Cleveland?

[SnuggleBuggles]

We're going to Cleveland for a weekend and I am wondering if anyone has recommendations for a hotel downtown (one convenient to public transportation or walking distance to things is a plus!), places to eat and things to do in the downtown area with a 1yo and 7yo. I will not have a car during the day so I need to be able to get everywhere by foot, taxi or public transportation.

Thanks!!! Any other tips are welcome. :)

Beth

[Gena]

I have friends who live in Cleveland, but when we visit we travel by car and generally avoid the downtown area. So I know places in the more outlying areas, but now quite what you are looking for.

Maybe this website can help: http://www.positivelycleveland.com/

[infomama]

I have never stayed downtown but we have visited. The USS Cod is pretty interesting to see http://www.usscod.org/ as is the Great Lakes Science Center http://www.glsc.org/ (they have an Imax there). The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame http://www.rockhall.com/ is close to the above attractions as is Brown's Staduim. Progressive Field is where the Cleveland Indians play http://mlb.mlb.com/cle/ballpark/index.jsp and Playhouse Square is the theater district http://www.playhousesquare.com/.

[scrooks]

There is also the Childrens Museum and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, both of which are a little ways out of downtown.

The Great Lakes Science Science Center would probably be a hit with the 7 yo. Depending on where you stay downtown it could be walkable or an easy taxi ride.

[ThreeofUs]

PMing you to discuss.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Thank you for all the great ideas! I'm writing them all down!

How is public transportation?

Beth

[ohiomom1121]

I would suggest staying at the Renaissance Hotel. It's connected to Tower City, which is a huge open mall with several restaurants. It would be nice since you don't have a car to just be able to walk over there. I'd definitely suggest visiting the Great Lakes Science Center, it's very fun. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is right next to it, but I'm not sure if a 7 year old would be interested in that yet? The zoo is great (so is the Rainforest) but it's probably about a 10 minute drive (there are busses but I've never used so can't help...there are definitely cabs available all over downtown too) They just opened a new Dinosaur exhibit at the zoo that my kids loved. The Children's Museum and Botanical Gardens are nice too, but again a little drive from downtown. Have fun!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I've been thinking about trying to get a hotel in the University Circle district. If we stayed there, would the gardens and museums be walkable or do I need to rely on public transportation?

eta-The other hotel I am leaning towards is the Embassy Suites downtown. Thoughts on location? I don't really need the hotel to be anywhere because once we go back to the hotel we will just be hanging out in our room or the pool. We'll eat when we are out and about.

Oh, I will probably have a car for dinner o if there is somewhere awesome worth driving to. let me know! :)
Beth

[ohiomom1121]

The Embassy Suites is really nice. Cleveland's downtown really isn't all that big compared to many cities of the same size so I wouldn't worry too much about where it is downtown. I don't know anything about hotels in University Circle though. There are some great restaurants in Little Italy on the east side...Trattoria On The Hill is awesome. It's pretty loud when it's full so having kids there is definitely no issue. http://www.trattoriaromangarden.com/ Fat Fish Blue is really fun and yummy too and it's downtown. http://www.fatfishblue.com/about.html And I don't know how much of a drive you want to make for dinner but Pickle Bill's is supposed to be awesome. www.picklebills.com (http://www.picklebills.com) It's seafood and looks like a very fun place (it's on my to do list to get out there!!).