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Pittsburgh

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 cities in the country. Cheap food and beer abound in this true sports town and the locals are amazingly friendly. A city of about 303,000 (2021) in Allegheny County, at the center of a metro area of about 2.4 million in southwestern Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is situated at the confluence of three rivers: the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. The city's unique terrain has resulted in an unusual city design and a hodge-podge of unique neighborhood "pockets" with diverse ethnic and architectural heritage. Pittsburgh has a rich history and, for its size, an unusual array of cultural treasures, largely thanks to the wealth that was generated when Pittsburgh was a hub of industry.

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 blue lines represent the three rivers.

History
The first European to "discover" the site of Pittsburgh was French discoverer/trader Sieur de La Salle in his 1669 expedition. 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 rivers meet, several forts were constructed by competing French and British forces during the French and Indian War. In 1758, British general John Forbes ordered the construction of Fort Pitt, named after British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder. He also named the settlement between the rivers "Pittsborough".

Manufacturing in Pittsburgh began in earnest in the early 19th century, and by the US Civil War the city was known as "the armory of the Union." This began a sharp escalation of industry, particularly steel and glass. By the late 19th century, Pittsburgh was known as the Steel City. Andrew Carnegie began the Carnegie Steel Company in 1892, which became United States Steel (USS) a decade later and grew to be the largest corporation of any kind in the world. Carnegie became the richest man on Earth and, along with other local magnates of industry, gave Pittsburgh cultural institutions such as the Carnegie Museums, Carnegie Library, and Carnegie-Mellon University. A number of other Fortune 100 companies have called Pittsburgh their headquarters, helping fund world-class museums, theaters, universities, and other attractions.

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. When asked what to do to fix Pittsburgh, the noted architect Frank Lloyd Wright famously replied with his characteristic frankness, "Raze it." Following World War II, the city launched a clean air and civic revitalization project known as the "Renaissance". This much-acclaimed effort was followed by the "Renaissance II" project, begun in 1977 and focusing more on cultural and neighborhood development than its predecessor. The industrial base continued to expand through the 1960s, but beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, the steel industry in the region imploded, with massive layoffs and mill closures.

Today Pittsburgh is a model of cleanliness due to the remediation of the polluting industrial plants in the late 1950s, as well as the gradual migration of the mills to other cities and countries. There is now only one operating steel mill in the region, Carnegie Steel's venerable Edgar Thomson 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 more prosperous past can be seen throughout the area. But 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 services such as education, medicine, technology, and finance.

People
The people of Pittsburgh are indeed what make it such a unique place. The city has been shaped by its immigrants, whose specific traditions have left a lasting mark. Pittsburghers are generally welcoming, down-to-earth, and unpretentious. Pittsburgh has also gained attention as a burgeoning center for counter-culture, which in turn led to the emergence of a surprising hub for (democratic) socialist politicians and activists.

The British were the first to permanently settle Pittsburgh, and early settlers included the English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish, as well as German, drawn by mining, shipping, and manufacturing. These people formed the foundation of Pittsburgh, still physically visible in the oldest parts of the city.

By the late 1800s, the demand for labor was so strong the new immigrants - the so-called "millhunks" - began flocking to Pittsburgh, chiefly from Central and Eastern Europe. They not only provided labor, but brought their families, their languages, their churches, and other traditions. Today Pittsburgh's identity has been strongly molded by the ethnic traditions of these immigrants from countries like Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Italy, Lithuania, Serbia, and Croatia. Steeples and the bright copper onion-dome churches of the Eastern Orthodox tradition dot the old parts of town, and grandmas wearing babushkas are a common sight. Pittsburgh is also home to a large Jewish community, centered in Squirrel Hill.

Pittsburgh's modern economy has brought new immigrants from places such as India and China, along with their traditions; the Pittsburgh region today is home to a number of Hindu temples, for example. Pittsburgh has truly been a great melting pot, and continues to be as a home to thousands of students from around the world that attend the many universities in the city, especially Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. In addition, Pittsburgh has an organized LGBT community and anti-discrimination laws inclusive of LGBT people have been enacted at both the city and county levels.

Land
The surrounding landscape has had a huge impact on Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh's characteristic rivers and hills have shaped the city physically, economically, and socially.

Like most older cities, it was the rivers that made the city. The rivers allowed for the transport of raw materials and provided water used for making steel, and allowed for easy shipping of finished products. Today, the rivers attract mostly recreational boaters, but still support extensive barge traffic. 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).

The hilly landscape—arguably the most rugged of any city east of the Rockies—has created unique neighborhoods; flat lands near the rivers were used for mills, while workers' houses cling precariously to the hillsides above. In many places "pockets" of neighborhoods, divided by rivers and valleys, have developed distinctly different characteristics from each other, despite being very close together. Much of the landscape, with its many unbuildable slopes, remains lush and green, and provides for amazing views.

Tourist information
Pittsburgh's visitor information centers offer maps, brochures and other information for tourists. The VisitPittsburgh website offers more guides and lists of things to do.

By plane
Pittsburgh International Airport is the normal way in, although the area is also served by the smaller Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin, primarily used by private and corporate airplanes. The airport is near Robinson Township in Findlay, about 20 miles (30 km) west of downtown, translating to about a $35 cab ride ($50 in rush hour traffic). Hotel shuttles and buses are available, and can be cheaper. A city bus, route 28X, connects the airport to Downtown and Oakland, taking a reasonably fast route mostly along freeways and dedicated busways, and costing much less than a taxi. This bus service operates every 30 minutes. From your plane, 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. Free Wi-Fi is available. If you are coming to the Pittsburgh area though, you will take a 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 connected to the landside terminal complex and there are several hotels (Embassy Suites and Sheraton among them) within 5 miles (8 km) of the airport.

Latrobe Airport
Another distant but viable airport serves the Pittsburgh Area. Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is a public airport in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, two miles (3 km) southwest of Latrobe and about 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Pittsburgh. This smaller airport has free parking but is not easily accessible using public transportation. Destinations include various cities in Florida as well as Myrtle Beach provided by the low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines.

By car
The city proper is served by three interstate routes that spur from the triangular-shaped beltway formed by I-76 (PA Turnpike) to the north and east, I-79 to the west and I-70 to the far south. These three spurs form what locals often refer to as "parkways". The Parkways West and East are signed as I-376, and the Parkway North is signed as I-279.

The interstate system links Pittsburgh with many cities. If coming from the east or west, your best bet into the city is I-76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike. From the west, take exit 10 (New Castle) and follow I-376 east to downtown. If coming from the east, take exit 57 (Pittsburgh) and follow I-376 west to downtown. From the north, use I-79 and take the exit to I-279 south. From the south, use I-79 and take the exit to I-376 east.

Within the metro area several limited-access turnpike spur routes have been partially or fully completed including the Mon-Fayette Expressway linking the historic "Steel Valley" area to State Route 51 in Jefferson Hills (and eventually to Monroeville). 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 Weirton 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 Virginia panhandle and east-central Ohio offers toll free interstate like travel as well.

By train

 * Routes stopping at Pittsburgh:
 * Capitol Limited operates daily between Chicago and Washington, D.C. including stops in South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Alliance, Pittsburgh, Connellsville, Cumberland, Martinsburg, Harpers Ferry, and Rockville.
 * Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.
 * Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.

Get around
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. Those with a GPS navigation device should get around all right. For those without, a taxi is an option until you get used to the roads, but the public transit, operated by the Port Authority (see below), works quite well for travel within the city. If you do find yourself lost or unsure, however, do not be afraid to ask for help. Many locals are so friendly - and giving directions can be so confusing - that they might just show you to your destination themselves.

By public transit

The Pittsburgh Regional Transit, (previously known as Port Authority or PAT as some residents refer to it), operates bus, light rail and incline service in Pittsburgh. Bus service covers much of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and, for the most part, is reliable and clean. Light rail (commonly referred to as "The T") connects the south side of the city to downtown and the stadiums, but doesn't connect to many other points of interest.

Routes can be confusing, but both the Port Authority's website and Google Maps (which is perhaps better) offer trip planners. Google Maps also shows bus and trolley stops. Bus stops are typically marked with a simple blue sign reading "Bus Stop" and listing route numbers and names.

Before boarding a bus or trolley, check Port Authority's schedules (all of which are available on their website) and confirm its destination with the driver. Evening and Sunday service can be challenging outside of the Light Rail, busway, and Downtown-Oakland-Squirrel Hill-Waterfront service, with less frequent service at hard-to-memorize intervals and earlier-on-Sunday ending times.

The Port Authority's fare system was further simplified in January 2022. Fares for bus and incline are now $2.75 when using a ConnectCard or mobile payment. Mobile payment is likely the easiest way of paying your fare for visitors and can be done via both the "Transit" or "Ready2Ride" apps. If you do not have a smartphone or don't wish to use mobile payment, Connect cards are available for a nominal $1 fee at various locations detailed on the Port Authority's website. These tickets are valid for three hours and include unlimited transfers. You can also pay cash on board the bus (also $2.75, but no change is given and this does not include transfers). Day passes (valid until the end of the service day- usually around 3am the following morning, not 24 hrs) are also available for $7 via mobile or ConnectCard.

Both inclines accept Port Authority fares. On the Monongahela incline, fares are paid at the top station. If you don't have an active ticket or pass, simply board the incline and pay your fare when you arrive at the top to exit. Ticket machines are available. On the Duquesne incline, fares are paid at the bottom station and there is a cashier.

If you will be using the T during your visit, the fare structure is the same as bus and incline, but riding comes with a few additional quirks. Rides within the downtown area (between Allegheny station and First avenue) are free. For rides outside this zone, a fare is required. Fares should be paid before you ride if you are heading inbound (north to downtown) and as you exit if you are heading outbound.

By taxi
Taxis are a good (if expensive) way of dealing with Pittsburgh's spaghetti roads until you get used to them, at least within downtown and the inner areas of the city itself. However they can be nearly impossible to hail on the street, and plan to wait a while if you call one on a night or weekend. If you are downtown, the best bet is to head for the nearest hotel taxi stand.

Uber and Lyft have a significant presence in Pittsburgh and in some cases may be cheaper than a taxi.

By car
With a multitude of hills and 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, West (both Interstate 376), and North (Interstate 279). The PA Turnpike (Interstate 76) connects Pittsburgh to Harrisburg and Philadelphia while Interstate 79 provides connections to Erie in the north and Morgantown, West Virginia in the south. Other major routes include Interstate 579 (Crosstown Blvd), PA 51, PA 28, PA 837, PA 885, PA Turnpike 43 (Mon-Fayette Expressway (partially completed)), US 19, US 22, and US 30.

A trick to not getting lost in Pittsburgh is the well-kept secret of the Belt System. The Belt System consists of 5 color-coded routes along main roads, forming a unique system of ring routes around the City and county. It provides a navigational aid for motorists in unfamiliar portions of the county. These belts are long, winding circular paths which 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, as they cross most major highways. If nothing else, the belts tend to eventually circle back on themselves and, at the very least, you will get back to where you started if you keep following them. Routes are marked with signs showing a colored circle.

Visitors may want to be careful of the Pittsburgh left. At traffic lights, a driver wishing to turn left will do so as soon as the light turns green, regardless of whether another vehicle has the right-of-way. 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 waiting to make a left turn at an intersection, you may find cars traveling the other direction will wait in order for you to make the left turn and keep the traffic behind you moving. While not done as 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 as well, 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 suddenly become stuck behind a parked car.

By boat
Gateway Clipper and Pittsburgh Water Limo offer shuttle services to sports events at Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park. Gateway Clipper operates all cruises from Station Square in the South Side. Pittsburgh Water Limo operates all shuttles from 23rd Street in the Strip District.

By bicycle
Pittsburgh has a beautiful biking trail surrounding the city, the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. You can enjoy most of the trail riding along the three rivers. Bicyclists are easily connected to some of the main attractions in Pittsburgh. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail connects to The Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., together they provide some of the most scenic and diverse trails in the country. Bike rentals are available throughout the city through Pittsburgh Bike Share. However, historically, the inner city of Pittsburgh has not been friendly to street cycling. The streets are narrow, are often very rough, and beyond the city is very hilly. The city has been adding bike lanes to numerous streets for the past few years, so the situation has improved, although experience in urban cycling is still recommended. BikePGH offers information for bicyclists and hosts biking events.

See
See the Districts articles for more listings.

Museums
Pittsburgh is home to many wonderful museums, including some truly world-class institutions. The Carnegie Museums in Oakland are absolutely 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. Nearby is the Frick Art and Historical Center, which is the home of steel magnate Henry Clay Frick's mansion, now open for tours. In the Strip District is the Senator John Heinz History Center, 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.

North Side is home to quite a few museums. The Andy Warhol Museum is 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 Science Center, a major science museum which is another of the Carnegie Museums, and the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh are both very popular with kids. The Mattress Factory is contemporary art on the installation-scale, with several notable James Turrell works in their permanent collection. The National Aviary allows you to get up close with plenty of exotic birds.

Architecture
Pittsburgh has more than its fair share of incredible architecture in many different styles, largely thanks to the wealth of its earlier industrialists and diverse influences of its many immigrants. Following the decline of the steel industry, the city has prioritized historic preservation and sustainable building as the city modernizes. Architecture buffs will find something interesting in every corner of the city, but there are some highlights:

Naturally, Downtown gets the lion's share of attention here. Walking some of the narrow downtown streets gives a very notable urban canyon effect, unusual for a midsized city. Pittsburgh has an impressive skyline for a city of its size, with the U.S. Steel Tower being the tallest building in the city. However, it's Phillip Johnson's shimmering PPG Place that captures much of the attention, with its glass pinnacles that make the building resemble a castle right out of a fairy tale. Beneath these towering structures are numerous historic buildings from the early 20th century, built by the biggest names in industry at the time. H.H. Richardson's Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail are gorgeous stone structures that still serve as government buildings, while just across the street the Frick Building and the Union Trust Building are prime examples of commercial architecture from the time. The David L Lawrence Convention Center is an impressive modern structure along the Allegheny River.

Heading east through Oakland, stately Victorians and large parks replace the bustle and height of downtown. This was, after all, where some of the wealthiest men of the early 20th century lived and played. Among them was Henry Clay Frick, whose house in Point Breeze is open for tours near the massive park that also bears his name. Within Oakland proper are the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, and both campuses contain even more stunning architecture. Dominating the Oakland landscape is the Cathedral of Learning, the 42-story centerpiece of the University of Pittsburgh campus and the second-tallest academic building in the world (the tallest is in Russia). The Cathedral is a magnificent example of Gothic Revival architecture, and is home to the Nationality Rooms, a series of rooms decorated in the themes of the various cultures that played a role in the city's development. Next door to the Cathedral is the much shorter (but still impressive) Heinz Chapel, which sports magnificent stained glass windows.

If you want to get closer to the industrial past of the city, both South Side and the area around the Strip District are home to numerous industrial buildings and old warehouses, most of them now converted into lofts, shops, restaurants, and other uses.

While many of Pittsburgh's neighborhoods may not have many stately and notable buildings (besides many churches), their urban design - how they were laid out and built, often with narrow, winding streets - can feel more like Europe than the U.S., and provides a great opportunity for exploring. It is sometimes easy to get lost, but with surprises around every corner, that can be half the fun. Most neighborhoods (especially those of greatest interest listed above) are very walkable and safe, and this activity is of course 100% free. Some of the most interesting neighborhoods for exploring are the South Side, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, and the North Side.

Parks and outdoors
For a city previously defined by industry, Pittsburgh has an impressive quantity of good parks to enjoy. Pittsburgh's four large city parks are excellent places to bike, jog, walk, or play.

The area surrounding Oakland has many of the city's finer park spaces. Next door to Oakland is Schenley Park, a 456-acre park which is a haven for exercisers, sunbathers, and anyone who appreciates beautiful green space. Schenley Plaza, next to the Cathedral of Learning and Carnegie Museums, features snack stands, a carousel, and sometimes festivals. Nearby is Phipps Conservatory, which boasts stunning indoor and outdoor gardens with beautiful floral displays. On the eastern limits of the city is Frick Park, the largest of Pittsburgh's parks and the perfect escape from the city, with its naturalistic setting and beautiful woodlands.

Up past Lawrenceville is Highland Park, a large park with some beautiful gardens and a couple of lovely lakes situated among the hills of the area. Within Highland Park is the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, a large zoo/aquarium complex with animals from all over the world. Point State Park in Downtown has a large fountain which marks the spot where the three rivers of Pittsburgh meet. In addition to being a favorite spot for office workers to take breaks, many festivals and special events are held in this park. Finally, the North Side is home to Riverview Park and the Allegheny Observatory.

Do
See the Districts articles for more listings.

 * If you can only do one thing in Pittsburgh, take one of the incline railways to the top of Mount Washington near South Side to take in the view of the beautiful skyline. The Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines rise nearly 400 feet over the city from stations near Station Square. The views from Mount Washington are magnificent, but they are only the most popular - there are numerous other spots to take in views of the city, many that are more off the beaten path.
 * Several different tour companies are based out of Station Square in South Side, and many of them give river tours - indeed, one of the best ways to see Pittsburgh is from the three rivers themselves, taking in views of the downtown skyline, the hillsides, the bridges, and the stadiums.

Sports
With tons of die-hard fans, three major league sports teams, and a long history of sports dedication, Pittsburgh is truly a great sports town. Few things define Pittsburgh like the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL team, who go down in history as one of the greatest NFL franchises of all time and have one of the largest fan bases in all of American football. The Steelers play all their home games at Acrisure Stadium (renamed from Heinz Field in 2022, but most locals still use the old name) in the North Side. Also in the North Side is PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates MLB team. While the Pirates had a hard go of it for two decades, they've found new energy and manage to keep a loyal fan base, with a ballpark that is considered one of the most beautiful in the major leagues.

Pittsburgh is home to the Pittsburgh Penguins NHL team, who play Downtown at PPG Paints Arena.

College sports are very big in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) are very popular in the region, with teams in a variety of sports in the Atlantic Coast Conference, one of the so-called "Power Five conferences" of NCAA Division I. The men's and women's basketball teams have been very competitive lately, with the men's frequently ranking in the top 15 in the NCAA basketball playoffs. Both basketball teams play at the Petersen Events Center on the Pitt campus in Oakland. The Panthers football team is quite popular; they share Acrisure Stadium with the Steelers. The city has a second NCAA Division I program in the Duquesne Dukes of Duquesne University near Downtown, whose basketball and football teams remain popular, though unlike the Panthers, the Dukes football team plays in the second-level Division I FCS. For a Division III school, the Carnegie Mellon Tartans of Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland enjoy a high level of popularity. The Robert Morris Colonials of Robert Morris University, also a Division I program (FCS for football), are in the northwest suburb of Moon Township.

Pittsburgh is home to a minor league soccer team, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, who play on the South Side in the second-level USL Championship. They've expressed a desire to join Major League Soccer by 2023.

Arts and music
Pittsburgh has a lively music scene, particularly indie, jazz, rap, punk rock, and heavy metal. Pick up a copy of the free Pittsburgh CityPaper for concert listings.

The Cultural District in Downtown is home to several theaters and institutions like the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, the Pittsburgh Opera, and the acclaimed Pittsburgh Symphony. However, Pittsburgh is also home to a number of smaller theaters and companies such as the Quantum Theater in East Liberty, the Attack Theater in the Strip District, and the Pittsburgh Playhouse and the University of Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre in Oakland.

Pittsburgh has a lot of visual art to take in. In addition to the museums and art festivals, Downtown's Cultural District is home to a number of art galleries. East Liberty is home to the Pittsburgh Glass Center, a nonprofit glass studio and gallery that holds one of the top glass art facilities in the country.

Festivals
Pittsburgh holds a variety of popular arts and cultural festivals in the summertime. These range from huge, city-wide events to local neighborhood festivals, parades, studio tours, and food tastings. In addition, there are many ethnic festivals highlighting the local Greek, Italian, Irish, Scottish, German, Bulgarian and Russian communities. The events calendar of the free Pittsburgh City Paper is an excellent resource.

The biggest events in Pittsburgh are the Three Rivers Arts Festival and the Three Rivers Regatta, both held in Downtown. The Arts Festival takes place in early June and offers a mix of art and music, with free outdoor concerts and a large artist market. The Regatta is held on Fourth of July weekend and is incredibly active, with food, concerts, stunt shows, and boat races, all culminating with a huge fireworks show.

Other popular events include the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, held in July and including a vintage car show along Walnut Street in Shadyside and a race through Schenley Park, and Little Italy Days, held in September and a full-on celebration of Bloomfield's Italian heritage.

Outdoor activities
The city and region offers some excellent recreational opportunities in its parks and rivers. Each of the city's four large parks - Frick, Schenley, Highland and Riverview - are excellent places to hike, jog or ride a bicycle. The city parks department operates several swimming pools (including the unusual, industrial-era Oliver Bath House on the South Side), an outdoor ice-skating rink in Schenley Park, tennis courts, bocce courts, miles of biking and hiking trails, and a public golf course.

Additionally, Pittsburgh has an extensive trail system along the rivers. While portions of it are still in development, there are some long, uninterrupted stretches of trail excellent for hiking or biking, namely on the North Shore, the South Side and along the Allegheny River in Downtown. Boating is very popular along the river, and there are plenty of places to launch a motorboat or a canoe. For those who don't already have a boat, Kayak Pittsburgh on the North Shore next to PNC Park rents kayaks and offers lessons.

Learn
The City of Pittsburgh is home to many colleges, universities and research facilities, the most well-known of which are Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Duquesne University, and the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). Also in the city are Carlow University, Chatham University, Point Park University, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and a branch campus of the suburban Robert Morris University as well as the Community College of Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. Oakland is the hub of college activity, home to CMU, Pitt, Carlow, and Chatham Universities. The greater Pittsburgh region boasts even more colleges and universities.

The city has an extensive library system, both public and university. Most notable are the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh's University Library System, which rank 9th largest (public) and 18th largest (academic) in the nation, respectively.

Buy
See the Districts articles for more listings.

Pittsburgh's most popular shopping districts include:
 * The South Side, which has many hip shops along a mile-long stretch of E Carson Street, along with two shopping centers - Station Square at Smithfield and Carson Streets and the South Side Works at the opposite end, at E Carson and 28th Streets.
 * Shadyside, near Oakland, is concentrated along Walnut and Bellefonte Streets, and is one of the main upmarket sections of town.
 * Squirrel Hill, also near Oakland, is concentrated along Murray and Forbes Avenues, and has tons of great little shops, notably some catering to the local Jewish community. The Squirrel Hill shops tend to fall under the 'specialty' store category.
 * Downtown has shops of every description, but is best visited during standard business hours.
 * The Strip District is home to many ethnic markets and street vendors, as well as the 16:62 Design Zone, which stretches between 16th and 62nd Streets 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 in the Pittsburgh region, but not within the city. For info on these, see the Allegheny County article.

Eat
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 the Strip District, South Side and, of course Downtown. Mt Washington, Lawrenceville, Shadyside, Oakland, Bloomfield, and Squirrel Hill also contain a wide variety of restaurants. If you're willing to go a little off the beaten path, you'll find gems tucked away just slightly further out which are still accessible by PAT bus.

 * The Strip District has tons of ethnic groceries, eateries, and vendors, with plenty of free samples.
 * Squirrel Hill has a variety of more ethnic restaurants: Mediterranean, kosher, Italian, etc.
 * Bloomfield, known as Pittsburgh's Little Italy, is home to many small Italian restaurants. Don't expect the Olive Garden!
 * Bloomfield, known as Pittsburgh's Little Italy, is home to many small Italian restaurants. Don't expect the Olive Garden!

Typical Pittsburgh dishes to try include halushky, pierogies, kolbasi, stuffed cabbage, city chicken, and chipped ham.

If you're in town for a wedding, then one distinctive regional tradition is offering hundreds, if not thousands, of homemade cookies for guests to eat at the reception.

Drink
See the Districts articles for more listings.

Pittsburgh is a city serious about its drinking. A popular anecdote tells of the priorities of earlier Pittsburghers: It's said that for every church, there's a bar across the street (and there are a lot of churches!). A Slavic drinking culture has made the city largely "a shot and a beer town." Even today, trendy and pretentious bars are scarcer than elsewhere, but almost any taste in bars and clubs can be found. The highlights are listed below, but almost every neighborhood has a fair concentration of bars.

 * The South Side Flats neighborhood has the most popular and diverse bar scene, and is said to have more bars per block/capita than almost anywhere else in the U.S. Most bars are along a mile-long strip of E Carson St. between 7th and 29th Sts.
 * The Strip District is home to some more posh nightclubs, and some other bars. This is also the center of Pittsburgh's gay culture, with several gay-owned businesses, bars, and clubs lining Liberty Avenue. A semi-fictionalized account of Liberty Avenue's gay culture is depicted in the television program Queer as Folk.

Beer is very dear to Pittsburgh, highlighted by Penn Brewery, in the North Side, a popular German beer hall and restaurant in a beautiful historic old brewery building, which also hosts an annual Oktoberfest. The Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh on the South Side is modeled after the legendary 400- year-old Hofbräuhaus in Munich. In addition, East End Brewing and the Church Brew Works are two local breweries whose beers can be found on tap all over the city.

Coffee is just as important to many Pittsburghers as beer. Some examples can be found at: Tazza D'Oro in Highland Park; Coffee Tree in Squirrel Hill and Shadyside; Nicholas Coffee Downtown; and Crazy Mocha, which has many locations around town. The Strip District has three roasters, notably La Prima Espresso.

Sleep
See the Districts articles for more listings.

Downtown has the greatest concentration of hotels. It is sometimes possible 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. For those visiting the universities or other attractions in the Oakland area, there are a number of convenient options. Airport accommodations, near the airport outside of Pittsburgh, are mostly in Robinson Township, about 12 miles (19 km) west of Pittsburgh. Hotels close to the city are booked solidly in advance and/or inflated in price around the time of Steelers home games, so plan ahead.

Telephone
Pittsburgh is one of those cities where you must use an area code even when dialing locally. The city's main area code is 412, but the new 878 area code is also used. 724 is used in surrounding areas. Use of a "1" prefix when dialing these codes locally is optional.

The city has set up a 311 hotline which allows you to receive information and access to City government services.

Internet
Almost all of downtown and much of the surrounding areas have WiFi which can be accessed free for two hours daily. Other wifi hot spots include Walnut Street in Shadyside, Schenley Plaza in Oakland and any branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Stay safe

 * As in most of the United States, the phone number to dial for emergencies is 911.
 * Crime in Pittsburgh is generally comparable to other large cities in the US: while overall crime rates may look high on paper, the vast majority of violent crimes occur in run-down residential areas that are of little interest to most visitors. Common-sense rules (don't flash large amounts of money or jewelry, walk only along lighted streets at night, etc.) are enough to keep one safe in most cases. As a general rule, the following neighborhoods should be avoided (especially at night):
 * Central: The Hill District, between Downtown & Oakland.
 * East: Homewood-Brushton, Wilkinsburg, Lincoln-Larimar, Garfield.
 * North: Central North Side.
 * South: Mt. Oliver, Hazelwood, Beltzhoover, Arlington Heights, St. Clair Village, Upper Homestead.
 * On Sundays in the fall and winter, some fans of the local football team (the Steelers) tend to be very rowdy. While the great majority won't bother you, it is suggested that out of town fans not wear the clothing of the team they are playing that day or that of their main rivals (the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns) at any time. The least you'll encounter is ridicule, and although assaults at sporting events are especially rare (Pittsburgh is largely a hospitable town), some incidents have occurred. It is also advisable to not wear any athletic apparel of the rival hockey team, the Philadelphia Flyers under any circumstance. Pittsburghers do take their sports loyalty to another level.
 * Whether driving, bicycling, or walking, watch out for drivers making the "Pittsburgh Left" (see By Car, above).

Consulates

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇩🇰 Denmark
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands

Pittsburgh region

 * Kennywood Park in nearby West Mifflin is a compact but extremely popular amusement park just a few miles away, founded in 1898. It is home to several rollercoasters, including the Phantom's Revenge, the Racer, the Jack Rabbit, and the Thunderbolt, routinely named as one of the best wooden coasters in the country by enthusiasts.
 * Sandcastle Waterpark in nearby West Homestead is a popular water park in the region, open during the summer months. It contains numerous water slides and several other water attractions, such as a "lazy river". Nearby is a large shopping complex known as "the Waterfront".
 * The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is 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.

Laurel Highlands
About 50 miles (80 km) to the southeast of Pittsburgh are the Laurel Highlands, a hilly area with the highest elevations in Pennsylvania (with Mount Davis in Somerset County the highest point in the state at 3,213 feet (979 m)). The Laurel Highlands is a popular area for hiking, mountain biking, hunting, trout fishing, wildlife viewing, leaf peeping, and downhill skiing.

 * The lovely town of Ohiopyle is 70 miles (110 km) to the southeast. It is surrounded by the beautiful Ohiopyle State Park with acres of mountains and the Youghiogheny [yaw-ki-GAAY-nee] River. Whitewater rafting is popular here, and there are many opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and more.
 * Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces, Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, are a few miles from Ohiopyle.
 * The Flight 93 Memorial, where the passengers & crew of Flight 93 gave their lives to thwart an attack on September 11, 2001, is about 50 miles (80 km) to the east of the city, right off the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76/I-70) near Somerset.
 * St. Vincent College, about 25 miles (40 km) east in Latrobe, contains the 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.
 * The Mystic Rock golf course is home of the PGA 84 Classic and is rated among the top courses in the world. It is about 1½ hr south of Pittsburgh in Farmington, near Uniontown.
 * Caddy Shak Family Fun Park is about 50 miles (80 km) south of Pittsburgh, near Donegal. There are many fun family activities, such as batting cages, go- carts, mini golf, driving ranges,and bumper boats with water cannons. This destination may be targeted for families with some younger children but it is easily enjoyable by all.
 * Idlewild and Soak Zone is about 50 miles (80 km) east of Pittsburgh, near historic Ligonier. Idlewild is one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, having been founded in 1878, and has won numerous awards including Amusement Today's "Best Children's Park in the World" in 2010. The park features many family-friendly rides and attractions, along with a sizable water park and large section dedicated to fairy tales coming to life, known as "Story Book Forest".
 * Seven Springs, an award-winning ski resort/golf course, is about 40 miles (60 km) east of Pittsburgh.

Further out

 * Punxsutawney is home to Phil, the groundhog of Groundhog Day fame. About 60 miles (100 km) northeast of Pittsburgh in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania.
 * The Pro Football Hall of Fame is in nearby Canton, Ohio about two hours west via the PA/Ohio Turnpike then south on I-77.
 * Wheeling, West Virginia is just over an hour west of Pittsburgh on I-70. It's home to many attractions including beautiful Victorian architecture, Oglebay Resort, and Wheeling Island Racetrack and Casino.
 * Franklin, together with Titusville and Oil City, is known as the Oil Region, where America's oil industry originated. Remnants of the former wealth of the region can be found in local architecture.
 * Erie is a couple of hours north of Pittsburgh on I-79. Boating on Lake Erie, walking along the harbor, and exploring Presque Isle State Park are great ways to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city and relax
 * Cleveland, with the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame and other attractions, is a couple of hours to the northwest (though no Pittsburgher would ever advise you to visit willingly).
 * Morgantown, with the University of West Virginia and their Mountaineer athletic teams as well as area's whitewater rafting and outdoor sport activities.

title: Pittsburgh


text:
Pittsburgh (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Pittsburgh:

Canada

 * Pittsburgh Township (Ontario) - see Kingston (Ontario)

United States of America

 * Pittsburgh - a city in Pennsylvania
 * Pittsburgh (Ohio) - a town in Darke County, Ohio

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Pittsburgh (disambiguation)


text:
Pittsburgh/Downtown

Downtown Pittsburgh is the main business district and urban center of life in the city. Constrained by the Allegheny River on the north and the Monongahela River on the south, which join to form the Ohio River at what is known as the "Point", Downtown has been forced to grow upwards. Although Pittsburgh is in some ways a small town, its downtown contains some big city structures and is a bustling center; office workers stream in and out on the weekdays, packing buses, light rail trains, and the bridges during rush hours. In Downtown, visitors will find exceptional examples of architecture, a picturesque park where Pittsburgh's three rivers meet, numerous hotels, restaurants, theaters, and the home arena of the city's hockey team.

Get in

If you're arriving in Pittsburgh by bus or train you'll likely be getting off in Downtown anyway — the is located at 11th and Liberty, while Amtrak serves, just across the street from the Greyhound depot. For detailed info on arriving via those modes, see the Get in section on the Pittsburgh article.

By car
Downtown Pittsburgh is readily accessible by a number of freeways and bridges. From the east, I-376 (The Parkway East) connects downtown to the eastern side of Pittsburgh and I-76 (the Pennsylvania Turnpike), with three exits into Downtown: Second Avenue (right lane exit), Grant Street (left lane exit), and Stanwix Street (left lane exit). I-376 is also the best option for coming in from the airport and western suburbs, coming across the Fort Pitt Bridge (take the middle lane to exit into Downtown). I-279 (Parkway North/West) is your best option for coming in from the north - either exit on I-579 (the Veterans Bridge) or continue across the Fort Duquesne Bridge and exit there. From the southeast, Liberty Ave (which enters the Liberty Tunnel and then becomes the Liberty Bridge) is a good option.

By public transit
Because most bus routes terminate downtown, it is usually easy to access from any direction. From the south or the stadiums to the north, Pittsburgh's light rail system ("The T") provides quick access, with four stops in the district: First Avenue, Steel Plaza, Wood Street, and Gateway Center. From the east, the MLK East Busway (bus rapid transit, or BRT, line) provides traffic-free service to a few East End communities. To the west, the West Busway operates on a separate right-of-way for most of its trip. There is also a South Busway, though it is less useful.

If you're flying into Pittsburgh, the Route 28X Airport Flyer will bring you directly downtown from Pittsburgh International Airport, via the West Busway.

Get around
Downtown Pittsburgh is optimal for walking as it is small (covering approximately 0.7 square miles) and very dense.

Taxis are more difficult to come by and typically accessed by request at one of the various hotels.

Buses are the norm downtown as well as the light rail/subway ("The T") which has three subway stops at Steel Plaza (Grant St. and Oliver Ave.), Wood Street (and Sixth Ave.), and Gateway Center (Liberty Ave. and Stanwix St.), as well as a surface station at First Ave (and B St.) Fares on buses and "The T" are free within downtown.

Architecture
Anyone interested in American architecture will love downtown Pittsburgh; there are numerous prime examples of 19th-century and early 20th-century architecture scattered throughout the area, as well as many notable and interesting structures of more recent times.

Point State Park

Point State Park is a delightful 36-acre park located at the tip of downtown where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers join to form the Ohio. Lawns, gardens, riverfront promenades, and sweeping views of the rivers, hillsides, bridges, and skyscrapers of Pittsburgh make it a very scenic place to stroll and relax. At the park's apex, where the three rivers meet, is a large fountain.

The Point has a very rich history, as indicated by the many plaques and monuments throughout the park. In the 1700s the Point was a very strategic location for the British and French forces in North America to claim control of this portion of the continent. George Washington, who at the time was fighting for the British, said:

 * I spent some time in viewing the rivers, and the land in the fork; which I think extremely well situated for a fort, as it has absolute command of both rivers. -- journal entry by George Washington, November 1753

In 1754 the French built Fort Duquesne at the Point. George Washington was sent to capture the fort, but suffered his only defeat before he could reach the Point, at Fort Necessity 50 miles to the southeast. Other British attacks in the area were repelled until 1758 when a large British force led by John Forbes threatened the fort, forcing the French to burn down Fort Duquesne and abandon the site just before the British arrived. Soon Fort Pitt, one of the most elaborate British forts constructed in North America, was built on the site.

Fort Pitt lasted for several decades, defending the small settlement on the Point against various Native American attacks and serving the Americans as a headquarters for the western theatre of the Revolutionary War before being decommissioned in 1792. The growing settlement of Pittsburgh built on top of the remains of the old forts. The Point was occupied by commercial and industrial structures until the 1950s, when the city used eminent domain to acquire the land and construct the current park.

Performing Arts
The northern part of downtown (along Penn Avenue) is the Cultural District, where you can see symphony orchestra performances, opera, plays and many other events.

Festivals and events

 * During the summer, Market Square and Mellon Square play host to free concerts and other events.
 * Christmastime in Downtown can be quite fun. Among all the holiday decorations, there are a few highlights: At PPG Place, the fountain in the plaza is turned into an ice skating rink, the lobby of One PPG Place (the tall building) holds a massive holiday display, and throughout the complex are displays of beautiful gingerbread houses created by local school children. The U.S. Steel Tower puts up a nativity scene (creche) just outside the building which is a reproduction of the one at the Vatican.
 * During the summer, Market Square and Mellon Square play host to free concerts and other events.
 * Christmastime in Downtown can be quite fun. Among all the holiday decorations, there are a few highlights: At PPG Place, the fountain in the plaza is turned into an ice skating rink, the lobby of One PPG Place (the tall building) holds a massive holiday display, and throughout the complex are displays of beautiful gingerbread houses created by local school children. The U.S. Steel Tower puts up a nativity scene (creche) just outside the building which is a reproduction of the one at the Vatican.
 * Christmastime in Downtown can be quite fun. Among all the holiday decorations, there are a few highlights: At PPG Place, the fountain in the plaza is turned into an ice skating rink, the lobby of One PPG Place (the tall building) holds a massive holiday display, and throughout the complex are displays of beautiful gingerbread houses created by local school children. The U.S. Steel Tower puts up a nativity scene (creche) just outside the building which is a reproduction of the one at the Vatican.

Buy
Downtown doesn't have a particularly impressive shopping scene; shops here mostly cater to office workers and are usually run-of-the-mill places - copy stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, the like. Macy's (formerly Kaufmann's), the last of the big Downtown department stores, closed in 2015 when Macy's sold the property. However, there are some small, interesting shops scattered around. Most shops of interest to the visitor are located along Smithfield Street or in the "Cultural District" along Penn Avenue.

Sleep
There are many hotels in downtown Pittsburgh, from the venerable old Omni William Penn, where innumerable political deals were cut and business deals sealed, to the Wyndham Grand hotel near Point State Park.

Stay safe
Although nightlife Downtown has improved significantly in the past few years, it is still primarily a business district, which means much of it becomes largely deserted after 6PM. While violent crime is fairly rare here, be cautious and aware of your surroundings while walking around at night.

Connect
Almost all of downtown has Wi-Fi which can be accessed free for two hours daily.

title: Pittsburgh/Downtown


text:
Pittsburgh/Strip District-Lawrenceville

The Strip District and Lawrenceville are two prominent neighborhoods on the eastern side of Pittsburgh, in an area with many former industrial and warehouse districts where many immigrant workers lived. Today evidence of their cultures are prevalent throughout the area, and with the departure of much of Pittsburgh's industry many of the former factories and warehouses have been converted into restaurants, shops, offices, and residential units. The region also includes the restaurants and shops of rapidly gentrifying East Liberty, Bloomfield, and Garfield.

Understand
The Strip District is a bustling warehouse district just northeast of Downtown Pittsburgh, situated along the Allegheny River from 11th to around 31st Streets. The neighborhood has traditionally been a wholesale and retail place for fresh vegetables, fish, and meat. Today it also has many restaurants and nightclubs. If you like to cook this is definitely the place to go: Everything from freshly made sausage to bamboo shoots to expensive cooking gadgets to cut flowers can be found here. Gourmet coffee places mix with Martini bars and pottery stores and ethnic groceries jumble up together. It's also an excellent place to street watch, what with the mix of businesses, people, and a lot of creative marketeers including streetside accordionists. Some of the streets are paved with Belgian block - stone used as ballast for empty boats coming from Europe up the Mississippi and the Ohio via New Orleans.

Lawrenceville, on the Allegheny River just north of the Strip District, is one of the oldest and largest neighborhoods in the city of Pittsburgh with approximately 11,000 residents and three business districts. Butler Street from 34th Street to 62nd Street contains most of the shops, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and neighborhood-serving businesses. Penn Avenue from 34th to Friendship Avenue contains some art studios, coffee shops, funky bars, and ethnic restaurants. Liberty Avenue from 33rd Street to the Bloomfield Street Bridge features some artisan studios and restaurants. Lawrenceville is the most notable example of gentrification in Pittsburgh, as the neighborhood has become known as one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city, with many young entrepreneurs having moved in. There is a large, vibrant art community in the neighborhood, and galleries and studios attract people to art openings and events.

Bloomfield is often referred to as Pittsburgh's "Little Italy." The area was occupied by German immigrants in the late 1700s. Irish immigrants later followed after the civil war. In the late 1800s, millworkers in nearby Lawrenceville constructed small row houses designed for single families and businesses in the style of their homeland. Prior to World War I, Liberty Avenue consisted mostly of German businesses. After the war, however, the neighborhood began to take on its Italian identity. Today, well-maintained rowhouses sit along quaint, narrow streets. Here homes are often passed down through families, and grandchildren usually live just a few blocks from grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. By the late 2010s, the neighborhood had been gentrified, and the Liberty Avenue business district now houses trendy bars, shops, and restaurants alongside a few Italian holdovers.

Other neighborhoods in the region include East Liberty, a neighborhood with a prominent business district which gentrified rapidly in the 2000s. This district, contiguous with the affluent Shadyside neighborhood, has become a haven for restaurants and stores (including the only Target and Trader Joe's locations in the city proper). Gentrification has spread west on Penn Ave. to Garfield, whose main business district (contiguous with Bloomfield and Friendship) features a row of art galleries, coffeehouses, and restaurants. Sandwiched between East Liberty, Garfield, Bloomfield, and Shadyside is the tiny, mostly residential neighborhood of Friendship.

Also in the area are Polish Hill, and the affluent Highland Park neighborhood, which surrounds the park of the same name.

By car
From downtown, simply take Liberty Avenue or Penn Avenue (they're parallel streets) east. You'll pass right through the Strip District. Stay on Liberty Avenue to get to Bloomfield. To get to Lawrenceville, get on Penn Avenue and continue east. Make a left on to Butler Street to get to Upper Lawrenceville, and continue on Butler to get to Highland Park and the Zoo. Staying on Penn Avenue will take you to Garfield and East Liberty.

By public transit
The 86, 87, 88 and 91 Port Authority bus routes serve the Strip and Lawrenceville quite well. Further east, the East Busway routes (including the P1 or P2 to Downtown and the P3 to Oakland) serve East Liberty. The 71B serves East Liberty and the Highland Park area. The 54 connects the Strip to the North Side, Oakland and the South Side.

Buy
Some of the city's most active business districts are in this area, attracting shoppers from nearby and all over the Pittsburgh region. The Strip in particular contains a huge number of shops, especially ethnic groceries (Italian, Slavic, and Asian). Street vendors also line the sidewalks, especially on Saturdays, and sell almost everything from cookies to clothes to crafts. Bloomfield, along Liberty Ave., also has plenty of small shops and grocery stores.

Eat
Here you will find a diverse array of cuisines, thanks to the diverse cultural history of the area. Bloomfield, as Pittsburgh's Little Italy, is best known for its Italian restaurants, however expect to find a wide variety of other restaurants to meet your needs.

Connect
In addition to the many cafes in the area with wifi for their customers, the branches of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh also offer free wireless.

title: Pittsburgh/Strip District-Lawrenceville


text:
Pittsburgh/Oakland

Oakland is a bustling college neighborhood on the eastern side of Pittsburgh, home to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. The surrounding area is made up of several distinct (and quieter) neighborhoods, including the pleasant districts of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside. Three other college campuses are located in the area: Carlow University is immediately west of the University of Pittsburgh's campus in Oakland, Chatham University's city campus is in the northernmost portion of Squirrel Hill, and Duquesne University is in Uptown, near Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle.

Understand

The primary attraction here for visitors and residents is the neighborhood of Oakland, home to Pittsburgh's two major universities and several major museums. Once the edge of the city, Andrew Carnegie set it up to be a cultural center with the founding of the Carnegie museums and libraries. The neighborhood continued to grow as Pittsburgh's cultural center with the growth of universities in the area, most notably the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon. Today, the area is full of ethnic diversity, students, and others seeking out culture.

East of Oakland are many smaller neighborhoods. Many of these neighborhoods are affluent and suburban-like, with an educated professional populace and stately homes in good condition. Squirrel Hill, wedged between Frick and Schenley Parks, is one such neighborhood with plenty of lovely homes, shopping, and good ethnic restaurants. While the proximity to several major colleges makes the community a diverse one, the general ethnic identity of the neighborhood is Jewish. During various religious holidays and weekly periods of worship, the prevalence of the culture is obvious. Shadyside, just outside of Oakland, is well known in the city for its shopping. Walnut Street, the core of Shadyside's shopping district, offers a bustling atmosphere of upscale boutiques, shops, lounges, and restaurants designed to suit the discriminating tastes of residents and visitors. Other neighborhoods of this type include Point Breeze and Regent Square, among others.

Immediately east of Downtown, and immediately west of Oakland, are the Hill District and Uptown. Uptown is home to Duquesne University.

By car
The area is directly accessible via the Parkway East (I-376). The interchange on the west end of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel leads you onto Forward Avenue, which takes you directly into Squirrel Hill. From the same exit, you can also head into neighboring Greenfield via Beechwood Blvd. and take the Greenfield Bridge into Schenley Park. The other interchange of note leads into Oakland, although the entry point is different depending on which direction you are travelling. Heading outbound from Downtown, one can exit directly onto Forbes Avenue into the heart of Oakland. Heading inbound, however, the exit will put you on Bates Street (Route 885 North) which leads up to the Boulevard of the Allies.

From Downtown, primary streets you can take to get into the district are the Boulevard of the Allies, Forbes Avenue (one-way west), Centre Avenue, or Bigelow Boulevard. Fifth Avenue runs parallel to Forbes Avenue, but is a one-way street westbound (towards Downtown) between Oakland and Downtown. On the east side of Oakland it is a two-way street and one of the primary routes used to reach Shadyside.

By bus
The Port Authority has several bus routes heading east from downtown through Oakland, making it a very convenient place to take public transit to. Any of the 61, 67 and 71 routes take you from downtown right into to the center of Oakland, and its only a 15-minute bus ride from downtown. The P3 takes the East Busway from Wilkinsburg directly to Oakland and back. The Airport Flyer 28X goes from the airport through downtown to Oakland. The 54 is a good north-south route through Oakland, taking you to South Side and the Strip District. Many other bus routes also pass through Oakland.

There are several buses routes that run through Shadyside, principally along Fifth Avenue, Ellsworth Avenue, and Centre Avenue. The 71B, 71D, and East Busway routes are all prominent routes that pass through Shadyside. For Squirrel Hill, any of the 61 routes will work fine.

Get around
Oakland is heavily congested, especially during school hours, as many are traveling here to either attend class or work at one of the many universities in the area. This is further complicated by a number of one-way streets: 5th Avenue is westbound only through most of Oakland, whereas Forbes is mostly eastbound. Parking can also be fairly difficult to find, unless you're willing to park in a garage. Most of the attractions and restaurants in Oakland are within walking distance of each other, so footing it is usually easiest.

Getting to other neighborhoods can (usually) be done easily by car. Squirrel Hill usually has ample surface parking, while in Shadyside it can be a hassle. Shadyside does have a parking garage, but of course it is more expensive.

If driving is not an option, not to worry- this area is one of the areas of Pittsburgh best served by bus.

The Carnegie
A large complex along Forbes Avenue between Craig Street and Schenley Plaza holds the Carnegie Museums as well as the Main Carnegie Library and a music hall.

Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History

A main attraction in Oakland and a highlight for any visit to Pittsburgh, these two museums sit in different wings of the same building, but blend together well and have a wealth of treasures.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has extensive exhibits covering the fields of paleontology, geology, mineralogy, and biology. Naturally, the highlight exhibits are the dinosaur halls on the first floor, which make up one of the best dinosaur skeleton collections in the world, thanks in large part to Andrew Carnegie's funding of scientific field work just as knowledge of dinosaurs became known to the world. Among the many specimens on display are complete skeletons of Diplodocus, Camarasaurus, and the most complete Apatosaurus skeleton in the world. These, along with the museum's Tyrannosaurus Rex, are all the original holotypes - the skeletons used to determine how each species lived. Other fossils include Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Allosaurus, and sea dinosaurs, along with other rare fossils. The museum has acquired a so-far unnamed species of Oviraptorosaurus, which will be used as a holotype for this species.

Also on the first floor is the excellent Hall of Minerals and Gems, where you'll see many exquisite and beautiful specimens, as well as a hall of fine jewelry. On the second floor, there are rooms full of habitat dioramas with North American and African animals, such as lions, zebras, polar bears, and many others. Of particular interest is a diorama of two lions attacking a man on a camel, a memorable display which predates the museum. The third floor has some changing exhibits and some interesting anthropological exhibits, with halls dedicated to ancient Egypt, the people of the Arctic, and Native Americans.

Not to be outdone by the Natural History Museum, the Carnegie Museum of Art is a world-class exhibit space with a permanent collection of paintings that include Rembrandts, Van Goghs, Cezannes, Picassos and many more. In addition it hosts temporary exhibits from other museums all over the world and funds the Carnegie International, a biennial staging of "the most important and prestigious international survey of contemporary art in North America." Most of the exhibit spaces are on the second floor, but on the first floor are the Halls of Sculpture and Architecture, which showcase other interesting works, both contemporary and classical.

Pitt campus
The main campus of the University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as "Pitt", comprises approximately 132 urban acres (0.53 km²), much of which is in Schenley Farms-Oakland Civic Center National Historic District. The university's centerpiece is the 42-story Cathedral of Learning, the second-tallest university building in the world, which serves as obvious a landmark for the explorer of Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, no matter where one is located. Pitt's campus has been termed "a theme park of replica buildings", and contains an eclectic mix of architecture that includes Greek revival, Neogothic, Italian Renaissance, Brutalist, and modern. Many of the University of Pittsburgh buildings are accessible to the public and are within short walking distance of each other. Scattered throughout the campus are many noted works by master blacksmith Samuel Yellin, stained glass artist Charles Connick, sculptor Tony Smith, and sculptor and enamelist Virgil Cantini. The campus is also adjacent to the major attractions in the Carnegie Museum complex and Schenley Park.

Off-campus on Pittsburgh's North Side, is the university's Allegheny Observatory, an active and historic astronomy observatory in Riverview Park.

Carnegie Mellon University campus
The Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) campus lies just to the southeast of Oakland between Oakland and Schenley Park, and has some sights to see and nice architecture to take in. With a few exceptions, most Carnegie Mellon buildings are in the neoclassical style, with tan brick walls, hardwood doors, and iron railings. Nearly all the buildings demand a certain amount of exploration, with many hidden corners and interesting spots.

 * . Starting from the intersection of Forbes Avenue and Morewood Avenue, the Cut is a greenway which runs through the middle of the campus. The Cut used to be a small valley which was eventually filled in to be used as green space. The entrance to the Cut is clearly marked by the Walking to the Sky statue, a copy of the original by Jonathan Borofsky which shows a group of people walking up a steel pole. In the middle of the Cut is The Fence, a hand-painted fence which is adorned by various student messages and announcements on an ever-growing coat of paint.

 * Turning right at the Fence, you will see at the end of the greenway. Its distinctive tower, which makes it one of the more visible buildings on campus, was built for an interesting function - to hide a large smokestack which emerges from the building (Carnegie was a titan of industry, after all).
 * , a Brutalist-style building just north of Hammerschlag Hall, which is home to the School of Computer Science. Inside you will find some unique features, such as displays on the history of computers and the world's first internet-enabled soda vending machine. The building to the north of Wean Hall (and down a very steep hill) is, home to the Robotics Institute. If you can find the main entrance to the building, you may come across their "Roboceptionist", a computer program that greets you and answers questions.
 * On the eastern side of the Fence is the, which holds some reproductions of classical sculpture inside. To the east of the Fine Arts building is a labyrinthine garden atop and just down the street is , home to the Carnegie Mellon School of Design, with a nice entrance rotunda and interesting artwork inside.

Performing arts

 * Check for rotating professional performances and events scheduled at the and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in addition to major concerts at the Petersen Events Center.
 * Check for rotating professional performances and events scheduled at the and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in addition to major concerts at the Petersen Events Center.
 * Check for rotating professional performances and events scheduled at the and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in addition to major concerts at the Petersen Events Center.
 * Check for rotating professional performances and events scheduled at the and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in addition to major concerts at the Petersen Events Center.
 * Check for rotating professional performances and events scheduled at the and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in addition to major concerts at the Petersen Events Center.
 * Check for rotating professional performances and events scheduled at the and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in addition to major concerts at the Petersen Events Center.
 * Check for rotating professional performances and events scheduled at the and Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in addition to major concerts at the Petersen Events Center.

Events

 * Walnut Street Jam, hosted the last Saturdays of June, July, and August. Local bands play on Walnut Street in Shadyside, which is closed to vehicular traffic, and beer is allowed on the street.
 * Walnut Street Jam, hosted the last Saturdays of June, July, and August. Local bands play on Walnut Street in Shadyside, which is closed to vehicular traffic, and beer is allowed on the street.
 * Walnut Street Jam, hosted the last Saturdays of June, July, and August. Local bands play on Walnut Street in Shadyside, which is closed to vehicular traffic, and beer is allowed on the street.

Oakland
Oakland is a book lover's dream. Sample any of the many used book stores to see what treasure you can find.

Shadyside
Shadyside has two shopping districts: the Walnut St. district specializing in apparel, and variety stores, and the Ellsworth Ave. district specializing in art galleries.

 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).
 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).
 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).
 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).
 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).
 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).
 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).
 * Brand stores on Walnut St. include, , and the (Native American art).

Oakland
Put some 20,000 college students in a small urban area and you can be sure you won't go hungry. Or thirsty. If you've outgrown college food and college bars there are also a number of very good restaurants in the area. There is always The O, the place for some of the best fries in Pittsburgh. All along Craig Street and Forbes Avenue are restaurants ranging from Chinese and middle eastern to Subway. Here is a small sample of what's there:

 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.
 * There are also many restaurant chains along Forbes Avenue southwest of the Pitt campus, including Chipotle, Q'Doba, Five Guys Burgers, McDonald's, Arbys, and Panera Bread.

Squirrel Hill
Squirrel Hill is home to a diverse assortment of cafes and restaurants - from kosher to Asian to Middle Eastern - along Forbes and Murray Avenues.

Sleep
Since Oakland is a "college town", as well as a center of research and technology, there are some accommodations including most of the big name chain hotels. In addition the area has very frequent bus connections to Downtown which is only a ten or fifteen minute ride to all the large downtown hotels.

Connect
In addition to the many cafes in the area with wifi for their customers, there is also free wifi available along Walnut Street in Shadyside and in Schenley Plaza.

The branches of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh also offer free wireless.

title: Pittsburgh/Oakland


text:
Pittsburgh/North Side

North Side is an area of Pittsburgh, just across the Allegheny River from Downtown. In years past it was the independent city of Allegheny, but has long been incorporated into the City of Pittsburgh itself. Today it is home to many of the city's museums, the stadiums of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Steelers, historic neighborhoods and much development, including a splendid riverfront promenade.

By car
From Downtown there are several bridges you can use to cross the Allegheny River. The most direct is I-279 (the Fort Duquesne Bridge), a freeway bridge that will connect directly to the stadium area and with other freeways heading north. Another fast option is the I-579 bridge, another freeway which takes you directly from the Downtown area into North Side. From Downtown directly there are three bridges which carry street traffic - the 6th St. Bridge (also known as the Roberto Clemente Bridge), 7th St. Bridge (or the Andy Warhol Bridge), and 9th St. Bridge (or the Rachel Carson Bridge). All three are nearly identical historic steel suspension bridges of an interesting design. The 6th St. Bridge is closed to vehicular traffic during Pirates and Steelers games.

To the west of Downtown is the West End Bridge, which crosses the Ohio River and connects to the South Side area. To the east of Downtown are two bridges which link the North Side to the Strip District - the 16th St. Bridge and the 31st St. Bridge.

By public transit
From Downtown, the 8, 11 and 16 Port Authority bus routes are good, frequent routes which will bring you directly to the North Side. The 8 is also the best option for visiting Riverview Park. The 54 will get you directly from the Strip.

The Port Authority "T" light rail line goes from downtown underneath the Allegheny River to the North Side, with two stops. The North Side Station puts you within easy walking distance of PNC Park and the Andy Warhol Museum, while the Allegheny Station serves Acrisure Stadium, the Carnegie Science Center and Rivers Casino.

On foot
Due to the proximity of most North Side attractions to Downtown, it is quite easy to get from there into North Side by walking. Four bridges - the I-279, 6th St., 7th St., and 9th St. Bridges - have pedestrian walkways. During Pirates and Steelers games, the 6th St. Bridge is closed to vehicular traffic, making it a pedestrian bridge.

title: Pittsburgh/North Side


text:
Pittsburgh/South Side

South Side is the southern region of Pittsburgh, south of the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. While this article covers the entire southern region of the city, "South Side" usually refers to a popular neighborhood directly across the Monongahela River from Downtown.

Understand
The South Side neighborhood contains more restaurants and bars than perhaps anywhere else in the city. It is along the Monongahela River, extending from Station Square about 30 blocks to the east, and extending inland several blocks from the river. The central artery is East Carson street on which most of the restaurants and bars are located. Historically the neighborhood was home to the millworkers for the steel mills that once lined the Monongahela River. Since most of these workers came from eastern Europe there is a European feel to the neighborhood, with small rowhomes, dozens of churches of various ethnic persuasions and even more neighborhood bars and small shops all mixed together.

Today the mills are gone and shops and restaurants are springing up in their place. The area is an interesting place to wander and people-watch. It is one of the few places in Pittsburgh where, in the summer, people eat and drink at tables outside restaurants. The South Side is divided into two main sections, aptly named the "Flats" and the "Slopes". The flats, closer to the river, contain shops, bars, restaurants as well as many interesting homes and apartments. Further south from the river, the Slopes climb uphill; hundreds and hundreds of narrow, tall homes, cheek-to-jowl with one another, perch precariously on the hillside. There are dozens of streets and pseudo-streets (steep concrete and wooden stairs maintained by the city) which residents use to get up and down.

West of South Side is Mount Washington, both a sight and a place to see from. The bluff rises, in some places almost vertically, 500 feet (150 m) above the river valley. It offers a spectacular view of the rivers and of the downtown area. Atop this geologic structure is a large district of residential homes, commercial businesses, apartment buildings, and a number of popular restaurants that share the beautiful view of the valley and the city. Mount Washington was once called Coal Hill because of the generous coal seams it contained (since mined). It was, and to some extent still is, one of the major residential areas for the people that worked in Pittsburgh's industrial plants and offices. Today it is most famous for the two incline railways that climb the steep slopes facing downtown and the rivers.

West and south of South Side and Mount Washington are numerous small residential neighborhoods, many of them quite hilly, which don't contain many attractions for the average tourist.

By car
From Downtown or northern and eastern neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, go south across the Monongahela or Ohio Rivers. There are six bridges you can use to cross the Monongahela River, and one bridge crossing the Ohio River. Most intersect with Carson Street after you cross the river. From west to east the bridges are:
 * The West End Bridge, which connects directly to the North Side over the Ohio River.
 * The Fort Pitt Bridge (I-376) from downtown, which has an exit onto westbound Carson Street.
 * The Smithfield Street Bridge, which will take you from downtown directly to Station Square.
 * The Liberty Bridge, which takes you from the east side of downtown. This is the only bridge into this area that doesn't intersect with Carson Street; rather it intersects PJ McArdle Road. From downtown, turning right onto PJ McArdle Roadway will take you up to Mount Washington. No left turn is permitted from the Liberty Bridge onto PJ McArdle Roadway.
 * The 10th Street Bridge, which takes you from the Duquesne University area into South Side.
 * The 22nd Street Bridge (also known as the Birmingham Bridge), which takes you from I-376 at the foot of Oakland into South Side.
 * The Hot Metal Bridge (so-named because it was used to transport ladles of molten steel from the blast furnace on one side of the river to the rolling mill on the other), which takes you from I-376 south of Oakland into South Side.

In the South Side flats you can sometimes find on-street parking on the side streets and there are also some metered parking lots.

By public transit
Pittsburgh's light rail system, "The T", runs from downtown into the South Side. Immediately after crossing the Monongahela River, both lines stop at Station Square, then proceed into a transit-only tunnel under Mount Washington and come out at the South Hills Junction station on the other side before they split apart into the suburbs south of Pittsburgh.

Or, you can take the 48 or 51 bus routes to get from downtown past Station Square and down Carson Street right into the heart of the South Side neighborhood. The 54 will get you from South Side to other popular destinations such as Oakland.

On foot
From Downtown, one can easily walk to Station Square via the Smithfield Street Bridge, and from Station Square take the Monogahela Incline railway up to Mount Washington. South Side, however, can be a little out of walking distance depending on how much you're willing to walk (the 48 or 51 bus routes can help in this regard).

Get around
In the case of Mount Washington, getting there is half the fun. Many people take one of two incline railways, each a mile apart, to the neighborhoods atop Mount Washington:

 * The is probably the most direct from downtown and the more tourist oriented, rising from near Station Square to Grandview Avenue in the neighborhood of Mount Washington. This incline is operated by the Port Authority, so transfers and passes good for the bus and light rail system will apply to rides on the incline as well. Fares are $3.50 for an adult, and $2.50 for a child or person with a disability (Jun 2022).
 * The goes to Grandview Avenue in the Duquesne Heights neighborhood has the better view from the top, able to see down all three river valleys. This incline is operated by a non-profit group and not the Port Authority, but Port Authority transfers and passes are accepted. Fares are $2.50 for an adult ($5 round-trip), $1.25 for a child ($2.50 round-trip), free for seniors (Jun 2022).

Both inclines are funicular railways that scale the side of the mount. At the peak of the industrial era, a number of similar inclines transported workers from the top of the mount to the South Side "flats", where they either walked across one of the bridges, or took a streetcar to their work. Today the Duquesne Incline and Monongahela Incline are the only two inclines remaining.

For the less adventurous, one may "mount the mount" in an automobile. Also if you are willing to go out of the way for a picturesque view one would probably take the car farther up the side of the river to Fineview. Take the Liberty Bridge from Downtown south, across the Monongahela river; just before you would enter the Liberty Tunnel--don't--instead turn right and go up the McArdle roadway. Don't let the driver watch the expanding view as you travel up the face of the mount.

Once in South Side or atop Mount Washington, the best way to get around is usually just to walk. Most of the streets are perfectly suitable for walking and everything is close together. The South Side Riverfront Trail runs along the south shore of the Monongahela River from the Duquesne Incline east through Station Square and South Side, and can be accessed from Station Square, 4th Street, 9th Street, 18th Street, 26th Street, and Hot Metal Street. The distance from Station Square and Mount Washington to the heart of the South Side neighborhood can be a little much to walk though; the 51A and 51C Port Authority bus routes will cover that distance along Carson Street.

See

Buy
Shops are strung out along E Carson St. from about 10th St. to 27th. An unbelievable melange of quirky shops, used book stores, tattoo parlors, mystic readers, and... well you get the idea.

Eat
There are numerous restaurants in South Side and on Mount Washington, from small neighborhood spots to grand cuisine. The locals are very friendly and will be happy to tell you their favorites. In South Side, there are restaurants of all kinds throughout the neighborhood, particularly along Carson St. For restaurants on Mount Wasington, visitors -- especially the well-heeled -- will want to try one of the popular restaurants along the edge of the bluff to take in the view while they dine. For those on a budget, take the incline up from Station Square, walk along Grandview Ave. and enjoy the view, then wander farther south (back from the bluff) along almost any street and you will find modest restaurants of all types.

Drink
There are so many bars and restaurants along Carson Street that if you attempted to have one drink in each—-people have attempted—-you would not make it nearly from one end to the other before requiring assistance. The street traffic on a weekend night can be formidable, but fun if you have the right constitution. A few major ones have been listed but walk the area and you're bound to find a spot that suits your fancy.

Connect
The branches of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh offer free wireless.

title: Pittsburgh/South Side


text:
Pittsburgh Region

The Pittsburgh Region is the most southwestern part of Pennsylvania. It is an area rich with history and scenery, home to the metropolitan area of Pittsburgh, old industrial towns, and some of the highest elevations in the state.

Understand
Pittsburgh and its surrounding area has a distinct regional identity and has historically been regarded as a transitional region within the Northeastern United States. The region's counties also fall within the borders of Appalachia as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission. The City of Pittsburgh has been characterized as the "northern urban industrial anchor of Appalachia" which makes it an anomaly compared to much of Appalachia which has traditionally been characterized as southern, rural, and economically distressed.

title: Pittsburgh Region


text:
Pittsfield

Pittsfield is a small city in western Massachusetts. It is the largest city in Berkshire County and home to Berkshire Community College.

By plane

 * Albany International Airport, Albany, New York. (About away)
 * Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Connecticut. (About away)

By car
Pittsfield is on Routes 20 and 7, accessible via Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) Exit 2.

By train

 * Route stopping at Pittsfield:
 * Lake Shore Limited operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer).  The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City.  Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and Boston include Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham.
 * Lake Shore Limited operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer).  The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City.  Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and Boston include Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham.

By bus
Pittsfield is served by several intercity bus lines offering regular service to Boston, New York, Albany, Hartford and points in between.

Get around
''You will need to call a taxi in order to be picked up, instead of flagging one. Be warned that during inclement weather or rush hour the wait for a taxi to arrive can easily be a half-hour or longer.''
 * The Pittsfield Visitors Center, 111 South Street (Route 7) in the lobby of the newly renovated Colonial Theatre downtown, +1 413 443-9186, x232 or x324.
 * The Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center, 1 Columbus Avenue, the hub for the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority. The BRTA offers service stretching from North Adams above Pittsfield, down to Great Barrington below it. Service runs roughly from 6AM to 7PM, with trips usually running once an hour, though it can vary by route. There is no service on Sundays. Fares are $1.25 per city traveled, with half-fare for seniors, and discounted to $1.05 if you buy a 20-fare passcard. The buses are generally clean and quiet, and only heavily occupied during rush hour times.
 * Rainbow Taxi can be reached at +1 413 499-4300.
 * Arrow Taxi can be reached at +1 413 499-8604
 * Walking is also an option, as the city is fairly small and safe. Many parts of the city are reachable with an hour or less of walking, especially if you're staying at the Crowne Plaza.

See
Note that if you have a library card from one of the libraries in the C/W MARS network, or know someone who is willing to use theirs for you, you can get free or reduced cost passes to several of the museums and historical homes/sites listed here.

 * Artscape, a self-guided tour of artwork in downtown Pittsfield.
 * Artscape, a self-guided tour of artwork in downtown Pittsfield.

Tennis courts

 * first come - first serve

 * Herberg Middle School, 501 Pomeroy Avenue.
 * Lakewood Park, Newell Street.
 * Pittsfield High School, 300 East Street.
 * Ponterril Tennis Courts, East Acres Road.
 * Taconic High School, 96 Valentine Road.

Buy

 * See also the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Rt. 8. If you're travelling via the BRTA, note that this counts as a two-city trip even though the mall is literally just over the Lanesborough border. If you want to save a couple bucks, it is allowed to get off before the border (or even back at Allendale) and walk, though beware that there will be no sidewalk and no crosswalks.
 * See also the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Rt. 8. If you're travelling via the BRTA, note that this counts as a two-city trip even though the mall is literally just over the Lanesborough border. If you want to save a couple bucks, it is allowed to get off before the border (or even back at Allendale) and walk, though beware that there will be no sidewalk and no crosswalks.
 * See also the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Rt. 8. If you're travelling via the BRTA, note that this counts as a two-city trip even though the mall is literally just over the Lanesborough border. If you want to save a couple bucks, it is allowed to get off before the border (or even back at Allendale) and walk, though beware that there will be no sidewalk and no crosswalks.
 * See also the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Rt. 8. If you're travelling via the BRTA, note that this counts as a two-city trip even though the mall is literally just over the Lanesborough border. If you want to save a couple bucks, it is allowed to get off before the border (or even back at Allendale) and walk, though beware that there will be no sidewalk and no crosswalks.
 * See also the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Rt. 8. If you're travelling via the BRTA, note that this counts as a two-city trip even though the mall is literally just over the Lanesborough border. If you want to save a couple bucks, it is allowed to get off before the border (or even back at Allendale) and walk, though beware that there will be no sidewalk and no crosswalks.
 * See also the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Rt. 8. If you're travelling via the BRTA, note that this counts as a two-city trip even though the mall is literally just over the Lanesborough border. If you want to save a couple bucks, it is allowed to get off before the border (or even back at Allendale) and walk, though beware that there will be no sidewalk and no crosswalks.
 * See also the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough off Rt. 8. If you're travelling via the BRTA, note that this counts as a two-city trip even though the mall is literally just over the Lanesborough border. If you want to save a couple bucks, it is allowed to get off before the border (or even back at Allendale) and walk, though beware that there will be no sidewalk and no crosswalks.

Stay safe
Pittsfield is for the most part a sleepy city with a low crime rate, and usually safe to walk through even after dark, but you may want to exercise some caution while on the side of the city west of North Street late at night, or when in the neighborhoods along and off of Linden, Lincoln, and Tyler St. and Dewey and Madison Av.

Also of concern is the PCB contamination caused by General Electric's toxic waste dumping during the middle decades of the 1900s. While much of it has since been cleaned up, there are still a few areas that are not safe for human activity. One main one is the Housatonic River, which is still dirty and contaminated; do not fish, swim, wade, etc. in the river waters or any ponds or flood plains that spring from it. The other main one is Silver Lake. While it looks cleaner and is worth driving past because the area is scenic and has many geese and ducks, it too is not safe for swimming, wading, picnicking, etc. There are a few other areas still contaminated as well, mainly around the river; basically, if you see a sign saying the area is contaminated or has PCBs, heed it. Onota and Pontoosuc offer plenty of safe water to frolic in, and there's no shortage of pretty places to walk in Pittsfield, so you won't be missing much.

Go next
The Pioneer Valley and Boston are both close by to the east, roughly an hour and two-hour drive, respectively. To the west, Albany is reachable with around an hour's drive.

title: Pittsfield