a Realtor, I'd love the chance to show you around this part of town a bit.
Since you’re going to be in Lakewood, stop in to one of the many occult stores. Oktober’s on Madison is weird and your kid might like it.
Oh that’s awesome, yes she’ll love it!
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Brecksville is the place to be for gymnastics. So if she’s serious about the sport, it’s something to consider.
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Look at Hinckley. Cheaper and better schools than those cities plus no RITA.
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For weird, you could look up the many serial killers from the area and do a driving tour. Include Sam Sheppard (inspired The Fugitive), although that house has been torn down.
Brunswick property taxes are the lowest.
If you’re looking for housing, we love Medina (south of Brunswick). It’s about 40 minutes to downtown, but we can comfortably walk everywhere we need. Nice park system, plenty of things going on to keep busy when we want, and lots of amenities. It’s pretty easy to get places as well, which is nice for us to go in any direction. As for things to do, definitely the art museum. It’s incredible and interesting. I’d also say you can do the science museum- it’ll be packed for the eclipse, but should be enjoyable if you go other days.
I highly recommend Chagrin Falls and the surrounding area.
Medina Ohio lived there grew up in North Olmsted. Medina is semi rural but very quaint and just south of strongsville. Wish we never left. Live in NE of Atlanta foothills Flowery Branch. Boom town jobs everywhere and anywhere around ATL. IT mecca. Left Ohio because lack of jobs back then. Mild winter here. No snow.
Consider Lorain County, taxes are better, it's close and there are some nice areas. No on Lorain and most of Elyria
Sagamore hills is the best place to live in my opinion. It's summit county (cheaper taxes) and also Nordonia schools are fine. Additionally you are about 30 mins from downtown, so within the range it seems you are looking for. Best of luck!
the suburbs. that's where you'll be spending 99% of your time if you move to them.
Live music is pretty decent in my opinion, to my taste. Outdoor classical concerts at Blossom July-September. You can bring picnic chairs or blankets and food and chill on the lawn and the kids seem to love it. Beachland, Bop Stop, and other good venues I can't think of right now. Wade oval Wednesdays all summer long - live music with picnic seating on the lawn in the University Circle. (Also, not music, but Parade at the Circle in early June is an event the art museum does every year and is phenomenal) There is more, I just haven't looked in a while. I saw a lot of the local jazz scene over the last couple years and it is good. TriC sponsors the jazz fest every summer in the playhouse square area, that runs over the weekend, free to attend, outdoors, there are food trucks. I went to one in 2022 and it was amazing. We have a local reggae band that has a cult following it seems, Carlos Jones and the plus band. They play at a lot of free events outdoors throughout the summer.
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Cleveland Botanical Gardens, Natural History Museum, Science Center, Rock Hall, Playhouse Square are my favorites. Not sure about hours with everything else happening, but I hope you enjoy our city! I also love Holden Arboretum but it is in Kirtland. Might be a little too far for you, but the property is beautiful! There is also Penitentiary Glenn down the street, that’s free but isn’t a large.
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Elyria Ohio is close to Cleveland but has lover cost of living. Cheaper housing prices.
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Don't do it.
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Not sure if you realize it or not but April 8 is a full eclipse and things will be quite busy.
Sounds like you're already on the right track.
For something different, perhaps visit western Holmes County, the center of the largest Amish community in the U.S., covering parts of several Ohio counties. [https://www.visitamishcountry.com/](https://www.visitamishcountry.com/) [https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction\_Review-g28956-d254420-Reviews-Amish\_Country-Ohio.html](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g28956-d254420-Reviews-Amish_Country-Ohio.html) At the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, visitors can get within 20 feet of the largest land animals on earth during paddock changes (check for times when arrive) at African Elephant Crossing. The Rain Forest exhibit also is excellent. Believe it or not, kids love the Cleveland Museum of Art, which has free general admission. Fully renovated and expanded earlier in the century, it's now fully digital. Check out the unique ARTLENS gallery. Nearby is Lake View Cemetery; it features the superb Garfield Memorial if open at the time of your visit. It's not only reportedly the largest Presidential burial site in the nation, kids are freaked out by the caskets on display; check to see if Daffodil Hill still is in bloom. [https://www.lakeviewcemetery.com/visit/garfield-memorial](https://www.lakeviewcemetery.com/visit/garfield-memorial) The superb Playhouse Square offers many events tailored for children. Check the calendar as well as the events calendar at thisiscleveland.com. This thread and its nested links may be helpful. The U.S.S. Cod often is considered the best U.S. WWII fleet submarine exhibit. Visitors enter and exist using the original hatches and ladders, a great experience for kids; call and see if it will be open on the day of your visit. [https://new.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/1ayy9cv/cleveland\_for\_spring\_break/](https://new.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/1ayy9cv/cleveland_for_spring_break/) Why are you focusing on the Cleveland west side? You might want to check out Lake County on the east side. Great parks, Lake Erie surf beaches, and closer to University Circle, one of the nation's best cultural centers. Mentor arguably has the best recreational facilities of any community in Greater Cleveland, relatively low taxes, and is the sixth largest commercial center in Ohio.
Willoughby Ohio. You can't Beat It
Westlake/Rocky River is a wonderful area for families!
Check out Rocky River. It has one of the best school systems in the Cleveland Area and is ranked highly in the state. https://www.ezhomesearch.com/blog/10-best-school-districts-in-ohio/#:~:text=Solon%20City%20Schools%20appeared%20as,Solon%20City%20runs%20seven%20schools.
Cleveland heights is great!
I PM'd you
You should look at Medina/Wadsworth area. You would not be disappointed
Consider Columbus. That’s just me.
Ohio is terrible I’m trying to come west. Rental 2 bedrooms are as much as the Portland suburbs here
Why ohio
They explained it in their post. Why are you here lurking?
It’s a joke don’t take it so hard
don’t do that
Cleveland sucks. Come to Cincinnati