Hey all, I'll be traveling to Pitts. this coming Sunday and will be staying till the 11th for business.  Never been before...anybody have any suggestions of some things we should NOT pass up or miss?  From the looks of the conference, we're going to have a lot of down time to explore.

So lets hear it!

attractions, pubs, restaurants, etc...whatever you think is worth checking out, let me know.

"Traveling to Pittsburgh, any recommendations"




Don't do it!!!!!!  

Primanti Bros.
Fuel & Fuddle
Science Center

[cough]  

That bad huh?  

Quoted: Primanti Bros. Fuel & Fuddle Science Center

+1 to all 3

Try to get tickets to a Penguins game if you can, that is one hell of a good time.

Turn around before you get there.

Ride the incline (a cable car that travels on an incline up a steep hill) up the side of Mount Washington and take in the view.

If you want to spend some bank. Walk over to Le Mont (also on Mount Washington) and eat a great dinner with an amazing view.

www.lemontpittsburgh.com/LeMont/index.htm

Go to the South Side and hit up a couple bars, too.  Station Square is a good time, just stay the fuck out of Saddleridge.

<-- lived in Squirrel Hill for a short while.

Primanti's has already been mentioned.  The next "famous" eatery is probably the "O" (the Original) which is a hotdog joint off Forbes in Oakland.  Lots of cops around the O (it wasn't in a great area) but it's another PGH semi-landmark in terms of food.

The Cathedral of Learning is just down Forbes between Carnegie Mellon University and Pitt.  Nothing super special about it except that it's a tall, ornate building for classes.  I climbed to the top of the Tower of Learning on a lark but I was a lot younger back then.  Heinz Chapel is next door and has multi-denominational services if you're looking for a place of worship.

If you find yourself around CMU, you may want to visit Schenley Park which has some very nice conservatories.  You will notice a lot of deep gorges spanned by bridges as well ... CMU has one of the higher suicide rates for college students in the nation and these gorges are (unfortunately) reportedly a convenient vehicle for those incidents.  Same thing with Cornell in Ithaca NY.

Last, and because we all love zombies here, you may want to visit the Monroeville Mall which was the mall in the Dawn of the Dead (not sure if that was the exact movie).  Parts of that movie were also filmed in the basement of one of the buildings at Carnegie Mellon University.  I forget which hall it was; it was one of the buildings adjoining Hamerschlag Hall.  Seriously, these places are not worth going out of your way to see, but if you happen to be there you can say you've been in real live zombie territory.

Edit:  oh yeah someone mentioned the Carnegie Science Center.  When I was there they had a real US WW2 (?) submarine that you could tour.  I don't know if it's still there.  Even if it's not, the Science Center has a iMax theater that makes it worth the trip.  And skip the Iron City beer.  It sucks.

Penn brewery beer garden has some good German food and of course some good beer in a very german like beer house.  Stay away from the hill district and homewood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  That is unless you are in need of a bullet in your ass or to score some crack.

Ghilly

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Quoted: Try to get tickets to a Penguins game if you can, that is one hell of a good time.

We looked online and it looks like tickets are about 45 a piece.  Does that sound right or can I maybe run into someone outside the arena that's mother died and needs to get rid of their tickets for cheaper?  he
Oh well....

I wonder if they'd get pissed if I wore my Alexander jersey?  

Most everyone that bags on Pittsburgh have never been there.  Downtown is really nice, but is a ghost town after hours.  Definitely go to the places already mentioned, especially Primanti's.  If you can get tickets to a Penguins game (good luck!), that's worth going to as well.  Too bad baseball season is over in Pittsburgh - the stadium is awesome and is the best place I've ever been to see a ball game (even tho the Pirates suck!).  Not sure what's left at Station Square anymore, but that used to be a cool place (I grew up there, but have only been back sparingly in the past 20 years).  Ride the Mon Incline to get a good view of the city (especially at night).   They have a pretty nice Zoo, if you're into that.  

Quoted: "Traveling to Pittsburgh, any recommendations" Don't do it!!!!!!

<--- Pittsburgh native. Left there after high school in '84 but I get back there pretty often.


Go see the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Right now the dinosaur exhibit is being renovated and not due to reopen until November '07, but I understand you can still see quite a bit. They have more dinosaurs than frickin Jurassic park!

Take an evening ride on the Duquesne Incline. The view from the top (and of course during the ride) is incredible.


Take a day and go see Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater. Click the link for "musts" regarding visiting. If you want to go (and you DO want to go), make a reservation NOW. Very popular during the fall because of its location in the Appalachian Mountians, everyone comes out to enjoy nature, see the leaves change, etc.


Take a cruise with the Gateway Clipper Fleet



See the Fort Pitt Museum
Fort Pitt is in Point State Park at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers.
Another link

Go to Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood Park. If you can make it on Sunday the 7th, you can enjoy the park during the daytime hours and then stick around for phantom fright night. The Phantom's Revenge (new) and Thunderbolt (old) roller coasters are intertwined.


Phipps Conservatory Flowers and plants, if you like that kind of stuff.

Buhl Planetarium <--sounds boring, but it isn't. Quite possibly the most interesting and attention-keeping "tourist" thing you can do in Pgh.

On May 25, 1935, the first home run was hit over the Forbes Field double-deck grandstand in right field, which, coincidentally, was Babe Ruth's 714th and final career home run.

A portion of the outfield wall (457' where the left field wall met the center field wall) is all that remains of Forbes Field. See if you can find it. It's within a couple minutes walking distance to the southeast from Essie's Original Hot Dog shop (which is at the corner of Forbes Ave. and Bouquet St.) Hint: look for the flagpole!




Someone mentioned Monroeville Mall. That indeed is where Dawn of the Dead was filmed during Christmas season, 1977. I lived in Monroeville at the time of filming. I was 11 when they were filming it. They also filmed parts of it at Brown's Airport (now named the Harold Brown Municipal Airport) which was walking distance from my house. We used to play there all the time. If you happen to go into the Mall, find JC Penney's. Directly opposite of it on the lower level, used to be the ice rink which is now remodeled into a food court last I remember.

If I remember more I'll add it.

Quoted: Quoted: "Traveling to Pittsburgh, any recommendations" Don't do it!!!!!!

$45 sounds about right.  Jump on some tickets if you can.  Have an Iron City, regardless of what some people have said.  Only one tho - at least you'll be able to say you've had one and it'll make your favorite beer (whatever it is) taste all the more better.....

Quoted: attractions, pubs, restaurants, etc...whatever you think is worth checking out, let me know.

Pittsburgh is a great town!  I graduated from Pitt, so I mostly am familiar with the Oakland/Shady Side/Squirrel Hill area.

You absolutely MUST eat at Mad Mex.  It is my favorite restaurant of all time!!   There are six locations around Pittsburgh, but the one in Oakland is the original and is worth going to either for Happy Hour or Late Night Halfsies.  I recommend the Spicy Chicken Burrito, the Buffalo Wings (Wild) w/ Bleu Cheese, and the Tortilla Soup.

Other good eats in the area include Uncle Sam's Submarines (in Oakland) for really great steak sandwiches, Tessaro's over in Bloomfield makes the BEST HAMBURGERS east of the Mississippi (get the Black & Bleu cooked rare), Primanti Brothers, and the Grand Concourse in Station Square (across the Mon from dahntahn).

For gunshops, Braverman Arms in Wilkinsburg was always my go-to shop.

Pittsburgh is a terrific city with all kinds of stuff to do.

Quoted: Primanti's has already been mentioned.  The next "famous" eatery is probably the "O" (the Original) which is a hotdog joint off Forbes in Oakland.  Lots of cops around the O (it wasn't in a great area) but it's another PGH semi-landmark in terms of food.

Unfortunately, The "O" is closed.    I ate many pounds of french fries from there late at night!

The Cathedral of Learning is just down Forbes between Carnegie Mellon University and Pitt.  Nothing super special about it except that it's a tall, ornate building for classes.  I climbed to the top of the Tower of Learning on a lark but I was a lot younger back then.  Heinz Chapel is next door and has multi-denominational services if you're looking for a place of worship.

I'd have to say that the Gothic architecture of Heinz Chapel and the interior lobby of the COL are all worth seeing.  I really enjoy the heavy darkness of both of those bulidings.

If you find yourself around CMU, you may want to visit Schenley Park which has some very nice conservatories.  You will notice a lot of deep gorges spanned by bridges as well ...

Schenley is also a great place to go for a jog!

Edit:  oh yeah someone mentioned the Carnegie Science Center.  When I was there they had a real US WW2 (?) submarine that you could tour.  I don't know if it's still there.  Even if it's not, the Science Center has a iMax theater that makes it worth the trip.  And skip the Iron City beer.  It sucks.

The submarine at the Carnegie Science Center is the U.S.S. Requin.

You could also check out the Andy Warhol Museum.

jeeze

what kind of conference is in Pitt?

Conferences are supposed to be in San Diego, or Apsen, or Vegas

In Pittsburg, don't make the assumption that because you can see your destination, that you can actually get to it.


Yes, I've had fun with bridges and tunnels.

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Quoted: jeeze what kind of conference is in Pitt? Conferences are supposed to be in San Diego, or Apsen, or Vegas

Yea, not ours.  Software vendor conference

Quoted: In Pittsburgh, don't make the assumption that because you can see your destination, that you can actually get to it. Yes, I've had fun with bridges and tunnels.

Truer words have never been spoken.

Quoted: Unfortunately, The "O" is closed.    I ate many pounds of french fries from there late at night!

The "Dirty O" is not closed - yet. IIRC, the property was sold to U. of Pitt. with a stipulation that the business would be allowed to remain there until Pitt was ready to tear down and build up something else.

The business remains there as of now. I should know, I ate there in June.

Quoted: The "Dirty O" is not closed - yet. IIRC, the property was sold to U. of Pitt. with a stipulation that the business would be allowed to remain there until Pitt was ready to tear down and build up something else. The business remains there as of now. I should know, I ate there in June.

That's good to know.  I had thought that it was already closed.  Well, we'll be going through there later this year, so maybe I'll have one last order of fries!  

Go to market square in the middle of down town....right next to PPG place (all glass skyscraper)...

Oyster house...best freakin fish sandwitch on the planet....

Quoted: Forgot about Kennywood.  A great mix of historical rides and new coasters. Devote a day if you are a theme park/coaster fan.

Kennywood > All

Quoted: Quoted: Forgot about Kennywood.  A great mix of historical rides and new coasters. Devote a day if you are a theme park/coaster fan.   Kennywood > All

The contemporary ballet is in McKees Rocks.  It's not bad.

Doesn't Piccolo live in Pittsburgh?  Buy him dinner.

Get drunk and climb the Alcoa sign.

Colonel Hurtz

Yeah, I forgot about Kennywood too.  Back when I was in the 'burgh I think they said the one coaster that had the drop into the gorge was the largest vertical drop in the US.  I went on that one, of course.  I wish I could have gone at night because they said the experience of dropping into the gorge at night was something unique.  Had to go during the day though.

PS I still say Iron City is not an experience you want to have ...

Ive been to Pittsburg once and don't really remember much about it as I was working a lot of hours, but I do remember The Church brewpub. Link. I had a decent steak and some really tasty beers. Worth the cab ride IMO.

I went to Pittsburgh a few weeks ago I thought it was a great city.

"I need two pickets to Tittsburgh."

Pittsburgh is a great place.

Have fun

Don't waste your time with primanti...unless you hate your heart.


Aspinwall Grill

THE BEST

One of the few things that the wife and I actually miss from the burgh.  We went there at least once a week, a hell of a lot more when I lived a block away.  The food is some of the best I've had, great menu selection, and the prices are VERY reasonable.  About 10-15 min out of downtown.  Great beer selection too.

And if you have free time on a Sat morning, you MUST go to the strip district.  It's a must stop....mmmmmm Mancini's pepperoni rolls...

Penn Brewery..great beer great food

And if you're downtown during a weekday, you have to spot running lady and follow her for a while, always entertaining.

Quoted: I went to Pittsburgh a few weeks ago I thought it was a great city. cornbread.com/~angst/mepit.jpg

Damn...Ben's really let himself go...

Bring your camera (yes, it actually does look like this from Mount Washington - especially after "Light up night" which officially kicks off the Holiday season) - you will understand why after the ride in from the airport as soon as you emerge from the Fort Pitt tunnels, it's the only city I know of with an entrance. The airport is consistently rated one of the top in the world (although since USAir de-hubbed it it is nowhere near as busy) Aviary is world class and a pretty good zoo too.

Subway rides in town are free, and still cheap if you take them over to Station Square or the South Hills. Roads are *interesting* but even at their worst are nowhere in the league of traffic hell in many other cities (snickers at California, Atlanta, Chicago and the entire East Coast).

For night life I would probably choose (in this order)

1) South Side (Carson Street)

2) Strip District

3) Oakland (home to Pitt & CMU, and a few other colleges as well)

There are lots of other places but Pgh is unique in that many neighborhoods are like enclaves, and a lot of people will stay close to their own neck of the woods.

Very safe town, just use common sense (ie don't bar-hop alone and then stagger home at 2AM), couple of bad spots but any local can tell you where to avoid. Very friendly people.

Good brewpubs abound in PA

http://www.brewpubzone.com/States/Pennsylvania.html

www.churchbrew.com/

www.eastendbrewing.com/ (new place, on the edge of one of the iffy areaas - go in a group)

www.johnharvards.com/ chain, but someplace to stop on the way back from Monroeville (Dawn of the Dead) Mall. I would hit Rudy's for a Mushroom Cheese Steak instead: Rudy's Here's a coupon! lol

then go to the www.myrivertowne.com/

If you do the trip to Fallingwater (about an hour SE of Pgh), stop by the Red Star on the way back and have one of their excellent Canvasback IPA's.

Just coming up on leaf-changing season in a few weeks, this is probably the best time of the year to visit.

Any questions just ask.

More links:

Aspinwall Grille

Pubcrawler links for Pittsburgh < includes reviews

If you want a meal with a view, go for the Georgetown

or Monterey Bay (exc fish)


Listing of neighborhood tours: Check it out

Current things going on around town

Kleiner Deutschmann for German Food <<< good food but the place is $ and pink!

Grand Concourse for Sunday Brunch

Quoted: Primanti Bros. Fuel & Fuddle Science Center

+1 to the above and I'd add the zoo to the list.

+1 on Kleiner...

Quoted: I would hit Rudy's for a Mushroom Cheese Steak instead: Rudy's Here's a coupon! lol

I forgot about Rudy's!  I used to eat there all the time. Best subs around.

Damn. Now I'm hungry.