what are the best suburban areas (shopping, bars, food etc) within 40 min of Cleveland Hopkins airport?
My best friend (SWF) is looking to transfer to Cleveland Hopkins airport. She is a flight attendant. She is looking for 1 bdrm apts about $600-650. She wants a low crime area with a decent amount of shopping, restraunts, thinngs for single to do! But, considering traffic, she needs to stay within 30-40 min of the airport. Please Help Clevelanders!! I have to make appts for sept 15th 2010! I am in Toledo, and we are both Michigan girls!! any and all advice is much appreciated!!
Cleveland - 3 Answers
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1 :
She should stick to west side suburbs. Like Rocky River or Westlake. I've heard a lot of great things about Rocky River. Westlake is nice too.
2 :
Strongsville is very nice. I bought my home here 25 years ago. It has some nice apartment complexes and should be in her price range. And then she can jump onto I-71 to take I-480 to the airport or shoot up through Berea to Hopkins. It takes me about 15 minutes to get to Hopkins using Prospect Rd. (Rt. 237). Strongsville has lots of shopping including Westfield South Park Mall. We also have an entrance to the Ohio Turnpike (I-80) in Strongsville for when she wants to visit you in Toledo! She should definitely check out Strongsville!
3 :
Your friend has many options. She might want to check out Lakewood if she's especially interested in entertainment options. Lakewood also provides quick access to downtown's Warehouse District, East 4th St., and Nautica entertainment/dining districts. http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/coolest-suburbs-worth-a-visit/4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakewood_Gold_Coast http://www.lkwdpl.org/city/ Lakewood isn't far from Crocker Park in Westlake, one of Greater Cleveland's more popular retail destinations. http://www.crockerpark.com/ If she's a foodie, she should visit the West Side Market before making her decision. There are few places like it in the nation. Some suburbs near the airport are very nice, but more family oriented. Some more unconventional choices would include Shaker Square in Shaker Heights. From Shaker Square she could take RTA rail rapid trains right into the Hopkins terminal -- a very convenient option especially during winter months. She also would be a relatively short drive from Cleveland's premier shopping district of Beachwood Place/Legacy Village. There also are many nice apartments along the Van Aken RTA blue rail line in Shaker Heights, but this would offer a slightly longer commute than Shaker Square. Shaker Square offers more social life than Van Aken, with some of Cleveland's best restaurants, and especially the ability to take a rapid downtown. http://www.shakersquare.net/directory-rest.htm http://cleveland.craigslist.org/search/apa?query=Shaker+Square&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=650&bedrooms=1 Shaker Square also offers easy access to Cleveland's acclaimed cultural center in University Circle and the Coventry and Cedar Fairmount entertainment/dining districts in Cleveland Heights. The disadvantage of Shaker Square is it isn't close to freeways. It was designed for rapid travel downtown, when downtown was the dominant shopping mecca in all of northern Ohio. Cleveland real estate prices are so reasonable that your friend actually may find a deal in the Warehouse district, from which she could catch a rapid from Tower City's RTA rail transit center to the airport. http://cleveland.craigslist.org/apa/1872429060.html She also may find an affordable apartment in the East 4th St. neighborhood, a short walk from Tower City's shopping mall and RTA rapid station and well served by the 24/7 RTA Healthline bus rapid. http://www.east4thstreet.com/properties.php East 4th St. is one of Cleveland's most popular entertainment districts, but also has some of the best restaurants in the Midwest (Lola Bistro, Greenhouse Tavern). http://www.east4thstreet.com/ Heck, I wouldn't be surprised, if tax benefits are considered, that she could buy a condo in Lakewood for $650/mo. One other place that she might want to consider is Tremont very near downtown Cleveland. http://www.restoretremont.com/ Your friend likely would benefit from obtaining a Cleveland and Northeast Ohio AAA map. One thing that I would emphasize might negate some of the suggestions above, such as Shaker Square. Cleveland's lake effect snow can be so nasty that going outside with luggage to get to a rapid might not be worth it. Even if the rapid stops right in front of an apartment, it could still be a problem. Commuting by car from an enclosed garage therefore may be a necessary option reserved for inclement weather. Shaker Square may be a borderline commute by car, although the construction of I-490 has made the option faster. It definitely would be a commute through less safe neighborhoods. Commuting by car to Hopkins from downtown would be easy, unless during rush hours, which usually aren't bad in Cleveland as many fewer persons now work downtown. Be certain to check if there are charges for indoor parking for any apartment. Good luck!
