Cleveland calling: First impressions of Ohio as a new direct flight takes off
The famous Cleveland sign landmark script overlooking the downtown skyline and Lake Erie Ohio USA.
Touching down in Cleveland, the first thing that hit me was the heat. We landed on what seemed to be the hottest day of the year so far in Ohio. Cleveland, much like Ireland, can experience all four seasons in one day and we were blasted with 24°C heat the minute we left the airport.
From here it’s just a short train journey to the centre of Cleveland, Tower City Centre, to be exact, bringing us to the heart of Downtown in about 20 minutes for around $5.
Downtown, like in any other major city, is the beating heart of Cleveland, but I found it was the surrounding neighbourhoods where Cleveland came alive and its people showed their finest qualities.
A trip to West Side Market is an absolute must for any foodie. One of the oldest and largest in the US, the city-owned and operated space has all the qualities of Cork’s English Market, and who doesn’t love that? Over 100 years old, the market was established as a community space to give newcomers to the area a space to call their own.
A mixture of local and international vendors, many of the food stands have been family operated for generations, providing meats, dairy, baked goods, and international delicacies to visitors of all kinds. While spoilt for choice, a visit to Czuchraj Meats is a must for their beef jerky. It is the longest-running stall in the market, now in its third generation of operators, having initially come to Cleveland from Ukraine during the Second World War.
Frank’s Brautwurst is one of the most popular spots in the market, and I also recommend stopping by Vera’s Bakery to try one of their famous pizza bagels.
Exploring the Ohio City area will give you a really good sense of Cleveland’s progressive and friendly nature. Our tour guide, Nick Urig, described it as a ‘come as you are’ style city, reflecting the various cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds of Cleveland’s residents.
The Hingetown district is a great example of this. The area has a strong LGBTQ+ history as well as being one of the most important stops on the Underground Railroad, with Station Hope being the last stop for many slaves before crossing Lake Erie to freedom in Canada in the years leading up to the US Civil War.
While in the area, I enjoyed a visit to Larder Delicatessen on West 29th St. A former fire house, it is now one of the most popular food spots in all of Cleveland. Owners Jeremy Umansky, Allie La Valle-Umansky, and Kenny Scott are known for their house-made breads, pastries, and Koji-cured pastrami. It’s a food experience I will never forget.
On the opposite side of the city, you’ll find Little Italy. Established in the mid-1800s by sculptor Joseph Carrabelli, he was joined by many other artists over the years and the area became known for its restaurants, galleries, and scenic streets with that authentic Italian feel. To get a real taste of the Mediterranean, we stopped by Guarino’s, established in 1918 — Cleveland’s oldest restaurant. Serving traditional Italian-American fare with an old world feel. You certainly won’t come out hungry.
Not too far from Little Italy lies University Circle, a hub of arts and culture and home to the famous Cleveland Orchestra.
Here you will find the Museum of Art, one of the most prestigious art museums in the US and the only major museum in the country that is free to the public. Displaying more than 45,000 pieces, it showcases a variety of art from ancient Egypt, Asia, and the US. The museum also holds artworks from Dali, Monet, and Warhol.
On the opposite side of the Wade Oval you’ll find the Museum of National History, which is currently undergoing a massive $150m renovation. It offers an immersive planetarium experience, a discovery centre for children as well as a virtual reality flight simulator. While here, I would recommend visiting the museum’s wildlife centre to get up close with coyotes, bobcats, otters, and a bald-headed eagle, to name but a few.
The Botanical Gardens is the last stop on the Wade Oval and is worth your time. More than 600 butterflies are released into the museum’s biome every spring with some of them landing on the shoulders of visitors as we walked around.
Speaking of museums, it would be very difficult to miss the biggest one in the city — the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s hard to think of Cleveland and not think of rock and roll music. The Hall of Fame has some of the greatest stories and biggest names in rock music across seven floors of exhibitions.
From musical instruments such as Prince’s iconic Blue Angel guitar to more intricate artefacts such as handwritten notes by the Beatles, you can feel the history as you while away the hours in these halls.
The Power of Rock Experience on floor three is a must-see, as well as the new inductee exhibit where you can vote for your favourite nominated artist. This year’s nominees include the likes of Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliot, Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, and George Michael.
While Downtown is a busy spot during weekdays, visitors will be surprised to find the weekends offer a quiet and calm experience. Walking around the city centre, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were the only person in the world, so it was a perfect base for a good night’s sleep.
A mixture of old and new infrastructure, Cleveland prides itself on its recent initiative of repurposing aged buildings and giving them new life. No greater example of this is the Drury Plaza Hotel, right in the middle of Downtown, where I rested my head for two nights.
Now a 189-bedroom hotel, the Drury Plaza was once the former Cleveland Board of Education building, having undergone a full restoration and preservation in 2014. The two-storey lobby features two fully restored murals by local artist Cora Holden which were painted in 1931.
A short ramble from the hotel, we explored the Cleveland Arcade. A once-idle shopping mall, it has been given new life in recent years having sat empty for more than a decade. The lower floors contain shopping outlets, with the upper floors playing host to the Cleveland Hyatt Regency Hotel.
We saw the same desire to repurpose space here: The offices that once stood on the first, second and third floors of the building are now bedrooms for the hotel and, on certain days, the ground floor of the mall plays host to weddings or other events.
It is when the sun goes down that Downtown Cleveland really starts to shine, with lively entertainment districts within walking distance of the centre.
East 4th St is pedestrian-only, and here you’ll find some of the city’s top food, drink, and entertainment spots, including Butcher and the Brewer, Society Lounge, Blue Agave Street Tacos, and Flannery’s Irish pub.
The Flats East Bank Entertainment District sits on the edge of the Cuyahoga River where it meets Lake Erie. A hub for dining and nightlife, the towering bridges and repurposed warehouse buildings capture perfectly Cleveland’s industrial history while also shining a spotlight on the future of the waterfront with new restaurants and music venues.
One such spot I can recommend is the Jade New Asian and Sushi bar, built right on the waterfront and specialising in Asian cuisine and sushi, some of the finest you’ll find in all of Cleveland.
Other areas worth looking into include the Warehouse District, a neighbourhood of converted Victorian era buildings now playing home to some of the city’s finest restaurants and bars.
Playhouse Square is another must-see cultural spot. Home to the largest outdoor chandelier in the US, it is the largest performing arts district outside of New York and has some great options for a night on the town.
In the same way that people from Cork are very proud of being from the Rebel County, the people of Cleveland, Ohio, are very proud of their city and it shows on every street corner.
Transatlantic passenger numbers have been on the up since we all lost a few years of our lives to covid-19, and Aer Lingus’ latest route out of Dublin promises to offer something different than before.
With 19 routes to the US already on offer, Cleveland, Ohio has been added to the ever-growing roster of destinations across the pond.
This new route provides Cleveland with the only direct flight to Europe, which Aer Lingus says is the beginning of making Dublin Airport a hub for connecting flights into the continent from some of the smaller regions in the US.
Aer Lingus operates direct Dublin-Cleveland flights four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Economy class fares start from €199 each way, including taxes and charges, and business class fares start from €1,899, including taxes and charges.
- Visit aerlingus.com.
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