If you make the 4- to 5-hour drive to Pittsburgh, be sure to make a weekend of it, at least. Why? Because there is A LOT to do! It's a feasting place for foodies, a sports fanatic’s paradise, the spot for animal and art lovers and so much more. Suffice it to say, Pittsburgh is Pennsylvania’s hot spot.
A Place to Stay
With its tourism industry growing as people catch on to all Pittsburgh has to offer, there is no shortage of hotels from which to choose. We recommend the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center Hotel (marriott.com/hotels/travel/pitdt-pittsburgh-marriott-city-center) for its location, comfortable beds and the staff’s warm hospitality, just to name a few benefits. The location offers a free shuttle to nearby attractions, but for those a bit further out, an Uber or Lyft ride won’t cost you much. Or you can walk to the nearby subway station for a ride around. Easy peasy.
Dining Options Galore
Whatever you’re craving – Pittsburgh has you covered. Its dining options go far beyond the ordinary. Are you a meatball fan? You can make a meal of it at Emporio: A Meatball Joint (emporioameatballjoint.com), serving up scratch-made meatballs in beef, chicken, pork and vegetarian options. Put them on a sandwich, on top of a salad, even on French fries – the choice is yours! How about dessert? Order the Red Velvet Cake Balls. Yep, you can do that. It’s vacation – calories don’t count.
Love a good burger? Get your buns to Burgatory (burgatorybar.com) and grab a make-your-own menu where you can create your own burger from the bun to the patty, marinade, toppings, cheese and more. You name it, and you can probably add it. Think caramelized onion marmalade, grilled pineapple, peanut butter and habanero jelly. Wash it all down with one of their famous milkshakes, served with or without alcohol. Dairy-free shakes are also available. Pittsburgh caters to foodies of all kinds.
And if you’re looking for classic, iconic Pittsburgh, get to a Primanti Bros. (primantibros.com) for one of their Almost Famous Sandwiches. Each comes piled high with French fries, cole slaw and tomatoes. Bring your appetite.
Root for the Home Team
Almost hand-in-hand with food is taking in a sporting event, and Pittsburgh has no shortage popular teams and fans enthusiastically cheering them on. In the warmer months, whether you’re a baseball fan or not, we recommend taking in a game at PNC Park (pirates.com), home of the Pirates. Make sure to give yourself time before the first pitch to explore and take a walk around the outside of the stadium. Here, they tailgate along the river in boats – quite the sight to see! Inside during the game, enjoy a breathtaking view of the city from your seat while you root on your choice pierogi during the pierogi race. Pittsburgh, of course, is also home to the current back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins (nhl.com/penguins) hockey team, as well as the Pittsburgh Steelers (steelers.com) of the NFL.
Unique Finds
Nowhere else in the world will you find an Andy Warhol Museum (warhol.org), so if you’re an art aficionado, be sure that you check it out while in town. The museum tells the Pittsburgh native’s story and holds the largest collection of Warhol’s works and archival materials, including paintings, drawings, commercial illustrations, prints, photographs and much more. You may know him best for his pop art works of items like the Campbell’s soup cans or his celebrity portraits featuring Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.
Another find unique to Pittsburgh: its inclines. There are two, the Monongahela and Duquesne (duquesneincline.org). The Duquesne recently celebrated its 140th anniversary. For just $5 for adults and half of that for children ages 6-11, you can enjoy a round-trip ride to see what to see what USA Today Weekend Magazine calls one of the "10 most beautiful views in America." The 18-person capacity cable car travels to an elevation of 400 feet over a 794-foot track at a speed of 6 mph. Beware: if you have a fear of heights, the ride may not be for you.
Go Wild
Love animals on land and in the water? Pittsburgh has a place for that too, in the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (pittsburghzoo.org). That’s right; it’s 2-in-1! From gorillas to giraffes, rhinos and flamingos to sharks, penguins, polar bears and more, it really serves up what can be a full day of animal fun at a reasonable price of $15 for adults, $14 for seniors, $13 for ages 2-13 years, and free under age 2. Parking is also no charge! There is a tram car service that can take you for a tour around the 77-acre property if you’d like to get your bearings first (for a small fee). If you’re a penguin fan, be sure to plan a visit for a Saturday or Sunday, when they head out for a waddle outside of their exhibit, weather permitting, of course.
Bringing Home Memories
If you’d like to bring back a memento of your travels, you might head to Station Square (stationsquare.com), Pittsburgh’s most popular tourist attraction, for a bit of shopping in a unique environment. Hailed as a 52-acre block party, it spans 1.2 miles and plays host to multiple waterway tour operators, restaurants, shops and Waltzing Waters Liquid Fireworks shows in Bessemer Court – a sight to see mid-May through mid-November along the water.
Feel like you’ve missed something while there? It’s sure to happen, so get to planning your next trip. We recommend starting at visitpittsburgh.com.
