Hi, I am Makenzie and I’m a social media and marketing intern at Flashstarts working primarily for STEMpowerkids, TravelLater, and Mango.
I’m from McKean, Pennsylvania, and though I loved growing up in the country it left me unsure of what living in Cleveland would be like. I have traveled solo to Kenya, Peru, and Europe, so why was I nervous to live in a new city for the summer? Fortunately, shortly after moving into my apartment I found that there was no reason to be nervous. I was still able to do all of the things that I love to do! Cleveland has countless opportunities for fun and adventure and I want to share a few of these opportunities with you.
Green Spaces
One thing I was worried about when moving to a city was a lack of green spaces, but Cleveland has over 150 different parks! The Cleveland Metroparks are especially beautiful and are great places to go for walks or runs — the parks are scattered all around the city. Looking for a more colorful adventure? Visit the Cleveland Botanical Gardens and see over 20 unique gardens that are bursting with life and color!
The Erie Street Cemetery is a short distance from Playhouse Square and serves as a great place for a mid-day walk!
If you’re like me and enjoy going on big adventures, Cuyahoga National Park is for you. Cuyahoga is home to beautiful walking trails, bike trials, the Blossom Music Center, and camp sites and it is just a short drive from downtown Cleveland. Cuyahoga is the perfect place to take a break from the pressure and stress of working for or running a startup!
Activities
You don’t need to worry about a lack of things to do after work or on the weekends. Cleveland is filled with fun activities and many of them are free.
The Flashstarts team at an Indians game.
- Indians Baseball Games
- Wade Oval Wednesdays
- House of Blues Concerts
- Climbing at the Cleveland Rock Gym
- Concerts at Blossom Music Center
We went hiking on the Ledges Trail in Cuyahoga National Park.
- Hiking in Cuyahoga National Park
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Walnut Wednesdays
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
- The Cleveland Orchestra
- Events at Playhouse Square
Food
Whether you like to cook or eat out there are endless options for food in Cleveland. I love cooking, especially with fresh produce, and luckily there are markets all around the city — the biggest one is the West Side Market with over 100 different vendors. If you want to support local family farms, Cleveland has programs such as Fresh Fork Market that collects produce from local farmers and brings it to different locations all around Cleveland.
I ordered the scallop and veggie pasta special at Mia Bella restaurant.
If you feel like eating out you will be hard pressed to decide where to go! My personal favorite are the restaurants in Little Italy (Mia Bella has fantastic pasta dishes).
Another fun place to eat is East 4th Street where over a dozen restaurants create a unique dinning atmosphere. East 4th is closed to cars, so if the weather cooperates you can enjoy your meal at one of the many outside tables placed on the beautiful brick road.
There are fantastic restaurants to choose from, but a meal is never complete without Mitchell’s Ice Cream! I was recently introduced to Mitchell’s but I’ve already become a frequent customer — there is one located across the street from my apartment. It’s a good thing that there are so many beautiful places for me to run!
I’ve been in Cleveland for two months now and I’m still discovering new places to explore, things to do, and restaurants to try. This city complements all of my passions and has provided me with a wonderful first two months. I’m looking forward to continuing my Cleveland adventure!
Position: Social Media Intern
School: Allegheny College, Class of 2015
