Pittsburgh surprises almost everyone who comes. The city that visitors imagine as a steel town turns out to be a tight grid of hills, three rivers and hundreds of bridges, with cable cars up a cliff, a seven-floor museum for Andy Warhol and dinosaurs in a Gilded Age palace. The best things to do in Pittsburgh sit close together, so a long weekend covers more than you’d think. These are 70 of them, each with the neighborhood, the free or paid flag, how to get there by foot, the T, an incline or a bus, and who it suits.
Quick answer: Ride the Duquesne Incline up Mount Washington at dusk, walk Point State Park and across the Roberto Clemente Bridge to the Andy Warhol Museum, spend a Saturday morning in the Strip District, and give a day to Oakland’s Carnegie Museums, the Cathedral of Learning and Phipps Conservatory. Add a Pirates game at PNC Park, the Mattress Factory and Randyland on the North Side, and a Primanti Bros. sandwich somewhere along the way.
Last updated September 26, 2026. Hours, prices and closures were checked on September 24, 2026 against each attraction’s website and Pittsburgh Regional Transit.
- The T is free downtown: light rail rides are free between the North Shore and First Avenue, so the stadiums and the Kamin Science Center are a free ride from downtown hotels.
- Check closed days: the Carnegie Museums and the National Aviary close Tuesdays, the Mattress Factory Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Nationality Rooms office Tuesdays.
- New names: the Carnegie Science Center is now the Kamin Science Center, the History Center’s sports museum is now the Franco Harris Sports Museum, and the zoo is the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium.
- Flying in: Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal opened in November 2025.
On this page: At a glance | Downtown | Mount Washington and the South Side | North Shore and North Side | Strip District and Lawrenceville | Oakland | East End | Food | Sports and events | Beyond the center | Two-day route | Getting around | FAQ
Things to Do in Pittsburgh by Neighborhood
Downtown sits on the point of land where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio. Most sights are within a 30-minute walk of Market Square, and the rest are a short bus ride east to Oakland and beyond. Walking times below are from Market Square. Pittsburgh is one of the classic things to do in Pennsylvania for a reason, and it rewards a slower pace than most cities.
| Area | Highlights | From Market Square | Getting there | Picks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown and the Point | Point State Park, PPG Place, the Cultural District | 2 to 10 minutes on foot | Walk | 1-8 |
| Mount Washington and the South Side | The inclines, Grandview Avenue, Station Square | 15 to 30 minutes on foot | Walk, the T or an incline | 9-16 |
| North Shore and North Side | The Warhol, PNC Park, the Aviary, the Mattress Factory | 10 to 30 minutes on foot | Walk or the free T | 17-29 |
| Strip District and Lawrenceville | Markets, the History Center, Butler Street | 15 to 25 minutes on foot | Walk or bus | 30-34 |
| Oakland | Carnegie Museums, Cathedral of Learning, Phipps | About an hour on foot | PRT bus | 35-42 |
| East End | The zoo, the Frick, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill | Too far to walk | Bus or car | 43-49 |
| Food | Primanti’s, pierogies, fish fries | Citywide | Varies | 50-56 |
| Sports and events | Penguins, Light Up Night, festivals | Mostly downtown | Walk | 57-63 |
| Beyond the center | Carrie Furnaces, gardens, county parks | 15 to 60 minutes by car | Car | 64-70 |
Two nearby favorites, Kennywood, the classic trolley park 25 minutes from downtown, and Sandcastle water park, 15 minutes up the Monongahela, rank among the best amusement parks in Pennsylvania, and both get short entries near the end of this list. Fallingwater, about 1.5 hours southeast, heads most lists of things to do in the Laurel Highlands, and that region makes one of the easiest weekend getaways in Pennsylvania from the city.
Downtown and the Point (1-8)
Downtown, the “Golden Triangle,” is small enough to cross on foot in 15 minutes. Start at the Point and work back toward Market Square.
1. Point State Park
Free; spring to fall; a 9-minute walk from Market Square. The lawn at the tip of downtown, where the rivers meet, is the city’s front porch, with a big fountain at the point in the warm months and the 1764 Fort Pitt Block House, the oldest building in Pittsburgh. It’s also where the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail ends its 150-mile run from Maryland.
Plan it: 601 Commonwealth Place. Free, like every Pennsylvania state park. Allow an hour. Best for: first-timers, families.
2. Fort Pitt Museum
Paid; year-round; inside Point State Park. A small, well-made museum on the French and Indian War and the forts that stood at the Point, run by the Heinz History Center. It explains why George Washington and two empires cared so much about this spit of land.
Plan it: Open 10am to 5pm on the History Center’s listing as of September 2026. Allow an hour. Best for: history.
3. Market Square and PPG Place
Free; year-round, best in December; the center of downtown. Market Square is downtown’s outdoor living room, ringed by restaurants and busy with events. Next door, PPG Place’s dark glass towers look like a Gothic castle, and in winter its plaza holds a skating rink around a big Christmas tree.
Plan it: Market Street and Forbes Avenue. Allow 30 minutes, longer to skate. Best for: couples, families.
4. The Cultural District
Tickets paid; fall to spring for most seasons; a 3- to 6-minute walk from Market Square. A dozen or so blocks of theaters and galleries along Penn and Liberty Avenues, anchored by Heinz Hall, home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the Benedum Center, where touring Broadway shows and the Pittsburgh CLO play. Book a show and dine nearby.
Plan it: Heinz Hall is on Penn Avenue at Sixth Street; the Benedum at 237 Seventh Street. Allow an evening. Best for: couples, adults.
5. Allegheny County Courthouse
Free; weekdays; a 6-minute walk from Market Square. H.H. Richardson’s 1880s Romanesque courthouse, with its massive stone arches and a “Bridge of Sighs” to the old jail, is one of the most influential American buildings of its century. Step into the courtyard and look up.
Plan it: 436 Grant Street. It’s a working courthouse, so expect security screening. Allow 20 minutes. Best for: architecture.
6. August Wilson African American Cultural Center
Paid exhibitions and shows; year-round; the Cultural District. Named for the Pittsburgh-born playwright whose ten-play cycle is set mostly in the city’s Hill District, the center hosts exhibitions, concerts and theater. Check what’s on before you go.
Plan it: 980 Liberty Avenue. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: culture, history.
7. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail
Free; spring to fall; along all three rivers. Paved riverfront trails loop both banks of the Allegheny and Monongahela, connecting downtown, the North Shore, the Strip District and the South Side. Rent a bike-share bike and ride a loop over two bridges; it’s the best way to understand how the city fits together.
Plan it: Start at Point State Park. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: outdoors, couples.
8. The bridges
Free; year-round; everywhere. Pittsburgh counts more than 440 bridges, more than almost any city in the world, and the yellow “Three Sisters” (the Clemente, Warhol and Rachel Carson Bridges) line up across the Allegheny like a postcard. Walk at least one, and take in the 1883 Smithfield Street Bridge, the oldest steel bridge in the country.
Plan it: The Roberto Clemente Bridge, at Sixth Street, is the easiest walk. Allow 20 minutes per bridge. Best for: photographers, first-timers.
Mount Washington and the South Side (9-16)
Across the Monongahela, Mount Washington rises straight up from the river, and the South Side’s flats and slopes spread along its base. This is where the famous views are.
9. Duquesne Incline
Small cash fare; year-round, best at dusk; a 21-minute walk from Market Square. A cable car has hauled riders up Mount Washington here since 1877, and the deck at the top looks straight down on the Point and all three rivers. Go at sunset and stay until the lights come on.
Plan it: Lower station and parking at 1197 W. Carson Street. It runs every day, 6:30am to 12:30am, as of September 2026, with no reservations; pay cash or use a ConnectCard. Allow an hour. Best for: couples, first-timers.
10. Monongahela Incline
Transit fare; year-round; Station Square. The older of the two survivors, opened in 1870 and run by Pittsburgh Regional Transit, climbs from Station Square to Grandview Avenue. It closes often without notice, when shuttle buses fill in, so check PRT alerts before planning around it.
Plan it: Lower station on West Carson Street across from Station Square; take the T to Station Square. Allow 30 minutes. Best for: first-timers, families.
11. Grandview Avenue and its overlooks
Free; year-round, best at dusk; Mount Washington. A mile of overlooks along the cliff edge links the two inclines, so you can ride up one, walk the ridge and ride down the other. The view down the Ohio at sunset is the photo everyone wants, and it costs nothing.
Plan it: Walk between the two upper stations. Allow 45 minutes. Best for: couples, photographers.
12. West End Overlook
Free; year-round; the West End. A quieter hilltop park west of the Point, where the view runs straight up the Ohio to the downtown skyline and the stadiums. Locals come here to avoid the crowds on Grandview Avenue.
Plan it: In the Elliott neighborhood, west of the Point; drive or ride-share. Allow 30 minutes. Best for: photographers, couples.
13. Station Square and the Gateway Clipper
Free to walk, cruises paid; spring to fall; a 16-minute walk from Market Square. The old Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad terminal is now a riverside complex of restaurants and a small fountain show, and it’s the dock for the Gateway Clipper fleet’s sightseeing and dinner cruises. Check the cruise schedule, which thins out in winter.
Plan it: Cross the Smithfield Street Bridge on foot, or ride the T to Station Square. Allow 1 to 2 hours with a cruise. Best for: families, couples.
14. East Carson Street
Free; year-round, best at night; the South Side Flats. A long strip of Victorian storefronts holding bars, music venues, tattoo shops and cheap eats. It’s loud on weekend nights and more relaxed on weekday evenings.
Plan it: East Carson Street from about 10th to 27th Streets. Allow an evening. Best for: night owls.
15. The city steps
Free; spring to fall; the South Side Slopes and beyond. Pittsburgh has hundreds of sets of public stairs climbing its hillsides, many of them official city streets. The South Side Slopes have some of the steepest, with rooftop views at every landing.
Plan it: Start from East Carson Street and climb toward the Slopes. Wear good shoes. Allow an hour. Best for: outdoors, photographers.
16. Emerald View Park
Free; spring to fall; Mount Washington. A ring of wooded trails around the hillside below Grandview Avenue, with glimpses of the city through the trees. It’s the best short hike inside the city limits.
Plan it: Trailheads off Grandview Avenue and in the neighborhoods around Mount Washington. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: outdoors.
The North Shore and North Side (17-29)
Across the Allegheny from downtown, the North Shore holds the stadiums, the Warhol and the science center, and the older North Side behind it holds museums, murals and some of the city’s most beautiful streets. The T is free between here and downtown.
17. The Andy Warhol Museum
Paid; year-round; a 12-minute walk from Market Square. Warhol was born in Pittsburgh in 1928, and this seven-floor museum calls itself the largest in North America devoted to a single artist. Start at the top and work down. The room of floating silver pillows gets every age laughing, and the hands-on Factory studio lets you try silkscreening during its open hours.
Plan it: 117 Sandusky Street. The museum’s lot costs $8 (cashless). Free gallery talks run daily at 11:15am. Check warhol.org for hours. Allow 2 hours. Best for: art lovers, couples.
18. A Pirates game at PNC Park
Paid; April to September; a 13-minute walk from Market Square. Often ranked among the best ballparks in baseball, PNC Park faces the river and the skyline, and on game days the Roberto Clemente Bridge closes to cars so fans can walk over from downtown. Tickets are cheaper than at most big-league parks.
Plan it: Walk across the Clemente Bridge or ride the free T to North Side station. Allow 3.5 hours. Best for: sports fans, families.
19. A Steelers game at Acrisure Stadium
Paid; September to January; a 22-minute walk from Market Square. The stadium formerly known as Heinz Field is loud, gold-towel territory on game days, and the North Shore turns into one big tailgate. Tickets are scarce and expensive; buy only through official channels.
Plan it: Ride the free T to Allegheny station. Allow the whole day. Best for: sports fans.
20. Kamin Science Center
Paid; year-round; the North Shore riverfront. The former Carnegie Science Center took its new name in September 2025, and the favorites stayed: the Miniature Railroad & Village, the Buhl Planetarium and the USS Requin, a World War II-era submarine moored outside.
Plan it: 1 Allegheny Avenue, next to Acrisure Stadium; the free T stops at Allegheny station. Allow 3 hours. Best for: families, rainy days.
21. The Mister Rogers statue
Free; year-round; the North Shore riverfront. Fred Rogers taped his show in Pittsburgh for decades, and a bronze statue of him tying his sneakers sits on an old bridge pier by the river, facing the city. It’s a small stop that gets surprisingly emotional.
Plan it: On the riverfront between Acrisure Stadium and the Kamin Science Center. Allow 15 minutes. Best for: families, first-timers.
22. North Shore Riverfront Park and the Water Steps
Free; spring to fall; the North Shore. A riverside path runs between PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium, and the stepped fountains of the Water Steps are where kids cool off on hot days. It’s the best place to watch the skyline change color at dusk.
Plan it: Along the river below North Shore Drive. Allow 30 minutes. Best for: families, couples.
23. National Aviary
Paid; year-round; Allegheny Commons, a 23-minute walk from Market Square. The country’s bird zoo, as it bills itself, with walk-through habitats where free-flying birds share the room with you and African penguins that steal the show. Book an animal encounter if one appeals.
Plan it: 700 Arch Street. Open daily 10am to 5pm and closed Tuesdays, as of September 2026. Allow 2 hours. Best for: families.
24. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
Paid, MuseumLab free on weekends; year-round; Allegheny Center. One of the best children’s museums in the country, with a real Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood corner, art studios and water play. MuseumLab next door, for older kids, is free on weekends from noon to 5pm and has an art mini golf course.
Plan it: 10 Children’s Way. Open daily 10am to 5pm, except Wednesdays in September. Allow 3 hours. Best for: families with young kids.
25. Mattress Factory
Paid; year-round; the Mexican War Streets. A museum of room-size installations spread across old buildings, including two permanent rooms by Yayoi Kusama. Every visit is different, and the best pieces are the ones you walk into.
Plan it: 509 Jacksonia Street. Open Wednesday 11am to 8pm and Thursday to Sunday 11am to 6pm; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Adults $22, seniors $20, students $17, under 6 free, as of September 2026. Allow 2 hours. Best for: art lovers, couples.
26. Randyland
Free (donations welcome); year-round; the Mexican War Streets. Artist Randy Gilson turned his house and courtyard into a riot of paint, lawn chairs and found objects, and it’s become one of the city’s happiest landmarks. It’s his home as well as an attraction, so be kind.
Plan it: 1501 Arch Street, a 30-minute walk from Market Square. Hours vary, so check before you go. Allow 30 minutes. Best for: families, photographers.
27. The Mexican War Streets
Free; year-round, best in fall; the North Side. Blocks of restored 19th-century rowhouses on streets named for battles and generals of the Mexican-American War. Walk them between the Mattress Factory and Randyland, and look for the garden tours some residents host in summer.
Plan it: Around Buena Vista, Monterey and Sampsonia Streets. Allow an hour. Best for: couples, architecture.
28. St. Anthony’s Chapel
Free; limited hours; Troy Hill. A small church on the North Side hill holds one of the largest collections of Catholic relics outside the Vatican, displayed in gilded cases that fill the walls. It’s strange, moving and open only at set times, so check before you go.
Plan it: 1704 Harpster Street, Troy Hill; drive or ride-share. Allow 45 minutes. Best for: the curious, history.
29. Rivers Casino
Free to enter; year-round; the North Shore riverfront. The city’s casino sits on the Ohio next to the Kamin Science Center, with slots, tables, restaurants and an outdoor riverfront amphitheater. Visitors must be 21 or older to play.
Plan it: 777 Casino Drive. The free T stops at Allegheny station. Allow an evening. Best for: adults.
The Strip District and Lawrenceville (30-34)
Northeast of downtown along the Allegheny, the Strip District is Pittsburgh’s market street, and Lawrenceville beyond it is where the city’s young restaurant scene has grown up.
30. The Strip District
Free to browse; year-round, best on Saturday mornings; a 15- to 22-minute walk from Market Square. Half a mile of fish markets, Italian grocers, bakeries, coffee roasters and stalls selling Steelers gear, busiest before noon on Saturdays. Wholey’s fish market is a landmark, and the original Primanti Bros. is on 18th Street.
Plan it: Penn Avenue and Smallman Street, roughly from 16th to 23rd Streets. Street parking fills early on Saturdays. Allow 2 hours. Best for: food lovers.
31. Heinz History Center and the Franco Harris Sports Museum
Paid; year-round; the Strip District. A Smithsonian affiliate in a converted ice warehouse, with sets from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, the stories of steel, glass and ketchup, and the Franco Harris Sports Museum, renamed in 2026 for the Steelers great of the Immaculate Reception. It’s the best rainy-day stop in the city for mixed ages.
Plan it: 1212 Smallman Street. Open 10am to 5pm; the sports museum is in the same building. Allow 2 to 3 hours. Best for: history, sports fans.
32. Lawrenceville
Free; year-round, best in the evening; Butler Street. A former mill neighborhood whose main street, Butler Street, is lined with restaurants, bars, vintage shops and galleries. Come for dinner and walk it end to end.
Plan it: Butler Street from 34th Street north. Allow an evening. Best for: food lovers, couples.
33. Allegheny Cemetery
Free; spring to fall; Lawrenceville. A 300-acre Victorian garden cemetery on the hills above Butler Street, where songwriter Stephen Foster, born in Lawrenceville, is buried. It’s peaceful, green and full of fine monuments.
Plan it: Enter from Butler Street. Allow an hour. Best for: history, quiet walks.
34. Bloomfield
Free; year-round; Liberty Avenue. Pittsburgh’s Little Italy, with Italian bakeries and old-school restaurants along Liberty Avenue alongside newer spots. It’s a short hop from Lawrenceville and Shadyside.
Plan it: Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: food lovers.
Oakland (35-42)
Three miles east of downtown, Oakland is Pittsburgh’s museum and university district, home to the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon. PRT buses along Fifth and Forbes Avenues connect it with downtown.
35. Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Paid; year-round except Tuesdays; Oakland. One of the great dinosaur collections in the world, including the first Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever described to science, plus the glittering Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems. Your ticket also covers the art museum in the same building.
Plan it: 4400 Forbes Avenue. One ticket covers both museums: adults $25, seniors $20, ages 3 to 18 $15, as of September 2026, and $12 after 3pm on weekdays. Closed Tuesdays. Allow 3 hours or more. Best for: families, science lovers.
36. Carnegie Museum of Art
Paid; year-round except Tuesdays; Oakland. Strong Impressionist and modern galleries, a hall of full-size plaster casts of European architecture, and the photography archive of Charles “Teenie” Harris, who documented Black Pittsburgh for decades. The Forum Gallery, museum store and cafe are free.
Plan it: Same building and ticket as the natural history museum. Allow 2 hours. Best for: art lovers.
37. Cathedral of Learning and the Nationality Rooms
Free to look, tours offered; year-round; Oakland. The University of Pittsburgh’s 42-story Gothic tower has a vaulted Commons Room that feels like a cathedral nave, and around it are the Nationality Rooms, classrooms designed by the city’s immigrant communities. Self-guided tours run only on weekends; guided tours run daily except Tuesdays.
Plan it: 4200 Fifth Avenue. Check the Nationality Rooms tour page before you go; the rooms are decorated for the holidays in December. Allow an hour. Best for: history, architecture.
38. Heinz Memorial Chapel
Free; year-round when not in use; Oakland. A French Gothic chapel next to the Cathedral of Learning, with some of the tallest stained-glass windows in the country. It’s popular for weddings, so it may be closed on weekends.
Plan it: Fifth Avenue at Bellefield Avenue. Allow 20 minutes. Best for: architecture.
39. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Paid; year-round; Schenley Park. A Victorian glasshouse from 1893 with seasonal flower shows, a tropical forest and some of the greenest new buildings in the country beside it. The holiday show, Phipps Holiday Magic, is already on sale, and the Tropical Fruit and Spice Room is closed for renovations.
Plan it: 1 Schenley Drive. Phipps says it opens daily with late hours on Fridays; buy timed tickets ahead for holiday weekends. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours. Best for: couples, families.
40. Schenley Park
Free; year-round; Oakland. A big, hilly city park with trails through Panther Hollow, summer movies on Flagstaff Hill and, at its edge, Schenley Plaza, with a carousel and food kiosks. It’s the green break between museums.
Plan it: Enter from Schenley Plaza on Forbes Avenue. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: families, outdoors.
41. Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
Paid; year-round; Oakland. A huge 1910 Beaux-Arts memorial built by Civil War veterans, now a museum honoring all branches of the military. The Civil War collection is the heart of it.
Plan it: 4141 Fifth Avenue. Check hours before you go. Allow 1.5 hours. Best for: history.
42. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Main
Free; year-round; Oakland. Andrew Carnegie’s grand main library shares its building with the Carnegie Museums, and its reading rooms and Pennsylvania collection are worth a quiet hour between galleries.
Plan it: 4400 Forbes Avenue. Allow 30 minutes. Best for: book lovers.
The East End (43-49)
East of Oakland, the neighborhoods turn leafy and residential, with the zoo, the Frick and some of the city’s best shopping streets.
43. Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
Paid; spring to fall; Highland Park. A hillside zoo with a full aquarium on site, known by its current name since 2023. The paths climb steeply, so bring comfortable shoes and a stroller with good wheels.
Plan it: 7370 Baker Street. Drive or take a PRT bus; entrances have shifted during construction, so follow the signs. Allow half a day. Best for: families.
44. Highland Park
Free; year-round; next to the zoo. A Victorian park with a reservoir walkway locals loop for the views, plus gardens, a pool and playgrounds. It’s the easy add-on to a zoo morning.
Plan it: Enter at Highland Avenue and Stanton Avenue. Allow an hour. Best for: families, outdoors.
45. The Frick Pittsburgh
Paid tours; year-round; Point Breeze. Henry Clay Frick’s family estate, with Clayton, the family’s Gilded Age house, shown on guided tours, an art museum and a car and carriage museum full of early automobiles. This fall the Frick adds guided foliage walks and a Gilded Age television tie-in on its calendar.
Plan it: 7227 Reynolds Street. Book Clayton tours ahead. Allow 2 to 3 hours. Best for: history, couples.
46. Frick Park
Free; year-round, best in October; Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze. The city’s largest park is a wooded ravine with miles of trails, a lawn bowling green and an environmental center. On a fall weekday, you may have the trails to yourself.
Plan it: Enter at the Frick Environmental Center on Beechwood Boulevard. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: outdoors.
47. Shadyside
Free; year-round; Walnut Street. The city’s most polished shopping street, with boutiques, cafes and restaurants in old houses along Walnut Street, and grand homes on the side streets.
Plan it: Walnut Street between Aiken and Negley Avenues. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: couples, shoppers.
48. Squirrel Hill
Free; year-round; Forbes and Murray Avenues. A lively, walkable neighborhood of bakeries, bookstores, dumpling shops and delis, and the heart of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community. It’s a real neighborhood, not a tourist strip, which is the appeal.
Plan it: The corner of Forbes and Murray Avenues. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: food lovers.
49. Pittsburgh Glass Center
Free gallery, classes paid; year-round; Friendship. A working glass studio where you can watch glassblowers at the furnace, see the gallery and sign up for a class to make your own piece.
Plan it: 5472 Penn Avenue. Check demonstration times. Allow an hour. Best for: couples, art lovers.
What to Eat in Pittsburgh (50-56)
Pittsburgh food is hearty, cheap and unpretentious, built by the Eastern European, Italian and Black families who worked the mills. These are the local classics to try.
50. A Primanti Bros. sandwich
Paid; year-round; the Strip District and citywide. Meat, cheese, coleslaw and a pile of fries stacked between two slabs of Italian bread, a sandwich built for truck drivers who needed lunch in one hand. The original counter on 18th Street in the Strip is the one to visit.
Plan it: 46 18th Street in the Strip; branches all over the region. Allow 30 minutes. Best for: first-timers.
51. Pierogies
Paid; year-round; citywide. The city’s Slavic roots show in its love of pierogies, from church sales and diners to the costumed pierogies that race around the field at PNC Park during Pirates games.
Plan it: Look for church pierogi sales in the fall and Lent, or order them anywhere with a local menu. Best for: food lovers.
52. A Pittsburgh salad
Paid; year-round; citywide. A green salad topped with steak or chicken, cheese and a handful of hot french fries, a combination that seems wrong until you try it. You’ll find it on nearly every casual menu in town.
Plan it: Order it anywhere with a local lunch menu. Best for: the curious.
53. A Lenten fish fry
Paid; Fridays in Lent; citywide. Churches, fire halls and bars fry huge fish sandwiches every Friday during Lent, and locals rank them like sports teams. It’s the most Pittsburgh meal of the year.
Plan it: Look for listings in late winter and early spring. Best for: food lovers, families.
54. An Eat’n Park Smiley cookie
Paid; year-round; region-wide. The local family restaurant chain’s frosted Smiley cookies are a Pittsburgh institution and a cheap souvenir kids love.
Plan it: Any Eat’n Park location. Best for: families.
55. Chipped chopped ham
Paid; year-round; delis and groceries. Pittsburgh’s own lunch meat, sliced paper-thin and piled on a bun, made famous by the old Isaly’s dairy stores. Ask for it at a deli counter in the Strip.
Plan it: Any deli counter; try it barbecued on a bun. Best for: the curious.
56. Dinner with a view on Mount Washington
Paid; year-round; Grandview Avenue. Several restaurants along Grandview Avenue sit right on the cliff edge, with windows over the Point. Book a table at sunset for the classic Pittsburgh special-occasion dinner.
Plan it: Reserve ahead for weekends and ask for a window table. Allow 2 hours. Best for: couples.
Sports and Events (57-63)
Pittsburgh is a serious sports town and a busy festival city. These are the events worth timing a trip around.
57. A Penguins game at PPG Paints Arena
Paid; October to April; a 14-minute walk from Market Square. Hockey is a religion here, and a Penguins game downtown is loud and fun even for newcomers to the sport.
Plan it: 1001 Fifth Avenue. Allow 3 hours. Best for: sports fans.
58. Light Up Night
Free; late November; downtown. The city’s holiday season kicks off with tree lightings, fireworks and concerts across downtown, and it’s one of the biggest nights of the year. Check the city’s site for the 2026 date.
Plan it: Book downtown hotels early for that weekend. Best for: families.
59. The holiday market and the rink at PPG Place
Free to browse, skating paid; late November to December; downtown. Market Square fills with a holiday market of wooden chalets, and the rink at PPG Place circles a huge Christmas tree. Weeknights are calmer.
Plan it: Market Square and PPG Place. Allow 1 to 2 hours. Best for: families, couples.
60. The Three Rivers Arts Festival
Free; June; downtown and Point State Park. A long-running festival of art, craft and free concerts that fills downtown and the Point in early summer.
Plan it: Check the dates in spring. Allow an afternoon. Best for: families, art lovers.
61. Picklesburgh
Free; July; downtown. A festival devoted entirely to pickles, pickled foods and pickle-flavored everything, held downtown each summer. It’s silly, crowded and very Pittsburgh.
Plan it: Check the dates in spring. Allow a couple of hours. Best for: food lovers, families.
62. Anthrocon
Paid; early July; the convention center. The world’s biggest furry convention fills downtown with costumed fans each summer, and Pittsburgh has welcomed it warmly for years. Even if you don’t attend, the public parade is a sight.
Plan it: David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Best for: the curious.
63. The Pittsburgh Marathon
Paid to run, free to watch; May; citywide. The course crosses a string of bridges and neighborhoods, and the crowds along the route make it one of the friendliest races in the East.
Plan it: Check the course map to find a viewing spot. Best for: runners, sports fans.
Beyond the Center (64-70)
A car opens up the steel heritage sites, gardens and county parks within an hour of downtown. For the rest of the state, from Hershey to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, see our region-by-region list of Pennsylvania’s 101 best attractions.
64. Carrie Blast Furnaces
Paid tours; spring to fall; Rankin. Two towering blast furnaces from the Homestead steelworks survive on the Monongahela, and guided tours by the Rivers of Steel heritage group take you inside the rust and graffiti. It’s the closest you can get to the city’s industrial past.
Plan it: Check the Rivers of Steel tour schedule before driving out. Allow 2 hours. Best for: history, photographers.
65. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
Paid; spring to fall; Oakdale. A young garden built on reclaimed mining land west of the city, with woodland trails, a Japanese garden and seasonal displays. It’s a quiet contrast to the city.
Plan it: Drive or ride-share from downtown. Allow 2 hours. Best for: gardeners, couples.
66. Hartwood Acres
Free grounds; summer concerts; Hampton Township. A county park around a Tudor-style mansion, with trails, gardens and a free summer concert series on the lawn.
Plan it: Drive north of the city. Allow 2 hours. Best for: families, couples.
67. Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village
Paid; seasonal; Avella, west of the city. A rock overhang where people camped more than 16,000 years ago, one of the oldest known sites of human habitation in North America, now run by the Heinz History Center with a recreated village around it.
Plan it: Check the History Center’s schedule; it’s closed some days. Allow half a day. Best for: history, families.
68. Kennywood
Paid; spring to fall, plus holiday lights; West Mifflin, about 25 minutes from downtown. The 1898 trolley park with classic wooden coasters is the region’s favorite day out. Herschend Family Entertainment has owned it since 2025.
Plan it: 4800 Kennywood Boulevard. Check kennywood.com for dates. Allow a full day. Best for: families, thrill-seekers.
69. Sandcastle
Paid; summer; West Homestead, about 15 minutes from downtown. A water park on the Monongahela, also owned by Herschend, with slides and a lazy river. It’s summer-only, so plan around its season.
Plan it: Drive east along the river from downtown. Allow a full day. Best for: families.
70. The Fort Pitt Tunnel view
Free; any time; inbound from the airport. Drive into the city from the airport and the skyline stays hidden until you burst out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel onto the bridge, when the whole downtown appears at once across the river. It is often called the best entrance to any American city, and it lasts about ten seconds, so have a passenger ready with a camera.
Plan it: Take I-376 east from the airport; the tunnel opens onto the Fort Pitt Bridge into downtown. Don’t slow down on the bridge. Best for: first-timers.
Things to Do in Pittsburgh by Interest
| If you love | Start with | Then add |
|---|---|---|
| Views | Duquesne Incline (9), Grandview Avenue (11), PNC Park (18) | West End Overlook (12), the bridges (8), dinner on Mount Washington (56) |
| Art | The Warhol (17), Mattress Factory (25), Carnegie Museum of Art (36) | Randyland (26), Pittsburgh Glass Center (49), the Frick (45) |
| Families | Children’s Museum (24), Carnegie dinosaurs (35), National Aviary (23) | Kamin Science Center (20), the zoo (43), Kennywood (68) |
| History | Heinz History Center (31), Fort Pitt Museum (2), Carrie Blast Furnaces (64) | Cathedral of Learning (37), Soldiers and Sailors (41), Meadowcroft (67) |
| Food | The Strip District (30), a Primanti Bros. sandwich (50), pierogies (51) | Lawrenceville (32), Bloomfield (34), Squirrel Hill (48) |
| Free | Point State Park (1), Grandview Avenue (11), the Mister Rogers statue (21) | Randyland (26), Frick Park (46), MuseumLab on weekends (24) |
| Rainy days | Carnegie Museums (35-36), Heinz History Center (31), the Warhol (17) | Kamin Science Center (20), Phipps (39), the Aviary (23) |
A Two-Day Pittsburgh Route
Day 1, downtown and the North Shore: start with coffee in Market Square and walk to Point State Park and the Fort Pitt Museum. Cross the Roberto Clemente Bridge for the Andy Warhol Museum, then walk the riverfront past PNC Park to the Mister Rogers statue. In the afternoon, head up to the Mattress Factory and Randyland in the Mexican War Streets. Finish by taking the T to Station Square, riding the Monongahela Incline up, walking Grandview Avenue at sunset and riding the Duquesne Incline down, or staying up top for dinner with a view.
Day 2, the Strip and Oakland: have breakfast in the Strip District (Saturday is best), then spend the morning at the Heinz History Center. Take a bus to Oakland for the Carnegie Museums, then walk to the Cathedral of Learning and through Schenley Park to Phipps Conservatory. End with dinner on Butler Street in Lawrenceville.
With a third day, drive to Fallingwater and Ohiopyle, about 1.5 hours southeast, or spend a summer day at Kennywood. Remember the closed days: the Carnegie Museums and the Aviary close Tuesdays, and the Mattress Factory closes Mondays and Tuesdays.
Getting Around Pittsburgh
| How | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Downtown, the North Shore, the Strip | Most of it is within 30 minutes of Market Square, but the hills are real. |
| The T (light rail) | Downtown to the North Shore and Station Square | Free between the North Shore and First Avenue stations. |
| The inclines | Mount Washington | The Duquesne Incline takes cash or a ConnectCard; the Monongahela Incline is part of PRT and closes without notice at times. |
| PRT buses | Oakland, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, the zoo | Frequent along Fifth and Forbes Avenues between downtown and Oakland. |
| Car | The zoo, the Frick, Kennywood, day trips | Garages are plentiful; expect event pricing near the stadiums on game days. |
| Amtrak | Arriving from Philadelphia or New York | The Pennsylvanian runs once a day each way, with a second daily round trip due from mid-November 2026. |
Where to stay: downtown or the North Shore for walking access and the free T, the Strip District or Lawrenceville for food, and Oakland or Shadyside if the museums are the point. Hotel prices jump on Steelers weekends and big convention dates, so check the schedule before you book. Sales tax in Allegheny County is 7%.
Staying safe: downtown, the North Shore, the Strip, Oakland and Shadyside are busy and comfortable for visitors. Use ordinary city sense: keep valuables out of sight in parked cars, and stick to busy streets late at night on East Carson Street.
Things to Do in Pittsburgh: FAQ
What is Pittsburgh best known for?
Its rivers, bridges and hills: three rivers meet at the Point, the city counts more than 440 bridges, and two 19th-century inclines still climb Mount Washington. Visitors also know it for the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie Museums, the Steelers and Pirates, and hearty local food like the Primanti Bros. sandwich.
Is Pittsburgh worth visiting?
Yes. It packs first-rate museums, dramatic views and lively neighborhoods into a compact, affordable city, and many of the best experiences, such as Grandview Avenue, Point State Park and the riverfront trails, are free. A long weekend is enough for a first taste, and Fallingwater is an easy day trip.
What are the best free things to do in Pittsburgh?
Walk Point State Park and the Roberto Clemente Bridge, take in the view from Grandview Avenue, visit the Mister Rogers statue and Randyland, stroll the Mexican War Streets, and ride the free T between downtown and the North Shore. MuseumLab is free on weekends, and the Carnegie Museum of Art’s Forum Gallery costs nothing.
What is there to do in Pittsburgh with kids?
The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s dinosaurs, the National Aviary, the Kamin Science Center with its submarine, the zoo and a ride up an incline top most family lists. In summer, add Kennywood and Sandcastle, both within 25 minutes of downtown.
How many days do you need in Pittsburgh?
Two full days cover the highlights: one for downtown, the North Shore and Mount Washington, and one for the Strip District and Oakland’s museums. Add a third day for Fallingwater and Ohiopyle, about 1.5 hours away, or for Kennywood in summer.
Is Pittsburgh safe to visit?
The areas most visitors spend time in, including downtown, the North Shore, the Strip District, Oakland and Shadyside, are busy and generally comfortable day and night. Take normal big-city care: don’t leave bags visible in parked cars, and stick to well-lit, busy streets late at night.
Where should you stay in Pittsburgh?
Downtown or the North Shore puts you within walking distance of the Point, the stadiums and the Warhol, with the free T between them. The Strip District and Lawrenceville suit food lovers, and Oakland or Shadyside suit museum trips. Book early for Steelers home games, when prices climb.
What is the best time to visit Pittsburgh?
Late spring and early fall are best, with mild weather, Pirates games and, in October, fall color on the hillsides. Summer brings festivals like Picklesburgh, and late November through December brings Light Up Night, the holiday market and Phipps’ holiday show.
Related Pennsylvania Guides
Sources and How We Checked
We checked the hours, prices and closures on this page on September 24, 2026 against the official sources below and compiled the list from them rather than from first-hand visits. Walking times are estimates from Market Square using OpenStreetMap routing data, and drive times are free-flow estimates from the same data, so add time for rush hour and game days.
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit: Free Fare Zone
- Carnegie Museum of Art: visit
- Heinz History Center: visit
- Mattress Factory: visit
- National Aviary: visit
- University of Pittsburgh: Nationality Rooms tours
- Duquesne Incline
We also used the official sites of the Andy Warhol Museum, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, Phipps Conservatory, the Frick Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, plus WESA reporting on the Franco Harris Sports Museum.
Pennsylvania Tourism Guide is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with Pittsburgh Regional Transit, the Carnegie Museums, the Heinz History Center, any team or venue named here, or Herschend Family Entertainment, and no one paid to be included.
Photo Credits
- PNC Park and the Pittsburgh skyline: photo by daveynin on Flickr, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
- Pittsburgh skyline at night from Mount Washington: photo by Suiseiseki, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
- Smithfield Street Bridge: photo by Cbaile19, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
- Monongahela Incline lower station: photo by Suckindiesel at English Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
- The Andy Warhol Museum: photo by Popscreenshot, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Randyland, North Side: photo by Popscreenshot, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- The Strip District, Pittsburgh: photo by Perry Quan from Oakville, Canada, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Protoceratops, Carnegie Museum of Natural History: photo by Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
- Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh: photo by Silverv623, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Phipps Conservatory winter show: photo by Dllu, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)