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Lakewood is a city of about 50,000 people on the shore of Lake Erie, directly west of Cleveland, Ohio. Developed as a streetcar suburb in the early 1900s, it is one of the most densely populated cities in the state, a walkable place of old houses, apartment buildings and busy commercial avenues.
Lakewood Park is the city's front yard, with sweeping views of the Cleveland skyline across the lake, the stepped Solstice Steps where people gather for sunsets, and the Oldest Stone House Museum. Along Edgewater Drive, the Gold Coast high-rises line the bluffs, while the Birdtown neighborhood recalls the immigrant workers of the nearby carbon works.
Detroit Avenue and Madison Avenue are packed with independent restaurants, bars, coffee shops and vintage stores, and the Beck Center for the Arts stages theater and music. On the western edge, the Rocky River valley offers trails and river views. Downtown Cleveland's museums and stadiums are only 15 minutes away.
The city's main lakefront park, with lawns on the bluff above Lake Erie, a long promenade, playgrounds, a public swimming pool and sports courts. It offers some of the best views of the Cleveland skyline. The park hosts concerts and fireworks in summer, and parking is free along the drives.
A set of broad limestone steps built in 2015 into the Lakewood Park bluff, facing west over Lake Erie and named for the long summer sunsets they frame. On clear evenings hundreds of people gather here to watch the sun drop into the lake. Arrive early on summer weekends for a good spot and bring a cushion.
A sandstone house built in 1838, the oldest surviving building in Lakewood, moved in 1952 to Lakewood Park and run by the Lakewood Historical Society. Rooms are furnished to show pioneer life in the Western Reserve. Open on limited days, it also hosts small events, and admission is low.
A regional arts center on Detroit Avenue with professional theater productions, musicals, art exhibitions and a large arts education program. Its stages are intimate, so every seat is close to the action. Check the season calendar and book ahead for popular musicals and holiday shows.
The main library on Detroit Avenue is a highly regarded community library with a big collection, free lectures, author talks, film screenings and concerts in its auditorium. It is a welcoming indoor stop on gray days and has a strong local history section. Programs are listed on its online calendar.
Lakewood's main commercial street, lined with independent restaurants, pubs, breweries, coffee shops and vintage stores. It is walkable and busy into the evening, with many patios in summer. Start near Warren Road and walk west, and use the RTA buses that run along the avenue to avoid parking.
A long neighborhood avenue running parallel to Detroit Avenue, with corner bars, diners, ethnic restaurants, record shops and small boutiques. It has a more relaxed, local feel than Detroit Avenue. Combine it with a walk through the Birdtown streets nearby for a sense of old Lakewood.
A small historic neighborhood of modest frame houses on streets named after birds, such as Robin, Lark and Thrush, built around 1900 for immigrant workers at the nearby carbon plant. It is listed on the National Register. A short walk shows the working-class side of Lakewood history.
The stretch of Edgewater Drive and Lake Avenue at Lakewood's eastern end where apartment towers line the bluff over Lake Erie, a striking contrast to the city's leafy side streets. Many have lake views toward downtown Cleveland. The nearby Edgewater Park is a short drive east for beach time.
A one-day outdoor art fair held each August on Detroit Avenue near the library, with dozens of juried artists selling paintings, jewelry, ceramics and photography, plus food and music. It is one of the city's biggest days. Arrive in the morning to browse before the crowds and heat build.
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Photo: Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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