After a semester away, Case Western Reserve University students have returned from a year in the digital netherworld of Zoom. Now with students back on campus, CWRU has never felt more alive. Yet, at the same time, we are all simultaneously discovering our campus and environment all over again, whether it be the third-years coming back after not finishing their first year, the second-years exploring campus for the first time after having only online classes or the first-years, of course, rightfully having their orientation and now having their first week of classes. It is only the fourth-years and fifth-years who have had a complete year here, but they are also coming back after an extended period of time away.

It turns out that distance does make the heart fonder, because I’ve never heard so many students talk about wanting to explore Cleveland and see what this area has to offer. I started this column last semester as an attempt to spread my love for this city after noting that many students don’t venture away from CWRU campus too often. Cleveland is a beautiful city full of cultural institutions, beautiful parks and great neighborhoods, yet many people I know remark that they just don’t know where to go. The “Cleveland Outings” column aims to rectify this issue and highlight the numerous places to visit in Cleveland so any student may be fully informed about where to go. This week we will be looking at the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood on the West Side of Cleveland. 

Public Transportation:

Whether you know it or not, included in our tuition cost is the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) pass, which gives us access to all public transportation across Cleveland, from the Rapid Transit trains to the bus lines. Also, in case you didn’t know, there are public transit stops all over CWRU campus that will transport you wherever you need to go across the city, though admittedly at a bit of a slower pace than it would take to just drive there. But you can’t beat the price of free, or rather, already paid for, so make your way over to the basement of the Thwing Center and go to the University Housing office to pick up your RTA pass sticker. With that in hand, take the Healthline bus from any of its numerous stations on Euclid, whether it be 115th or Adelbert, then make your way downtown and get off at the E. 2nd St. Station down at Public Square. From there get on the 26A Detroit to Crocker Park bus and get off at the Detroit Ave and W. 65th St. stop. Congratulations, you are now in the heart of the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, Gordon Square.

Things to do:

Bordering on the famous Ohio City neighborhood, Detroit-Shoreway stands out for its strong retail and restaurant community and its easy access to Lake Erie. It is on the lake that you will see one of the gems of Cleveland, Edgewater Park. Once a dingy and dirty lakeside dump, the 147-acre park has been cleaned up and transformed into a must-see attraction, with attendance increasing exponentially since. When the Cleveland Metroparks took over, new biking trails were added, a new beach house was built and, most recently, a new playground was installed, all alongside beautiful lakeside views. Of course, with a beach house comes a beach, and Edgewater Beach sure is a beautiful one; it is one of the few spots in Cleveland that truly takes advantage of our location on a waterfront. My favorite Cleveland script sign is also there, with a view overlooking the entire city, as seen above. 

Speaking of which, Gordon Square is also one of the true highlights of Cleveland. A bustling retail area, the area includes a number of high-profile restaurants and cute shops. Some highlights include Il Rione, one of the best pizza places in Cleveland, Blue Habanero, renowned for its authentic street tacos, Happy Dog, with its customizable hot dogs and live music, Brewnuts, which makes beer-infused donuts, and Sweet Moses, a 1950s-style throwback in the form of ice cream and milkshakes. Minh Anh, the oldest Vietnamese restaurant in the city, is closing soon as the owner is retiring so check that out while you still can. Another fun attraction to be found there is the Superelectric Pinball Parlor, home to a number of new and old pinball machines, which also serves cocktails.

The neighborhood is also a bustling arts community with a number of galleries, namely 78th Street Studios, the largest fine arts complex in Northeast Ohio. Gordon Square is anchored, also, by Capitol Theatre, a 100-year-old movie theater with a beautiful interior befitting its historic status. It is also the only movie theater on Cleveland’s west side and recently reopened this August after closing down during the COVID-19 pandemic, so go see a movie and support it! There are a number of other theaters for live productions in the neighborhood as well, from the Cleveland Public Theater, to the Talespinner Children’s Theatre, to the Near West Theatre, which aims its productions towards Cleveland’s youth population. With live productions starting up again after a year of lockdowns, now is the perfect time to go out and see our local acting scene—provided you are vaccinated of course.

So come down and pay a visit sometime, there’s much to explore in our beautiful city.