In July 2018, my husband, Keith, and I spent a few nights at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown on Lakeside Drive in Cleveland, Ohio. This contemporary hotel overlooks Lake Erie, FirstEnergy Stadium (home of the Cleveland Browns), the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame and much more. We were on the 11th floor with a spectacular view of the lakefront. The night we arrived we heard a popping sound from our room and got up to look out the window and saw fireworks over Progressive Stadium after the Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees game.
Eliot’s Bar on the second floor was a great place to relax for small bites, cocktails and a view of the lake. The Hilton’s Burnham Restaurant serves a delicious cauliflower soup with a drizzle of chili-infused oil and grilled gluten-free croutons, and a feta and grilled watermelon salad. Keith said his Turkey Club was great. My favorite food and drink stop was Bar 32 on the 32nd floor with breath-taking views of Lake Erie (one area is open air with glass panels from waist height up). We were fortunate enough to witness a long, slow, golden sunset.
Hilton Cleveland Downtown is centrally located to a wealth of venues and attractions as well as the downtown
mall green space. It’s walking distance to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame which is a must for any visitor, especially the 20-minute Rock Experience (free with museum admission).
Walk in the other direction to The Warehouse District and have a meal at Cleveland Chop, an amazing restaurant owned by Alan Kneidel, formerly with DC Chop in Washington, DC. Seafood, steak, pork chops and cocktails are uniquely-individual to this venue. If you go, ask for server, Javonne or Sean. Great experience!
I could write volumes on the other experiences I had in a city that was never on my bucket list. Well, a return trip is a must!
