Hotels for Cleveland

[olrac44]

Anyone have any experience/suggestions with hotels near the I-X Convention Center in Cleveland and where to stay?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[novakjr]

The IX is 15-20 minutes outside of Downtown, right near the airport. Obviously, being from here, I've never paid much attention to the hotel situation though.. There should be a few right near the airport, but I think you might get better deals, and probably more accommodating neighborhoods(at least in terms of reasonably priced bars, restaurants, whatever) by looking 5-10 minutes away. Maybe in Berea or Strongsville..

http://search.yahoo.com/local/s;_ylt...ea%2C+OH+44017

[Jay Wolt]

Many stay at the Sheraton incl most of the autograph signers.
Its 5 minutes away and they provide a shuttle back & forth to the IX center.

[olrac44]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the replies. So there aren't any hotels that are right near the convention center similar to Chicago?

Thanks.

[jp1216]

No. You really can't walk to the I-X center. I'm sure there are a dozen + hotels within a few miles, however. The Sheraton is at the airport. Some others within a few miles that have 'stuff' around: Crowne Plaza, Comfort Inn, La Quinta etc. Those all have shuttles.

Counting down the days!

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

I can't wait to go to one of these. Maybe next year.


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[shernan30]

If you are planning to spend a little time in the city while you are there staying near Tower City would be best. All of downtown is walking distance. No matter where you stay you will need to drive to the IX Center.

[Taxman]

When can we buy our Ferris wheel tickets? If you have been to a National in Cleveland you understand.

[freakhappy]

Originally Posted by Taxman

When can we buy our Ferris wheel tickets? If you have been to a National in Cleveland you understand.

My first National was in Cleveland and the Ferris wheel was the first thing I noticed. To this day when I tell people about the National, I tell them there is a Ferris wheel right in the middle just to give them an idea of how big it is...they usually just have this weird look on their face.


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[Shoeless Moe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpuCIT9rZg

[queencitysportscards]

If you want to be close to downtown Marriott at Key Center is a great hotel, great service and not far from IX Center.

Hank

[sam majors]

Check on The National Sports Collectors Convention web site. They have deals with 6 or 8 hotels with reduced rates for the show. Most have free shuttle service to and from the center.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by shernan30

If you are planning to spend a little time in the city while you are there staying near Tower City would be best. All of downtown is walking distance. No matter where you stay you will need to drive to the IX Center.

That's a pretty good idea. Maybe take in a game. Check out the Great Lakes Science Center, or the Rock Hall. Tower City's pretty cool. Maybe hit the Casino. Maybe a concert at the House of Blues. Downtown isn't the greatest, but there are definitely a few benefits to staying down there, and if you give it a chance, you'll find that Cleveland is much better than the national perception makes it out to be... Wouldn't wander too far off the beaten path though, neighborhoods can switch from pretty nice to ghetto in the blink of an eye in the outskirts.. Little Italy isn't too bad, and not that far from downtown. Fairly close to the University Circle area, where there's a coupla nice museums..

The neighborhood near League Park is also not one I would recommend spending much time in...Although, the Cleveland Blues Baseball Club plays some old-time style games there. And if a game happens to fall in the National window, it might be a cool event for some of us net54'ers to get together for.. I'll attach a link to the schedule page of the website. There's nothing listed as of right now, BUT the link will update when the upload this years schedule..

http://www.clevelandbluesbaseball.com/2014schedule.htm

The website's a pretty cool read for the history buffs too, if you poke around a little..

[Howe’s Hunter]

isn't there a nice commuter rail system that goes from the airport to downtown? I seem to remember getting off the plane, hopping on the train and next thing we knew, we were in the basement of the hotel we were staying at. There was a large shopping mall built in to it, a Hard Rock and the RnR HoF was within easy walking distance. Does the rail system go anywhere else than just to that downtown location? It was sure nice when we were there about ten years ago, but everywhere we wanted to be was downtown....

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by StuckInOmaha

isn't there a nice commuter rail system that goes from the airport to downtown? I seem to remember getting off the plane, hopping on the train and next thing we knew, we were in the basement of the hotel we were staying at. There was a large shopping mall built in to it, a Hard Rock and the RnR HoF was within easy walking distance. Does the rail system go anywhere else than just to that downtown location? It was sure nice when we were there about ten years ago, but everywhere we wanted to be was downtown....

The busses and trains are all tied together and will pretty much take you anywhere. Just a matter of knowing where you wanna go, and catching the right trains and busses..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_C...ransit_station)

http://www.riderta.com/facilities/towercity

[x2drich2000]

Has anyone looked into the possibilty of camping and what those options might be? I don't mind driving a little further if that would save on the cost of lodging.

DJ

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by x2drich2000

Has anyone looked into the possibilty of camping and what those options might be? I don't mind driving a little further if that would save on the cost of lodging.

DJ

Not much remotely close that I know of. Unless you're ok with hour and a half drives. BUT there might be something in the Medina area(not sure though). That may be about a half hourish away..

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by x2drich2000

Has anyone looked into the possibilty of camping and what those options might be? I don't mind driving a little further if that would save on the cost of lodging.



DJ

Camping with cards seems like a bad idea.


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[billyb]

The Western Reserve Historical Society would be a good trip for a few hours or so. Their VanOeyen Collection has some incredible photographs. And anyone wishing to match up a VanOeyen photo with a newspaper article, the Society has the original Cleveland Press newspaper copies. They have no way of producing a copy of the newspaper, but they will let you take photographs of the article. So bring a good camera. As for the photographs, if you wish a copy, you have to purchase the copy as they do have a scanner for the photos.
It is located on University Circle Dr.

[BobC]

The bus system an earlier poster asked about is known as the Rapid Transit system here in Cleveland and is part of the area's Regional Transit Authority, or RTA as we know it. It is an above ground rail system similar to a subway or EL. It does go from Hopkins Airport downtown to the station underneath the Terminal Tower building, right in the center of downtown Cleveland. You can easily access hotels from there and within reasonable walking distance go to the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Theater, Progressive Field where the Indians play, the Hard Rock Café, many good restaurants, and get great views of the infamous Cuyahoga River (only river I'm aware of that actually was on fire and them immortalized in song), and there is now the downtown Horsehoe Casino you can go to. We have our own resident Iron Chef, Michael Symon, who has various restaurants and eateries around town from his B-Spot burger joints around town to Lola, his restaurant on West 4th Street downtown. There are three minor league teams within an hour of the IX Center, the Lake County Captain (A) in Eastlake, Ohio, the Akron Aeros (AA), in Akron obviously, and the Lake Erie Crushers (Independent) in Avon, Ohio. Also about an hour and a half drive from the IX Center is the Canton Pro Football Hall of Fame. SABR actually has offices in Cleveland and their Baseball Heritage Museum. An earlier poster also mentioned League Park, located at 66th and Lexington in Cleveland. While not the greatest of neighborhoods, it is by some definitions the oldest major league ballpark/grounds still in existence, with the Cleveland Spiders starting play on that site back in 1891, and continuing to be used up to 1946 by the Indians. There are plans to do major restoration of the grounds sometime in the near future from what I understand. I could go on as to the things to do in see around Cleveland in addition to just attending the National.

I take offense whenever I hear what seems like the majority of people on this site blast Cleveland as a recurring location for the National. I must admit, I attended the Chicago National last Summer for the first time and can understand the bias and complaints that often get voiced about Cleveland and how there is nothing really around the IX Center for them to do. Steak at Gibson's was fantastic and as for Toby Keith's.........well, what happens at Toby Keith's stays at Toby Keith's, right?

Anyway, we often talk about how we prefer the history and nostalgia of what we collect to modern day things. Why not extend the same sentiments towards the IX Center. The building itself goes back to WWII and originally as a part of GM was used to build bombers during WWII and later on tanks. At about 1MM SF of exhibition space on a single floor in one room, it is one of the largest venues of its kind in the world, and wonderfully repurposed from its original use. As already mentioned, it also houses the tallest indoor ferris wheel in the world, which is the centerpiece for the annual IX Indoor Amusement Park they hold there every year. The location is literally right next to the airport and as previously mentioned, many times autograph guests can come and go and stay right there at the Sheraton Hotel on the airport grounds. For example, I think it was back at the '96 National in Cleveland, I was getting a ball signed by Sandy Koufax and to just make conversation, asked him how he liked Cleveland. He finished signing and looked up at me with a reflective, almost apologetic manner and said he didn't really know. Said he just got off the plane, they whisked him over to the IX center in like 10 minutes, he was going to sign for a few hours and then get right back in the car to go to the airport and catch a flight back home in a couple more hours. I kind of laughed and told him that was funny, that was exactly what Bill Mazeroski had said when I had him sign a ball for me a little while earlier on the other side of the autograph pavilion. He looked up and said out loud, "Maz is here? Thanks for telling me, they didn't even tell me who else was going to be signing. I have to make sure to say hi to him." All the while he was smiling as he shook my hand.

Oh, and I've never had a problem finding a parking space.

Bob C

[Buythatcard]

Don't miss the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.

Two blocks from the museum, there is a submarine that you can tour. It's not in the water. There is not much room in there and it felt a little claustrophobic. Still worth checking out.

If the Indians are town, you must attend the game. A beautiful clean stadium.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

Don't miss the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.

Two blocks from the museum, there is a submarine that you can tour. It's not in the water. There is not much room in there and it felt a little claustrophobic. Still worth checking out.

If the Indians are town, you must attend the game. A beautiful clean stadium.

Just got back from the Great Lakes Science Center with the kids. It was free admission today. Always a great time. The kids loved it.. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone in town. As for the Rock Hall, I've never really found it to be all that impressive. But it's still definitely worth a visit. If you come expecting it to be a mindblowing experience, you will leave disappointed. Come in with an open mind, not too high of expectations, and you should have an enjoyable time... Free admission at the Rock Hall tomorrow, so me and the kids'll be up there too..

Also the Pro Football Hall of Fame is probably 45ish minutes away from the IX. It's definitely worth the trek...

[bwbc917]

If you are looking to stay in town I suggest the Hyatt and the Residence. The Hyatt has an arcade that you can walk thru and it empties onto the 4th street pedestrian/restaurant area. Also a block from the Casino and close to the House of Blues. The Residence is in the same area, but on the south side of the 4th St. restaurant stretch. The Residence is an easy walk to the ballpark.
Closest hotel to ballpark is the Hilton Garden Inn. It's also closest to the Interstate going out to the IX.

There is a Michael Symon restaurant on 4th called Lola's that dishes up bacon ice cream.

[Jewish-collector]

I know a lot of people hate the National in Cleveland, but logistically (for driving) it is the easiest to get in & out of the expo center. I usually stay at a hotel in the suburbs somewhere between downtown & the expo center. I love the downtown area entertainment venues, especially the House of Blues, which has fantastic concerts !!!