Ohio's Sleek Downtown District In Cleveland Has Walkable Streets And A Bustling Nightlife Scene

What is it about Cleveland? Ohio's second-largest city is as full of charming, culturally distinct neighborhoods as it is thriving and walkable gems with Victorian allure. Its historic, industrial neighborhoods are equally as compelling, and among them, Cleveland's Warehouse District stands apart. Dating back to the 1800s, the area has been reinvented as a place to live, eat, and play, all without losing its roots. Warehouse District Confined to eight city blocks, the neighborhood brings much-needed vitality to Downtown Cleveland, positioned right up against the Cuyahoga River and just minutes from Lake Erie. "You walk out your door and immediately find restaurants, sporting venues, nightlife, entertainment, salons — literally everything is within walking distance," explained a Warehouse local to Homes.com.

The Warehouse District is a great example of "creative placemaking." Today's lively shopfronts served an entirely different purpose than during their warehouse days in the late 1800s. For instance, the Bingham Building once housed one of the largest hardware distributors in the Midwest, but now lives on as upscale lofts for hundreds of people. The Warehouse District's transformation didn't take place overnight. Led by the Historic Warehouse District Development Corporation, those remaining historic brick buildings that weren't torn down to make space for parking lots were intentionally renovated and reimagined to create the Warehouse District of today. 

The best way to explore the Warehouse District is on foot, as it's highly walkable, and meandering around allows you to get a real sense of the place. However, if you're visiting at night, the standard precautions of going out in any unfamiliar city after the sun goes down apply.

The Warehouse District's restored facades don't just look beautiful on the outside; they are packed with some of Cleveland's most popular restaurants and nightlife venues. Start your night with classic American steakhouse fare at Cleveland Chop or live piano music and Italian-adjacent dishes at Johnny's Downtown, before bar hopping from one warehouse-turned-bar to another. 

For creative pizzas (don't miss the chicken alfredo pizza) and drinks at a laid-back neighborhood hangout in the historic 1895 Miller Building, stop by Gillespie's Map Room. Next, drop by the unironically named Dive Bar. With 32 big-screen TVs and plenty of beer on tap, it's the place to be on game day, and you can play skeeball during commercial breaks. Or, head to Barley House before or after watching a Cleveland Browns game. 

However, for an upscale lounge that will transport you to the after-hours scene of New York City, don't miss Lost Social Club. Velvet and brushed metal accents create a maximalist air of luxury, the perfect backdrop for sipping a craft cocktail or two. And if you're looking for dancing, VIP service, and top DJs in an intimate setting, head to The Ivy, a local favorite bar that puts on its clubbing hat once the sun goes down. Alternatively, just outside the Warehouse District, House of Blues Cleveland is the place to go for high-energy live music performances — the balcony seats are worth the price. 

Take a deep dive into the neighborhood's past with Take a Hike's Warehouse District walking tour. Created by Cleveland's Historic Gateway Neighborhood Corporation, Take A Hike is a local initiative that provides free tours aiming to showcase and preserve the city's rich cultural heritage and renovated historic buildings. You can either join an in-person guided tour or explore at your leisure with a self-guided tour.

The self-guided tour is easy to add to your visit, even if you only have 20 minutes to spare. The tour cherry-picks 11 historic buildings that showcase the area's history and architecture. Using your phone, you can navigate between buildings, reading about each location on your device. After experiencing the bars and lounges at night, it's a refreshingly open-air and educational juxtaposition to learn about the buildings' industrial history during the daytime. 

After your tour, make the most of your time by strolling to Insomnia Cookies for gooey, still-warm-from-the-oven cookies. If you plan to spend the night, you'll need to look for hotels outside the Warehouse District. Situated blocks away, the Hilton Cleveland Downtown is close enough that you can walk from the bars, and comes with the kind of views of the lake you could stare at for hours. Visitors can also stay at an Airbnb loft in the Warehouse District. Just be sure to explore as much of the city as you can during your stay, which is easy to do, seeing as Cleveland is the most budget-friendly big city in the country.