Pittsburgh is popular because of its rich industrial history, beloved sports team, and more. If you haven’t yet been tempted to visit, you may not realize all it has to offer. From bustling urban areas to quiet parks, there are many things to do in Pittsburgh. So let’s see the top 17 best attractions in the city.
List of 17 Things to Do in Pittsburgh
1. Visit the Fort Pitt Museum to Know about Pittsburgh’s Past
Learn more about Pittsburgh’s history region’s involvement in the French and Indian War at the Fort Pitt Museum, sometimes referred to as “the point,” and view a finely carved powder horn Jacob Willhelm carried on the Bouquet Expedition in 1764.
The Fort Pick Block House, the only remaining building from the Fort Pitt complex, is also located in the park. Three stone markers mark Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt.
By accentuating the picturesque setting of the Ohio River’s meeting with the Monongahela River and Allegheny River, the park attracts tourists. The park is more than just a place for locals to relax; the wonderful Fort Pitt Museum is located in the park as well.
The French and Indian War (civil war) and The Point’s history are the main subjects of the Fort Pitt Museum. As soon as you enter the museum, you can see this focus because the opening exhibit features a model of Fort Pitt as it appeared in 1765.
Fort Duquesne is well depicted in this model, which also serves as a helpful point of reference as you explore the remainder of the museum.
2. Explore Mount Washington
Mount Washington can’t be beaten for some of the most breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views of downtown Pittsburgh and the joining waterways of the Ohio Monongahela River and Allegheny River. Green parks and Swiss mansions offer more than just a picture-perfect broad side of the city’s skyline and steel high rises.
It has two Funicular Railways, expensive eateries and joints of appropriately named restaurants, and a row of historic spots supposedly one trodden by George Washington himself.
Throughout the 1870s, two incline trains in Pittsburgh have climbed Mount Washington’s steep side, providing breathtaking views of the city.
Choose between the picturesque journey up on the yellow Monongahela Incline in Station Square or the red car Duquesne Incline from close to The Point.
If you’ve taken the Duquesne Incline from the riverfront, it’s really simple to get to Mount Washington in Pittsburgh. There are lots of outstanding eateries and casinos in Pittsburgh where you may go for a good night out of sight.
Sit up front on your ride for the best perspective as you ascend or drop. The Grandview Overlook Observation Deck is not far from the arrival of either incline.
Take the 10-minute trip to the terrace to enjoy the vista, which USA Today Weekend Magazine rated one of the top 10 most beautiful views in the country.
3. Andy Warhol Museum of Natural History
With seven floors of installations, reproduction, and educational art exhibits museum, this is one of the best art museums in Pittsburgh.
It also hosts rotating exhibits and a range of daily and weekly events. Admission to the Andy Warhol Museum is somewhat high, but it’s a price worth paying for fans of the local artist.
Explore the museum’s exhibition of Warhol’s lithographs, sculptures, and test films. Some well-known art deco items to see in the Andy Warhol Museum include the 1954 self-published Book of Cats, Hand-Painted Pop, and the “Fortune” portrait of Seven Sets of Eyes.
You are encouraged to touch the Andy Warhol Museum’s contemporary art and learn more about these extraordinary pieces of art at several interactive exhibits located throughout the Andy Warhol Museum.
During your stay, ascend to the fifth floor and navigate your way through the Silver Clouds’ gloomy area of metallic balloons, where you can get a Pop Art Fix. Warhol was a true product of the “Don Draper” era. Even before the idea of a sound bite existed, he knew how to create one.
The museum’s artworks are all fantastic! The rooms are connected, making entry very convenient. The decorative arts are fascinating to observe. In doing so, Pittsburgh’s historical character comes to life. If you are visiting Pittsburgh, don’t miss this unmissable location.
4. Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
Both of these top Pittsburgh attractions are perfect spots for families; the aquarium has a stingray tank and a wide range of marine species.
A whopping 475 individuals await visitors to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium, making the sprawling Pittsburgh institution on the bank of the Allegheny River one of the most enticing animal parks in the United States.
Founded more than 100 years ago in 1998, this iconic attraction has since grown to incorporate the likes of the tropical forest home to formidable mountain Barillas, endangered Sloths, and swinging Gibbons. Animals are categorized into various habitats, such as the PPG Aquarium and Water’s Edge, as well as the African Savanna and the Asian Forest.
The island’s enclosure is where crocodiles meet colossal Galapagos tortoises. The zoo can be enjoyed in no less than two hours, though it may take much longer if you want to learn about every species or go to the daily shows and feedings that are held every day of the week.
Although hours change according to the season, the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is open every day.
5. Phipps Conservatory- Experience Natural Beauty
This is one of the best spots to experience natural beauty in Pittsburgh; you can gaze at its perennial flowers all year. There is a collection of green rooms focusing on the regions or plant types, such as topical forests, butterfly gardens, or bonsai trees.
You can even rent it for weddings, and it’s a wonderful place for students from the two nearby universities to come and relax. Children can enjoy the hands-on activities, and there are many other things to do in Pittsburgh, Phipps Conservatory.
One of the nation’s oldest greenhouses, this structure is deserving of being included on the National Register of Historic Places.
You can see butterflies, tropical forests, orchids, spices, and bonsai trees while strolling around the 15 acres of exquisite gardens. The conservatory conducts several performances throughout the year, such as spring and winter flower exhibitions.
The Phipps Conservatory is a stunning location to visit regardless of the weather because many of the 23 gardens are inside the 14-room historical glasshouse.
6. Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Between the seemingly endless exhibition halls of the magnificent Carnegie Museum of Natural History, mysterious mummies meet ancient fossils. This educational and explaining displays facility is regarded as one of the best of its kind worldwide.
A total of 150 plaster replicas of famous buildings can be found at the Hall of Architecture. Visitors can see the bones of dug-up dinosaurs next to glimmering Ancient gemstones forged under the Earth thousands of years ago. While learning about the development of the Jurassic Period, they can speculate as to whether it painted totem poles.
The structure is decorated on the outside as well! Gargoyles made of the terracotta tower over the facade. You may witness pterodactyls and saber-toothed tigers perched outside windows and roaring from the rooftop on the East wing, near Exhibition Road and the V&A Carnegie Museums.
Instead, you may witness wolves, lions, and kangaroos. Keeping an eye on the streets of London in the West Wing, which is closer to the museum’s wildlife park, is the best thing to do in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Anthology exhibit includes narratives from people in a range of mediums. To create a hands-on gallery experience, be sure to grab the printed cards from the area surrounding the pieces of art.
7. Have a Walk at Point State Park
Nearly all aerial photographs of Pittsburgh include the 36-acre Point State Park, which is situated where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet the Ohio River.
The Three Rivers Heritage Trail Regatta and the Three Rivers Art Festival are two major events held in this area, which is frequently referred to as the Golden Triangle.
Pittsburgh’s Point State Park is located in the heart of the city, perfectly nestled on the representation of the confluence of Pittsburgh’s three rivers. Point State Park sits at water level and provides views of the nearby riverboat, Mount Washington, and PNC Park. It also features a fountain and the outline of the former Fort Duquesne.
Point State Park is situated on the ruins of Fort and Fortune, which, for history buffs, is both the fort that sparked the French and Indian War and one of George Washington’s first significant trials as a British soldier.
Even if you are not interested in history, you will undoubtedly appreciate the lovely Point Fountain, which is always a lively place to take in the city.
If you cross the bridge, Point States Park is the ideal location to see the well-known Memorial. Pittsburgh-born Mr. Rogers is depicted in the Point State Park memorial looking out over one of the most beautiful views of the city skyline.
If you have already walked Point State Park, it might be worthwhile to walk an additional 5 minutes to the Carnegie Science Center to see the submarine that is docked there.
8. Eat Pittsburgher Sandwich at Market Square
The first courts and jails for the city were once located in this open area. It serves as a frequent location for gatherings and events, with the weekly children’s play, outdoor yoga and dancing workshops, and summer farmer markets among the best things to do in Pittsburgh.
While you’re here, you should try Pramanti Bros, one of Pittsburgh’s most renowned restaurants and a source of great pride for the city.
If it’s your first time, don’t forget to taste the Pittsburgher Sandwich at the location right there in Market Square. It comes with fries on the sandwich, a practice that the original Primanti Brothers started so that diners could enjoy their mouthwatering fries without taking their hands off the steering wheel.
While exploring Market Square, you should wander over one block to see PPG Place; this is the iconic glass-shaped building and has a really beautiful fountain located right outside. Being surrounded by the matching glass buildings that make up PPG Place makes this a great spot to relax or take some beautiful photos.
The Market Square also hosts a farmer’s market, which operates on a seasonal schedule, and you can watch Pittsburgh Steelers play in front of fervent fans; during the market, you’ll find vendors from the area with all the goodies you can expect from Western Pennsylvania.
9. The Heinz History Center
The Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian, is the go-to location for understanding the history of Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh itself. It is housed in a stunning post-industrial red brick building typical of the new Riverside strip district.
Collections illustrate Steel City’s propensity for innovation and invention, as well as portions highlighting the town’s reign as America’s glass workshop.
The History Center tells the most fascinating tales from American history that have a connection to Western Pennsylvania in an engaging setting for visitors of all ages.
This is so much more than just a history center; it has 6 floors of historical exhibits and a sports museum and is 27,50,00 square feet, making it the largest history museum in Pennsylvania. The majority of the exhibits’ subject matter reflects life in Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh over the previous 250 years.
Everything from interactive demonstrations and artifact shows to things to do in Pittsburgh comes here for a little bit of everything you have never seen before. There are unique exhibits for class workshops and achievements that were accomplished in Pittsburg, like vaccines and the Big Mac.
10. Take Photos at Randyland
Randy Gilson, a famous Pittsburgh local artist who has a passion for creating Randyland, is the creator of it for only 10,000; Randy put the dilapidated land and building for Randyland on his credit card. While the neighborhood seemed to be declining, Randy went to work and brought it back to life by painting every inch of his corner house.
He used bright colors and decorated it with pink flamingos, enormous banana plants, mismatched lawn furniture, mannequins, and plastic dinosaurs. Randy didn’t stop there, though he helped with other houses in the area, street installation, and even some city parks.
Since then, it has been his ambition to turn the area into a friendly and entertaining surreal art landscape, complete with technological artwork and entertaining murals covering the walls. Randyland has grown to be one of Pittsburg’s most well-liked photo locations as a result of its whimsy.
Free entry is available, and most days, you can find Randyland conversing with visitors and watching them enjoy his jovial work. You can’t and won’t find a place like Randyland anywhere else in the world
11. Ride at Duquesne Inclines
Workers in Pittsburgh had to climb hillsides to get to the industries and mills, which were normally located along the river before cars became widely used, But as cars became more ubiquitous, many inclines closed and were demolished.
Many funicular inclines opened at that time to transport people up and down the hills. Since the 1870s, two incline trains in Pittsburgh have climbed Mount Washington’s steep side, providing breathtaking views of the city.
You can choose between the picturesque journey up on the yellow Monongahela Incline in Station Square or the red car Duquesne Incline from close to The Point.
Going up nicely and showing us how it gets to the observation deck, which is almost 400 feet up. You will not only have a stunning view of Pittsburgh from there but also of the river below. Sit up front on your ride for the best perspective as you ascend or drop.
Take the 10-minute trip to the terrace to enjoy the vista, which USA Today Weekend Magazine rated one of the top 10 most beautiful views in the country.
12. Visit the Cathedral of Learning
Pittsburgh’s most recognizable structure, the Cathedral of Learning, is not far from Schenley Park. It’s a gorgeous pose of a Gothic Revival edifice that towers over 42 stories high.
If you have the time, check out the nationality room tours during specific periods of the year. Everyone’s favorite is the nationality room featuring Lebanon.
Start your journey by strolling through the 12-acre English perpendicular hall with all the arches from the 15th century. John G. Bowman, the university’s chancellor, ordered this Gothic skyscraper in 1921.
The Cathedral, the second-tallest educational structure in the entire world, towers over the surrounding area at a height of 535 feet. To highlight all the benefits that immigrants have contributed to the USA, the structure was intentionally focused on a wide variety of civilizations and races.
Self-guided audio tours are offered every day during the summer and on weekends during the school year (adult/child $4/2). During the academic year, the Nationality Rooms are utilized as classrooms. On the university’s website, virtual tours are additionally accessible.
13. Strip District
This downtown Pittsburgh and Cultural District, Strip District, one of Pittsburgh’s most active districts, was previously the site of heavy industrial and gave rise to a terminal slash market, creating an intriguing contradiction.
In the end, Strip District is only the market for created goods, and the fan remained. The Strip District neighborhood is now a terrific place to stroll through to shop, eat, and drink and things to do in Pittsburgh, thanks to the arrival of numerous international markets, restaurants, and boutique shops. This city center is a place to visit in the early morning or afternoon.
Start the day with breakfast at Pamela’s Diner or DeLuca’s Diner, two famous greasy spoons in Pittsburgh. Even President Obama appreciates how tasty Pamela’s hotcakes are.
Penn Avenue Pottery, Mon Aimee Chocolate, and many other specialty stores offer local shopping options. Take a look at Strip District for many unique shops in the area, like the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company.
Art enthusiasts should visit Contemporary Craft, which exhibits the work of regional, international, and contemporary artists. The gallery in Strip District is dedicated to “cutting-edge exhibitions focused on multicultural diversity and non-mainstream art.”
Try Lefty’s for a dive bar (particularly if you want to watch a Steelers game), Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle for an Irish pub, Cioppino for cigars, and Cavo for a nightclub if you’re searching for a place to go out at night.
14. Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
This Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is located on the North Shore side of the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Allegheny Center. It is one of the best locations in the city to bring your kids because it offers a ton of engaging activities for kids in every imaginable subject, from robotics and quilting to ballet and rocket building.
Talented guest artists who provide workshops in a variety of media, including pottery, Japanese paper cutting, animation, and painting, are another feature of the Children’s Museum.
It is highly renowned for all of its exhibitions being very engaging and kid-friendly, making it a lot of enjoyable for kids as well as parents alike.
Pittsburgh contains some very impressive museums. The Carnegie Museum of Arts and Carnegie Museum of Nature are the best in the world! The museum is located inside the Oakland neighborhood and has 2 museums. Both are accessible via one admission ticket.
This museum is worth checking out on your Pittsburgh bucket list. The CMOA was established in 1895 and is the original museum in the United States and devoted essentially exclusively to contemporary art.
The lobby, cafe, and studio of the museum all have WiFi access. Simply join the Green Light Wireless network. The Museum’s very own Big Red Room Cafe, open daily from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m., serves up tasty meals.
The Children’s Museum t-shirts, hats, and mugs are among the many entertaining and instructive items available for kids at the Museum Store, along with water-soluble face painting crayons, puppets, maker kits, games, and toys.
15. Amusement Parks
One of the top tourist locations for family vacations is the lovely, vibrant city of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is well-recognized for its numerous theme parks.
Bring your kids to the intriguing Conneaut Lake Park for some family adventure and laughter. The largest natural glacier lake in all of Pennsylvania, the stunning Conneaut Lake serves as the setting for this amusement park, which provides a variety of thrilling aquatic adventures.
Ensure that you ride the thrilling Blue Streak coaster and take in the breathtaking experience. Enjoy playing golf with your family on the fantastic miniature golf course as the kids enjoy themselves in the waterpark, sliding down the waterslides, floating down the Lazy River, and splashing around in the water at Connie Otter’s Kiddie Cove.
If you want to unwind on your day trip here, reserve a cabana or take a scenic train ride through the breathtaking woods while unwinding with your family.
Don’t forget to ride thrilling coasters like Sky Rocket, Wave Swinger, and many others. Watch incredible musical and magic performances as well. Here, with your loved ones, have a relaxing family meal as you unwind from a fun-filled day.
16. National Aviary
To help you organize your day, we advise looking at the timeline before you go to the National Aviary to see the Daily Activities Schedule and any Animal Encounters and Programs that may be running while you’re there.
There are no reservations that you will be interacting with stunning birds from around the world up close, engaging apps.
Your first stop after entering the National Aviary will be the Visitor Services Desk, where you can pay for or collect your booked ticket. An information map that shows the layout of the entire aviary, as well as the daily activity and animal encounter schedule, will be provided to you.
You can hang your jacket for the day on the coat rack located behind the visitor services desk. When traveling with young children, The Aviary is stroller-friendly due to its one-level ADA accessibility.
Before you leave the visitor services desk, pick up a Kulture City Sensory Bag that is filled with noise-canceling headphones, fidgets, and an ID card to help make the National Aviary a sensory-inclusive environment for everyone. There are some loud birds in the aviary (some that use their squawk to communicate up to 2 miles away).
Additionally, there are water bottle refill stations; however, it should be noted that no open food or drinks are permitted inside the habitat.
Children can utilize their imaginations in the entertaining play areas in the atrium. Our preschoolers were making bird food for their new tropical buddies in this area using simple-to-follow laminated recipe cards.
17. Bicycle Heaven
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the emporium-sized museum known as Bicycle Heaven. The establishment, housed in a two-story warehouse, functions as both a museum and a bike shop.
The brick exterior of the building is covered in a friendly painting, and there are used bikes organized in the parking lot outside that are all for sale. The size of the collection is obvious even before you enter the building.
The next section is a maze of antique bicycles, components, and other items with tiny passageways in between. There are BMX bikes, high-wheelers, hybrids, and racers arranged in a close row like books on a shelf, and some other amazing things to do in Pittsburgh.
Drop-barred Schwinns, the kind of tiny road bikes my parents rode around on in the 1970s, are crammed into entire walls. Dismembered forks grouped in a spectrum of unique paint treatments are along one little hallway. In 2011, local bike mechanic Craig Morrow created Bicycle Heaven.
What started as a single bicycle rescued from the garbage has grown into a thriving nonprofit company that is open seven days a week and rents and fixes bikes. Dismembered forks grouped in a spectrum of unique paint treatments are along one little hallway.
Outsiders might find Pittsburgh’s setting strange for a bicycle museum, much less the biggest one in the world. But its lengthy manufacturing history and eccentric collection.
Conclusion
Pennsylvania, which is in the northeast of the country, offers many interesting sides to explore.
The Delaware River and the sizable city of Philadelphia are located on its eastern end. But if you turn west, you’ll find the Appalachian Mountains, old small towns, and midwestern-feeling cities.
You will be able to experience all facets of American culture over the last 200 years thanks to the four visitors.
Those are 17 places in the Pittsburgh area that you must see without a doubt, but if we missed something, please let us know.
Last Updated on by Rajeshwari_Das
