Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh had long been on the list of cities we were interested in visiting, perhaps because of the images we’d scene of the attractive skyline, with the river and distinctive gold bridges. The right opportunity came when my parents asked if we’d like to join them on their trip to see the Brewers play the Pirates at PNC Park. The early July weekend was hot, but it was a great trip and Pittsburgh lived up to the high expectations we had for it.

Duquesne Incline

I was eager to ride the Duquesne Incline (a historical cable car) up to a view of the city, but we were disappointed that when we arrived, there was a long, slow-moving line, so we drove to the observation deck instead. The views of the skyline and the river were great, and I was glad we made a point to visit, even in the heat.

Primanti Brothers

After checking in to the Hilton Garden Inn downtown, our first stop was at a sandwich shop Drew had read about for years: Primanti Brothers. This chain is known for putting fries on their sandwiches, and as strange (and unnecessary) as that sounds, the one I split with my mom was solid. There was a line when we arrived, even at the off time of 3p, but it moved quickly, and it was fun how many fellow Brewers fans were there too (which is perhaps a sign of its status as a tourist destination).

Andy Warhol Museum

Though we had occasional rain, we still enjoyed walking along the Allegheny River and over one of the yellow bridges to the Andy Warhol Museum. On Fridays from 5-10, admission is $10, which is half-price. It was fun to learn more about him and of course see the work. We especially liked the Silver Clouds interactive piece.

PNC Park

The museum was just a block away from PNC Park, so we had beers at one of the stadium bars and then went in. The view of the Allegheny River and Pittsburgh’s skyline beyond the field is such a pretty one (my dad claims that the only better ballpark view is from the Giant’s stadium). We were thankful the Brewers won and we were seated around such chatty, friendly Pirates fans. It was a quick walk home afterwards and we appreciated having paid a bit more to stay downtown.

The Strip

We woke up early on Saturday and took a long walk downtown to the Strip, a former industrial neighborhood now full of restaurants and markets. We had breakfast at Pamela’s P & G diner, and we weren’t the only ones. Despite arriving early, there was a line, but the pastel space is a big one and the breakfast (classic diner fare, with well-known pancakes) was good! It was fun to read that President Obama had visited the diner years ago.

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Afterwards, we visited the very impressive Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. There were many buildings, all full of beautiful flowers, and we especially appreciated the Van Gogh exhibit that was going on, for which they designed plants and flowers to match some of his most famous paintings. The rooms, though, were HOT, so I’d maybe recommend not visiting on July 6 (they’d be great in the winter).

Heinz Museum

We decided to make one more stop before taking a break, and I’m glad we did. Our favorite part of the Heinz Museum was seeing the exhibit for the beloved children’s show Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. We saw sets for the castle, tree, and the living room as well as puppets and other props (Mr. Roger’s sweater!) and we were all feeling nostalgic. We didn’t have much time at the museum before it closed, but we also enjoyed the exhibit on the history of Heinz Ketchup, Pittsburgh’s sports teams (I love the fun fact that Pittsburgh’s Professional baseball, football, and hockey teams are all black and yellow- the consistency is not true in every city!), and an interactive art display about Pittsburgh neighborhoods.