Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — consider printing them all.

Pittsburgh [1] is a city of about 350,000 in Allegheny County, at the center of the Pittsburgh Region in southwestern Pennsylvania; the population of its metropolitan area is about 2.4 million. It is situated at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. Pittsburgh's triangular shape and steep hills have resulted in an unusual city design, a hodge-podge of neighborhood "pockets" with diverse ethnic and architectural heritage.

The pleasure of Pittsburgh remains a well-kept secret. Though not built up by reputation, the city's unique combination of bridges, steep hills, and broad rivers make it one of the most naturally scenic in the country. Cheap food and beer abound in this true sports town and the locals are amazingly friendly.

Districts

This system of districts is based upon the Pittsburgh Wayfinder System, a series of 5-colored maps of the city you will see on directional signs throughout the city. Each color indicates a different region, while the Y-shaped blue lines represent the three rivers.

In each of these districts are numerous distinct neighborhoods. For a complete list of neighborhoods here is a list published by the City of Pittsburgh that includes a map of each which can be printed out.

Culture and History

History

The settlement of Pittsburgh began as a strategic point at the confluence of three rivers, with Britain, France, and the local Native American tribes all vying for control over this spot and thus, the region. On what is now referred to as The Point, where the three rivers meet, several forts were constructed by competing French and British forces during the French and Indian War.

Pittsburgh has a rich history and for its size, an unusual array of cultural treasures. The main reason for this abundance is the wealth that was generated when Pittsburgh was the hub of the steelmaking industry. Manufacturing in Pittsburgh began in earnest in the early 19th century, and by the time of the US Civil War the city was known as "the armory of the Union" and this began a sharp escalation of industry, particularly iron and steel, but also glass.

By the late 19th century, Pittsburgh was the steel city. Andrew Carnegie lived in Pittsburgh where he began the Carnegie Steel Company, which grew to be the largest steel company in the world. It eventually became the United States Steel Corporation (USS) which, when first formed at the turn of the 20th century, was the largest corporation of any kind in the world, and it made Carnegie the richest man in the world. Another notable steel industrialist was John Hartwell Hillman Jr., who built Pittsburgh Coke & Chemical. A number of other Fortune 100 companies once called Pittsburgh their headquarters as well. All this affluence helped fund a world class museum, theaters, universities, and of course the Carnegie Library, which has branches in cities all across America.

The demand for labor, so-called "millhunks", was so strong in the late 1800s that immigrants flocked to Pittsburgh from all over Europe, but mostly Central and Eastern Europe, especially: Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), Lithuania, Serbia and Croatia. All these countries provided laborers for the mills, and later many engineers immigrated from these countries as well. They brought their families, their languages, their churches - along with their drinking traditions too. Pittsburgh is known as "a shot and a beer" town. Steeples and the bright copper onion-dome churches of the Eastern Orthodox tradition dot the old parts of town. Unusual for the area, there is also a beautiful Hindu temple as well, built later for the many engineers and doctors from India that came to the city during the second half of the 20th century. Pittsburgh truly was a great melting pot, and the tradition continues: it is home to thousands of foreign students that attend the many universities in the city, including, most notably, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Like most other old cities, it was the rivers that made the city. The many locks and dams on the rivers still support extensive barge traffic. Today, Pittsburgh claims to have more bridges than any city in the world (only counting bridges over 20 feet, 440 or so within Pittsburgh, and over 1700 in the county) many of quite unusual design - steel bridges, of course.

At the height of this industrialization Pittsburgh was notorious for its severe air pollution. One journalist, James Parton, descriptively dubbed it "hell with the lid off". White collar workers came home in the evening as brown collar workers. Frank Lloyd Wright, the noted architect, when once asked what to do to fix Pittsburgh, famously replied with characteristic frankness, "Raze it." Today it is a model of cleanliness due to the remediation of the polluting industrial plants in the late 1950s, and also, unfortunately, due to the gradual migration of the mills to other cities and countries. There is now only one operating steel mill in Pittsburgh, Carnegie Steel's venerable Edgar Thompson Works, now a USS state-of-the-art integrated steel mill. With the implosion of the steel industry in the region, the city's population shrank dramatically, from 600,000 in 1950 to 330,000 in 2000. Remnants of the city's prosperous past can be seen throughout the area, and while the region is still reeling from the economic collapse, Pittsburgh is now, for the most part, economically stable, as the city has shifted the economic base to education, tourism, and services.

Travel to Pittsburgh - Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh International Airport (IATA: PIT) is the normal way in, although the area is also served by the smaller Allegheny County Airport, primarily used by private and corporate airplanes. The International Airport is located in Findlay, about 20 miles west of downtown, which translates to about a $35 cab ride ($50 in rush hour traffic). Hotel shuttles and buses are also available, and can be cheaper (the city bus, route 28X, is only $2.60, and takes a reasonably fast route to downtown, mostly along freeways and dedicated busways).

The airport terminal is relatively new and when built was the first "airport mall" in the country, which contains many shops and restaurants. It has been much copied since it was completed.

When you come in you will arrive in the Airside Terminal. If you are transiting to another destination you don't have to leave this building, and this is where most of the Airmall shops are which makes window shopping a pleasant way of passing the time. Also available is Pittsburgh's innovative free Wi-Fi (the first "international" airport to provide such service). If you are going to the Pittsburgh-area though, you will take a light rail shuttle a short distance underground to the Landside Terminal where you will find the baggage claim and the various transportation modes to the city and other regional locations. A Hyatt Hotel is part of the landside terminal complex and there are several hotels (Embassy Suites and Sheraton among them) within 5 miles of the airport.

This airport is served by United, Delta, Northwest, Midwest, Myrtle Beach Direct, Airtran, American, jetBlue, Air Canada and USA 3000, but US Airways and Southwest Airlines are predominant.

Buses to Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is served by Greyhound [2] (+1 412 392-6513 or +1 800-231-2222 for routes and schedules) which operates a station in the new (Sept 2008) transportation center at 11th and Liberty in Downtown.

Pittsburgh is also served by Fullington Trailways which operates out of the Greyhound station. Twice daily direct Service to Du Bois PA, along with once daily (5AM departure) connecting service to Buffalo, NY as well as Wilkes-Barre, PA. You can also ride the 5AM Fullington departure and connect in Wilkes-Barre, PA with Martz Trailways for a Greyhound alternative to New York City. A less crowded bus but the trip does take longer.

A new operator is introducing an "upscale bus" that connects to Amtrak's Keystone Service known as the Steel City Flyer. The company is currently working on through ticketing with Amtrak.

By car

The city proper is served by three interstate spur routes off the rough beltway formed by I-76 (PA Turnpike) to the north and east, I-79 to the west and I-70 to the far south. The three interstate spurs form what locals refer to as the "parkways". The Parkway East is I-376 from downtown through the university district and Squirrel Hill to Monroeville where it junctions with the turnpike (I-76). The Parkway West and Parkway North both feed I-79 to the west of downtown and are signed I-279. I-579 is a short spur off of the Parkway North into the Mellon Arena and Hill District near downtown and is referred to as the "crosstown". Instead of terminating at I-79 the "parkway west" is the only parkway to continue its interstate-like travel without an interstate shield. It continues on to the Airport and beyond to Beaver and New Castle as 22/30 and then PA 60, the U.S. Congress passed legislation in 2006 to sign this area as I-376 (a continuation of the interstate from downtown Pittsburgh and thus having 279 strictly run from I-79 south into downtown). The re-signing of the parkway west is slowly moving forward pending some road improvements such as wider exit ramps and the extension of emergency lanes that are demanded by a interstate signing.

The interstate system links Pittsburgh from many cities. If coming from the east or west, your best bet into the city is the I-76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike. From the west, take exit 28-Cranberry to I-79 and then I-279; from the east, take exit 57 to I-376. From the north or south, take I-79. I-70 also comes within the metro area from central Ohio and Maryland on either side. I-80 also skirts the far northern suburban counties of the region.

Within the metro area several limited-access (interstate like) turnpike spur routes have been completed recently including the Mon-Fay linking the historic "Steel Valley" area to State Route 51 in Jefferson Hills and thus Pittsburgh. PA Route 66 in nearby Greensburg offers a quick jump on the eastern side of the metro from I-70/I-76 (Turnpike mainline) junction area to the Kiski Valley in the northeast, and the newly completed Findlay connector offers quick access from the airport terminal to points west and south of the airport such as Steubenville, Ohio, and Wierton and Wheeling, West Virginia. PA 65 along the northern section of the city of Pittsburgh, PA 28 along the Allegheny Valley from downtown through the Oakmont and 76/Turnpike area to beyond Kittaning in Armstrong County and PA 60 from the I-279/79 junction through the airport area and up through Beaver to New Castle and I-80 are all toll-free state limited access highways in the region. US 22 from Robinson through to the Findlay airport connector and on to the West Virigina panhandle and east-central Ohio offers toll free interstate like travel as well.

By train

Amtrak, +1 800 872-7245, [3] services Pittsburgh with a station in Downtown at Grant and Liberty, just across the street from the Greyhound depot. Two Amtrak routes serve Pittsburgh: the Capitol Limited [4], which runs daily between Chicago and Washington, DC, and the Pennsylvanian [5], which runs daily between Pittsburgh and New York City through Philadelphia.

Tours and Getting around Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is difficult for strangers to get around in because the roads go every which way, constrained by the rivers and hills. Many are one-way and nearly all are narrow, as they were laid out in the days of horse-and-buggy transportation. A taxi is an option until you get used to it, but the Port Authority Public Transportation, mentioned beneath, is much more logical. If not, find where you want to go on the internet, call them, and get detailed directions. Failing that, use an online mapping service. If you do find yourself lost or unsure, however, do not be afraid to ask for help. Most locals are very friendly and will be happy to assist you.

By public transit

Port Authority, (+1 412 442-2000, [6]) (or PAT as some residents refer to it) has bus, light rail, and incline service. There are essentially two light rail lines. Neither will do you any good unless you're traveling from the southern suburbs to downtown. The buses are comprehensive, reliable, and clean.

Port Authority's website is pathetically incoherent for planning trips. Better to use Google Transit or Google Earth, which have routes included.

The buses in Pittsburgh can be few and far between unless you are traveling along a few of the major roads (i.e. Negley, Forbes, Fifth Ave, etc). Expect to transfer if you are going anywhere but downtown or to the universities.

Paying

The fare system it utilizes can be confusing, especially to visitors. Most bus and all light-rail routes utilize a "pay enter/pay leave" system: If you are travelling INTO or TOWARDS Downtown ("inbound"), you pay the fare as you board the bus. If you are travelling OUT OF or AWAY from Downtown ("outbound"), the fare is paid when you reach your destination. Travel within Downtown is free. The buses sometimes have signs in their front windows indicating whether fare is paid upon entering or leaving, but not always. Further adding to the confusion, from 7PM-4AM, ALL fares on all trips are paid upon boarding the bus, regardless of destination. 2.00 for destinations within Zone 1, which encompasses the city limits and a few nearby suburbs. For an extra 50 cents, passengers can also purchase a transfer ticket, valid for three hours to use on any other route. Before boarding a bus or trolley, always check Port Authority's schedules (all of which are available on their website) and confirm its destination with the driver.

By taxi

Taxis are a very good (if expensive) way of dealing with Pittsburgh's spaghetti roads until you get used to them. In the downtown and inner areas of the city itself (as opposed to the suburbs). However, plan to wait up to an hour if you call one on a night or weekend, and don't even think of hailing one on the street, as you will not see a taxi at all roaming the streets on an average day.

• Yellow Cab +1 412 321-8100, [7].

By car

With a multitude of hills, valleys, Pittsburgh is an eclectic town to travel by car for even the natives. Very little is straightforward about Pittsburgh travel via car, but some constants help road warriors get by.

Major highways include the Parkways East (Interstate 376), North (Interstate 279 to the north of downtown), and West (Interstate 279 to the west and south of downtown), Mon-Fayette Expressway, and PA Turnpike (toll road).

The key to not getting lost in Pittsburgh are the well-kept secret of the colored belts. Sprinkled throughout the city are signs that say, for example, "Blue belt" with a blue dot and arrow. These belts are long, winding circular paths, with allow travelers to freely explore the city with little fear of getting truly lost. If you are hopelessly lost and encounter a "Belt" sign (blue, red, yellow...), following these signs is a good way to locate a main travel artery and get back on track (or to a much-needed food/or fuel station) as they cross most major highways. If all else fails, the belts tend to eventually circle back on themselves and at the very least, if you keep following them, you will get back to where you started.

Visitors may want to be careful of the "Pittsburgh Left." At red light intersections, a driver wishing to turn left will do so as soon as the light turns green, regardless of whether another vehicle would normally continue straight through the intersection. This may sound strange and even dangerous, but it actually has a useful purpose: at many intersections, there is only one lane of travel in each direction; so someone waiting to make a left turn will block the traffic behind them if they cannot make the turn. While driving in Pittsburgh you may experience someone coming the other direction stopping at the intersection in order for you to make the left turn and keep the traffic behind you moving, in which case accept and turn left. While not done much by the younger generation, the Pittsburgh Left still has its adherents.

Lane Irregularities

• Beware the "left only" lane. You can be driving straight down the road and suddenly the lane you are in becomes a "Left Turn Only" lane, although you did not change lanes. This is common in other cities in the right lane but not the left. However, there is no rule for when this will happen in Pittsburgh, and it can happen in right lanes also, so drivers tend to drift back and forth from left lane to right without signaling. If you are new to the city keep an eye on the signs leading up to each intersection.
• As in Baltimore, many times there is no separate lane for parking, so driving in the right lane can mean you're suddenly stuck behind a parked car.

By boat

Gateway Clipper [8] and Pittsburgh Cruise Lines [9] offer shuttle services to sports events at Heinz Field and PNC Park. Gateway Clipper operates all cruises from Station Square in the South Side. Pittsburgh Cruise Lines operates all shuttles to Heinz Field from Downtown, and all shuttles to PNC Park from the Strip District.

Pittsburgh tourist attractions and sightseeing

See the Districts articles for more listings.

Museums

Pittsburgh is home to many wonderful museums, among them of which are some truly world-class institutions.

• The Andy Warhol Museum in the North Side is said to be one of the most comprehensive single-artist museums in the world, with exhibits of the artist's life and work, recreations of portions of "The Factory", screening of films, and educational programs about the Pittsburgh-born artist as well as other contemporary and pop artists.
• The Carnegie Museums in Oakland are something truly spectacular. Enclosed in one massive building is the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, with extensive exhibits on paleontology, geology, and biology, and the Carnegie Museum of Art, with classical and contemporary works by many fine artists.
• The Carnegie Science Center on the North Side, another of the Carnegie Museums, is a major science museum which is very popular with the kids.
• The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in North Side is a great place to take the kids.
• The Frick Art and Historical Center in Point Breeze is steel magnate Henry Clay Frick's mansion, now open for tours.
• The Mattress Factory is contemporary art on the installation-scale, with several notable James Turrell works in their permanent collection.
• The National Aviary in the North Side allows you to get up close with plenty of exotic birds.
• The Senator John Heinz History Center and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum in the Strip District is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania, with six floors of permanent and changing exhibitions on the history Western Pennsylvania.
• The Rivers of Steel Heritage Area is committed to preserving, interpreting, and managing the historic, cultural, and natural resources related to Big Steel and its related industries. Encompassing over 5,000 square miles in the eight counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland, Rivers of Steel is building on this area's remarkable transition from heavy industry to high technology and diversified services as well as bolstering the new regional economy by promoting tourism and economic development based on this region's historic industrial saga.

Architecture

• Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland. The 42-story centerpiece of "Pitt's" campus - the tallest academic building in America, and the second-tallest in the world - was completed in 1937 and features magnificent Gothic architecture both inside and out. It is also home to the famed Nationality Rooms [10] - 26 rooms decorated in the themes of the various cultures that played a hand in the city's development. The Rooms are open to the public as long as class is not being held in them.
• Heinz Chapel, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland. Ponder the stained glass, said to be among the tallest in the world.
• Marvel at the glass buildings of PPG Place in Downtown. Its main building resembles a crystal castle right out of a fairy tale.

Parks and outdoor spaces

• Take in views of Downtown Pittsburgh from a vista - Mount Washington's many overlooks are the most popular, but the West End Overlook provides just as good of a view from its newly renovated park, albeit from a different angle. If you are looking for a view that is a little more off-the-beaten-path, explore this map of Pittsburgh's vistas. The view from St. John's Lutheran Cemetery is to die for!
• The Phipps Conservatory in Oakland has large indoor and outdoor gardens with beautiful floral displays.
• Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium in East End-North.
• The Point State Park in Downtown is where the three rivers of Pittsburgh meet.
• The Rodef Shalom Synagogue in East End-South is a biblical-themed garden.
• Schenley Plaza and Park is a 456-acre park near Oakland and a haven for exercisers, sunbathers, and anyone who appreciates beautiful green space. The newly-constructed Plaza area, across from the Carnegie Library of Oakland, features a carousel and free wi-fi Internet access. On Sunday and Wednesday nights during the summer, a free movie is shown on Flagstaff Hill in the park.

Pittsburgh city tours

See the Districts articles for more listings.

• If you only do one thing in Pittsburgh, take the Monongahela or Duquesne Inclines for the AMAZING views you'll find at the top. Operated by Port Authority the inclines take you to the top of Mount Washington. One way trips cost $1.75; pay at the top or get on at the bottom and take a "free" round trip.
• Bike, jog, walk, or play in one of Pittsburgh's four large city parks - Schenley, Highland, Frick, and Riverview.
• Watch a Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers, or Penguins game. PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, is renowned as one of the most beautiful ball parks in the major leagues.
• Take a Duckboat tour of the city in an authentic WWII amphibious vehicle.
• Gateway Clipper, 412-355-7980, [11]. Offers a variety of cruises on the three rivers of Pittsburgh, including sightseeing, dining, and special event cruises.
• Rush Hour Boat Charters(Rush Hours Boat Tours), 1 Rush Way, ☎ 412-885-7874, [12]. For an intimate and unique way to see and enjoy the three rivers of Pittsburgh. 
• IonSound Project, [13] Adds to Pittsburgh's cultural life by programming innovative concerts, commissioning works of new music, collaborating with artists in a variety of disciplines, and exploring the boundaries between concert and popular music.
• Pittsburgh Glass Center, 5472 Penn Ave, 412-365-2145, [14]. Celebrating its fifth anniversary in conjunction with “Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass” in 2007. Pittsburgh Glass Center is a nonprofit, public access glass studio and gallery dedicated to teaching, creating and promoting glass art. The 16,000+ square foot building is one of the top glass art facilities in the country and houses state-of-the-art studios in hot glass, flameworking, coldworking, casting and kilnworking.
• Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre [15] is a professional company which has emerged as a significant contributor to the cultural fabric of Pittsburgh with almost 2000 loyal subscribers, and an annual attendance of over 23,000. PICT has garnered a yearly position on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's list of the city's Top 50 Cultural Forces. The organization's productions are consistently ranked among the year's best by the critics of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and Pittsburgh City Paper. PICT was named Theatre of the Year in both 2004 and 2006 by critics of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• Pittsburgh Symphony [16] For more than 100 years, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been an essential part of Pittsburgh’s cultural landscape. The PSO prides itself in artistic excellence and a rich history of the world’s finest conductors and musicians. This world class orchestra has a season starting mid September through late June. The orchestra performs downtown at Heinz Hall which is located at 600 Penn Ave.

Learn

Pittsburgh is home to numerous colleges and universities. The most well-known ones are Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and the University of Pittsburgh (U-PITT), both of which are located in the neighborhood of Oakland in East End. Many other smaller institutions of higher education include Point Park University, Duquesne University, Carlow University, Chatham University, and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Work

Some sources for local job opportunities are the newspaper classifies (Post-Gazette, available online) [17]and the Pittsburgh Technology Council Career Center.[18]

Pittsburgh souvenirs and shopping

See the Districts articles for more listings.

Pittsburgh has several popular shopping districts. The South Side has many shops along with two malls - Station Square at Smithfield and Carson Streets and South Side Works at Sidney and 28th Streets.

In East End-South, near Oakland, is the neighborhood of Shadyside, centered at Walnut and Bellefonte Streets, which is one of the main upmarket sections of town. Nearby is the neighborhood of Squirrel Hill, centered at Murray and Forbes Avenues, which has many great little shops.

Downtown has shops of every description, but is best visited during standard business hours. The Strip District is home to many ethnic markets as well as the 16:62 Design Zone, which stretches from the Strip to Lawrenceville and offers a distinctive blend of neighborhood shops, artisan studios and unique showrooms, all focused on the arts and home decor.

There are many outlet stores and suburban malls located in the Pittsburgh region, but not within Pittsburgh itself. For info on these, see the Allegheny County article.

Pittsburgh Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

See the Districts articles for individual listings.

The Pittsburgh restaurant scene is a little different than most cities. In many neighborhoods, they can be difficult to find and are often patronized mainly by locals. The hills and rivers make the roads tricky. So, if you're from out of town your best bet is to pick up a local copy of the Pittsburgh magazine and do a quick search of the "Best Restaurants" section.

Each district has its unique restaurants, but the main districts for eating are Mount Washington, the Strip District, South Side and, of course Downtown. If you're willing to go a little off the beaten path, you'll also find gems tucked away just slightly further out which are still accessible by PAT bus.

Primanti Bros. [19] is as synonymous with Pittsburgh as the Hot Dogs are to New York. The Primanti sandwich is served on a sheet of wax paper with two slices of Italian bread then it is piled high with coleslaw and french fries. The other ingredients after these depends on the sandwich you order. There are many locations in and around the Pittsburgh area but the original is in the strip district. A stop should be made here to try some food that embodies Pittsburghers.

Pittsburgh nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

See the Districts articles for more listings.

Iron City Beer. The beer tastes great, yet is very affordable. Drink more for an enjoyable experience.

Pittsburgh cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

See the Districts articles for more listings.

Downtown has the greatest concentration of hotels. It is very easy to get a room at some of the top downtown hotels (the Marriott, the Hilton, and the William Penn, for example) at bargain basement prices ($45-$70) from discount sites such as priceline and hotwire, so do a search before calling the hotel itself. For those visiting the universities or other attractions in the Oakland area, there are a number of convenient options. Airport accommodations, located near the airport outside of Pittsburgh itself, are covered under Allegheny County.

Contact

Pittsburgh is one of those cities where you must use an area code even when dialing locally. There are three regional area codes 412, 724 and 878. Use of a "1" prefix when dialing these codes locally is optional.

Stay safe

Pittsburgh is routinely ranked as one of the safest cities among others of comparable size in the US. Nonetheless, as with all cities, there are neighborhoods which visitors should avoid wandering into (especially at night), including the Hill District (the area between Downtown and Oakland), Homewood, some parts of the North Side, and Wilkinsburg. Common sense guidelines regarding safety apply at all times.

As with any city, Pittsburgh has a fair share of homeless people. Many will ask for money but simply ignoring them will keep you safe.

On Sundays in the fall and winter some fans of the local football team (the Steelers) tend to get out of hand. While the great majority won't bother you it is suggested that out of town fans do not wear the clothing of the team they are playing that day or of their main rival the Cleveland Browns any time of the year.

If you are in need of urgent medical or dental care, Pittsburgh is home to a number of world-class hospitals and urgent care facilities. Here is a partial list:

• Allegheny General Hospital [20], 320 East North Avenue, Pittsburgh, 412-359-3400

• Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh [21], 1400 Locust Street, Pittsburgh, 412-232-8111

• Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh [22], 3705 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, 412-692-5325

• MedExpress Urgent Care [23], three Pittsburgh area locations: Pleasant Hills, 412-653-5556; Scott Township, 412-343-3627; Upper St. Clair, 412-854-3627

• Sears Dental Pittsburgh Dentist: Emergency Dental Services [24], four Pittsburgh area locations: West Mifflin, 412-655-3344; Pittsburgh, 412-788-0877; Monaca, 724-775-6633; Greensburg, 724-836-6240

Cope

Get out

• Kennywood Park, 4800 Kennywood Boulevard, West Mifflin +1 412 461-0500 [25] is a compact but extremely popular amusement park, founded in 1898. It is home to several rollercoasters, including the "Thunderbolt," rountinely named as one of the best wooden coasters in the country by enthusiasts.
• Tour Anytime is a 24/7 source for self-guided cell phone and MP3 tours of the historic and cultural heritage of southwestern Pennsylvania. Hosted by the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area in partnership with many of the region's premier tourism sites, Tour Anytime is your source for walking, museum, and individual site tours based on your schedule.
• The lovely town of Ohiopyle is located 70 miles to the southeast. It is surrounded by the beautiful Ohiopyle State Park with acres of majestic mountains and the Youghiogheny [yaw-ki-GAAY-nee] River. Whitewater rafting is popular here, but there are many opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and more. Nearby are two of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces: Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob.
• Tour-Ed Coal Mine Museum [26]
• Flight 93 Memorial about 50 miles to the east of the city along the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76/I-70)
• St. Vincent College about 25 miles east in Latrobe, summer camp of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the first Monastic brewery in the U.S. along with being one of the top catholic colleges in the area.
• Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania home of Phil the groundhog! About 60 miles northeast of Pittsburgh in Jefferson County (Pennsylvania), Pennsylvania.
• Pro Football Hall of Fame in nearby Canton, Ohio about two hours west via the PA/Ohio Turnpike then south on I-77.
• Holiday Valley
• Seven Springs award winning ski resort/golf course about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh.
• Mystic Rock golf course home of the PGA 84 Classic and rated among the top courses in the world. (appx 1 1/2 hrs south in Farmington, PA)
• Wheeling Downs, racetrack (horse) in nearby Wheeling, West Virginia (west on I-70).
• Cady Shak is not to far from Pittsburgh, located near Fallingwater and Fort Ligonier. There are many fun family activities, such as batting cages, go- carts, mini golf, driving ranges,and bumper boats with water cannons. There is a sweet arcade and snack stands for when you want to take a break. This destination may be targeted for families with some younger children but it is easily enjoyable by all.
• Pennsylvania Trolley Museum [27] About 45 minutes south of the city in the town of Washington. Great family location that includes a ride on a working trolley and the (alleged) title star of the film A Streetcar Named Desire.
• Cleveland - with the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and other attractions, a couple of hours to the northwest (though no Pittsburgher would ever advise you to visit willingly).

Destinations in Pittsburgh:

• Pittsburgh - Downtown
• Pittsburgh - East End-North
• Pittsburgh - East End-South
• Pittsburgh - North Side
• Pittsburgh - South Side

This page was last edited by Wikitravel user PerryPlanet. Based on work by Ian Sergeant and Peter Fitzgerald, Wikitravel user(s) Vidimian, LtPowers, PAWiki, Texugo and Jonboy, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license