Having previously lived in New York City for nine years and navigating the chaos of Washington, D.C., an East Coast transplant has bravely announced to anyone within earshot that “Cleveland isn’t that bad.”

This newcomer expected Cleveland to be a cultural wasteland, a frozen tundra, or at least a place where squirrels held elected office. Surprisingly, none of these predictions were accurate. “I don’t even know what to do with all this space,” they admitted, staring at a vacant street with zero honking.

“I’ve got everything I need here- restaurants, Door Dash, and wifi so I can work from home. And there’s such a great music scene, from the Rock Hall to dive bars like Welcome to the Farm in the Flats!”

The verdict from this naive newcomer? Cleveland is not only survivable but also tolerable. Maybe even enjoyable. 

Cleveland isn’t that bad. In fact, it might even be kind of great, but don’t tell anyone in New York. They won’t believe you.