Dashboard

Pittsburgh’s staggering array of world-class cultural institutions is one of its greatest strengths and biggest draws, far outweighing what you’d expect to find in a city of 300,000 people. Here are some of the highlights and unique attractions visitors can look forward to experiencing:

• The Andy Warhol Museum – One not to miss, this celebration of the life and legacy of Pittsburgh’s most famous son, the pop artist Andy Warhol, is the most comprehensive museum in the world dedicated to a single artist.

• The Carnegie Museum of Art – Open 10am-5pm (closed Tuesdays), the Carnegie is home to an incredible collection of great works and hosts some of the city’s biggest temporary exhibitions, including the annual Carnegie International (September). Also see The Frick Pittsburgh.

• Randyland – located at 1501 Arch St, what was once a regular residential property on an otherwise unremarkable street has been transformed by its artist occupant Randy Gilson into a technicolour shrine of outsider art, daring designs and kitsch sculptures that can be toured inside and out.

• ‍Pittsburgh University’s Nationality Rooms – Serviced by guided tours, the elaborately-designed rooms in question, which are still in use, have been designed to reflect the countries that oversaw their makeover, from Greek and Armenian to Hungarian and Indian. The surrounding area is great for a relaxing stroll, too.

• Saint Anthony’s Chapel – Home to the largest collection of religious artefacts outside of the Vatican.

‍

‍

From its excellent parks and family-friendly eateries to seasonal activities such as sledding and skating, Pittsburgh is a great choice for clients with children of all ages. Better still, there are some world-class indoor attractions to keep the little ones occupied and entertained whatever the weather or season. Below are some of the best attractions to recommend:

• Carnegie Science Center – Home to the World’s largest permanent robotics exhibition, star of the show is the Robot Hall of Fame showcasing movie giants such as C-3PO of Star Wars fame. There’s much to enjoy, from industrious residents such as Robo-Cow to the recently added, human-sized MoBots such as Sweet Lips and Raven. The interactive exhibits on the Fourth floor are particularly great for families with small children.

• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh – From its LEED-accredited sustainable design to the wide range of temporary and permanent interactive exhibits, this Pittsburgh gem serves up its educational offerings with a big dollop of fun and it’s a great option to keep in mind for days when the weather’s not playing ball. Options for older kids include museumlab and it’s even got a great café, Bean Sprouts.

‍

• Moonshot Museum – Opened in 2022, this educational experience, located inside Astrobotic’s headquarters in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighbourhood, will be a great pick for older children to come up close and behind the scenes to Pittsburgh's 21st century space industry.

• Explore the three rivers – From boat tours with Gateway Clipper and Cruisin’ Tikis to kayaking and SUP excursions, there’s no shortage of ways to drink up the city’s three iconic waterways, the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers.

• Gaze upon the Bridges – As previously mentioned, the City of Bridges has no less than 446 of them so clients won’t struggle to get a taste. From walking, biking or driving across them to sailing or paddling under them they’re impossible to miss.

• Admire the architecture – From grand historic structures like the Pennsylvanian station building at 1100 Liberty Avenue to modern world class sustainable structures such as the greenhouse at the Botanic Gardens and The Tower at PNC Plaza, acclaimed as the World’s Greenest Skyscraper, Pittsburgh’s skyline is sure to leave an indelible mark. Suggest serious architecture fans make a side tour to visit the collection of residences built by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the country’s most famous architects, such as Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob.

• ‍Master the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines – Pittsburgh was once served by a large number of these inclines, ferrying workers to and from the centre. Today just two remain, the ‘Mon’ being the oldest continually operating funicular in the U.S. Riding these inclines is more than just a great experience and photo opportunity, it’s a convenient way to access the outlying districts.

‍Conquer the steepest street in the U.S. – No, it’s not Lombard Street in San Francisco, as some seem to think, it’s Canton Avenue, right here in Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighbourhood.‍

• Trails – From riverfront trails and easy hikes such as the paved Eliza Furnace Trail and Steel Valley Trail to the nearby Westmoreland Heritage Trail, starting from Saltsburg, there’s much to explore in the city and beyond. For clients really looking to get out into the surrounding nature, and get some miles in their legs, suggest the multi-day Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) trail. This epic route combines with the C&O Canal Towpath to connect Pittsburgh with Washington, D.C, the fall colours of autumn offering one of the most dramatic times to experience it.

Pittsburgh is known far and wide for its diverse, world class food and drink offering which is celebrated in its fun and flavoursome festival programme and the mouth-watering food tours offered by local operator ‘Burgh Bits & Bites'. Here are some of the hunger-quelling highlights clients can expect to find on their visit.

• The Strip District – a staple on food tours such as those run by ‘Burgh Bits & Bites, this former blue-collar neighbourhood is one of the city’s prime local foodie hotspots, a place clients will find celebrated Polish and Italian delis alongside local legends such as Primanti Brothers, with its famous grilled-meat sandwiches; the Enrico Biscotti Co; and classic diners such as DeLuca’s.

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Food courts and pops ups – Oxford Food Court in One Oxford Centre, at 301 Grant Street, is among the informal dining offerings offering a spread of options, great for grazing, breakfasts and lunches, and there’s also a bar. The two-storey Sienna Mercato at 942 Penn Avenue is a great option for Italian cuisine, home to three different offerings. Particularly worthy of note is Galley – Bakery Square, an innovative ‘incubator’ space in East Liberty helping establish the next wave of talented local chefs.

• Fine dining – While known primarily for its more affordable fair, Pittsburgh is not without its upscale options. Top picks include Le Mont at 1114 Grandview Avenue; The Twisted Frenchman, a modern French offering on the 2nd floor of 5925 Baum Boulevard, featuring exquisite tasting menus and a la carte options; and Altius, at 1230 Grandview Ave, which owes its name to the lofty city views it serves up alongside its high-end ‘modern American’ cuisine. All three are great options for wine and cocktail lovers, too. Other notable options include Soba with its dependable Asian cuisine.

• Food and drink festivals – There’s no shortage of fun and flavourful food-themed events either, from the two Pittsburgh Restaurant Week events, held in January and August, to August’s Picklesburgh and September’s dumpling-tastic Pierogi festival.

• Craft ale – With more than 40 craft breweries in the wider Allegheny County area, Pittsburgh is one of the best places in the U.S. to hail the ale. Local operators worth seeking out include East End Brewing and Church Brew Works, housed in an old church. Plus, events such as Beers of the Burgh (June) and Three Rivers Beer Week (October) make great hooks for trips

• Wigle Whiskey – Pittsburgh’s first whiskey distillery to have launched since before the days of Prohibition offers great browsing and makes an interesting choice for souvenirs

.

From mainstream music and food festivals to some delightfully niche and downright quirky options, Pittsburgh boasts a remarkably lively year-round events calendar, details of which can be found below:  

Food and drink – So good they run it twice, Pittsburgh Restaurant Week takes place in winter (January) and summer (August), the same month as the delightfully quirky Picklesburgh, followed hot on the heels by the Pittsburgh Pierogi Festival in Kennywood Park, celebrating the incredibly popular Polish dumplings (September). For those who like cheesy events, suggest the Pittsburgh Mac and Cheese Festival, set for April. And ale fans won’t want to miss Beers of the Burgh (June).

Music – Visit in June to experience two of the biggest events in town, Black Music Fest and Pride on the Shore. Other big draws include the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, held in September.

‍The Arts – The ten-day Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival (June) is where arts meets music, featuring a packed programme of performances and events. Other major crowd-pleasers include Shadyside… the Art Festival on Walnut Shade (August), with a spring spin off version held in May.

Automobiles – Notable fixtures in the calendar for petrol heads include Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix (July) and the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival. The latter is held on Coopers Lake Campground in Butler, about an hour north of Pittsburgh, where the pioneering design was born (June).

It’s not for nothing that Pittsburgh has been dubbed ‘Hollywood East’. The city has long been a favourite filming location for movie directors, appearing in everything from ‘80s movies such as Flashdance to superhero movies like Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises, so don’t be surprised if clients report experiencing some déjà vu on their visit. Other sites of interest for movie fans include Carnegie Science Center whose Robot Hall of Fame features movie giants such as C-3PO of Star Wars fame and Hal from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Steer clients looking to discover more towards themed tours such as Walk the Burgh’s two-hour Hollywood East Tour, focused on Downtown. Here are just some of the many movies the city has starred in or inspired.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Horror fans should beat a path to Evans City, Pennsylvania whose graveyard starred in the opening sequence of legendary zombie flick Night of the Living Dead. The movie’s legendary director George A Romero studied cinematography in Pittsburgh at what is now Carnegie Mellon University.

‍

Flashdance (1983) – Pittsburgh served as a gritty backdrop to this classic ‘80s movie. Key locations include Smithfield Street Bridge, which the main character Alex pedals across; Duquesne Incline, which she rides to visit Hanna; and Carnegie Music Hall, in Oakland district, which served as the fictional Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance and Repertory.

‍

Groundhog Day (1993) – This classic ‘90s movie starring Bill Murray features an early aerial shot of Pittsburgh. Better still, although the movie wasn’t actually filmed there, keen clients can take a detour to visit the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney where each February 2nd people really do gather to watch resident groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerge to give his weather predictions at Gobbler’s Knob.

‍

Wonder Boys (2000) – Michael Douglas may be the lead actor but Pittsburgh’s educational establishments such as Carnegie Mellon University, Shady Side Academy and Chatham College are the real stars. Other key locations include the red-brick home of Douglas’s character, Tripp, found at 359 South Atlantic Avenue, in Friendship district. Pittsburgh’s bridges, airport and skyline also feature prominently.

‍

Adventureland (2009) – Key locations include the 16th Street Bridge, where the character James enjoys his first kiss with Em; Jodi B’s Restaurant at 2600 Ardmore Boulevard, in the eastern district of Forest Hills, which stands in for the movie’s Velvet Touch restaurant; and the nearby Kennywood theme park.

‍

Warrior (2011) – Another gritty drama, this siblings fight flick featuring the British actor Tom Hardy showcases a wide range of Pittsburgh settings and backdrops. Key locations include Petersen Events Center; North Hills High School, used for the classroom scenes; and Don’s Diner, over on 1729 Eckert Street.

‍

The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – The Mellon Institute on Fifth Avenue, part of Carnegie Mellon University, doubles for Gotham City Hall in this Christopher Nolan blockbuster. Other key locations include Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, where the movie’s Gotham Rogues are based.

‍

Jack Reacher (2012) – Actor Tom Cruise's epic action movie makes excellent use of its numerous Pittsburgh backdrops, not least in its central car chase scene. Keep your eyes peeled for glimpses of some of the city’s iconic bridges; neighbourhoods such as Downtown and North Shore; and thoroughfares such as Smallman Street where our boy makes short work of his bar fight.

‍

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) – This much-loved, light-hearted drama, shot on location in Pittsburgh, showcases everywhere from Schenley High School (now apartments) and the lobby of the Fairmont Pittsburgh to The Corner, in Polish Hill. Other central spots include Rachel’s home at 1035 Murray Hill Avenue, its leafy Squirrel Hill location in stark contrast to Earl’s digs at 6 Wood Street, in nearby Braddock.