Pittsburgh: Weekend Getaway
Have you ever been a tourist in your home town?
Darren and I both grew up in the Pittsburgh area, but we both left after college. Despite being gone for decades, the city and its neighborhoods still feel like home. We remain die-hard Steelers fans and try to get to at least one game a year. PNC Park, home to the Pirates, is one of the prettiest stadiums in the country for its coziness and stunning skyline view. A long weekend at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers is not to be missed!
Missy Travel Tip: If possible, try to arrive from the south and enter through the Fort Pitt Tunnels. When you exit, the city appears as if by magic. But make sure your GPS is on so you get downtown and don’t accidently head to Monroeville.
Since we’re from Pittsburgh, friends often ask us what to do when they visit. There are a number of great options in the downtown area including:
The Steelers Hall of Honor Museum at Acrisure Stadium
The Andy Warhol Museum
The Kamin Science Center beside Acrisure, which is home to one of the best model train layouts in the world
The Strip District with its quirky shops and eateries
The Senator John Heinz History Center
The iconic Duquesne Incline to the top of Mount Washington and its incredible views of the city
Point State Park with the city’s famed fountain and Fort Pitt Museum
Station Square and the exquisite Grand Concourse restaurant, built in a restored train depot
The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and its charming Mr. Rogers Neighborhood collection
Some of our favorite restaurants are in Pittsburgh as well. The Double Wide Grill is a former gas station turned into a brew pub. The Church Brew Works is a former Catholic church that’s now a restaurant. The brewing tanks are where the pulpit and choir areas used to be!
Missy Travel Tip: If you can spend some extra time in western Pennsylvania, take a day trip to the Laurel Mountains. You can visit Seven Springs Ski Report, Ohiopyle and its white-water rafting, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpiece, Falling Water. They are all within close proximity and the scenery is stunning, especially in the spring and fall.
Darren and I both love Pittsburgh and try to visit at least once a year. We have dear friends there and always look forward to seeing them. See…you can go home again!
