Pittsburgh: Full of Culture not Smoke
City was the prompt for BootsnAll’s 30 Days if Indie Travel. So here’s my home city. Despite the fact that Pittsburgh hasn’t produced the majority of the country’s steel in decades, people still have the idea that it’s dirty and smoky like the illustrations of the Gilded Age industrial city in a history book.
Newsflash: It’s Actually Pretty There
See? No smoke or grime from steel mills. Some rights reserved by andrewwinn via Creative Commons.
Pittsburgh is a unique melting pot of different cultures, it has a gorgeous skyline, they have their own distinct accent, and it is becoming a food and art scene. National Geographic Traveler named it a top destination for 2012. They have pubic transportation, museums, and a relatively low cost compared to other large cities. Take the incline (funicular) to the top of Mount Washington to view the city and the three rivers (this is where the Ohio River starts). Name another American city with a funicular. Yeah, I got nothing either.
Andy Warhol is buried near the suburb of Mt. Lebanon. You can take the T (metro) out there.
Posing with the Korant, a scary mythical creature in the Slovenia part of the Pittsburgh Neighborhoods at the Heinz History Center.
Andy Warhol was from Pittsburgh, and the Warhol Museum is based in an old mattress factory building near Heinz Field and PNC Park. Across the Allegheny River is the Heinz History Center where you can learn about the history of Pittsburgh from the 18th century to today. They cover everything from the French-Indian War to the history of sports in the city to the different cultures that call Pittsburgh home.
I got the bacon sandwich at Primanti's.
Just a few blocks from the Heinz History Center is the Strip District. Some of the best food shops and restaurants are located here. Anything from Polish pierogies to Italian cheese to Asian daikon can be found in the shops scattered around. The original Primanti Bros. restaurant is down here as well. Pronounced per-manny with a silent-ish t, it’s the home of the best sandwich in the world. Thick Italian bread filled with cheese steak or kielbasa or whatever you choose, slaw in Italian dressing, and french fries. The original on-the-go meal for truckers.
There are tons of other places to check out, this is just scratching the surface. There’s the Museum of Natural History (with archaeology and an art museum attached) in Oakland, the Science Center, the Point, Frank Llyod Wright’s Fallingwater 2 hours away, and many more things to do. So go visit Pittsburgh!!
Photo credit: andrewwinn
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Amanda @amandaelsewhere — November 17, 2011 @ 2:29 pm
BEST BLOG POST EVER WRITTEN. AMANDA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE.
Amanda @amandaelsewhere recently posted..The Best Kind of Food in China is Served at Pizza Hut
ehalvey replied: — November 17th, 2011 @ 2:38 pm
I’m dying laughing! Maybe a sequel should be translating Pittsburghese?
Amanda — November 19, 2011 @ 11:27 pm
LOVE Pittsburgh. It’s seriously underrated by most people, but it’s one of my favorite cities in the US! The only thing that would make it better would be a really good public transportation system… I hate driving downtown!
Amanda recently posted..Photo of the Day: Fisherman’s Wharf, Victoria, B.C.
ehalvey replied: — November 20th, 2011 @ 9:52 am
As a kid, we always took the bus or T downtown and walked. My mom didn’t drive until we moved to the South. I’ve only driven to the Strip District, but I remember the bazillion one way streets downtown can get frustrating.
Yay Pittsburgh!!
Stephen — November 22, 2011 @ 8:55 am
Good of you to cover a city like Pittsburgh. I think it’s very underrated.
Stephen recently posted..Photo from the Road: Driving Ouray to Durango Colorado
ehalvey replied: — November 22nd, 2011 @ 11:44 am
You can never go wrong with Pittsburgh.
Kelsey — November 24, 2011 @ 11:22 am
As weird as it sounds, I’ve wanted to visit Pittsburgh ever since I saw the movie Wonder Boys. Reading this post just makes me want to visit it even more!
ehalvey replied: — November 25th, 2011 @ 9:41 am
It’s an absolutely fabulous city. Let me know when you go!
Suzy — November 27, 2011 @ 12:03 pm
You’re right. You never hear about Pittsburgh, but it sounds like a great city culturally with tasty sandwiches and jam packed museums.
Suzy recently posted..Northwest Arkansas Wishes You Were Here
ehalvey replied: — November 28th, 2011 @ 10:13 am
Definitely check out the Warhol Museum if you’re ever in PIttsburgh!