Another thing that's worth mentioning about Cleveland's music scene is that the Cleveland Orchestra is arguably the best symphony in the US these days. (Also their performance space, Severance Hall -- on screen at about 4:50 -- has an absolutely stunning interior.)
As a Milwaukeean, I really like visiting our fellow midwestern mid-sized city of Cleveland. I see a lot of similarities between our two cities. I like to visit there every few years and always enjoy my time. Great video!
The similarity goes as far as the homes in Whitefish Bay (a Milwaukee suburb) and University Heights (a Cleveland suburb) looking pretty much identical.
I massively enjoyed visiting Milwaukee a couple years ago, it gave me very homey vibes. Even more so than cities like Cincy and Pittsburgh, which are also great but are missing an inland sea.
The university circle district has got to be one of the most underrated neighborhoods in the entire country. So many cultural museums, Little Italy next door, Uptown district shopping, top end medical campuses and treatments, not to mention the rail access and walkability of the place. Some lucky college kids!
My brother went to Case Western for law school, he lived nearby. It was a really nice area. (We grew up in Akron.) I remember eating really good Italian food there.
One thing that really stands out about Cleveland for me is: The Cleveland Art Museum. It’s just fabulous. A world class collection. And it’s just down the street from Severance Hall, home to the Cleveland Symphony. Severance Hall is an Art Deco gem.
And it's fucking free. Like their featured exhibits aren't, but it's nice to be able to do a walk through of the main collections when you're already at one of the other museums.
Thank you for representing my city! Cleveland rocks, Cleveland rocks EDIT: Man I'm almost crying right now. Do you know how much bullshit we have to hear from out-of-towners our whole lives? This is so beautiful, you're being honest and also pointing out all of the reasons the city and the region are fantastic. Glad to hear you mention my old neighborhood (Detroit-Shoreway). And yes. You're right about the winter.
I am from West Virginia, so I feel your pain. People pick on us because they need someone to be beneath them but they’ve never been to our homes. When clear headed people visit these places, they pass along the good news as Kyle has done here. ❤
As a fellow Clevelander, it really is great seeing our city represented well. We get so much crap for our past, but the present and future of our city is really bright! Love the Land!!
A couple of years ago, I came down from Buffalo for a weekend visit (the Browns beat the Bills, but it was a good game). I felt right at home-- Cleveland is kind of like a big brother city to Buffalo. Both were big industrial cities in the 20th century, and then became punching bags for people who've never been there. I loved Ohio City and Downtown. I could have spent a lot more time there.
Just visited Cleveland. Coming from a Californian, I have to say that you have a lot to be proud of for your city. The University Circle area is one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever seen, in addition to being the home of the awesome Cleveland Orchestra and Severance Hall. There are neighborhoods around there that are so quintessentially American. I grew up with the picture books of Chris van Allsburg and always wondered where these beautiful American neighborhoods were (they’re not in California). I have my answer now.
Currently live in Columbus OH and every time I visit Cleveland I consider moving there. The downtown area is so much better and the architecture is beautiful. Definitely an underrated city
Worth mentioning is the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail that starts (or ends) in Cleveland. It is a 100 mile hike/bike trail that runs for the most part along the route of the old Ohio Erie Canal. It goes through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Thank you for giving Cleveland it’s deserved props. I am not from there but I visited about 20!years ago and discovered one of the loveliest, most cultural, and most fun cities in the country. Ever since then, I’ve been telling everyone what a great city it is and people won’t believe me. Weather aside, it has one of the best standards of living in the country. It deserves to bounce back and be a thriving city again. ❤❤❤
As someone who lives in Pittsburgh I can’t believe I didn’t ever go to Cleveland until a couple years ago for the first time. Very underrated city which gets too much flack. Only a little over 2 hours away from Pittsburgh too which is great for a day trip.
Been wanting to visit Pittsburgh. Born in Cleveland. It was really bad in the 00s but it's a lot better now like most the rust belt. It's an okay city. Boring as hell if you don't know how to make your own fun. Used to hate it but now that I've been overseas I appreciate my birth town. Not good, not bad. It's okay. Great public transit.
I grew up in Cleveland and never went to Pittsburgh until a few years ago. I loved it there! Many similarities between the two: great sports fans interesting industrial history, and some great cultural and educational highlights as well.
I can't thank you enough for this review. I grew up in Cbus but my dad's side of the family has been living in Cleveland for generations (mid 1800s at least), and it gets tiring hearing nothing but negativity about this town that we love so much. Sure there's plenty of problems facing the town, but you can't set foot in a city in this country that doesn't have any issues in terms of poverty or crime. One thing I'd like to note, I know it's a bit outside of Cleveland proper, but there is a beautiful outdoor concert venue in the southern section of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park called the Blossom Center. They host the Cleveland Orchestra from time to time as well as a variety of other acts and performances. Absolutely beautiful place to take in a show on a summer evening.
Life long Clevelander here that's had the opportunity to see much of the states and some of Europe. You hate to hear your city get a bad rap but I often tell others let the rest of the Country think that. We're one of those best kept secrets. People that move here from other state's are pleasantly surprised, not only what Cleveland has to offer but the low cost of living too. Great job Kyle. I enjoy your videos.
I love these city profiles and how you highlight the good stuff without shying away from the bad. Nowhere is perfect but everywhere has something to offer! Thanks :)
I’ve been to Cleveland the last two years for the medical care I receive at the Cleveland Clinic. You couldn’t ask for better quality care or more compassionate individuals than you get at that institution. And surprisingly, it is not that expensive due to the fact that the doctors are on salary and not paid by the number of tests that they order. Btw, I also enjoyed the middle eastern food available in that general area. Thanks for the in depth look at Cleveland!
My partner is from NE Ohio and we are positioning ourselves to move from Columbus to Cleveland over the next year, and we really can't wait. Great video.
Thank you for making a video about Cleveland what wasn't all focused on the negative aspects, and highlighting the many positive things that are there. I also think that Cleveland has some of the best suburbs in America, so if you are looking for a nice suburban town to settle in and don't mind winter, there are a lot of great affordable towns around Cleveland to live in. Plus the summers are really nice there, it rarely gets above 90.
From my experience, many parts of University Heights, Cleveland Heights, and especially Shaker Heights are quite gorgeous, with older houses on tree-lined streets.
Thanks for a great and fair video about Cleveland. I moved here three years ago and love it. In my experience, the worst part of the weather is the cloudiness. Compared to where I came from (MN) winters here are mild. We have missed all the severe storms this year so it has been fairly tame in my 3 years. For the population, Cleveland offers way more world class amenities than most cities and much easier traffic.
I remember Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls making a joke when the Bulls were playing the Cavs way back that Cleveland was the most boring city he'd ever been to and I think it just stuck with me lol. But videos like this shed some light on a truly underrated place I've been hearing more and more good things about! Love these types of profile videos. As a prospective international student I love using your videos for references. Glad I found your channel!
A lot of the "boringness" results from the comparatively low number of people living downtown. Downtown can be abuzz before or after a sports game or a show, but a couple hours later it can feel like a ghost town. It's not really the kind of scene where ballers are popping bottles in packed clubs until 4am. Locals are more likely to be hanging out at a restaurant/bar closer to their own neighborhood -- or even more likely: hanging with friends in someone's backyard or basement sports bar. (Because a lot of Clevelanders can afford a place with a backyard and a basement bar.)
I love Cleveland. Food is amazing, the architecture is amazing, it's beautiful in the summer, the surrounding cities, towns and villages are interesting and full of character. There's a subway system, too. I love it! Definitely better than boring Columbus!
Columbus on the whole may be more boring than Cleveland, but it does have hidden gems like the German Village, the Short North, and gorgeous suburbs like Bexley and Upper Arlington.
Returning to Columbus OH after a Billy Bragg concert last year in Royal OAK MI, we took a drive along Lake Erie and stopped at Edgewater Beach. An equestrian event was being held near the dog beach. It was cool to see horses splashing through the waves in Lake Erie.
I moved to Cleveland from Austin. First place I lived outside of Texas. Moved back to Texas since then but miss the city everyday. Great city, and great people.
I'm a Masshole who got a decent job offer in a suburb of Columbus right out of college. They flew me out for an interview and within a day I decided against it. I couldn't stand the flat landscape, the generic architecture, the near-total lack of visible history, the absence of the ocean, the food, or the fact that everyone talked with a Southern accent despite being well north of the Mason-Dixon Line. I decided the Midwest wasn't for me. A few years later I had to attend a convention in Cleveland and wasn't looking forward to it. But as soon as I saw Lake Erie from the plane, I knew this would be different. Cleveland was totally different from and radically better than Columbus. In many ways it reminded me of old industrial cities of New England and Upstate New York. Loved the Lake, the densely packed streets, the 19th and early 20th Century buildings, the Eastern European and German cuisine, just about everything. Even the accents were a marked improvement, sounding very much like people in Springfield or Albany. So I concluded that while the southern, inland Midwest was not for me, I could definitely see myself making the Great Lakes my new home.
Cleveland is such an underappreciated city. Has its issues no doubt but one of the best places to visit in the rust belt and in the Midwest as a whole.
Great video, Kyle! Very fair and honest assessment of Cleveland. I’m a lifelong NE Ohioan who was born and raised in small town America northeast of the city, lived downtown for 5 years from 2013 to 2018 and live in small town America again. You hit on so many great things and so many other commenters have added plenty of good stuff as well. But the one thing I would like to add is how great the CSU downtown campus neighborhood is. It’s adjacent to Playhouse square and continues to get better every year. The tuition is very affordable and they keep adding more student housing, so it’s becoming less of a commuter school and more of a resident school. As you might have guessed, yes I graduated from CSU lol. The winters can be rough, especially where I’m at in the heart of the snowbelt. But it really gives you more appreciation for all seasons. Thanks for taking the time to showcase our lovely city, most of us are truly proud of it and NE Ohio in general🍻
We visited a few years ago. I was impressed by the quantity and quality of the museums. They are all right near the tram, plus the museums have a shuttle that goes around. My gripe is minor, the gorgeous central train station was converted to a mall. Amtrak now dumps you off in a shack near the stadium
That Amtrak "station" kills me. You go through all of these much smaller cities that have much better stations (and actual platforms!) and then get to Cleveland and there's nothing there. Hopefully this gets rectified after they start building up the lakefront.
Love to see these positive videos about Cleveland. I am a New England transplant, and though at first I was salty about moving here, I’ve grown to love it. So much to do, so many great eateries and parks and all the various neighborhoods. Having the metroparks nearby with the bike and hiking trails as well as the Cuyahoga national valley is also a huge bonus. What you May not know is there are more people flooding into downtown to live, they simply can’t keep up. Many old office buildings are being converted into beautiful apartments and condos and are still reasonably affordable. We have one in playhouse square for my son who attends Cleveland state university…..also a hidden gem of a school! The new Sherwin Williams world HQ tower is going to be the crown jewel of downtown when finished this year. We still have a long way to go but I think we’re heading in the right direction. Another area also often missed is asiatown. Awesome mom and pop restaurants. The crime, as like many cities is an issue and needs to be dealt with but so far, in 20+ years, I have never had an issue. You live in any city, you had better have some street smarts and common sense.
I'm a CWRU alum, so I have many fond (and some not-so-fond) memories of living in Cleveland. The city has a lot to offer and I think you did a great job praising the culture and transit (and dunking on the rock hall).
Not from Cleveland, but spent a lot of time in Ohio - and there's one specific thing I think of regarding Cleveland, and I don't think someone would know this without spending a lot of time in Ohio: that there a LOT of people from Cleveland who deeply love it, who truly believe it might be one of the best places, if not the best place, on Earth. They get very emotional about it. I never understood the phenomenon, but I've encountered it often. You'll probably find at least a couple comments that show this phenomenon.
Thanks for shedding some positive light on our city, Kyle! For as many of us that leave Cleveland often come back. Our winters are dreadful, but it's tough to beat a summer day on the East Bank of the Flats. Not many people are louder about their city pride than Clevelanders.
Thank you for your video. I grew up in Cleveland and have lived here over 60 years. I’ve never heard the one area referred to as Riverside (although there is a street and an elementary school with that name). We’ve always referred to it as the West Park area. Also, the WWII sub is the Cod (like the fish),not the C-o-d. Again, thank you for making a video about the city’s good and bad points. I love it here.
Thanks for doing my city Kyle! Glad you mentioned the Cultural Gardens. The Rock Hall is here because there was a poll taken for where it should be and the people of Cleveland crushed it. They’ve tried to open satellite locations but they’ve failed, we love our Rock Hall! Glad you came, wish I ran into you, would have bought you a Great Lakes beer.
Yes! The power of WMMS pushing us to vote for Cleveland. My cousins were just in town from Detroit and spent the day at the Rock Hall. They loved the Beatles exhibit!
I agree with you. I went to CWRU from 76-82 then moved to Philly where i ended up marrying a guy who was from Cleveland Heights. Had good times in Cleveland, met alot of good folks, got a great education and enjoyed all the cultural amenities that are truly World Class.
As others mention here, you should give a decent recog niton to the Cleveland Orchestra. It is indeed one of the best in the world. And Apollo's Fire is a very fine baroque orchestrs with a great reputation. There's a lot more to music than rock and roll. And Cleveland proves it.
Cleveland is highly underrated! Great review, recently went there to take in a cavaliers basketball game. The skyline is beautiful with the lake backdrop, and the art museum there is amazing.
I managed a project in a west suburb Avon Lake in the late 90s and grew to really like Cleveland. There was a nice boat restaurant on the lakefront downtown called Hornblower's that was replaced with a boardwalk with condos and shops. We went back fall 2019 and enjoyed the RNRHOF and The Christmas Story house and museum both worth the visit. CRWU also has an interesting hard to miss Frank Gehry building in the middle of campus. Love from Chicago!
I love Cleveland! I’ve lived here for 6 years after moving from Chicago for school and it’s such a charming city, especially love University Circle and Tremont.
Great video, definitely hit all the highs and lows of my city! (Although I moved to Alabama last year) I miss having three affordable pro sports teams and proximity to cedar point…
Martin Luther King Boulevard (the street that follows the creek with all the cultural statues and memorials) is relatively well-known because it's a way to get from Cleveland Clinic to I-90. A very pleasant drive, but you are right when you say it is underappreciated.
Born and raised in Cleveland. Really cool thing is spotting the booth of my fathers candy business at the West Side Market at 3:33 of the video! If winters did not suck and employment opportunities were much better, I would happily call Cleveland my home again.
I always appreciate your presentations. No quick judgements but a thorough overview of the city. Not overlooking the negatives but presenting all the great aspects of the place.
Thanks for the info. I am a lifetime Ohioan but have spent no time in Cleveland. My wife and I are doing Drink Beer Made Here and Cleveland is a mandatory place to go.
I grew up half an hour from Cleveland. My dad worked there for 29 years. The winter is no worse than Chicago and the weather doesn't stop people from living in or around Chicago. Cleveland suffered massive middle class flight when busing was ordered by Judge Battisti in the 1970s. Crime and poverty have been major problems for decades. There are a lot of hidden gems in the city, but it is very slowly becoming a place where people want to live. When combined with Akron-Canton, Northeast Ohio has almost 3.3 million people. Look forward to seeing you cover Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has significant similarities to and differences from Cleveland and they are less than 2.5 hours apart. Nice job.
Kyle excellent as always! I was there twice on business a few years ago and your summary was exactly my impression. One thing you left out was some of the nice old neighborhoods and lovely well-kept house west of town. Except for the winters, it would be a nice place to live. THx again! Your fan from Chattanooga...
4:09 That’s just Little Italy and University Circle 5:57 a lot of those photos are of East Cleveland which isn’t part of the city The mini-mansions popping up in Hough and Fairfax are really cool because you see old apartments, “regular” homes, abandoned homes, open lots, and a mini mansion all on the same block lol
Cleveland has a good musically sound population. What I mean is that a lot of people here have grown up listening to a decent amount of music genres from different eras. You can hear it in the radio stations we have, possibly one of the best selections being broadcasted in my opinion. Idk its good to hear a fair take on my home city when everyones just seems to rip on us lol. Thanks
Cleveland is a great city & we visit it on long weekends several times a year for The Arts, restaurants, etc. A nice video, but the music scene is larger than what you alluded to. There are 119 Cleveland musical groups historically listed & places like The Agora rated A-lister bands/singers in the 1960s/70s. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame happened because of a national vote taken in 1986. The other cities on the list were New York, Chicago, San Francisco, & Philadelphia. Cleveland won the vote & the city put up $65M to get it started.
I really enjoyed this, you were right on the money. I live in the East-Central part of Ohio but have a lot of family in Cleveland and have always thought of it as home away from home. As soon as I saw Cleveland City Profile I had to watch. I was not disappointed, great to see an honest review of the city without the typical bias against it.
Thanks for making this fair video of my hometown. To add some perspective, Cleveland's rock history is not just about bands who came from the area. The city and its media share the entire history of the rock 'n' roll era as key promoters of rock music, rock bands and rock culture. Many bands got their break here or performed their breakout live shows here. Alan Freed did not just coin the term rock 'n' roll, but Cleveland hosted the first rock 'n' roll concerts.
Thanks for mentioning the cultural gardens. I'm of Eastern European decent and have always loved that area. I was born in a hospital that used to be across the street fro the art museum.
I had a great time as a youngster in Cleveland, hanging in the Flats or University CIrcle. There were just parts of town we NEVER went into for fear of not making it out alive. I still visit every year and take my kids..lots of things to do in the summer.
"About to go toss a match into the Tennessee river and see what happens!" - appreciate the outro, adding your own personal touch in a lighthearted way! Thanks for responding to a comment I made on a livestream of yours a while ago and coming back with an outro tagline after stopping for a while :)
I'm glad you mentioned the polka! Cleveland has a ton of Eastern European influence. In addition to polka, eastern european food like pierogis and cabbage rolls are really common. We have Slavic Village which still has some great Polish restaurants for example. Also, there's a Ukranian Village neighborhood in nearby Parma which has several Ukranian bakeries, grocery stores, etc.
Having visited Cleveland for the first time last July, I was surprised at what I saw. Despite its reputation it seemed like a nice place to live, at least the parts I saw. I'm glad to see that it is either not as bad as people say or that it has improved substantially in the last few decades.
Part of the reason that theres hardly anyone on that international parkway in Cleveland is that theres quite literally no where to park, you cant park on the street and theres no dedicated lots accept by university circle plus it borders some much shadier parts of town
Hi Kyle, thanks for the video! I had an idea - you could do a video on the Great Lakes. You could include which one is biggest, how deep they are, lake effect, which fish are in the lakes, if there are any waves to surf on, islands in the lake and best tourism sites within them. As an Australian I am amazed at the size of these lakes, they are bigger than many countries! The biggest lake I've seen is only 3 miles wide!
Left Cleveland years ago after growing up there. Great sports town, nice metro parks, great BBQ. Needs a real waterfront with all the lakeshore and the crime is terrifying. Still home ❤️
I agree with you wholeheartedly about your assessment of the city. I used to live in Kent, OH and would visit Cleveland regularly, especially the Little Italy area. I remember visiting Cleveland when they had their "Taste of Italy" food festival and I saw a Polish dog stand there and couldn't understand why someone would have a Polish dog stand in a "Taste of Italy". Now, after seeing your video, I realize that the Polish dog is a local favorite.
I'm from Cleveland, and you hit the nail on the head! You have to come back and take in a ballgame! Try a Romanburger as well! Once again, another amazing video, and please come back to The Land!!
The term rock and roll was coined in Cleveland. First rock and roll show was in Cleveland (1952) Many rock acts first broke in Cleveland including Rush (filmed their anniversary dvd in Cleveland) and Bruce Springsteen. Nine Inch Nails, Black Keys, Joe Walsh, Devo, The Pretenders are all from Northeast Ohio
Very well put! The only thing I'd say you're a bit off about is the winters. Cleveland winters actually get a bit less cold than many other rust belt and east coast cities. What makes Cleveland winters rough is the grey winter sky, with the city being one of the cloudiest in the country. It can be agonizing not seeing the sun for two months haha
Great overview! A few things to add from someone who lives on E 4th St: as mentioned in the comments the orchestra at Severance Hall and Blossom Music Center is on par with the Cleveland Clinic in terms of global rankings and recognition. The winters are usually cold and *sometimes* bad, but the weather in spring, summer, and fall is spectacular, so the 20% of the year that's bad is tolerable when the other 80% is great. It's also a key city to keep an eye on for climate migration, as it's location next to the largest bodies of fresh water in the world is a major benefit for climate resiliency. And if we expand the scope of view a bit further, Cleveland is only an hour away from Cedar Point in Sandusky, one of the best theme parks in the world. There's still a lot of work to be done, but the city's long-term projection is one of the most fascinating in the country.
I agree with your point about Cleveland's proximity to Lake Erie regarding climate change. I think the major rust belt cities of the Great Lakes have a promising future. Particularly Cleveland because of Case Western Reserve, my alma mater, with its outstanding engineering programs.
I've never been to Cleveland (or Ohio, for that matter, aside from driving through), but I've been intrigued ever since I realized it's a lakefront city. The rent for a two-bedroom downtown seems pretty reasonable in Cleveland! Just not sure it would have much to offer in the type of work that I do.
So, about Cleveland's history with rock n roll (tangentially related to why the HOF is here): 1. Alan Freed, the payola guy, the guy who basically made artists like Little Richard and Chuck Berry famous, the guy who coined the term rock n roll, was a Clevelander and got his start as a DJ in Cleveland before eventually getting promoted to working in NYC and then all the controversial stuff happened 2. While it's true that not a ton of artists came out of Cleveland (although notable artists like Devo, James Gang, Joe Walsh, John Legend, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Ohio Players, Black Keys, etc etc etc were from Cleveland and/or got their start in Cleveland's music scene), Cleveland's radio scene was essential to the growth of rock n roll as a genre. Dozens of bands struggled to find success until after being featured on Cleveland radio. One in particular was Rush, who basically couldn't get any playtime in the US at all until they got 'Working Man' on WMMS in Cleveland (which still exists, although that station has gone downhill). This is more anecdotal, but I've been all over the US, and Cleveland is one of the only regions where I can close spotify and just listen to the radio and hear good music. New Orleans and NYC are some of the only other places like that. Everywhere else has been completely taken over by corporate radio.
I lived in Cleveland my whole life, and everyone who's never been here craps on it, but anyone who's ever come to actually visit love what Cleveland has to offer. Also, let's not forget about the lake! Let the rest of those suckers buy overpriced studios in parts of the country that will either be underwater or out of water in my lifetime. Im going to watch it all in my beautiful but modestly priced home, near the shores of 25% of the worlds available fresh water.
I live outside of Cleveland and you gave me new awareness of somethings! The winters are not nearly as brutal as decades ago….but yeah…some crime areas are areas to drive around or just avoid.
It’s great to see so many positive comments about Cleveland. I have lived here almost 4 years, and the city has a lot of interesting areas and places to explore. I just get so down with the negativity sometimes because people are hanging onto old Cleveland. Cleveland has a lot in store. The new riverfront plan has been approved, and the lakefront is being reimagined and hopefully this will take off! Also, property values have gone up significantly since we have owned our house. Cleveland is going to be the next big thing in Ohio!
I recently graduated from an architecture program at a university. I visited Cleveland for a project and yeah there was definitely clear negatives but the bones of the city are really good!Same with Detroit, you can see the former importance of the city. The university district was probably one of the nicest in the country and downtown was pretty cool with really cool old sky scrapers and arcades! Ohio city was also really cool and we bar hoped around there and by 4th street. Overall I really liked it there and though I don’t think I’d want to live there (from ny) I had a great time there!
I lived and worked in Cleveland in the '70's. Fabulous art museum, the best orchestra in the world, some of the most interesting people I've ever met, hideous weather, and I got mugged twice.
Great informative video, well-researched including stats. I've lived in the Cleveland area for most of my life, but I've never tried a "Polish boy" sandwich. Now I want to try one! Only a couple minor corrections: you pronounced the word "cod" in U.S.S. Cod as an acronym, but it's pronounced like the fish of the same name. Also, you mentioned that Edgewater Park (the beach area) is downtown, but it's nearly three miles from Public Square and not easily walkable. Someone going from downtown to Edgewater would want to drive or take a bus.
Aww c'mon, Cleveland winters aren't THAT bad. We have a pretty solid infrastructure for dealing with heavy snow and cold snaps, and most of the native drivers around here are very familiar with how to drive safely in snow, so all in all it's not as bad as many other cities that aren't quite as used to the snow. (I used to live in Columbus, and they did NOT handle heavy snow anywhere near as well.) And lake effect snow really only hits the upper east side - the west side is actually pretty protected from it, due to the shape of Lake Erie right there and how the wind blows across it.
Kyle, this is an excellent, very informative video you have created! Kudos from a geographer! I always stop at Presti's in Little Italy when I'm in Cleveland! Great cafe. Cleveland is definitely the "mistake by the lake," but it is often underlooked and underappreciated. Definitely has some serious crime issues on the east side. I like the area around Shaker Heights. Maybe it's a separate town.
![Top 3 [most overlooked] neighborhoods in Philadelphia Pennsylvania](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DZOwmb8pmns/mqdefault.jpg)
Another thing that's worth mentioning about Cleveland's music scene is that the Cleveland Orchestra is arguably the best symphony in the US these days. (Also their performance space, Severance Hall -- on screen at about 4:50 -- has an absolutely stunning interior.)
Certainly is the best American symphony orchestra for the city's (and metro area's) population size.
Also Top 5 in the world. I would 100% rank severance above Royal Albert in London. Royal Albert sounds like you are listening from another room
These days??
You mean since George Zell like 75 years
@@surferbri5346 For sure, but back in Szell's day there was more competition! Most major US orchestras have gone downhill imo, but not Cleveland
As a Milwaukeean, I really like visiting our fellow midwestern mid-sized city of Cleveland. I see a lot of similarities between our two cities. I like to visit there every few years and always enjoy my time. Great video!
The similarity goes as far as the homes in Whitefish Bay (a Milwaukee suburb) and University Heights (a Cleveland suburb) looking pretty much identical.
There were some great rock groups that came from Cleveland. Google it. The Raspberries and Eric Carmen were major rock acts from Cleveland
My husband and I enjoyed visiting Milwaukee also,and noticed a similar "feel" between Cleveland and Milwaukee.
I massively enjoyed visiting Milwaukee a couple years ago, it gave me very homey vibes. Even more so than cities like Cincy and Pittsburgh, which are also great but are missing an inland sea.
Milwaukee has a lot of construction projects in the works. It's a great city!
The university circle district has got to be one of the most underrated neighborhoods in the entire country. So many cultural museums, Little Italy next door, Uptown district shopping, top end medical campuses and treatments, not to mention the rail access and walkability of the place. Some lucky college kids!
Definitely! I'm a Case student, also from Cleveland, and the whole city is super underappreciated, but the UC area especially is incredibly nice!
My brother went to Case Western for law school, he lived nearby. It was a really nice area. (We grew up in Akron.) I remember eating really good Italian food there.
One thing that really stands out about Cleveland for me is:
The Cleveland Art Museum. It’s just fabulous. A world class collection.
And it’s just down the street from Severance Hall, home to the Cleveland Symphony. Severance Hall is an Art Deco gem.
Experts from all over agree that it’s one of the best art museums in the world. And it’s also one of the few that offer free admission!
And it's fucking free. Like their featured exhibits aren't, but it's nice to be able to do a walk through of the main collections when you're already at one of the other museums.
One thing that really stands out about Cleveland for me is: Cleveland is ranked 6th in worst drivers!
Thank you for representing my city! Cleveland rocks, Cleveland rocks
EDIT: Man I'm almost crying right now. Do you know how much bullshit we have to hear from out-of-towners our whole lives? This is so beautiful, you're being honest and also pointing out all of the reasons the city and the region are fantastic. Glad to hear you mention my old neighborhood (Detroit-Shoreway). And yes. You're right about the winter.
I am from West Virginia, so I feel your pain. People pick on us because they need someone to be beneath them but they’ve never been to our homes. When clear headed people visit these places, they pass along the good news as Kyle has done here. ❤
As a fellow Clevelander, it really is great seeing our city represented well. We get so much crap for our past, but the present and future of our city is really bright! Love the Land!!
A couple of years ago, I came down from Buffalo for a weekend visit (the Browns beat the Bills, but it was a good game). I felt right at home-- Cleveland is kind of like a big brother city to Buffalo. Both were big industrial cities in the 20th century, and then became punching bags for people who've never been there. I loved Ohio City and Downtown. I could have spent a lot more time there.
Just visited Cleveland. Coming from a Californian, I have to say that you have a lot to be proud of for your city. The University Circle area is one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever seen, in addition to being the home of the awesome Cleveland Orchestra and Severance Hall. There are neighborhoods around there that are so quintessentially American. I grew up with the picture books of Chris van Allsburg and always wondered where these beautiful American neighborhoods were (they’re not in California). I have my answer now.
@@DustyOldCowTown that's lovely to hear man, shout-out to the peninsula and the central forest and coast of San Mateo county
Currently live in Columbus OH and every time I visit Cleveland I consider moving there. The downtown area is so much better and the architecture is beautiful. Definitely an underrated city
Worth mentioning is the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail that starts (or ends) in Cleveland. It is a 100 mile hike/bike trail that runs for the most part along the route of the old Ohio Erie Canal. It goes through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Thank you for giving Cleveland it’s deserved props. I am not from there but I visited about 20!years ago and discovered one of the loveliest, most cultural, and most fun cities in the country. Ever since then, I’ve been telling everyone what a great city it is and people won’t believe me. Weather aside, it has one of the best standards of living in the country. It deserves to bounce back and be a thriving city again. ❤❤❤
I grew up in Cleveland at the time it was one of the greatest industrial hubs in the country. What hurt Cleveland was losing all of the industries.
As someone who lives in Pittsburgh I can’t believe I didn’t ever go to Cleveland until a couple years ago for the first time. Very underrated city which gets too much flack. Only a little over 2 hours away from Pittsburgh too which is great for a day trip.
Been wanting to visit Pittsburgh. Born in Cleveland. It was really bad in the 00s but it's a lot better now like most the rust belt. It's an okay city. Boring as hell if you don't know how to make your own fun. Used to hate it but now that I've been overseas I appreciate my birth town. Not good, not bad. It's okay. Great public transit.
I grew up in Cleveland and never went to Pittsburgh until a few years ago. I loved it there! Many similarities between the two: great sports fans interesting industrial history, and some great cultural and educational highlights as well.
I'm from Cleveland and I'm planning to visit Pittsburgh for a bit this summer, mainly to go to PNC Park, but I'm excited
@@tony6666 Anything you want to know, just ask.
That's how i feel about Pittsburgh. It's an amazing city
Thank you for such a great video highlighting my city! Cleveland is a hidden gem in my opinion.
You mean of course that East Cleveland is hidden gem, yes?
@@fresatx Obviously not East Cleveland, nor Central or other crime-ridden neighborhoods in Cleveland proper, but otherwise yes is a hidden gem.
@@yodorob My friend Tre'vone'de lives in East Cleveland and he LOVES it.
@@fresatx Ok, to each his own.
@@fresatx East Cleveland is another city in itself, shares the Cleveland name but it's a different city.
I can't thank you enough for this review. I grew up in Cbus but my dad's side of the family has been living in Cleveland for generations (mid 1800s at least), and it gets tiring hearing nothing but negativity about this town that we love so much. Sure there's plenty of problems facing the town, but you can't set foot in a city in this country that doesn't have any issues in terms of poverty or crime. One thing I'd like to note, I know it's a bit outside of Cleveland proper, but there is a beautiful outdoor concert venue in the southern section of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park called the Blossom Center. They host the Cleveland Orchestra from time to time as well as a variety of other acts and performances. Absolutely beautiful place to take in a show on a summer evening.
I’ve seen many a fantastic show at Blossom. One of my favorite venues in the country.
Life long Clevelander here that's had the opportunity to see much of the states and some of Europe. You hate to hear your city get a bad rap but I often tell others let the rest of the Country think that. We're one of those best kept secrets. People that move here from other state's are pleasantly surprised, not only what Cleveland has to offer but the low cost of living too. Great job Kyle. I enjoy your videos.
Cleveland is an underrated city! My family just had a trip there, and it was very cool! Thanks for the video Geography King!
Visited Cleveland for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I feel like I've been lied to my whole life. That city is awesome.
What did you do while here?
I love these city profiles and how you highlight the good stuff without shying away from the bad. Nowhere is perfect but everywhere has something to offer! Thanks :)
I’ve been to Cleveland the last two years for the medical care I receive at the Cleveland Clinic. You couldn’t ask for better quality care or more compassionate individuals than you get at that institution. And surprisingly, it is not that expensive due to the fact that the doctors are on salary and not paid by the number of tests that they order. Btw,
I also enjoyed the middle eastern food available in that general area.
Thanks for the in depth look at Cleveland!
My partner is from NE Ohio and we are positioning ourselves to move from Columbus to Cleveland over the next year, and we really can't wait. Great video.
I was basing my Cleveland knowledge solely on the "hastily made Cleveland tourism video" video on yt until this. Thanks Geography King!
Those videos are classics
"We're not Detroit!"
Clevelanders do have a sense of humor.
Lol yup, we all love that video in Cleveland - Mike Polk is a local legend. Comedy is well-appreciated in our city!
Thank you for making a video about Cleveland what wasn't all focused on the negative aspects, and highlighting the many positive things that are there. I also think that Cleveland has some of the best suburbs in America, so if you are looking for a nice suburban town to settle in and don't mind winter, there are a lot of great affordable towns around Cleveland to live in. Plus the summers are really nice there, it rarely gets above 90.
From my experience, many parts of University Heights, Cleveland Heights, and especially Shaker Heights are quite gorgeous, with older houses on tree-lined streets.
Thanks Kyle. I just moved to Cleveland 3 months ago and I appreciate hearing about the city from a different perspective.
Thanks for a great and fair video about Cleveland. I moved here three years ago and love it. In my experience, the worst part of the weather is the cloudiness. Compared to where I came from (MN) winters here are mild. We have missed all the severe storms this year so it has been fairly tame in my 3 years. For the population, Cleveland offers way more world class amenities than most cities and much easier traffic.
I remember Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls making a joke when the Bulls were playing the Cavs way back that Cleveland was the most boring city he'd ever been to and I think it just stuck with me lol. But videos like this shed some light on a truly underrated place I've been hearing more and more good things about! Love these types of profile videos.
As a prospective international student I love using your videos for references. Glad I found your channel!
A lot of the "boringness" results from the comparatively low number of people living downtown. Downtown can be abuzz before or after a sports game or a show, but a couple hours later it can feel like a ghost town. It's not really the kind of scene where ballers are popping bottles in packed clubs until 4am. Locals are more likely to be hanging out at a restaurant/bar closer to their own neighborhood -- or even more likely: hanging with friends in someone's backyard or basement sports bar. (Because a lot of Clevelanders can afford a place with a backyard and a basement bar.)
joakim noah is also a talentless idiot lol way to go listening to his worthless opinion
I love Cleveland. Food is amazing, the architecture is amazing, it's beautiful in the summer, the surrounding cities, towns and villages are interesting and full of character. There's a subway system, too. I love it! Definitely better than boring Columbus!
Columbus on the whole may be more boring than Cleveland, but it does have hidden gems like the German Village, the Short North, and gorgeous suburbs like Bexley and Upper Arlington.
Returning to Columbus OH after a Billy Bragg concert last year in Royal OAK MI, we took a drive along Lake Erie and stopped at Edgewater Beach. An equestrian event was being held near the dog beach. It was cool to see horses splashing through the waves in Lake Erie.
I moved to Cleveland from Austin. First place I lived outside of Texas. Moved back to Texas since then but miss the city everyday. Great city, and great people.
I'm a Masshole who got a decent job offer in a suburb of Columbus right out of college. They flew me out for an interview and within a day I decided against it. I couldn't stand the flat landscape, the generic architecture, the near-total lack of visible history, the absence of the ocean, the food, or the fact that everyone talked with a Southern accent despite being well north of the Mason-Dixon Line. I decided the Midwest wasn't for me. A few years later I had to attend a convention in Cleveland and wasn't looking forward to it. But as soon as I saw Lake Erie from the plane, I knew this would be different. Cleveland was totally different from and radically better than Columbus. In many ways it reminded me of old industrial cities of New England and Upstate New York. Loved the Lake, the densely packed streets, the 19th and early 20th Century buildings, the Eastern European and German cuisine, just about everything. Even the accents were a marked improvement, sounding very much like people in Springfield or Albany. So I concluded that while the southern, inland Midwest was not for me, I could definitely see myself making the Great Lakes my new home.
My NYC friends like to lump it all together as “Ohio” which frustrates me because Cleveland, my hometown, is so different than the rest of the state.
Your description of Columbus is extremely classist. Maybe look inward and ask yourself why you think so poorly of people with a southern accent.
@@cbjm36 just dislike that accent nothing about classics, you should examine your judgemental attitude.
The Metroparks are among the absolute best in the country! And I’m from Pittsburgh, so that’s a serious compliment!
Cleveland is such an underappreciated city. Has its issues no doubt but one of the best places to visit in the rust belt and in the Midwest as a whole.
Great video, Kyle! Very fair and honest assessment of Cleveland. I’m a lifelong NE Ohioan who was born and raised in small town America northeast of the city, lived downtown for 5 years from 2013 to 2018 and live in small town America again.
You hit on so many great things and so many other commenters have added plenty of good stuff as well. But the one thing I would like to add is how great the CSU downtown campus neighborhood is. It’s adjacent to Playhouse square and continues to get better every year. The tuition is very affordable and they keep adding more student housing, so it’s becoming less of a commuter school and more of a resident school. As you might have guessed, yes I graduated from CSU lol.
The winters can be rough, especially where I’m at in the heart of the snowbelt. But it really gives you more appreciation for all seasons. Thanks for taking the time to showcase our lovely city, most of us are truly proud of it and NE Ohio in general🍻
Thank you. I always appreciate comments from those who know the places well.
@@GeographyKing you’re welcome!
I agree with your CSU comments. I worked in the Playhouse Square district and was so happy to see all of the improvements over the years.
We visited a few years ago. I was impressed by the quantity and quality of the museums. They are all right near the tram, plus the museums have a shuttle that goes around. My gripe is minor, the gorgeous central train station was converted to a mall. Amtrak now dumps you off in a shack near the stadium
Don't ever disrespect Jacob's field again!
That Amtrak "station" kills me. You go through all of these much smaller cities that have much better stations (and actual platforms!) and then get to Cleveland and there's nothing there. Hopefully this gets rectified after they start building up the lakefront.
It looks like there’s a good chance Cleveland will get a proper Amtrak station and better service in a few years.
Love to see these positive videos about Cleveland. I am a New England transplant, and though at first I was salty about moving here, I’ve grown to love it. So much to do, so many great eateries and parks and all the various neighborhoods. Having the metroparks nearby with the bike and hiking trails as well as the Cuyahoga national valley is also a huge bonus. What you May not know is there are more people flooding into downtown to live, they simply can’t keep up. Many old office buildings are being converted into beautiful apartments and condos and are still reasonably affordable. We have one in playhouse square for my son who attends Cleveland state university…..also a hidden gem of a school! The new Sherwin Williams world HQ tower is going to be the crown jewel of downtown when finished this year. We still have a long way to go but I think we’re heading in the right direction. Another area also often missed is asiatown. Awesome mom and pop restaurants. The crime, as like many cities is an issue and needs to be dealt with but so far, in 20+ years, I have never had an issue. You live in any city, you had better have some street smarts and common sense.
I'm a CWRU alum, so I have many fond (and some not-so-fond) memories of living in Cleveland. The city has a lot to offer and I think you did a great job praising the culture and transit (and dunking on the rock hall).
The Arcade Building downtown is just stunning. If it were in New York, it would be famous.
It’s a great piece of architecture I just wish there were more food/drink places on the lower levels.
Oh my god, I just looked it up and got blown away by how stunning it is. Seriously... why did I never know about this until now
Great video. You clearly did your research. Honestly, it's not even the cold that is the issue. Its the fact that it's always cloudy in the winter.
Not from Cleveland, but spent a lot of time in Ohio - and there's one specific thing I think of regarding Cleveland, and I don't think someone would know this without spending a lot of time in Ohio: that there a LOT of people from Cleveland who deeply love it, who truly believe it might be one of the best places, if not the best place, on Earth. They get very emotional about it. I never understood the phenomenon, but I've encountered it often. You'll probably find at least a couple comments that show this phenomenon.
Cleveland rocks
Thanks for shedding some positive light on our city, Kyle! For as many of us that leave Cleveland often come back. Our winters are dreadful, but it's tough to beat a summer day on the East Bank of the Flats. Not many people are louder about their city pride than Clevelanders.
Thank you for your video. I grew up in Cleveland and have lived here over 60 years. I’ve never heard the one area referred to as Riverside (although there is a street and an elementary school with that name). We’ve always referred to it as the West Park area. Also, the WWII sub is the Cod (like the fish),not the C-o-d. Again, thank you for making a video about the city’s good and bad points. I love it here.
Thanks for doing my city Kyle! Glad you mentioned the Cultural Gardens. The Rock Hall is here because there was a poll taken for where it should be and the people of Cleveland crushed it. They’ve tried to open satellite locations but they’ve failed, we love our Rock Hall! Glad you came, wish I ran into you, would have bought you a Great Lakes beer.
Yes! The power of WMMS pushing us to vote for Cleveland. My cousins were just in town from Detroit and spent the day at the Rock Hall. They loved the Beatles exhibit!
Literally everyone I've ever known who lived in Cleveland had really good things to say about it.
I agree with you. I went to CWRU from 76-82 then moved to Philly where i ended up marrying a guy who was from Cleveland Heights. Had good times in Cleveland, met alot of good folks, got a great education and enjoyed all the cultural amenities that are truly World Class.
As others mention here, you should give a decent recog
niton to the Cleveland Orchestra. It is indeed one of the best in the world. And Apollo's Fire is a very fine baroque orchestrs with a great reputation. There's a lot more to music than rock and roll. And Cleveland proves it.
Cleveland is highly underrated! Great review, recently went there to take in a cavaliers basketball game. The skyline is beautiful with the lake backdrop, and the art museum there is amazing.
I managed a project in a west suburb Avon Lake in the late 90s and grew to really like Cleveland. There was a nice boat restaurant on the lakefront downtown called Hornblower's that was replaced with a boardwalk with condos and shops. We went back fall 2019 and enjoyed the RNRHOF and The Christmas Story house and museum both worth the visit. CRWU also has an interesting hard to miss Frank Gehry building in the middle of campus. Love from Chicago!
I used to work at Hornblowers. Glad you enjoyed it.
I love Cleveland! I’ve lived here for 6 years after moving from Chicago for school and it’s such a charming city, especially love University Circle and Tremont.
Great video, definitely hit all the highs and lows of my city! (Although I moved to Alabama last year) I miss having three affordable pro sports teams and proximity to cedar point…
Grew up in the Cleveland area and I love the city! It has so much character and personality :)
Martin Luther King Boulevard (the street that follows the creek with all the cultural statues and memorials) is relatively well-known because it's a way to get from Cleveland Clinic to I-90. A very pleasant drive, but you are right when you say it is underappreciated.
Born and raised in Cleveland. Really cool thing is spotting the booth of my fathers candy business at the West Side Market at 3:33 of the video! If winters did not suck and employment opportunities were much better, I would happily call Cleveland my home again.
I always appreciate your presentations. No quick judgements but a thorough overview of the city. Not overlooking the negatives but presenting all the great aspects of the place.
Thank you!
Thanks for the info. I am a lifetime Ohioan but have spent no time in Cleveland. My wife and I are doing Drink Beer Made Here and Cleveland is a mandatory place to go.
I grew up half an hour from Cleveland. My dad worked there for 29 years.
The winter is no worse than Chicago and the weather doesn't stop people from living in or around Chicago.
Cleveland suffered massive middle class flight when busing was ordered by Judge Battisti in the 1970s. Crime and poverty have been major problems for decades.
There are a lot of hidden gems in the city, but it is very slowly becoming a place where people want to live.
When combined with Akron-Canton, Northeast Ohio has almost 3.3 million people.
Look forward to seeing you cover Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has significant similarities to and differences from Cleveland and they are less than 2.5 hours apart. Nice job.
I think he covered Pittsburgh already
I also believe he covered Pittsburgh last year. You might want to search his videos, it was pretty good.
@@gabrielszakaly6232 He did and I did not notice.
@@sammyhill93 You are right.
Kyle excellent as always! I was there twice on business a few years ago and your summary was exactly my impression. One thing you left out was some of the nice old neighborhoods and lovely well-kept house west of town. Except for the winters, it would be a nice place to live. THx again! Your fan from Chattanooga...
4:09 That’s just Little Italy and University Circle
5:57 a lot of those photos are of East Cleveland which isn’t part of the city
The mini-mansions popping up in Hough and Fairfax are really cool because you see old apartments, “regular” homes, abandoned homes, open lots, and a mini mansion all on the same block lol
Cleveland has a good musically sound population. What I mean is that a lot of people here have grown up listening to a decent amount of music genres from different eras. You can hear it in the radio stations we have, possibly one of the best selections being broadcasted in my opinion. Idk its good to hear a fair take on my home city when everyones just seems to rip on us lol. Thanks
Cleveland is a great city & we visit it on long weekends several times a year for The Arts, restaurants, etc. A nice video, but the music scene is larger than what you alluded to. There are 119 Cleveland musical groups historically listed & places like The Agora rated A-lister bands/singers in the 1960s/70s. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame happened because of a national vote taken in 1986. The other cities on the list were New York, Chicago, San Francisco, & Philadelphia. Cleveland won the vote & the city put up $65M to get it started.
I really enjoyed this, you were right on the money. I live in the East-Central part of Ohio but have a lot of family in Cleveland and have always thought of it as home away from home. As soon as I saw Cleveland City Profile I had to watch. I was not disappointed, great to see an honest review of the city without the typical bias against it.
The submarine USS Cod is named after the fish. USS Cee Oh Dee sounds like it would refer to Carrier Onboard Delivery.
Thanks for the correction
Thanks for making this fair video of my hometown. To add some perspective, Cleveland's rock history is not just about bands who came from the area. The city and its media share the entire history of the rock 'n' roll era as key promoters of rock music, rock bands and rock culture. Many bands got their break here or performed their breakout live shows here. Alan Freed did not just coin the term rock 'n' roll, but Cleveland hosted the first rock 'n' roll concerts.
Yes! And WMMS was a radio behemoth back then. They pushed listeners to vote for Cleveland as the home of the yet-to-be-built Rock Hall.
Thanks for mentioning the cultural gardens. I'm of Eastern European decent and have always loved that area. I was born in a hospital that used to be across the street fro the art museum.
Wow literally the first 20 seconds already drew me in. Glad I watched the whole video, very informative!
Your videos are very informative. Keep up the good work. Love from India 🇮🇳
Thank you very much!
I had a great time as a youngster in Cleveland, hanging in the Flats or University CIrcle. There were just parts of town we NEVER went into for fear of not making it out alive. I still visit every year and take my kids..lots of things to do in the summer.
"About to go toss a match into the Tennessee river and see what happens!" - appreciate the outro, adding your own personal touch in a lighthearted way! Thanks for responding to a comment I made on a livestream of yours a while ago and coming back with an outro tagline after stopping for a while :)
I'm glad you mentioned the polka! Cleveland has a ton of Eastern European influence. In addition to polka, eastern european food like pierogis and cabbage rolls are really common. We have Slavic Village which still has some great Polish restaurants for example. Also, there's a Ukranian Village neighborhood in nearby Parma which has several Ukranian bakeries, grocery stores, etc.
I wouldn’t suggest any visitors go to Slavic Village. High crime area
I was surprised on Cleveland and this video showed me more that it has to offer. Thanks
Having visited Cleveland for the first time last July, I was surprised at what I saw. Despite its reputation it seemed like a nice place to live, at least the parts I saw. I'm glad to see that it is either not as bad as people say or that it has improved substantially in the last few decades.
One of the classiest TH-camrs around!
As a Clevelander I must say you did a great job reviewing the city. Always underrated, but we kinda like it that way 😊
Part of the reason that theres hardly anyone on that international parkway in Cleveland is that theres quite literally no where to park, you cant park on the street and theres no dedicated lots accept by university circle plus it borders some much shadier parts of town
We enjoy travel and often visit cities for 2 to 7 days and these city reviews are the best. 🎉Keep up the good work. 👏
Hi Kyle, thanks for the video! I had an idea - you could do a video on the Great Lakes. You could include which one is biggest, how deep they are, lake effect, which fish are in the lakes, if there are any waves to surf on, islands in the lake and best tourism sites within them. As an Australian I am amazed at the size of these lakes, they are bigger than many countries! The biggest lake I've seen is only 3 miles wide!
Left Cleveland years ago after growing up there. Great sports town, nice metro parks, great BBQ. Needs a real waterfront with all the lakeshore and the crime is terrifying. Still home ❤️
Thank you for showcasing Cleveland.
Man you hit it all from good to bad and shoutout to both our corned beef sandwiches and polish boys
I agree with you wholeheartedly about your assessment of the city. I used to live in Kent, OH and would visit Cleveland regularly, especially the Little Italy area.
I remember visiting Cleveland when they had their "Taste of Italy" food festival and I saw a Polish dog stand there and couldn't understand why someone would have a Polish dog stand in a "Taste of Italy". Now, after seeing your video, I realize that the Polish dog is a local favorite.
I'm from Cleveland, and you hit the nail on the head! You have to come back and take in a ballgame! Try a Romanburger as well! Once again, another amazing video, and please come back to The Land!!
The term rock and roll was coined in Cleveland. First rock and roll show was in Cleveland (1952) Many rock acts first broke in Cleveland including Rush (filmed their anniversary dvd in Cleveland) and Bruce Springsteen. Nine Inch Nails, Black Keys, Joe Walsh, Devo, The Pretenders are all from Northeast Ohio
About to visit Cleveland in a couple weeks. Glad I watched this!
Cleveland has a wonderful Orchestra and Severance Hall is very cool.
I love these city profiles! Next time you're up near the lakes, hit my city of Grand Rapids, MI. I'd love to hear about your experience visiting here.
Very thorough! I’d love a city profile of another Lake Erie city, Buffalo, NY when you have time/get a chance!
Very well put! The only thing I'd say you're a bit off about is the winters. Cleveland winters actually get a bit less cold than many other rust belt and east coast cities. What makes Cleveland winters rough is the grey winter sky, with the city being one of the cloudiest in the country. It can be agonizing not seeing the sun for two months haha
My hometown city. Thanks for the profile
Great overview! A few things to add from someone who lives on E 4th St: as mentioned in the comments the orchestra at Severance Hall and Blossom Music Center is on par with the Cleveland Clinic in terms of global rankings and recognition. The winters are usually cold and *sometimes* bad, but the weather in spring, summer, and fall is spectacular, so the 20% of the year that's bad is tolerable when the other 80% is great. It's also a key city to keep an eye on for climate migration, as it's location next to the largest bodies of fresh water in the world is a major benefit for climate resiliency. And if we expand the scope of view a bit further, Cleveland is only an hour away from Cedar Point in Sandusky, one of the best theme parks in the world. There's still a lot of work to be done, but the city's long-term projection is one of the most fascinating in the country.
I agree with your point about Cleveland's proximity to Lake Erie regarding climate change. I think the major rust belt cities of the Great Lakes have a promising future. Particularly Cleveland because of Case Western Reserve, my alma mater, with its outstanding engineering programs.
The brothers Johnson record in the back. I see you!! 💪🏻
Hello from Cleveland , good job on the video my friend
I've never been to Cleveland (or Ohio, for that matter, aside from driving through), but I've been intrigued ever since I realized it's a lakefront city. The rent for a two-bedroom downtown seems pretty reasonable in Cleveland! Just not sure it would have much to offer in the type of work that I do.
So, about Cleveland's history with rock n roll (tangentially related to why the HOF is here):
1. Alan Freed, the payola guy, the guy who basically made artists like Little Richard and Chuck Berry famous, the guy who coined the term rock n roll, was a Clevelander and got his start as a DJ in Cleveland before eventually getting promoted to working in NYC and then all the controversial stuff happened
2. While it's true that not a ton of artists came out of Cleveland (although notable artists like Devo, James Gang, Joe Walsh, John Legend, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Ohio Players, Black Keys, etc etc etc were from Cleveland and/or got their start in Cleveland's music scene), Cleveland's radio scene was essential to the growth of rock n roll as a genre. Dozens of bands struggled to find success until after being featured on Cleveland radio. One in particular was Rush, who basically couldn't get any playtime in the US at all until they got 'Working Man' on WMMS in Cleveland (which still exists, although that station has gone downhill).
This is more anecdotal, but I've been all over the US, and Cleveland is one of the only regions where I can close spotify and just listen to the radio and hear good music. New Orleans and NYC are some of the only other places like that. Everywhere else has been completely taken over by corporate radio.
I lived in Cleveland my whole life, and everyone who's never been here craps on it, but anyone who's ever come to actually visit love what Cleveland has to offer. Also, let's not forget about the lake! Let the rest of those suckers buy overpriced studios in parts of the country that will either be underwater or out of water in my lifetime. Im going to watch it all in my beautiful but modestly priced home, near the shores of 25% of the worlds available fresh water.
Geography King? More like Style King, am I right?
I live outside of Cleveland and you gave me new awareness of somethings! The winters are not nearly as brutal as decades ago….but yeah…some crime areas are areas to drive around or just avoid.
It’s great to see so many positive comments about Cleveland. I have lived here almost 4 years, and the city has a lot of interesting areas and places to explore. I just get so down with the negativity sometimes because people are hanging onto old Cleveland. Cleveland has a lot in store. The new riverfront plan has been approved, and the lakefront is being reimagined and hopefully this will take off! Also, property values have gone up significantly since we have owned our house. Cleveland is going to be the next big thing in Ohio!
Thank you so much! I have been waiting for this one forever!
I recently graduated from an architecture program at a university. I visited Cleveland for a project and yeah there was definitely clear negatives but the bones of the city are really good!Same with Detroit, you can see the former importance of the city. The university district was probably one of the nicest in the country and downtown was pretty cool with really cool old sky scrapers and arcades! Ohio city was also really cool and we bar hoped around there and by 4th street. Overall I really liked it there and though I don’t think I’d want to live there (from ny) I had a great time there!
We moved to Cleveland from Boston in 2008. It was the LCOL, and beautiful neighborhoods (Shaker Heights) that drew us like moths to a flame.
I lived and worked in Cleveland in the '70's. Fabulous art museum, the best orchestra in the world, some of the most interesting people I've ever met, hideous weather, and I got mugged twice.
Great informative video, well-researched including stats. I've lived in the Cleveland area for most of my life, but I've never tried a "Polish boy" sandwich. Now I want to try one! Only a couple minor corrections: you pronounced the word "cod" in U.S.S. Cod as an acronym, but it's pronounced like the fish of the same name. Also, you mentioned that Edgewater Park (the beach area) is downtown, but it's nearly three miles from Public Square and not easily walkable. Someone going from downtown to Edgewater would want to drive or take a bus.
Aww c'mon, Cleveland winters aren't THAT bad. We have a pretty solid infrastructure for dealing with heavy snow and cold snaps, and most of the native drivers around here are very familiar with how to drive safely in snow, so all in all it's not as bad as many other cities that aren't quite as used to the snow. (I used to live in Columbus, and they did NOT handle heavy snow anywhere near as well.) And lake effect snow really only hits the upper east side - the west side is actually pretty protected from it, due to the shape of Lake Erie right there and how the wind blows across it.
Cleveland's been my first home away from home. I eventually moved to Florida but man, do I miss it.
As a native who moved away in my teens, glad to see you give it fair treatment.
Kyle, this is an excellent, very informative video you have created! Kudos from a geographer! I always stop at Presti's in Little Italy when I'm in Cleveland! Great cafe. Cleveland is definitely the "mistake by the lake," but it is often underlooked and underappreciated. Definitely has some serious crime issues on the east side. I like the area around Shaker Heights. Maybe it's a separate town.