TWU by Jeff Rehmar | March 27, 2025

Cleveland: A Great Place to Call Home

I left Cleveland in 2015, thinking I’d only return for holidays and weddings. I was wrong.

Every year or two, I find myself back in The Land, walking through familiar neighborhoods, stopping at the same local spots, and catching up with people who still remember what my fast food order was in high school.

Cleveland isn’t trying to be anything it’s not. It’s affordable, welcoming, and full of great towns like Chagrin Falls, Hudson, and Gates Mills—places where people still say hello, where Friday nights mean high school football, and where you don’t need a reservation to get a good meal.

It’s a great place to grow up. It’s a great place to live. And if you haven’t been, it’s a great place to visit.

I sat down with my close friend Gabe, a lifelong Clevelander, to talk about what makes this city special.

🎤 Gabe on Cleveland

Jeff: Where did you go to high school and college?
Gabe: Beachwood High School (Class of 2009), Baldwin Wallace University (Class of 2013).

Jeff: East Side vs. West Side—what’s better?
Gabe: Despite growing up on the east side, I currently favor the west side due to its proximity to the lake, the restaurants, things to do, etc. I will say that the East Side has a few hidden gems and great to raise a family.

Jeff: Rank these Cleveland classics: Cedar Point, Blossom Music Center, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Gabe: Personally, I’d go Blossom, the Pro Football HOF, and then Cedar Point. All are great in their own right but I’ve seen countless concerts at Blossom. The Pro Football HOF, while I have only been once, is an awesome trip for any NFL fan out there.

Jeff: Cleveland’s best-kept secret?
Gabe: The cost of living and affordability is hard to beat

Jeff: What’s one thing you’d change about Cleveland?
Gabe: The Weather - sadly we get a lot of cloudy days. But don’t let that deter you from visiting.

Jeff: Something people NEVER expect about Cleveland?
Gabe: This town is a sports town through and through. The city bleeds for the Browns, Guardians and Cavs.

🏆 More on Cleveland

• Geraci’s Pizza – Family-run since 1956, the best pizza in town.

• The Schvitz – A historic Russian-Turkish bathhouse.

• The Quarry Golf Course – My favorite golf course in Ohio. Always under $75

• Can the Cavs bring home another NBA title? – Terry Pluto, the city’s best sports writer on the wine & gold

• Otani’s Hibachi – A local favorite for hibachi and sushi.

• Winking Lizard – A Cleveland staple for wings, beer and sports.

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📺 5 YouTube Videos Worth Watching

📺 Outdoor Boys – 3 Days in Arctic Survival Shelter
Watch here

📺 Adam – I Survived Tokyo, Capsule Hotels, and Bullet Trains | Japan is Weird EP 1
Watch here

📺 MARKO – Asking Strangers to Paint THEIR Bedroom… (Australia 🇦🇺)
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📺 Reuben Schmitz – I Traveled To All 7 Continents With No Money
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📺 Wingin’ It! Paul Lucas – ALONE in 300km/h Frecciarossa 1000 Executive Class
Watch here

🎶 Malte Marten – Background Music While Working on a Computer, Reading, or Studying
Listen here

📩 What’s city with the friendliest people in your opinion?

Cleveland is mine. What’s yours? Hit reply and tell me—I read every response.

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Next Thursday we continue our interview series. We go from Cleveland, Ohio to Colombo, Sri Lanka

See you next Thursday,

Jeff