PITTSBURGH SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS
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No longer just a stopover for major sporting events, Pittsburgh is now becoming one of the United States’ preferred tourist destinations. Cheap drinks, a number of outdoor-related activities, and the city’s scenic settings are just a few of its main draws. Pittsburgh is also becoming a center for culture and innovation.
It houses The Senator John Heinz History Center, the largest history museum in Pennsylvania, and hosts a number of well-known festivals like the Three Rivers Arts Festival and Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. Neighborhoods like East Liberty, Garfield, and Friendship are where you’ll find the city’s latest urban development trends.
Getting Around Town
The Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers define the layout and character of the city, a picturesque metropolis that appears to rise directly from the water. The city center is known as the Golden Triangle because of its location at the confluence of two rivers. The historic Point State Park and the vibrant Strip District, with its numerous markets, boutiques, and eateries, are both located here.
You finally decide to spend a weekend in Pittsburgh, but now that you’re here, how do you get around? Fortunately, the city’s public transport is fairly easy to use. Port Authority of Allegheny County, or PAT, is Pittsburgh’s transportation service and offers visitors a number of busses, light rails, and tram lines that service most of the city. There’s also an area around downtown called “Free Fare Zone” where transport is free from point A to point B. If you prefer to drive, just be aware that Pittsburgh has plenty of smaller streets and contain several hills.
Pittsburgh’s Best Neighborhood Hangouts
Pittsburgh is made up of dozens of neighborhoods, each having a unique quality worth discovering. But if you’re a tourist merely visiting for a few days, where do you start? Fortunately, Pittsburgh has neighborhoods that suit all different types of personalities. Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or a foodie, the city has a place that caters to your tastes. With that said, here is a rundown of “The Burgh’s” best neighborhood hangouts.
Best Local Vibe: Bloomfield
The aroma of home cooked meals, the lack of chain stores, and ubiquitous patio seating makes the neighborhood of Bloomfield the best when it comes to experiencing local vibe. Bloomfield is the Italian district of Pittsburgh. This is where you go if you crave a bowl full of spaghetti and meatballs or a flavorful gelato on a warm summer’s day. Stores here belong to families who are likely third or fourth-generation Pittsburghers, and this neighborhood is where you can escape the bustle of the city and feel the charm of small town living.
Best for Outdoor Activities: Mount Washington
This youthful neighborhood was once densely populated by blue-collar workers descending towards the steel and iron mills, but over the past 40 years, this historic neighborhood has seen an increase in young professionals lured by the great views, relaxed atmosphere, and plenty of green spaces. There are trails suitable for hiking and cycling at nearby Emerald View Park, or you can choose to spend the day taking in the amazing views of the Golden Triangle. End the day with your friends cheering on the Steelers in one of the many neighborhood bars like Café Niko or Shiloh Grill.
Best Place to Discover the Next Trend: East Liberty, Garfield, and Friendship
If you want to experience something entirely out of the ordinary, head over to East Liberty – and the adjacent neighborhoods of Garfield and Friendship – to get a glimpse of the city’s up-and-coming urban developments. These neighborhoods are where the creative and entrepreneurial minds collide to come up with some of the city’s most eclectic establishments. East Liberty is where you will find restaurants offering Ethiopian food or Asian vegetarian fusion, and activities like glass blowing in a warehouse or yoga at an old church.
Best for Strolling: Lawrenceville
A day spent walking around Lawrenceville is like visiting one museum after another. This neighborhood is Pittsburgh’s prettiest, with trendy boutiques and galleries lining up the streets. It also has a distinct architecture everywhere you turn. The neighborhood is Pittsburgh’s testament to living art.
Best for Foodies: The Strip District
The wholesale food market at the Strip District is a must for any visitor to Pittsburgh. The rows and rows of stalls featuring items by local growers is an enticing sight, especially on a Saturday morning when most of the farmers descend into town to sell their products and concoctions. You should have enough to fill a picnic basket or two when you shop here. There are also plenty of great restaurant stalls that feature a variety of items from mung-bean pancakes to prosciutto di Parma.
Where to Stay While in Pittsburgh
The decision on where to stay will depend primarily on what you intend to do for the weekend. Most visitors come to Pittsburgh to watch one of its professional sports teams. If you plan to include a Steelers or a Pens’ game, cheap hotels on the North Side or Downtown respectively will be your best option. If your interests lie more on local culture or if you are looking into pursuing higher education, consider staying at Shadyside, the neighborhood next to Carnegie Mellon University. From here, you will also have easy access to the Strip District and trendy Lawrenceville neighborhoods.
Indoor and Outdoor Exhibits
Visitors to Pittsburgh will find themselves with plenty to do for the weekend. The city hosts a number of art, science and history museums like the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and the Frick Art and Historical Center, but it also has a few oddities like the Mattress Factory, the Toonseum, and The National Aviary. If museums are not your cup of tea, check out one of the many tours offered around town. You can learn about steel making at the turn of the century or test your skills on crafting a pint of lager.
Travel on the Cheap
Pittsburgh is not an expensive city to visit but it never hurts to find ways to stretch your dough. First, buy your food at open markets. Downtown Pittsburgh is small and compact, with many of the city’s top attractions, restaurants, and shops all within reasonable walking distance of one another. Staying in the city center is the most convenient option for visitors.
The Strip District has a large wholesale farmers’ market on Saturday mornings where you can buy food from local producers selling their freshly made products. It’s also a great way to mix with the locals. Second, walk around Libertyville, Pittsburgh’s outdoor museum. Architecturally diverse buildings, outdoor sculptures, and carefully curated windows are just a few of its charms. Finally, seek out happy hour specials at local dives and hangouts.
Pittsburgh Attractions
We consider these to be our absolute favorites out of hundreds of attractions visited. These are the best places to visit in Pittsburgh that should be at the top of anyone’s list when visiting the city. Whether you live here or are just passing through, our Top 10 will give you a great overview of what Pittsburgh has to offer. So, if you haven’t completed these tasks yet, now is the time.
1. Duquesne Incline
Enjoy a breathtaking view of Pittsburgh and its three rivers. Ride the 140-year-old Incline car to the Observation Deck to see what USA Today Weekend Magazine calls one of the “ten most beautiful views in America.” Between rides, historical exhibits in the waiting room keep you entertained.
2. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The main attraction at the Phipps Conservatory, which is located within Schenley Park, is the Victorian glass house, which is surrounded by numerous lush green Gardens. The glass house, which features rotating seasonal exhibits such as bonsai and orchids, is ideal for cooling off during the hot summer months and spending quality time admiring nature.
3. Point State Park
The Point State Park is well-known not only for its lush green gardens, but also as a historic site that served as a landmark during the late-nineteenth-century French and Indian War. The park features lovely riverfront promenades as well as a 150-foot-tall fountain that makes for a great photo opportunity.
4. The Strip District
The Strip District is one of Pittsburgh’s most popular neighborhoods. It is well-known for its large selection of international retailers and super markets, boutique shops, and merchants, as well as some of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh. The Heinz History Center, which provides rich insight into the history of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, is a must-see in this district.
5. Warhol Museum
The Warhol Museum was built to honor Andy Warhol’s legacy and life’s work, and it contains over 17 galleries, 900 paintings, over 2,000 works on paper, 1,000 unique prints, 4,000 photographs, 77 sculptures, and over 4,000 videotaped works and films. He was a native of Pittsburgh, and despite the fact that he died at the age of 58, he is remembered and revered by many people all over the world.
6. Heinz History Center
Although this center only features Heinz ketchup in one of its exhibits, the history museum is dedicated to telling the larger story of the city beginning with the early settlers, the revolutionary war, slave trade, and the underground railroad.
7. Randyland
Randyland is also dedicated to providing an intellectually stimulating and safe environment for local artists to gather and create mind-bending art and captivating projects known as streetscapes, which can be found in every corner of the neighborhood.
8. Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History will fulfill your childhood fantasies of visiting Jurassic Park, as it houses the greatest number of Jurassic dinosaur fossils, including the Diplodocus carnegii, Apatosaurus, and an oviraptorosaur.
9. Fallingwater
There are many unusually designed houses in the world, and one of the more wonderful designs can be found in Pittsburgh. Fallingwater, designed by the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is one such structure, which is partially built over a waterfall. It is entirely made of native sandstone, among other materials quarried on the property itself.
10. Carrie Furnaces Tour
The Carrie furnace is a recently remodeled and restored steel furnace from Pittsburgh’s glorious past as America’s premier steel producing city. This tour is rich in history and will provide you with an understanding of Pittsburgh’s past.
Best Things to Do in Pittsburgh
Prepare to have a fantastic time as you visit the top Pittsburgh attractions with your friends and family to enjoy a vacation you will remember for years to come.
Stroll through beautiful gardens, explore a historical site, get up close and personal with animals at a zoo, view exhibits at awe-inspiring museums, gaze at the magnificent displays at an art gallery, visit a picture-perfect park, and many other activities.
