Toledo, OH

[crazygirl2012]

I haven't found a thread for Toledo on here. Does anyone have information about the city that they'd be willing to share with me? I'm going to contact the current students in my new program, but the more advice I can get, the better!

[sobeobe]

Toledo is... Well, interesting. At first glance, it's a total shithole. And that mostly holds true. However, you can find really interesting little places here and there. I'd say Toledo is the epitome of having to really search for, find, and then stay in the places you enjoy.

[crazygirl2012]

Toledo is... Well, interesting. At first glance, it's a total shithole. And that mostly holds true. However, you can find really interesting little places here and there. I'd say Toledo is the epitome of having to really search for, find, and then stay in the places you enjoy.

That's the impression I got from it when I was there for my interview. Do you know of any good (or halfway decent) coffee shops in Toledo? The current students in my new program said that Toledo is very much lacking in good coffee. That makes me so sad, but at least it will be easier to live on my stipend if I'm making my own coffee rather than indulging in deliciousness all the time.

[RebeccaPsych]

*Bump*  Any updates on Toledo since 2012?

[drunkenduck]

On 7/21/2020 at 4:16 PM, RebeccaPsych said:

*Bump*  Any updates on Toledo since 2012?

I've lived in Toledo most of my life. To answer the question about coffee, I'd try Rustbelt, which is downtown, or one town over in Perrysburg, check out Flying Joe. 

You can find reaaaally cheap housing downtown, but it's not very safe and it wont be pretty. If you have the money and value safety, I'd look for a rental in Sylvania, which is a pretty safe suburb of Toledo. I don't know much about the housing options immediately around the UT campus but I'm sure there's plenty to choose from there.

For dining, the restaurant Tekela has half-price on all alcohol and appetizers every day during happy hour. I'd also highly recommend the Indian Jewel and Rumors, both are very cheap and very delicious. Domo, Tougen and Kengo are the best sushi places here, Tougen being the least expensive of the three. There's also Food Truck Thursday downtown. Monroe street and downtown are happening places for weekend nights. Bier Stube, Bar 145 and Reset are my go-to bars. If you like craft beer, check out Black Frog Brewery and The Casual Pint. 

I would also take advantage of our many wonderful metroparks! There's Wildwood, Secor, and Oak openings is about thirty minutes away, plus many more and they're all free. The zoo is pretty nice and residents of Lucas County get in free on Monday mornings. The Toledo Art Museum has free admission, too. There's Westgate Shopping Center and Fallen Timbers if you're a mall kind of person.

Hmm what else can I say... Echoing Sobeobe, Toledo is kind of dingy and there's a real poverty problem in some areas, but if you know where to look, there are some pretty good things to do/ places to go, too. I would definitely not try to get by without a car here.

Let me know if you have questions about anything I haven't covered.

-C

[rin__iris]

Let me put it this way: I am very glad that I was born in Toledo, but I absolutely do not want to die here. 

Let's start with the basics: 

1. cost of living is very, very low. You'll be able to find an affordable house or apartment rather easily. Toledo is very connected to its suburbs, so living in Perrysburg (like many medical students), Holland, Maumee, Sylvania, or the like is an option. Many people in Holland or Maumee just say that they're from Toledo because of how close everything is. 

2. Many choices for food. Toledo actually ranks 5th in the nation for most bar-dense cities in the US. It's pretty hard to say you can't find anything to eat, as there are restaurants and groceries stores all over Toledo and the nearby suburbs. (My favorites are Tandoor and Balance)

3. Entertainment is...acceptable. Toledo has a VERY dedicated arts scene with tons of local bands and artists. It also offers glass blowing classes at the Toledo Museum of Art! These are open to anyone, and it's easy to apply for financial assistance. Several local movie theatres, two local sports teams (hockey and baseball), and arena with plenty of concerts and such throughout the year, parades in downtown Toledo, community involvement opportunities, etc. The people from the area that have bought into the "You Will Do Better in Toledo" signs are VERY passionate about making that statement come true. 

4. Nature is EVERYWEHRE. Toledo sits on the Maumee river and the western tip of Lake Erie. If you like kayaking, canoeing, boating, etc, the local metroparks have you covered. There are also trails all over the area. Check out Wildwood, Oak Openings, Middlegrounds, or Swan Creek if you enjoy a nice walk through the woods. The Metroparks are VERY well funded, so they offer a wide variety of activities throughout the year. 

5. Close to Ann Arbor and Detroit. If you really want to experience a big city but don't want to live there, Toledo has you covered. Ann Arbor is about an hour drive from Toledo, and Detroit isn't much further than that. We're also 35 minutes from BG, so you can visit our rival university and go to one of their MANY nightclubs or bars. 

6. Campus is very easy to navigate and relatively small, so the longest walk you're likely to have is about 10 minutes. Food isn't great on campus, but it's literally surrounded by restaurants and fast food joints. The library is nifty newly renovated, so most students tend to congregate there. 

7. Pretty LGBTQIA+ friendly! There's a Pride parade every summer that is super popular, and many of the art communities are very welcoming. 

Now for the not-so-nice stuff...

1. There is a lot of crime and it's a hub for human trafficking. Do not go to the mall alone. Do not use the restrooms alone. Do not walk around downtown alone night or day.  There is also a lot of homelessness, so it's common to see three or four people standing at intersections during all seasons. This being said, they're usually super nice. 

2. Once you've explored all there is to explore, that's it. 

3. It's grey. Lots of empty storefronts, foreclosed homes, bad weather, and depression. Winters are either mild or brutal, but they last FOREVER. Summer is long-ish, but it's hot and humid, and somehow still grey. 

Overall, 

I think it has been a great place to live and study. You get very close with others in your niche, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore your interests. I Think the good outweighs the bad, but you do have to work to find these things.