Hi! My job is transferring me to Cleveland from Akron, and Ill be moving to the South Taylor/Cain Park area of Cleveland Hts. Ive already found a place I love, and have done alot of exploring and research on the neighborhood. Im still looking for some first hand opinions on the area, how are things at night, crime wise, ect. and what are some specific restaurants/bars I should check out when I get there? Big concern to me is car safety, as I will have to use a public lot, and not a garage. Thanks in advance!

Can you be more specific on where you will live?  The neighborhood overall is safe and generally worry free..... but there are a few streets on the 'sketchier' side which you might want to avoid..... basically, the streets with lots of up-down duplexes.  As far as entertainment, Melt is right up the street at Cedar and Taylor.  There is also a great strip of pubs and eateries on Lee Rd between Cedar and the library.  The other popular areas for nightlife would be the Cedar-Fairmount area and Coventry Rd (between Euclid Hts Blvd and Mayfield.

I'd assume you are going to live on Superior Park if you are parking in a lot.  I think overall the area is safe, but it does abut some skechier areas as Hts121 pointed out.  As long as you don't leave things like GPS, ipod, etc. in plain view in your car, I think it should be fine, but break-ins do happen.  I know they recently formed a neighborhood association - http://heightsobserver.org/read/2012/03/20/where-heroes-dwell-a-neighborhood-association-in-the-heights

sweet, i forgot melt opened up there! any place(s) youd recommend for a good smoothie? always like to start my day out that way... and yes, ill be living in the tudors on superior park. also, how is the neighborhood in regards to being gay friendly? my current hood (and it really is hood) in akron is, lets say, not so nice, in that regards lol

Liquid Planet is nearby in Cedar Fairmount if you are looking for a smoothie.

CH is very gay friendly as a community overall..... it was the first city in the state with a domestic partner registry.  However, I dont think it has a lot of nightlife directed specifically towards gays.

sweet, i forgot melt opened up there! any place(s) youd recommend for a good smoothie? always like to start my day out that way... and yes, ill be living in the tudors on superior park. also, how is the neighborhood in regards to being gay friendly? my current hood (and it really is hood) in akron is, lets say, not so nice, in that regards lol

 

CH is gay friendly.  Once they find out you're gay, you'll be the "token" neighbor everyone wants their crib to be like.