Rockin’ Around the Christmas Trees (In Cleveland)

Every year OHLA has a Silent Auction at its Annual Conference and Gala. I was lucky enough to win an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn Express Cleveland Downtown. (Thank you HIE Cleveland for donating!) This gave my husband and I an excuse to get out of town and see Cleveland’s Christmas lights. The next best thing to Fireworks in July has to be the lights in December, in my personal opinion.

We love historic buildings and this location had plenty of history and charm, located in Cleveland’s financial district between E. 9th St and E. 6th St on Euclid Avenue. The 19th century historic Guardian Bank Building was built in 1894. A year after our hotel association was formed!!

When we got to the the room was spacious and I wasn’t expecting hardwood floors. (Probably one of my favorite parts of this trip aside from the lights, of course).

 

We relaxed before walking to dinner toward 6th Street for excellent Italian pasta entrees at Chinato. It is a multi-regional Italian restaurant focused on traditional, fresh Italian cuisine. For dessert Greg, (my husband) had chocolate mousse and I had chocolate & pistachio gelato-Yum!

We then made our way to Public Square. The new square was completely illuminated in every color imaginable.

Even the Jack Casino exuded holiday spirit…

What would this blog be without hotel photos? So for that reason (and for no personal reasons whatsoever), we went inside several nearby hotels and captured their Christmas trees. So without further ado..our Tour of Trees:

The Renaissance Cleveland Downtown once again had a large display with nutcrackers and trees decorated by various department personnel.

 


The Kimpton Schofield hotel was equally as beautiful and we even spotted an Elf on the Shelf! Can you find him?

 

 

 


Metropolitan at the 9 outdid itself with a very beautiful, very tall (and very bright) red & gold decorated tree.


And as it is in every season of the year, Tower City was a beautiful sight all by itself!

So, no palm trees and no fireworks, but the lights will hold me over until July. What are you waiting for…go visit!

Sincerely,

Cindy