[bell]

i lived in the cleveland area for just about the past 20 years, as was said above there are nice areas and bad areas......be aware the cleveland school system is horrible and most people send their kids to the private schools (all religion based). if you like newer modern then look into the westlake area on the west side, or the menotr area on the east side, both about 1/2 hour from downtown. about 45 minutes south of cleveland is akron, i lived in cuyahoga falls which is just north of akron for the past few years, nice small downtown area which have event's throughout the summer.....
winters suck, they are pretty good at keeping the roads clear unless it really dumps (which happens every couple years) they start with the main roads, then work they're way into the side streets....sometimes can take days.....so snow tires will vastly improve winters there.
there's lots to do just depending on what your scene is.....i was kinda burned out on everything there and moved way south.

most all the middle class areas (parma/euclid/lakewood) have an older feel to them, i'm sure jersey has that feel too.....

if i was to move back to that area i'd make sure i was real close to lake erie, my dad lives about 10 houses from it in euclid, there is a large "metro-park" system which covers the entire metro area from eat to west to south in akron, some of the areas are nicer than others.....like any other city.

the bratenal area (sp?) which is just east of downtown is a big old money lakefront area, it's one road (anything on the other side of I-90 there is ghetto) and is pretty secluded, lots of big old houses, i know there are a few developments that just went in with marinas.....

every summer there is the gran prix (indy?) which runs at the burke lakefront airport, and also the airshow which was always good when i went.........

you'll be close to nelsons ledges racetrack and about 2 hours from mid-ohio, and 2 hours or less from cedar point........