PITTSBURGH - THE STEEL CITY

Pittsburgh is located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, which form the Ohio River at the head of Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle. Pittsburgh may have a reputation as an ugly industrial town, but the reality is much different. Coming in through the Fort Pitt Tunnel, the stunning downtown is thrust upon you upon exiting the tunnel. Surrounded by hills, the city is one of the most difficult to navigate as roads veer off at strange angles without rhyme or reason, but once accustomed to this (a process that takes several years, I am sure), you may be able to appreciate the natural surroundings of the city.

Pittsburgh's downtown is in the Golden Triangle, with the Allegheny on the north side, and the Monongahela on the south. Point State Park occupies the tip of the triangle; it is from this point that the Ohio River begins. The south side of the city rises very steeply which allows for some great views from the top of the bluff. The north side is also hilly, but with a more gradual incline. With all the rivers in the city, Pittsburgh has a very large number of bridges, including the Roberto Clemente Bridge which crosses the Allegheny between PNC Park and downtown.

Pittsburgh is a noted sports town, hosting the Steelers for football and the Penguins for hockey. Along with the Pirates, all 3 teams can boast of championship seasons and star players from years gone by.

View of downtown from the south side

Our impressions: A map is essential to getting around. One-way streets are numerous, and streets change direction suddenly. It is almost as if the city was dropped into its location, surrounded by hills on all sides, and this makes for maddening traffic, where hundreds of cars converge, each trying to cross 3 lanes in order to reach its off-ramp. As you can see in the picture here, there are lots of signs with "Exit Only" on them.  Fortunately, the citizens seem used to this and are fairly patient while waiting for those in front of them to figure out where they are going. Parking downtown is scarce and expensive, it may be better to find something on the north shore. There is a subway and light rail system that can be used, but we did not find it convenient to the things we wanted to see.

Pittsburgh is one of the cities that has done well to rebuild its downtown. A large number of new buildings blend well with the old, making Pittsburgh one of the more picturesque cities we have visited. A walk downtown, and out to Point State Park, is refreshing on a nice day. 

Like most cities, there are some areas of Pittsburgh which are still in need of some attention and should be avoided, particularly east of downtown. We drove from downtown to the Carnegie History Museum and went through a very run-down section of the city.

The weather in Pittsburgh is quite variable, with sudden rainstorms followed by hot and humid conditions. Be prepared for anything during your stay.  

Overall, Pittsburgh is actually a great place to visit and should soon dispel its reputation. Along with a spectacular new baseball stadium, there are a lot of interesting attractions to visit. Pittsburghers are also great, helping with anything and very happy to talk to you. Located about 6 hours east of Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and about 3 hours southeast of Cleveland, Pittsburgh is a must-see town on any baseball tour.