There is a stereotype surrounding kids who live in suburbs like Beachwood that we never leave our “bubble.” Honestly, there is some truth to this stereotype. Some of us don’t get out much.

But many of us have had the opportunity to explore other cities and even distant corners of the globe. With all of this travel, it is important not to overlook the fascinating destinations in our own backyard.

Cleveland’s Little Italy is such a destination that is too often overlooked. Why? I don’t know. It is filled to the brim with amazing culture and delicious restaurants.

Visitors to Little Italy can sense the enjoyment in the air. As evening approaches, Mayfield Rd. buzzes with pedestrians looking through bright windows, taking in the mingled scents of pizza and cigar smoke. Smiles are spread across visitors’ faces, and laughter fills the street. The lights are low, and recorded music plays from store fronts. It is Johnny Cash from one store, and from another there is an equally deep male voice booming from the speakers.

Whether they are shopping, eating, playing or praying at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, everyone is having a night they’ll remember throughout the entire week. Until, of course,  they come back next week and experience it all over again.

Two of the best restaurants that epitomizes Little Italy’s ambiance are Mama Santa’s and Corbo’s Bakery. Both establishments almost always have a line out the door. The always busy Mama Santa’s has been open for 54 years. (Check out their website here for directions and a little bit of history). Across the street is Corbo’s (check out their website for more information on their amazing desserts). They are famous for their Italian ice and gelato, and no event is complete without one of Corbo’s famous Cassata cakes. These two are a winning combination.

Yes, the space inside Mama’s is cramped. Customers wait in a narrow aisle and frequently have to wait outside because of the lack of space. While waiting (not that long unless you come on a Friday or Saturday night) you are surrounded by dark wood paneling covered with reviews praising Mama’s chefs. This aisle leads to a small seating area and two dining areas. The counter where customers go to pay is mounted in the wall separating the waiting area from the kitchen, so it sometimes gets a bit congested. The atmosphere is almost as amazing as the food. As you walk in through the tight door into the even tighter hallway, the host notices you and puts you on “the list” (which he keeps in his head; there is no actual list, which confuses a lot of tourists).

Almost all of Mama’s pasta is homemade, their sauce and dough as well. If you doubt the “homemade” portion of the menu, before you walk in you can peek through a little window to see the cooks tossing the pizza dough up in the air. Their pizza, which is made Sicilian style, is literally the best thing since sliced bread (fresh Italian bread and butter is also set on the table as an appetizer).

Corbo’s bakery has been family owned for almost 50 years. Its most recent renovation added a new room attached to the main store for customers to sit in and talk with a consultant about their wedding cakes. All of their pastries, including their famous cannolis, are made on location. If you wish to purchase a memento, they sell a shirt quoting The Godfather. Mafioso Michael Corleone’s image is on the front. The back reads “Leave the gun, take the Cannoli.”

Of course, there is more to Little Italy than eating. There are countless art galleries and shops that sell religious items like cross necklaces and other various tourist items such as a “Kiss me I’m Italian” onesie for your baby. There is a smoke shop across the street from the Italian Men’s club, which is the store that blares Johnny Cash from its speakers.

Finally, at the end of the street there is a  playground. It is relatively new and features swings, two separate playgrounds and a gazebo. There is also lots of free space to walk around, and every so often you can hear a train go by.

Every year for the Feast of the Assumption, Little Italy closes down and hosts a parade and carnival games. The Feast takes place from August 14-17 from 6-11 pm every year. Individual restaurants are closed and instead are represented by booths crowding in the already small street.

The bocce tournament is one of the main events during the Feast. This event is hosted at The Italian Men’s Club, complete with lights to illuminate the three sand pits where teams of young and old men and women battle it out. There is music playing, and people mill around the tournament drinking out of red plastic cups. Most nights there is a booth next to the bocce court advertising whatever new Fiat has come out that year.

The event also features some old Italian music played by old Italian men with old Italian instruments. This is the only part of the festival that could use a little fine tuning.

For children, or even adults who get bored watching grown people throw metal balls in the sand, there is a carnival. This is not one of those carnivals that is slapped up at the last minute. This is a legitimate carnival. It has games and rides that can entertain all ages for hours. There are booths that feature games such as whack-a-mole and the rides include a ferris wheel and a Spider. Music blares from speakers, such as Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” and it’s stuff that doesn’t burn your ears as it enters.

During this festival, all of the art galleries remain open. You can walk into any one of them and find amazing art. The closer you get to the event, the more crowded it gets, which is why I suggest parking further away from this event.

If you are not already a frequent visitor, I hope you will give Little Italy a chance. You will not be disappointed and will have a new place to visit again and again.