- Photo Courtesy of Instagram User andysimon64
Gogobot, a site where some 3.7 million travelers worldwide share recommendations, experiences, and photos for personalized trip planning, released its latest round of Travelers’ Favorites Awards and little ol’ Cleveland, OH is walking away with honors.
Right behind Medellin (Colombia), Accra (Ghana), and Tbilisi (Georgia), Cleveland has been voted the fourth most popular “Rising Star” destination in the world, meaning visitors believe the city’s primed to take off and will likely see an influx in national and international tourists in 2014 and beyond.
From the 86,000 Gogobot visitors who’ve been to Cleveland, our city earned a 3.5 star approval rating out of 5. And our eateries, specifically Bar Cento, The West Side Market, and Slyman’s, received 4 to 5 stars apiece. Cleveland was also rated one of the most budget-friendly travel destinations in the world— can’t argue there.
Here’s the full Gogobot bio of Cleveland:
“Nestled along the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland is pulling out all of the stops to return to the glory days of its industrial boom era of the 1870s to 1960s. Although the past recession dealt them a slight setback, the stalwart Clevelanders are determined to prevail. Venture in one of Cleveland’s many ethnic neighborhoods such as Little Italy or Slavic Village and you’ll find no shortage of delicious restaurants. Stroll down Euclid Avenue, which was known for its prestige and elegance. In the late 1880s, writer Bayard Taylor described it as “the most beautiful street in the world.”
And here’s the list of Gogobot’s top 20 “Rising Star” cities:
1. Medellin, Colombia
2. Accra, Ghana
3. Tbilisi, Georgia
4. Cleveland, U.S.
5. York, UK
6. Oakland, U.S.
7. Sao Paolo, Brazil
8. Hanoi, Vietnam
9. Houston, U.S.
10. Lviv, Ukraine
11. Brisbane, Australia
12. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
13. Beirut, Lebanon
14. Yangon/Rangoon, Myanmar
15. Cape May, U.S.
16. Osaka, Japan
17. Toronto, Canada
18. Valparaiso, Chile
19. Santa Barbara, U.S
20. Cardiff, Wales
To see which cities took home the other awards, including World’s Best Hotels and Top Destinations, head on over to Gogobot.
This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2013.
Who strolls down Euclid ?! And why is “Colombia” misspelled?
Ummm, thousands of people daily “stroll” down Euclid. Over 100,000 people work downtown. Try visting downtown during daylight hours and you’ll notice. Love negative people who enjoy being miserable for the sake of being miserable lol.
Slavic Village?? Sorry but it’s still a wasteland 🙁
Slavic Village? Sure, venture into it at your own risk!
That’s such suburbanite mentality. I know who strolls down Euclid….anyone that wants an amazing dinner that doesn’t include “banging chicken tenders” or a “sizzling shrimp skillet.” Anyone wanting to visit the 2nd largest theater district in the country. Anyone that that is willing to come out of their stupid suburban bubble.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Brandi! Dinner and movie at the mall and home and in bed by 10, the suburbanite way lol.
Here here a toast to my little corner of the world also known as Cleveland!!!!
@Masha Because that’s how it’s spelled.
Hold it now. Oakland, Houston, Hanoi and Beruit also made this list. Let’s not start sucking each other’s dicks just quite yet.
There’s no way this is real
@Justin, actually, in the list above, Colombia (the country) is misspelled as Columbia. Masha was correct in pointing this out.
“ColUmbia”?!? Really, “journalist”? You wouldn’t spell it “Clevelind” would you? Same thing. Let’s strive for eliminating the ignorant stereotype of America.
Slavic Village is still a beautiful neighborhood. The Catholic Churches there are amazing. It is sad what has happened to the neighborhood, but there are efforts taking place which will help make it a better place.
Take pride in your city! There may be some downfalls to Slavic Village but their food is amazing! Not to mention that Ohio City, Tremont and Coventry are completely bringing back the younger scene and have killer restaurants and shops! They are also great places to live as a college student! I would know I am one! Also the fact that this city is always united with their sports teams is unbelievable! Cleveland is the city and it is a damn great one! So take your negative comments somewhere else… it is no longer okay to bash this city. This is where you live, make it great!
Cleveland
Cleave and land
A place divided
A place of the middle
City of medium shoulders
East and West sides
Not Eastern, like Pittsburgh
Not Western, like Kansas City
Between New York and Chicago
Some of each, and all
Forty one degrees latitude, that of Rome
Hills and iron and looming steel works
Bridges, walls, deadmen’s curves of unyielding concrete
Ancient stone and coin and fabric on the Circle
Faded glory
A city of high standards
And low expectations
Golden, moderate, average
Nature loving the leafy, hilly marine microclimate
A land of beauty and gravity and wind
Flyover country, swells high over ships under every flag
Green, coppery sweet sea glinting onto
Brown buildings, brownfields, Browns players
Now and again warm in January
I married on a cold June day
Some rich, many desperate
White, black, brown, hillbilly and metrosexual
People and things from all places
A city not rising
A city not falling
City of greats, an unstoppable Tribe in ’95, a late Continental Airline
City of cheats, a petty fat Jimmy eating the town
City of healing, a hope to sick hopeful around the world
City of endowment, and debt, and art
A wild, dangerous place
Sleepy and conservative, a backwater that gets big acts
Stopped by the breaks, the decisions made or unmade
A hard city of hardy people and cloudy days
Straight lines and a crooked river
The softest surf on smooth warm sand
The finest symphony
Kitch and class, airshow to zoology
Maker of presidents, mother of inmates
Cleve and land, an odd word
Cleveland, a fine spot for the show
Of the cosmos
On the fifty, behind the plate, center of the center section
Better seats than many might dream
Not knowing of
Home in the Forest City
@Justin Welsh – (RE:@Masha Because that’s how it’s spelled.) No… Masha is correct. While the following are spelled correctly: Columbia University, New York; Columbia, SC; Columbia Sportswear; and even the Space Shuttle Columbia, the capital city of Medellin is located in the nation of Colombia. For God’s sake… you’re on the freakin’ internet. Look it up, lazy butt!
Though Medellin isn’t the capital. 😉
read ‘the wasteland’ by ts eliot. it’s about the holy grail. and what exactly is that? you gotta tune in, people. you gotta. what the hell do you think the great lakes are? do you even see that? never underestimate the power of feng shui bc it sure works on a lot of idiots. IM Pei knows it. smh. no one is going to feel this out for you but you. know where you are. dont blow this. <3
Bogotá is the Capital of COLOMBIA, Medellin is the Capital of the Department of Antioquia, Colombia…
Slavic Village is starting to become a better place. I live here and own about a dozen rentals in the area that I’ve personally fixed up and I can tell you the good people are taking the neighborhood back and some of the better landlords are investing and fixing up houses. There are weekly bus trips to the Seven Roses Cafe on 63rd and Fleet…the food is old world Eastern Europe buffet style and amazing. R&K meats on Harvard Ave has the best polish kielbasa, smokies and red cabbage horseradish. For the best Pierogies stop in at Janka on the corner of 63rd and Heisley they are deliscious. Tour the Catholic churches especially the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus.
3.5 stars out of 5 makes somewhere a top destination??? Great to see Cleveland beat out SOME 3rd WORLD COUNTRIES!!! HAHAHA
-Slavic Village is nice if you enjoy getting robbed and stabbed in the middle of a vacant neighborhood on your way to dinner. Bon Apetit.
-Sure, take a “stroll” down Euclid Avenue during 1 of 3 warm months in the city…but it’s probably raining or snowing, and it definitely won’t be sunny. 38 inches of yearly rain, 55 inches of yearly snow, under 49% annual sunshine (meaning at best, the sun is out every other day) just beating out Nome, Alaska in yearly snowfall….why on God’s green earth would anyone take a vacation in Cleveland unless you enjoy desolate darkness.
-It’s “affordable” because it’s similar to living in and taking a vacation to a big cave. And yes, the young people that still live in (and are defending) Cleveland, only do so because their families still live there. It’s not because of the jobs (declining), restaurant scene, opportunities, or quality of life. If their families lived in Florida and these Clevelanders were born and raised there, they would never leave Florida and would laugh at the people here defending Cleveland.
-If it’s so great, why don’t people retire in Cleveland? The answer is because they want to live out their remaining years somewhere they can enjoy their lives and have some semblence of quality of life.
The comic relief from the defenders of Cleveland made my day hahahaha. Cheers.
if that’s the way you feel then I hope you live in Florida and hope you never return. Some people like me love this city and try to make a difference for old and for and young. I never thought I would be a Land Lord but there are a lot of good people who were faced with either section 8 or BS sub par housing from land lords who never cared about modernizing a house. Idiots who pay Home Depot prices When Big D’s Lumber on Broadway can often beat prices by 33%…but I guess screw small buisness again. Lets all hale Home Depot Bs they sell
Cleveland is an international city with a lot to offer, as suggested by this objective report above. If you don’t agree – just stay away; but if you have an open mind – give it a try. You may be surprised, and please enjoy the Theater District and many ethnic and traditional restaurants. Also, there is the lake, teams of the major sports, and the Rock HOF. Lavish casinos are under construction downtown, and 5-star hotels are available at fairly reasonable rates. The airport is a short taxi-ride or public transit train-ride away, so go for it and make up your own mind about Cleveland, U.S.A.
Omg huge paragraph because I’m thirsty for likes and have nothing better to do
Soyousay, you’re either a complete idiot or just a troll. Every single statement you posted is untrue lol. I imagine you’re still living in mom’s basement in a far off ‘burb having your meals delivered to you so please refrain from posting while the adults talk. Cheers lol!
What happened to slavic village!?
I live in a suburb and I like to go downtown. I know – mind blown.
I been going to Slavic Village for years , day and night, 5am even (Red Chimney) and have never had a problem. Coming from NYC I never understood why people were afraid to go there.
It’s a good neighborhood where I come from.
I have come to the conclusion after meeting some of these suburban sissy boys that they lead a pampered life. A few boarded up buildings and they are shaking in their boots.
Ask one of these babies to stand on the corner with you in winter to catch a bus and they’ll look at you like you got two heads. It was a way of life where I came from.
Cleveland is a great place held back by being in the backwardly closed minded state of Ohio.
Too bad.
To: Miss Soyousay lol. I guess my question is simple… Why would you waste your time to write such a negative post about a city that I hope you never lived. What perfect city do you live in with no crime & the economy is perfect? You must be completely bored out your butt in your great city wherever you live to write such a post. Maybe you don’t have any friends in your city or the people are that bad…. you’re a joke. I have lived and worked in many cities in the US and Cleveland is one of the BEST. Even during the toughest times the people don’t run, but enjoy what they have and don’t wish what they may not have. They majority of people are humble, fun and hard workers and appreciated the Cleveland’s attractions. In addition, downtown Cleveland has a 98% occupancy rate and on an upswing…. I wish you the best wherever you live, but you may want to pick up a hobby or get out and enjoy your city instead of writing negativity.