48 Hours in Pittsburgh: The Most Underrated City in the USA

The city's slogan is "Pittsburgh will surprise you", and somehow I was still shocked by what I found while solo traveling here. People have this vision of what the city used to be: oil refineries, steel factories, industrial buildings... but over the past 200 years it has changed a lot; and I guarantee after reading this blog - if you weren't planning a trip, you will be now, and if you already had it on your radar, then you will be all set for your trip!

This trip was hosted by Visit Pittsburgh, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Where is Pittsburgh?

Pittsburgh is located in western Pennsylvania, conveniently within hours of a lot of major US cities: 4 hours from DC and Baltimore, 2 hours from Cleveland, 4 hours from Detroit, 4 hours from Rochester, NY, and a 1.5 hour flight from Chicago and NYC. It's a mid-size city that gives small town vibes, is THE sports city of the US with the Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins (fun fact: all of their sports teams have the same colors), it has its own language (their own slang words including: Yinz instead of You all, and Jag Off for someone who is not the brightest), and unique foods (their own pierogis and sandwiches)!

Best Time to Visit

Pittsburgh has 4 seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall and each season has different things to do. I visited during spring/summer (May) and would tend to say that is the best time to visit. They do experience quite a bit of rainfall, so don't be surprise if it's misty one of the days during your trip. But the spring is a beautiful time to visit with flowers blooming, the greenery of the surrounding hills, and 70 degree weather!

photos 2-3 from https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/

How to Get There & Around the Area

To get here from my home base, New York City, I took a 1.5 hour flight into Pittsburgh International Airport. You don't need to rent a car to get around here if you are staying in the downtown area. It is pretty walkable, and for the places a little further out you can just Uber or take a Lyft. Also, getting from the airport is easy - I just took an Uber which was about $40 and took 30 minutes to get to downtown.

If you live somewhere closer, you can drive into the city. This would be amazing and the most flexible option to have a car, but may cost a little more to park it overnight at the hotel.

The last option to reach the city is via Amtrak. The closest station is Pittsburgh Union Station which "travels daily between New York City and Pittsburgh and connects in Pittsburgh with Floridian train 40, to and from Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago and intermediate points." (amtrak.com). The Union Station is in the heart of the downtown so very convenient to walk from there to your hotel!

Where to Stay

Wondering what the best area to stay in is? You'll want to stay in the heart of things in downtown. During my time, I stayed at the newly renovated Joinery Hotel Pittsburgh, Curio Collection by Hilton. It's in the middle of the downtown area and within walking distance to most of the main attractions. There's a delicious restaurant on-property, full gym, stunning rooftop on the 10th floor, and coffee shop in the lobby!

The history of the place is also very interesting! According to the hotel's website, the hotel was "built in 1924 as the Salvation Army of Western PA. Re-christened The Evangeline Residence in 1951 (named for the first woman to serve as General, Evangeline Booth), the property served the city as a charitable institution for many years before becoming a hotel. First built in 1923 the lobby is located in the original tower with the second tower coming to life in 1927. What was once the Salvation Army’s chapel, has been re-imagined into the hotel’s main lobby. The stage is original to the building as is the bottom row of wood paneling and old gallery seating. The current lounge seating is where the chapel’s pews once stood. Guests will find thoughtful touches throughout the building paying homage to our great city."

photos 1-2 from https://www.joineryhotel.com/gallery

48-hour Itinerary:

Day 1

Breakfast at Sally Ann's

Start your morning walking from your hotel over to Sally Ann's, an amazing restaurant that specializes in breakfast and brunch. Their coffee choices are insane! I got one with caramel and popcorn on top... unreal! Their hashbrowns are also a fan favorite, but you can't go wrong with anything! If you are solo traveling, you shouldn't have any problems getting a seat, otherwise I would recommend making a reservation if going on a weekend.

Kayaking with Venture Outdoors or Exploring the Strip District

I had the kayaking planned, but sadly due to weather it got cancelled the morning of. I would still recommend it because it looks SO FUN, but I can't speak to it exactly. So if not that I highly recommend exploring the Strip District. They have a lot of fun and unique boutique shops, restaurants, breweries, and more. Make sure to stop by Love, Pittsburgh for good souvenirs and the Pennsylvania Macaroni Co.

Lunch at Nicky's Thai

For a break in between activities, head over to probably the best Thai restaurant in the city! I got their tofu entree with rice and a Thai iced tea (of course) and it did not disappoint! This is within walking distance to either activities above and then you can walk back to the hotel from here.

Glass Blowing at the Pittsburgh Glass Center

My favorite activity I did during my time here was glass blowing. Pittsburgh is a unique place to do this because they are known for their glass production, and the glass center is one of the best in the country! During my class I got to help create a glass ornament, but they switch objects depending on the day. It was so much fun and so unique, I highly recommend!

To book, you can walk in or book ahead of time. You can also just walk in at any point during the day to watch artists or visit the museum.

Dinner at Duo's Taqueria

End your first day with some delicious Mexican food at Duo's Taqueria, yes that Duo... the first restaurant owned by Duolingo! I got their enchiladas, guacamole (of, course), and a margarita! Why this restaurant is so cool (and good) is because the chef was discovered as a small Mexican street food seller, the owner loved her food so much he asked her to be the chef of his restaurant!

This was a very popular restaurant, and even with a reservation it took a while to get seated, so I do strongly recommend a reservation for eating here!

Day 2

Carrie Blasts Furnaces Grafitti Tour

One of probably the most unique things you can do here... a grafitti tour! It's really cool because it combines Pittsburgh history (steel factory) and you get to explore an old steel factory and hear about the history of that, with a grafitti tour where you hear about the history the art form - then at the end get to do some grafitti! It was definitely a highlight of my trip!

Book here: https://riversofsteel.com/experiences/tours/industrial-tour/

Golden Triangle Bike Rental to the Highline

Did you know the Allegheny Trail is one of the best biking trails in the US, and it starts in Pittsburgh?! Well it does! Which is why I highly recommend renting a bike for a few hours to do part of the trail and take it over to the highline which is a beautiful part of the city along the water.

Book here: https://goldentrianglebike.com/

Lunch at Sly Fox Highline

Sly Fox is a unique brewery in the highline area of the city. Here you have to try the pierogi's (a Pittsburgh specialty) it's non-negotiable. If you are vegetarian, like me, don't worry there's a few great options! There's pizza, beer, burgers, all the classic American food, with a beautiful outdoor patio.

Explore the Downtown (& Heinz History Center)

After you're done biking, I recommend taking a walk around downtown - I was so shocked by the architecture.. it's so stunning! If you have time, I also recommend going over to the Heinz History Center because Heinz ketchup comes from Pittsburgh and they are very proud of it! But I also hear it is a really cool museum and it's HUGE so you could spend awhile there.

Duquesne Incline

The moment you've been waiting for... the most popular and photo-op spot in the city, the historic Duquesne Incline! This is a must-do thing for a reason. It's a historic funicular, one of only a few remaining in the country, and it goes up 400 ft about Pittsburgh's downtown and 3 rivers. Opened in 1877, it was designed to transport people and cargo up and down the steep slopes.

The best part is after the quick few minute ride up, Mount Washington is at the top and is a beautiful part of town all along the tall cliff overlooking the downtown! I recommend getting dinner here.

Here is the schedule:

It's open daily and runs every 5 minutes.

Monday-Saturday: 5:30am-12:30am

Sunday & Holidays: 7am-12:30am

PRO TIP: Bring cash (& exact change), they only accept exact cash. There is change available but NO ATM. It costs $2.75 one-way

Dinner at Coughlin's Law

Coughlin's Law is a delicious dinner spot in Mount Washington! I recommend taking the Duquesne Incline and then walking to get here. It's a laid-back brew pub serving great American food and amazing drinks! I highly recommend their espresso martini.... soooo good!

In Conclusion...

Pittsburgh is the most underrated US city I have traveled to, hands down. I went in to my visit not knowing what to expect, and left raving about it to everyone I know trying to change their opinions on it because mine was changed. There is nature, beautiful architecture, unique activities, great food, and kind locals! What more could you ask for in a city?! So I hope this guide both inspires you and helps you plan your trip! Until next time Pittsburgh...

Keep exploring xxx