Cleveland is located in Northeast Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie. It is easily accessible via all modes of transportation. It is one of Ohio's largest cities and is known for its many ethnic neighborhoods and closely linked suburbs. "Cleveland in a Nutshell" (PDF) is a comprehensive guide for Cleveland Clinic residents to life in Cleveland, produced by the House Staff Spouse Association.
Residential Areas
Cleveland has nearly 80 residential communities and a score of other suburbs located just beyond the metropolitan area. Whatever a person's housing preference - whether Tudor, modern, colonial or high-rise - people will find the apartment, home or condominium of their choice in Greater Cleveland. There are fine residential areas within minutes of Cleveland Clinic, some of which have a national reputation for their elegance and beauty. Hundreds of places of worship with various denominations can also be found in Greater Cleveland.
Educational Opportunities
Cleveland is surrounded by excellent suburban school systems that rank among the nation's best. Many fine private schools are also located in the area, along with more than 20 colleges and universities. Other major educational resources include the Cleveland Institute of Art, Museum of Natural History, Western Reserve Historical Society and the Cleveland Music School Settlement, all located within minutes of the Cleveland Clinic.
Art and Entertainment
Cleveland Clinic is just a stone's throw from University Circle, the cultural center of Cleveland. Encompassing 525 acres, University Circle has the greatest concentration of museums, cultural activities and churches in the country. The Cleveland Museum of Art houses one of the countries most highly acclaimed art collections. The Cleveland Orchestra, one of the finest in the world, performs at elegant Severance Hall and during the summer, at Blossom Music Center, a beautiful outdoor amphitheater. The Cleveland Play House, within a block of Cleveland Clinic, is one of America's foremost professional regional theaters.
The Cleveland Opera and Great Lakes Theater Festival (a professional classical theater company) regularly perform at Playhouse Square, which also attracts touring Broadway shows. This three-theater complex, one of the nation's largest performing arts complexes, has been restored to its original 1920s elegance. Blossom Music Center and the Cleveland State University Convocation Center attract big-name rock, pop country and jazz performers.
Nightclubs on the lakefront and along the Cuyahoga River offer lively evening entertainment and are popular spots for music, dancing and socializing.
Recreation and Sports
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (which unveiled a world-class Rainforest in 1992) and Cedar Point Amusement Park offer fun and relaxation for the entire family. The natural woodland Metroparks, termed the "Emerald Necklace" surrounds the city and contains picnic areas as well as miles of bicycling, hiking, jogging and horseback riding trails. Winter offers the opportunity for cross-country and downhill skiing, tobogganing, snowmobiling and ice skating. Cleveland offers sailing enthusiasts, boaters, swimmers and fisherman abundant lakeshore to enjoy.
Sports lovers can enjoy games of the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers. In 1994, the Cleveland Indians began playing in the new Gateway Stadium complex, an arena and open-air stadium for major league sports and concerts. Cleveland also features a new football stadium on the lakefront.
Cleveland's Burke Lakefront Airport hosts major summer attractions including annual Grand Prix Indy-car racing and the National Air Show. For the active sports enthusiast, the area abounds with public and private golf courses, tennis courts and swimming pools.
Shopping and Dining
Greater Cleveland offers an abundance of shopping malls and retail stores. Downtown, shoppers may browse through specialty shops in the vintage Old Arcade, the elegant Galleria, and The Avenue at Tower City Center, a contemporary renovation of Cleveland's original central train station.
Cleveland's ethnic diversity makes food shopping an adventure in such places as the West Side Market, a traditional open-air market just minutes from Cleveland Clinic and downtown.
Those who enjoy dining out will appreciate the international flavor of Cleveland restaurants, which also offer traditional continental fare and nouvelle cuisine. Formal or casual, expensive or moderately priced, Cleveland's restaurants are a gourmet's delight.