Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > United States
Reload this Page >

yk spent a fabulous Fourth of July holiday in Pittsburgh! (Trip Report)

yk spent a fabulous Fourth of July holiday in Pittsburgh! (Trip Report)

Old Jul 16th, 2007, 07:11 AM
  #21  
yk
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 25,843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Topping again for anyone who's interested.
yk is offline  
Old Jul 16th, 2007, 07:42 AM
  #22  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Great report. I'm so glad you enjoyed my hometown! It really does have a lot of interesting things to see and good restaurants at which to dine.
flsd is offline  
Old Jul 16th, 2007, 08:29 AM
  #23  
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,040
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for posting yk. As a native Pittsburgher, it's sometime difficult to determine what a visitor might find interesting or not. I have a female friend who is coming from Germany to visit in September and it's really hard for me to know what types of things she might find interesting.

Glad you enjoyed Monterrey Bay - it is on my list of places to visit with her so I'm glad to hear you liked it. I'm not a fan of the Warhol Museum, so that's out. As I have not seen the Chihuly exhibit yet, I think I will take her there. I'll have to check with her to see if there is any interest in the Wright houses. I've seen them both, but think she might enjoy the drive (I would take the backroads --- Route 40) rather than the turnpike. Yes, probably farther, but more interesting to drive.

I'm not so interested in the Strip. The John Heinz history museum is supposed to be very nice though - I may try that. I hope the other Pittsburgher visitors will post a trip report and make some suggestions as well.
swaymock is offline  
Old Mar 7th, 2009, 05:35 AM
  #24  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
yk - Thanks to the new and improved Fodors format, which now allows us to "flag" our trip reports, when I search for Pennsylvania posts on the US board, I keep seeing two of your trip reports come up.

Well, I finally had the time this morning to read this report from 2007, and I have to tell you, it makes me want to go and visit Pittsburgh! I was there way back in 1976, before revitalization took effect. It was pretty run down.

Same goes with Fallingwater. I remember the guide complaining about the cantilevered covered walkway - they were considering closing down that section because it was becoming unsafe (it did look neat, though). And the glass walls over the waterfall were leaking, and parts of the foundation were ready to crumble. It certainly is a pretty looking house, but it has major, major building flaws. I found Wright's "skinny hallway theory" to be odd - hallways are wasted space so they have to be as skinny as you can make them.

It would be nice to go back to Fallingwater and Pittsburgh, and see all the sites again, and some new ones. I guess I've found myself so intent on travelling in Europe, that I forgot to look at what's to offer in my own backyard. Thanks for the trip report.

Robyn
artstuff is offline  
Old Mar 7th, 2009, 06:20 AM
  #25  
yk
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 25,843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi Robyn-

I'm glad you found this! Actually, before the new format took over, this trip report was lost to the "black hole" as it would NEVER come up with any kind of search I could think of. I did bookmark the URL so I could always find it myself, but no one else could with the search function.

Pittsburgh indeed was a pleasant surprise, and I was a bit embarrassed that I never bothered to visit duing my 6-year stay in Philadelphia... but better late than never! I still have to take my husband there some day, as I'm sure he'd enjoy FallingWater. I hope you'll go visit some time soon (when the weather is better).
yk is offline  
Old Dec 29th, 2009, 01:38 PM
  #26  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 10,266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
ttt
Steelersfan is offline  
Old Feb 14th, 2010, 08:20 AM
  #27  
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We went to Pittsburgh for the 2009 Fourth of July holiday as well AS yk! I love to go to Pittsburgh once a year. There is such spectacular urban geography to appreciate, and so many interesting noghborhoods to explore. In additon to watching the fireworks from atop Mount Washington, we photgraphed some of America's most interesting art neuveau architecture. The Heidelberg Apartments and another which is called, I believe, Highland Terrace in Shadyside are a ArtN as anything in Vienna or Budapest!!! HOwever the absolute highlight of our weekend was a vist to the Phipps Conservatory in Schenley Park. Recently expanded and renovated to achieve the highest standards of energy efficiency offered through the LEED Program, this spectacular indoor garden is ALWAYS worth the vist. Last Summer though the Phipps was the site of a special glass exhibit by German born glass sculptor, Hans Godo Frabel. This was unquestionably the highlight of our visit to Pittsburgh. Hundreds of Frabel's exquisite glass sculptures were integrated into the conservatory settings. In addition the Phipps has acquired a number of Chihuly glass sculptures, which wer also on display. Many of the best restaurants are in neighborhoods like Southside Flats, Northside's German Village, Italian Bloomfield, Jewish Squirrel Hill and uberhip Shadyside. Lastly for Greenies out there, Pittsburgh has one of the largest collection of LEED certified sustainable buildings in all of America. Pittsburgh is one of America's best kept secrets.
E B Pennsylvania
EastBerlin is offline  
Old Feb 14th, 2010, 12:35 PM
  #28  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Fun report! We recently spent a long weekend in pittsburgh and had a great time. A highlight was a unique dinner at The Church Brew Works. Its an historic church converted into a restaurant and microbrewery. Tables were made to match up with pews, the huge vats are on the altar, and there were plenty of big screens placed throughout to watch the games. Good food and good times

www.churchbrew.com

rkkwan, i like cleveland too. Like pittsburgh, it's really nice in the summer.
ellen_griswold is offline  
Old Feb 20th, 2010, 03:06 AM
  #29  
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 10,266
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Good news for those planning trips to Pittsburgh---it's been above freezing for two days now! WOOO HOOO!!
Steelersfan is offline  
Old Feb 20th, 2010, 12:39 PM
  #30  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A note to anyone visiting Pittsburgh -

The Strip is an area known for it Saturday market. Most days, it can seem like your average food processing neighborhood (yk made a good analogy about the Meatpacking District) but on Saturdays from about 8 am to 1 pm, it reminds me more of Pike Place market in Seattle in terms of vendors and craziness.
Trekker5211 is offline  
Old Mar 6th, 2010, 04:13 PM
  #31  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
So glad to hear the great review of Pittsburgh. Having grown up in the suburbs, a trip to Phipps was always always a field trip during high school days. Oh, how I remember the trips to the "strip" with my dad and buying all the goodie at Penn Mac. Now that we are retired, we have a summer home in the northern suburbs and still enjoy the now gentrified strip on Sat. mornings, the Pitt. Zoo, Phipps and of course. the wonderful restaurants in the south side.
misscarol is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
BLTan
Asia
11
Apr 25th, 2012 07:04 AM
leonberger
Europe
15
Aug 14th, 2005 09:44 AM
red65
United States
4
Jun 17th, 2003 12:39 PM
crosbie
United States
4
May 28th, 2003 08:44 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -