Pittsburgh Trip in May
 

My fiance's sister is traveling to the US for the first time from Turkey to be at her brother's graduation from CMU in May. She is 25 years old and will be here for 10 days. I'm currently putting together a list of activities/restaurants that we can go to while she is here. I would like her to be able to experience not only Pittsburgh but general US culture while she is here. After living in Pittsburgh for a long period of time, I may overlook some fun places that others enjoy seeing for their first time while in Pittsburgh/the US. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I don't know if she'll be a big fan of the Southside, so I'm excluding it at this point. My fiance and I will definitely take her to the following:

Phipps Conservatory
Natural History Museum
Warhol Museum
Strip District Markets during the weekend
Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
Ross Park Mall and Shadyside for shopping
A movie in the Waterfront
A ride on the incline to Mt. Washington

I'm sure that I'm missing a lot of good stuff to do in Pittsburgh. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Definitely go to a Pirates Game at PNC Park for baseball. Best stadium as far as I am concerned.

What about Primanti Bros for lunch?

I just saw this thread. Search feature- no less. I printed the list.

I'm going to Pittsburgh in June and I'll research your list too, LCivelek.

Just now, in the next week or so, I'm deciding upon flying or driving. Flying from Chicago or driving from MI. But looking at the list, I think I want to do 3 or 4 days, at least, right there, minus the road time.

tchoiniere, look for my threads with questions. Pirates at PNC against the White Sox; we'll be there.

Since my youngest son's best friend just married a Pittsburgh girl- and there was a big wedding here in IL-and all (about 6 chums heavily involved) have been driving up and back moving her "stuff"- I have been hearing about how fab Pittsburgh is continually- so I can't wait.

PNC sounds and looks (website)great!

It's a good list (I assume by Natural History Museum you mean Carnegie Institute), but you left off one of the very best places in Pittsburgh - the National Aviary. I've never understood its anonymity.

There are several other possibilities not on your list, including the one that many would rate the #1 attraction: Falling Water, of course.

You also could consider:

1. Allegheny Observatory. Once one of the most important observatories in the US. I think they still have viewings on Friday nights.
2. Old Economy. If you are historical pioneer village reproductions.
3. Nationality rooms in the Pitt Cathedral.
4. The Science Center. It's actually a fairly boring one if you've seen others, but if you haven't it's worth a look.
5. Grand Conscourse restaurant. It's been voted one of the top urban restaurations in many architectural publications. Don't eat there, but it is definately worth looking at. Going in to the adjacent bar to get a beer, then going up the incline and walking Mt. Washington is one of your your basic Pittsburgh experiences. The other is eating a chipped ham sandhich followed by a toasted almond fudge skyscraper conewith at Isleys. Tough to do now that Isley's is long gone.
6. The PPG building. A large office tower entirely covered in glass and modeled after the London parliament buildings.
7. Oh, yeah, almost forgot the obvious the obvious - a boat cruise along the rivers.

Lastly ignore any advice to go to Primanti's. It's pathetic. They throw French fries on a medicore sandwich. Big deal. If you want to eat on the Strip, go around the corner to Wholeys and get some good seafoood instead. Also, Shadyside isn't worth the trouble. A walk through Squirrel Hill is a far better experience.

You've got some good lists going here. I'll second Imhornet's recommendation to go to the Nationality Rooms at the Cathedral of Learning on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, I don't believe they have finished the Turkish Room, but here's a link where your fiance's sister can read about it. http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/oa04/...t_turkish.html
While you are at Pitt, I'd also recommend a visit to the Heinz Chapel. The stained glass windows are something else!

Thank you so much for all of the great suggestions!

Imhornet and Longhorn55, I completely forgot about the Nationality Rooms. She will really love that. Also, she is from an area where folk dancing is very popular. The Pittsburgh International Folk Festival is occuring during the week that she will be here. Has anyone been to it? Is it worth checking out?

We aren't big Primanti Brothers people. Can anyone suggest their favorite steak, burger, or buffalo wing restaurants? My finance wants her to be able to try all of his favorite foods in the US. :)

JJ5, below are some of the ticket prices for the various museums that everyone has mentioned. Also, I would suggest having a car in Pittsburgh to see the various neighborhoods. Pittsburgh isn't the most taxi friendly.

1. Cathedral of Learning’s Nationality Rooms Tour $3.00/ adult
2. Pittsburgh International Folk Festival at the Monroeville Convention Center
3. Heinz History Center $10.00/adult
4. Phipps Conservatory $12.00/adult
5. Carnegie Natural History Museum $15.00/adult
6. Carnegie Science Center $22.95/adult
7. Carnegie Museum of Art $15.00/adult
8. Warhol Museum $15.00/adult
9. Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium $13.00/adult
10. Little Italy in Bloomfield (Robertos in Bloomfield for Gelato)
11. Shopping in Shadyside and Crepes Parisiennes for Lunch
12. Strip District Markets on weekend, Enrico Biscotti trip, rent movie “The Bread, my Sweet”
13. India Garden for dinner in South Oakland
14. Pamela’s for lunch in Squirrel Hill

LCivelek, Five Guys Burgers gets lots of raves (including from President Obama who ate at one in D.C. last year), so perhaps you could go to the one in Oakland after visiting the Nationality Rooms.

JJ5, the Andy Warhol Museum offers half-price admission on Fridays from 5 - 10 pm. We took advantage of that when we visited and it was a great deal. (They even had a wine bar set up that evening!)

Thanks SO MUCH- LCivelek and longhorn55. I'll use that information. We will probably be there until Saturday morning too- so I might use the Friday's 1/2 admission.

We are probably going to drive. Look for my thread upon lodging in Springtime.

Hi! I'm a Pittsburgh (South Side) girl who is living in Mexico now. Here are some of my suggestions for a great visit to the 'Burgh:
1. When you're in Oakland for the museums, Phipps, and the Nationality rooms have dinner at Original Hot Dog and "dessert" at Dave and Andy's Ice Cream
2. Hike or bike on one of the river trails
3. If you have a car, visits to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob can be done in a day and they give a nice sense of the region
4. Murray Ave. Grill in Squirrel Hill has good hamburgers. And I agree that Squirrel Hill is more interesting than Shadyside.
5. The History Center in the Strip District is an interesting place
6. Again, if you have a car, there are old hulks of steel mills in Braddock which are interesting to see, and you can see them on your way to the Waterfront--the last remnants of Pittsburgh's history as a steel-making giant.
7. Have a good look at the architecture downtown, including Philip Johnson PPG Place, Heinz Hall, Benedum Center, HH Richardson County Court House and jail, and largest dome in the world, Mellon Arena http://pittsburghhockey.net/Common/C...ivicArena.html
8. Buy some pierogies for dinner at St. Vladimirs church on 18th St. on the South Side, or at the church that is at 10th and Sarah St. (it may be Jane St.) on the South Side

forgot to add that when i was in pittsburgh there was a turkish restaurant on north craig street in oakland, near chief's cafe.

also, re: hiking/biking, the great allegheny passage (rails to trails) is also an excellent adventure, as is mcconnell's mills to the north of pittsburgh.

I second the suggestion of Fallingwater. Also, the area gives views of the countryside and Ohiopyle Park which is a contrast to city life. http://www.paconserve.org/43/fallingwater

What about a trip to Kennywood Park? That's pretty all-american.

"India Garden for dinner in South Oakland"

Indian food in Pgh is brutal. Avoid at all costs.

We will be passing through Pittburgh in July. The above suggestions are great. Thanks!

Just a quick FYI: the Carnegie Natural History Museum and the Museum of Art are the same building. Your admission price covers both. Duck Tours (as in other cities) give great highlights of the Golden Triangle from both downtown and in the Three Rivers; very fun in the summer.

If this is her first trip to the US .. I would definately take the drive to DC and spend a couple days .. not that I am saying to ditch the Pittsburgh Culture thing .. but clearly the drive through the countryside and the ability to see the iconic Washington Landmarks would be very memoriable .. IMO.

In any instance .. hope she enjoys her trip.

bookmarking for our June trip.

I am going to be there In June, as well. And I've noted all of this.

THANKS!

And we will be there early July, for the first time in many, many years...thank you all for this great thread!

Has anyone stayed at the Renassiance Hotel? Opinion?
Thanks.