'''Northeast Ohio''' ("NEO") [http://www.travelcleveland.com/], USA, sometimes referred to as "Cleveland+", is usually defined as the 13-county region, with a population of more than 4 million (according to 2000 US Census Bureau), surrounding the Greater Cleveland Area and including the mid-sized cities of Akron, Canton and Youngstown. The Combined Statistical Area of Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, with a population of 3 million, is the 14th largest Combined Metropolitan Area in the United States. The metropolitan hub of the region, Greater Cleveland, is the five-county Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor MSA accounting for nearly 50% of the NEO population.
Counties
Northeast Ohio is defined within the region as including 13 counties including:
Ashtabula County
Columbiana County
Cuyahoga County
Geauga County
Lake County
Lorain County
Mahoning County
Medina County
Portage County
Stark County
Summit County
Trumbull County
Wayne County
Regions
Greater Cleveland
Cities
Akron, the County Seat of Summit County, was formerly known as the ''Rubber Capital'', and has successfully made the transition from the world's tire manufacturing hub to its high-tech Polymers Research Center, now referred to as the ''Polymer Capital''. It is also the home of the '''All-American Soap Box Derby'''.
Canton, the County Seat of Stark County, is the "Birthplace of Professional American Football" and U.S. President William McKinley.
Cleveland, the County Seat of Cuyahoga County, is the "Rock and Roll Capital of the World" and home to one of the five richest collections of arts and culture institutions in the US.
Youngstown, an old steel town, is the County Seat of Mahoning County.
Other destinations
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
State Parks and Resort Lodges
'''For camping and getaway rental reservations on any of Ohio's Parks tel. 1-866-644-6727.'''
'''Beaver Creek State Park''' Columbiana County, 12021 Echo Dell Road, East Liverpool. 53 non-electric camp sites, horseman's camp, Little Beaver Creek canoe trips, fishing, sixteen miles of hiking trails and two mountain biking technical trails.
'''Findley Lake State Park''' southern Lorain County, 25381 State Route 58, Wellington, 272 non-electric camp sites, fully stocked camp store, sand volleyball, basketball court, two horseshoe pits, 93-acre lake, two launch ramps, canoes, rowboats, paddleboats and ten miles of hiking trails.
'''Geneva State Park''', Ashtabula County, 4499 Padanarum Road, Geneva. A full facility campground with electricity, showers and flush toilets. Deluxe Cedar Cabins on the Lake Erie lakefront, six-lane boat ramp, canteen, concession area, 383 docks, three miles of multi-use trails, 300-foot guarded swimming beach and Geneva Lake Resort Lodge and Conference Center.
'''Guilford Lake State Park''', Columbiana County, 6835 East Lake Road, Lisbon. On the west fork of the Little Beaver Creek, 41 electric camp sites, play area, fishing dock, drinking water, showers, flush toilets, picnic tables, fire-rings, launching ramps, seasonal dock rentals, 600-foot public swimming beach, bathhouse, changing booths, showers, volleyball, basketball courts, horseshoe pits.
'''Jefferson Lake State Park''' Jefferson County, 501 Twp. Rd. 261A, Richmond. 97 non-electric camp sites, latrines, water fountains, picnic tables, fire rings, public beach, bathhouse, showers, toilets, fishing, hunting, volleyball, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, eighteen miles of multiple-use trails through the park for hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers, any season.
'''Mosquito Lake State Park''', Trumbull County, 1439 State Route 305, Cortland. 234 campsites, 218 have electrical hookups, boat launching area, unlimited horsepower boating on 7,850-acre lake, fishing, hunting, several hiking trails, ten miles of bridle trails, snowmobilers access to 14 miles of shoreline and 15 miles of wooded trails, mountain biking is permitted on 5 miles of multiple-use trail, basketball, volleyball, horseshoe courts and 600-foot beach.
'''Portage Lakes State Park''' Summit County, 5031 Manchester Rd., Akron. 74 non-electric campsites, 400 horsepower limit on lake, 8 boat launch ramps, boat rentals, fishing, hunting, beach, five miles of hiking trails, volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, basketball court, hunting waterfowl in designated areas.
'''Punderson State Park''', Geauga County, 11755 Kinsman Rd., Newbury. Natural lake, resort manor house, family cottages, golf course, winter sports park, sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, 196-site campground, showerhouses, flush toilets, electricity, pet camping, twenty-six cottages, manor house features a dining room, meeting rooms, outdoor, indoor swimming pools, championship-rated, 18-hole public golf course, pro shop, boat rentals, fishing, fourteen miles of hiking trails, tennis court, volleyball, basketball courts and cross country ski trails
'''Pymatuning State Park''', Ashtabula County on the north part of the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania. 6260 Pymatuning Lake Rd., Andover. Twenty-six family cottages, thirty-two standard cottages, beach, 331 camping sites have electric hookups, 21 sites are non-electric, nature center, basketball, volleyball courts, playgrounds, 14,000 acre lake, five boat-launch ramps, fishing, hunting, two miles of well marked trails, ice skating, ice boating, ice fishing and cross-country skiing.
'''West Branch State Park''', Portage County 5708 Esworthy Road, Ravenna. 29 full service camping sites, 155 camping sites with 50-amp electric hook-ups, 14 non-electric sites, heated showers, flush toilets, laundry facilities, 700-foot sand beach, showerhouse, change booth, snack bar, year-round fishing, hunting, 2,650 acres lake, twelve miles of hiking trails, twenty miles of bridle trails, horse camp, playground and volleyball court
Note:
The mailing address and actual location of these parks may be two different locations: For more detailed information on these and other Ohio State Parks, contact the Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Parks and Recreation. Click here.
[http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/default/tabid/80/Default.aspx]
Understand
When visiting ''or even thinking of'' Cleveland, the integration of the economies, communities, media coverage, culture and arts is extraordinarily interwoven with all of NEO (as can be proven by analyzing commute patterns among the counties). Unlike the vast majority of large US cities that have grown through annexation of outlying areas in their central counties and beyond (e.g., Chicago or Columbus), the City of Cleveland proper only encompasses 1/3 of Cuyahoga County, which has nearly 60 municipalities. It would be a mistake, frequently made, to consider the City of Cleveland as a point of direct comparison with other major US Cities. NEO simply isn't structured like most US metropolitan regions, in part, because of its rich history of individual centers of industry in the 1800s merging together into one super-metropolis throughout the 1900s.
Accordingly, residents throughout Cuyahoga County and surrounding counties most often proudly consider themselves to be "Clevelanders" and "Northeastern Ohioans" (even though they may also be "Akronites" or "Cantonians"). The result is an incredibly rich mosaic of ethnic urban neighborhoods and diverse suburban environments that offers the flavor (and food) of America and the world. Thus, many of the visitor attractions that one would associate with Cleveland and/or its surrounding environs (i.e., NEO), would normally be referred to as "Cleveland".
Get in
By plane
'''Cleveland Hopkins International Airport''', ''CLE''. A hub for Continental Airlines.
'''Akron-Canton Regional Airport''', ''CAK''.
'''Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport''', ''YNG''.
By car
Northeast Ohio is served by the following interstate highways:
'''I-71''' connects Cleveland to Medina and then runs southwest toward Columbus.
'''I-76''' serving Akron and Youngstown and connecting to beyond Pennsylvania to the east.
'''I-77''' starts in Cleveland and runs south through Akron, Canton, New Philadelphia and beyond.
'''I-80''' is the Ohio Turnpike (a toll road) that runs across the northern part of the state, serving Cleveland, Akron and Youngstown (where I-80 and I-76 criss cross).
'''I-90''' also serves the far northern part of the state, including Cleveland, Lorain, Elyria, Mentor, Painesville and Ashtabula.
By train
Cleveland and Elyria are served by Amtrak, although the only trains that serve the two pass through in the middle of the night. Direct service is available to Chicago, New York, and Washington DC, with connections to other destinations. There is also an Amtrak station in Alliance, OH. in Stark County
By boat
The [http://www.accl-smallships.com/ American Canadian Caribbean Line] and the [http://www.greatlakescruising.com/ Great Lakes Cruising Company] provide cruises that include Cleveland on the itineria.
Get around
Most points within NEO are easily accessible by auto with longer distances less than 1.5 hours in driving time. Most of NEO's counties are served by public transit systems that have cooperative linkage points among them (in order from largest system to smallest):
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority - [http://www.gcrta.org]
Metro Regional Transit Authority (METRO RTA) - [http://www.akronmetro.org]
Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) - [http://www.sartaonline.com]
LAKETRAN - [http://www.laketran.com]
Western Reserve Transit Authority - [http://www.wrtaonline.com]
Lorain County Transit - [http://www.LorainCountyTransit.com]
Medina County Transit - [http://www.ridemedinaco.org]
Ashtabula County Transportation Systems (ACTS) - [http://www.co.ashtabula.oh.us]
Geauga County Transit - [http://www.geaugatransit.org]
Portage Area Regional Transit Authority (PARTA)- [http://www.PARTAonline.org]
Community Action Rural Transit System (CARTS) (Columbiana County) - [http://www.neoonestop.org/RetrieveProgram.asp?ProgramID=7]
See
'''Amish Country''' travel through rural land and small towns taking great care for the horses and buggies along the way. Find food and crafts for which the Amish community is famous, primarily centered in Geauga County (east of Cleveland) and Holmes County (southwest of Canton) which is the center of the largest Amish settlement in the world, known as Ohio's Amish Country.
'''Hall of Fame Cycle'''. Tourists can plan visits to:
* ''the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame'' and Museum, Cleveland
* ''Inventure Place'' [http://www.invent.org/] (the National Inventors Hall of Fame), Akron
* ''The Pro Football Hall of Fame'' [http://www.profootballhof.com/], Canton
'''Museums & Gardens'''
* ''Cleveland Botanical Gardens'' [http://www.cbgarden.org/]
* ''Cleveland Museum of Art'' [http://www.clemusart.com/]
* ''Cleveland Museum of Natural History'' [http://www.cmnh.org]
* ''Great Lakes Science Center'' A large science museum in downtown Cleveland, next to the Rock Hall. [http://www.glsc.org/]
* ''Mark Klaus' "Holly"wood Christmas Movieland'' [http://www.christmasmovieland.com/]
* ''Shaker Historical Society'' A small museum about the Quaker sect that settled in the area in the 19th century. [http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/ne07/]
* ''Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens'' Near Akron [http://www.stanhywet.org/]
* ''Western Reserve Historical Society'' Downtown Cleveland [http://www.wrhs.org/]
'''Ohio & Erie Canal Byway'''. [http://www.ohioanderiecanalway.com/]
'''Theater & Music'''
* ''Akron's Carousel Dinner Theater'' [http://www.carouseldinnertheatre.com/]
* ''Beck Center for the Arts'' A non-profit, performing arts and arts education organization in a western suburb of Cleveland. [http://beckcenter.org/]
* ''Cleveland Opera'' [http://www.clevelandopera.org/]
* ''Cleveland Orchestra'' [http://www.clevelandorch.com/]
* ''Cleveland Public Theater'' [http://www.cptonline.org/]
* ''Playhouse Square'' Downtown Cleveland's theater district.[http://www.playhousesquare.com/]
'''U.S. Presidential Libraries and Monuments''', Northeast Ohio includes the homes, museums and monuments for the following U.S. Presidents:
*''James Garfield Cabin'' Moreland Hills (formerly part of Orange Township). ''[http://www.wrhs.org/lawnfield/default.asp/ Garfield Home]'' Mentor. ''Garfield Memorial'' in Lakeview Cemetery, Cleveland.
*''William McKinley'', Presidential Library and Memorial, [http://www.mckinleymuseum.org/], 800 McKinley Monument Drive NW,Canton telephone ''+1 330'' 455-7043, fax ''+1 330'' 455-1137.
*''Behind every great man is a great woman''. So, pay homage to the Presidents' wives at the [http://www.firstladies.org/ First Ladies National Historic Site], 205 & 331 Market Ave. S,Canton; telephone ''+1 330'' 452-0876, victorian family home of US Presidential First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley now serves as an educational center on the subject of contributions by the wives of US Presidents and other women with significant roles in historical US politics.
'''Zoos'''
* ''Akron Zoo'' [http://www.akronzoo.org/]
* ''Cleveland Metropark Zoo'' [http://www.clemetzoo.com/]
* ''Lake Farmpark'' Petting Zoo [http://www.lakemetroparks.com/select-park/farmpark.shtml]
Mark Klaus' Hollywood Christmas Movieland. 001 Rt 82 (E. Royalton Rd.) Broadview Hts, OH 44147. /4 mile from I-77 & Rt. 82W. 40-453-5889. ww.christmasmovieland.com. on - Thurs 11am - 9pm; Friday - Sunday 12-10pm. dults: $7, Kids 2-16 $5, Under 2 FREE. "Holly"wood Christmas Movieland is a diverse display of movie memorabilia that you will see from 1947 Santa and reindeer model from _gMiracle on 34th Street_fs_h, opening scene, for seniors to current Christmas movies for children. Will Ferrell_fs _gElf_h costume, Dudley Moore_fs costume from _gSanta Claus: The Movie_h, Arnold Schwarzenegger_fs turbo man costume from _gJingle All The Way_h, Tim Allen_fs costume from _gThe Santa Clause_h and more! We even have the last can of _gWho Hash_h. These authentic displays make it a truly "Holly"wood experience.
Do
Sports
'''Baseball'''.
*MLB: [http://www.indians.com/ Cleveland Indians].
*AA: [http://www.akronaeros.com/ Akron Aeros].
*A:
**[http://www.captainsbaseball.com/ Lake County Captains].
**[http://www.mvscrappers.com/ Mahoning Valley Scrappers].
'''Basketball'''. NBA: [http://www.nba.com/cavs/ Cleveland Cavaliers].
'''Football'''. NFL: [http://clevelandbrowns.com/ Cleveland Browns].
'''Football'''. AFL: [http://clevelandgladiators.com/ Cleveland Gladiators].
'''Hockey'''. AHL: [http://www.clevelandbarons.net/ Cleveland Barons].
'''Hockey'''. CHL: [http://www.steelhounds.com/ Youngstown Steelhounds].
Outdoors
'''Camp Hi Canoe'''. Canoe trips along the Cuyahoga River. [http://www.camphicanoe.com/]
'''Cuyahoga Valley National Park'''. Ohio's only National Park stretches across (north-south) the middle of Northeast Ohio.
'''North Coast Beaches'''. Along the southern shore of Lake Erie are a large number of public beaches.
Metropark Systems:
*'''Cleveland Metroparks''' [http://www.clemetparks.com/]
*'''Lake County Metroparks''' [http://www.lakemetroparks.com/]
*'''Lorain County Metroparks''' [http://www.loraincountymetroparks.com/]
*'''Mill Creek MetroParks''' - Youngstown & Mahoning County [http://www.millcreekmetroparks.com/]
*'''Summit County MetroParks''' [http://www.summitmetroparks.org/]
'''Ohio and Erie Canal Towpaths and Trails'''. Following alongside or near the Ohio and Erie Canal throughout NEO.
Learn
Northeast Ohio's network of 55 colleges and universities comprises ''the second largest concentration of educational institutions in the nation'' (after New York City). Outstanding university and vocational training programs, coupled with exceptional liberal arts colleges, provide abundant educational opportunities.
Northeast Ohio offers a variety of educational institutions. Among the area's colleges and universities are:
'''Cuyahoga County'''
Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea
Capital University, Cleveland Center
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland
Cleveland College of Jewish Studies, Beachwood
Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland State University
Cuyahoga Community College
David N. Myers College, Cleveland
John Carroll University, University Heights
Notre Dame College of Ohio, South Euclid
Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, Cleveland
Ursuline College, Pepper Pike
'''Summit County'''
University of Akron
University of Akron Community Technical College
'''Portage County'''
Kent State University, Kent
Hiram College, Hiram
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Rootstown
'''Lake County'''
Lake Erie College, Painesville
Lakeland Community College, Willoughby
'''Lorain County'''
Oberlin College, Oberlin
Lorain County Community College, Elyria
'''Stark County'''
Malone College, Canton
Mount Union College, Alliance
Kent State University Stark Campus
Stark State College of Technology, Canton
Walsh University, North Canton
'''Mahoning County'''
Youngstown State University
YSU College of Health Human Services
'''Columbiana County'''
Allegheny Wesleyan College, Salem
Kent State University East Liverpool Campus
Kent State University Salem Campus
'''Trumbull County'''
Kent State University Trumbull Campus, Warren
'''Wayne County'''
The College of Wooster
Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center and the Agricultural Technical Institute
Work
'''Enjoy your visit, but you'll probably want to stay.''' Northeast Ohio is a global corporate center where national and international corporations grow and develop from the area_fs strong, diversified economy. Poised as the leading center of commerce between New York City and Chicago, NEO has been ranked by ''Fortune'' magazine as '''the sixth best location in North America to conduct business'''. Five major industries have evolved to become the economic strength of the region: Health & Medicine, Science & Engineering, Biotechnology & Biomedical, Manufacturing and Education.
Twenty-four companies headquartered in Northeast Ohio are on the 2008 list of ''Fortune 1000'' U.S. corporations. More than 37% of the Fortune 500 companies are present in Northeast Ohio through corporate headquarters, major divisions, subsidiaries and sales offices. In addition, more than 150 international companies have a presence there.
Northeast Ohio has a diverse mix of business activity, including the following ''Fortune 1000'' Company Headquarters (according to the 2008 list):
119 Goodyear Tire and Rubber, Akron - Rubber
175 Progressive Corporation, Mayfield Heights - Insurance
207 Eaton Corporation, Cleveland - Motor Vehicle/Parts
209 FirstEnergy, Akron - Utilities
226 National City Corporation, Cleveland - Banking
247 Parker-Hannifin Corporation, Cleveland - Aerospace
316 Sherwin Williams Company, Cleveland - Paint and Coatings
321 KeyCorp, Cleveland - Banking
376 Aleris International, Beachwood - Metals
395 TravelCenters of America, Westlake - Highway Retail
457 Timken Company, Canton - Bearings and Specialty Steel
505 Lubrizol Corporation, Wickliffe - Lubricants and Chemicals
591 Nacco Industries, Cleveland - Industrial Equipment
619 RPM International, Medina - Chemicals
743 PolyOne, Avon Lake - Chemicals
807 Medical Mutual of Ohio, Cleveland - Health Insurance
820 Lincoln Electric, Cleveland - Arc Welding Equipment
822 Cleveland-Cliffs, Cleveland - Mining & Crude Oil
836 Ferro, Cleveland - Chemicals
852 JM Smucker, Orrville - Food Consumer Products
895 Applied Industrial Technologies, Cleveland - Bearings
922 Jo Ann Stores, Hudson - Specialty Retailer
944 A. Shulman, Akron - Chemicals
957 American Greetings, Cleveland - Greeting Cards
Eat
Not only are there great places to dine and things to eat in Northeast Ohio, but these cuisines, several of which define ''American Food'', were born here:
'''Ballpark/Stadium Mustard''' the popular brown mustard comes from Cleveland.
'''Hamburgers''' invented by the Menches brothers of Akron.
'''Hot Dogs''', while obviously descending from the global sausage family and much debate exists about naming the American treat, the first frankfurter wrapped in a bun (a "Hot Dog") was invented by Harry M. Stevens of Niles in 1904.
'''Ice Cream Cones''' the cornucopia ice cream cone was also invented by the Menches.
'''Lifesavers Candies''' invented in 1912 by Clarence Crane of Cleveland (also the father of famous American poet Hart Crane).
'''Maple Syrup''' go to Geauga County in Northeast Ohio, the Village of Burton is the heart of maple country.
'''Candy Buckeyes''' where else would you go for this delicious snack but the Buckeye State? A candy composed of a peanut-butter center partially covered in chocolate to resemble its poisonous namesake.
'''Salisbury Steak''' created by and named for Clevelander Dr. James H. Salisbury who desired to perfect the meat curing process (you can pay homage to him at Lakeview Cemetery near University Circle.) Just ask the Menches brothers who must claim, "It's just a fancy hamburger covered in gravy."
'''Chef Boyardee''', also known as Hector Boiardi, first canned his pasta and sauce in Cleveland.
Hungarian Cuisine
Greater Cleveland has the largest Hungarian population outside of Budapest.
*Balaton, 13133 Shaker Sq., Cleveland, ''+1 216'' 921-9691
*Budapest Hungarian Restaurant, 13968 Cedar Rd, University Heights, ''+1 216'' 371-2280
*Quick and Delicious, 311 South Main Street, Oberlin, ''+1 440'' 774-1973
Vegan Cuisine
'''Mustard Seed Cafe''', 6025 Kruse Drive, Solon, ''+1 440'' 519-3600 [http://www.mustardseedmarket.com/400_cafe.html]
'''Tommy's''', 1824 Coventry Rd, Cleveland Heights, ''+1 216'' 321-7757 [http://tommyscoventry.com/]
'''Vegiterranean''', 21 Furnace St, Akron, ''+1 330'' 374-5550 [http://www.thevegiterranean.com]
Drink
'''The House of Blues''', downtown Cleveland near Public Square.
'''Great Lakes Brewing''', [http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/] in the Ohio City District of Cleveland.
'''The Powerhouse''' on the west bank of the Flats of Cleveland.
Wineries
Dankorona Winery, 155 Treat Road, Aurora, ''+1 330'' 562-9245, just west of Geauga Lake.
Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, 5585 State Route 307, Geneva, ''+1 440'' 466-VINO.
Jilbert Winery, Valley City, [http://www.ohiohoneywine.homestead.com/].
Maize Valley Farm Market and Winery, just east of Hartville, [http://www.maizevalleywinery.com/].
Markko Vineyards, Conneaut, [http://www.markko.com/].
Quarry Ridge Winery, 58 Front Street, Berea, ''+1 440'' 986-2255.
Viking Vineyards & Winery, 268 Old Forge Road, Kent, phone ''+1 330'' 678-2080, fax ''+1 330'' 678-6364.
Virant Family Winery, Geneva, [http://www.virantfamilywinery.com/], 541 Atkins Road, Geneva, ''+1 440'' 466-1314.
Sleep
Glidden House. 1901 Ford Drive. 66-812-4537. ttp://www.gliddenhouse.com. Glidden House, on the campus of Case Western University, is one of the most luxurious hotels in Cleveland, Ohio. Old world style and modern amenities provide pleasure and comfort.
Stay safe
Get out
'''Lake Erie Islands'''. Located west of Cleveland, a group of picturesque and festive islands in Lake Erie are accessible via ferry. In addition to several [http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/lakeerie.htm Ohio State Parks] located on the islands, there is plenty to do including wineries, restaurants, bars, marinas and beaches.
'''Lake Erie Tour Route and Lighthouses'''. Go back to the mainland and see the shoreline. The drive (or boat ride) around Lake Erie takes you through the Working Waterfronts around Buffalo NY, Cleveland OH, Detroit MI, Erie PA, Toledo, OH, and southern Ontario and is intermingled with beautiful preservations of flora and fauna as well as the history of North America's first westward expansion, the ''Old Northwest Territory''.
'''Niagara Falls
'''Wayne National Forest
Nearby cities (less than 3 hour drive) include: Detroit, Toledo, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Buffalo.