Beachwood, OH

Beachwood came to life in 1915 after a petition was signed for residents to break free from their original association with the Warrensville Township, allowing them to become an incorporated village of 51 members. The small group of locals created a solid City Council and educational system complete with a red brick schoolhouse. Beachwood was granted city status in 1960 and now has over 3,000 homes.

The renowned Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage provides visitors with a somber reflection on the past, serving as an educational resource for Northeast Ohio’s communities. It's short distance to University Circle, which is home to several top attractions such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Children’s Museum of Cleveland. Cleveland Museum of Natural History provides a hefty dose of culture. Music lovers can attend a concert at Severance Hall and experience Beachwood’s own Cleveland Pops Orchestra.

Packed with a wide variety of restaurants, ranging from chains to fine dining, Beachwood enables foodies to enjoy a variety of specialty restaurants, from Asian to French. Many of the most popular dining spots are peppered along Chagrin Boulevard and Richmond Road, creating a large amount of traffic and waiting times.

If you're in the mood for something classic, head to Valenti’s Ristorante to partake in traditional Italian fare with the feel of a Sunday dinner. For a quick meal at lunch, choose something from the Antipasti Counter, Panini Bar or Wood Fired Pizza oven imported from Napoli, Italy. It's equipped with a well-stocked bar, so you can order a glass of wine and sit back to enjoy the live piano music. The venue prides itself on using only the best local ingredients, including antibiotic- and hormone-free meats and fresh fish delivered daily, including craft-raised salmon prepared by chefs trained in presenting rustic Italian food at its finest. If you end up becoming a fan of this locale, share the love with custom-made gift baskets.

For evening entertainment, grab a group of friends for a private wine tasting at the Cleveland Wine Series to learn everything you need to know about vino. Concerts and theater options are few and far in between but can be found a short drive away in downtown Cleveland.

Looking for a little more spice? Look no further than Tres Potrillos Restaurant for authentic Mexican recipes and a festive atmosphere. The decor features chairs made from actual wooden tequila barrels painted in bright colors. Freshly prepared dishes include the rich Queso Fundido cheese dip with grilled chorizo sausage. The Parillada Mix, a huge combination of shrimp, scallops, grilled steak, chicken, chorizo and rice and beans is popular with regulars.

Moxie, a popular spot for cocktails and gourmet dining, serves upscale culinary options in a suburban yet chic setting. Generous portions of diverse selections, from flash-fried gulf shrimp, forbidden rice, and bok choy in a Thai curry-coconut broth to herb crusted catfish captivate customers. Imaginative drinks and an impressive wine list appeal to the highbrow crowd. Finish on a high note with the baked hot chocolate.

As far as the nightlife goes, clubs and bars featuring DJs and twenty-somethings tearing up the dance floor are absent. In their place are sports bars such as Winks Bar and Grille or the Pub Beachwood, which stays open until 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights.

The area is accessible to major highways such as Richmond Road, Chagrin Boulevard and the Ohio Turnpike, and cars, especially of the high-end variety, pack the streets and remain the most convenient way to get around the not particularly walkable city. Biking might not be an option for the faint of heart because the area lacks lanes and experiences a lot of traffic. Bus lines are available with residents using the Regional Transit Authority’s rail lines, which connect the eastern suburbs to downtown Cleveland and beyond. From the last stop of the Green and Blue Line in Shaker Heights, you can walk to Beachwood. Connections can also be made by bus to University Circle and by rapid transit to the Cleveland Hopkins airport.

Taxis are nonexistent in the area. If needed, call ahead to specifically reserve one or go with Uber. Public parking is always available and free, although finding a spot in the well-frequented lots of restaurants and shopping malls can prove to be a daunting experience.

Beachwood has a large number of free family- and dog-friendly parks and green space including areas for hiking, biking and swimming. Beachwood City Park West includes a sledding hill with a convenient wooden staircase to access the 70-foot slope and an open air shelter perfect for family parties. In lieu of exercise-centric parks, you’ll find optimal spots for a jog or leisure activities, such as Beachwood City Park East that takes a slower approach, boasting paved trail and benches. Acacia Reservation, part of the Cleveland Metroparks, is also a popular spot with its former golf course, walking paths and a pond where fishing is allowed.

Built in honor of a young boy with spinal muscular atrophy, Preston’s Hope is a beautiful, large, clean park for children of all sizes and abilities specifically designed to accommodate those with mobility issues and vision or hearing impairments. Open to the public, the park lets kids enjoy a fire station playhouse and an extensive sandbox area.

Throughout the year the area offers annual events. Lunch with Santa, summer concerts at Legacy Village and fundraisers for a variety of charities prove popular with locals.

The cost of living in Beachwood is almost 31 percent higher than the state of Ohio average and above the city of Cleveland with the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment coming in at around $1,600. The price of gas in Beachwood is 1.6 percent higher than the national average, and a domestic beer will run you almost $5 unless you find a happy hour. To get to the center of Cleveland, residents can jump on the RTA for a ride for only $2.25.

People from other cities favor the area for its diverse shopping with options such as the Lego Store, Sephora and Delia's. Beachwood Place, an upscale shopping mall with over 120 specialty stores, is an exciting shopping, dining and entertainment experience. Stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom are favorite stops to buy outfits for special occasions and high-quality gifts. Legacy Village, an expansive shopping center, has everything someone would need for a full day of browsing, including a grocery store, a fitness center, restaurants and stores such as Crate & Barrel and Restoration Hardware are filled to the brim every day of the week. A Giant Eagle and health conscience Wild Oats Natural Marketplace service the neighborhood, and North Union Farmer's Market on Cedar Road is open in warmer months. Big name stores fill the area, but a few boutiques and specialty stores can still be found, including White Flower Cake Shoppe, offering designer cakes, and Brigade, a trendy spot to find a mix of designer men's and women's clothing set apart from the mass mall finds.