With its waterfront boulevard and endless views over Lake Erie, the small Ohio city of Lakewood is one of the most enticing in the whole of Ohio. Bordering Cleveland, Lakewood is the home of Victorian mansions, lakeside parks, historic districts and small residential neighbourhoods. It’s nicknamed the “City of Beautiful Homes”, a reference to the large proportion of heritage houses found along the lakeshore and on the city’s outskirts. Although Lakewood is sometimes seen as a suburb of Cleveland, it’s always enjoyed its own city status.
Most of Lakewood’s attractions can be found along the water, including the extensive Lakewood Park and the characterful 1890s houses of Birdtown. Clifton Boulevard and Victorian Village are filled with original architecture while the grandest Victorian mansions can be found in Clifton Park. Downtown Lakewood and Gold Coast are more modern in style, with high-rising condos and office buildings offering views over the city and Lake Erie.
Lakewood is very pedestrian and bicycle friendly, with many broad boulevards and strict speed limits for vehicle traffic. The most popular walk is along the waterfront, passing along the front of Downtown. From central Cleveland, it’s a 45-minute bus journey into Lakewood, while from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport it’s only a 20-minute taxi or train journey into the city.
While industry blossomed in Cleveland around the turn of the 20th century and beyond, Lakewood was always designed and intended as a residential city. The grand Tudor and Victorian buildings have been kept in remarkably good condition, providing an insight into the grandeur of Ohio during the early part of the 20th century.