Pittsburgh, PA…as seen by Katie

I should hate Pittsburgh. I have every reason to. I’m from Northeast Ohio and was raised a Browns fan by a mother with a burning hatred for the Black and Yellow foes across the Pennsylvania border.

And as Paul mentioned in his post, the roads are unbearably confusing. The running joke in my family is “You can see where you want to go, you just can’t get there.” In fact, it’s so confusing that the GPS has actually told us to turn off bridges. For that reason, Pittsburgh gets points deducted.

The bridges get you every time. (Photo by Katie Hendershot)

Despite my Ohio roots, I have been to Pittsburgh on multiple occasions and actually live less than two hours away, just a little farther than from Cleveland.

And despite everything, I actually really do like the city.

My favorite part of any travel is exploration. I like to do just look around and see what I can find without being pointed in any particular direction.

This past summer, I took a few trips to Pittsburgh, once for a day trip with a few friends and then again with the same friends to a Taylor Swift concert. In November, I made the trip again, but this time with Paul to another concert.

My parents and I also vacationed there once. Not your typical vacation, I know.

There were childhood trips too, but all I really remember is constant bickering and cursing from my parents because the ugly street system had us so turned around.

This summer completely changed my opinion of Pittsburgh.

My favorite location in Pittsburgh is the Mr. Rogers memorial. It’s just along the North Shore in Pittsburgh, across the street from Heinz Field, home of the Steelers, and just a little down the river from the Carnegie Science Center.

We really love Mr. Rogers. (Photo by Katie Hendershot)

My friends and I danced around the memorial after the Taylor Swift concert to music being played from a boat in the river. The illuminated downtown skyline provided a perfect backdrop for our fun, as we ran and jumped around for people waiting in traffic. Maybe every experience at the memorial won’t be like ours, but it was a fun night.

Plus, it’s just a really cool thing to see. Everyone remembers the man in the sweaters from their childhood.

Earlier that summer, we had visited the memorial while walking around after we had found large stone steps down to the river near the Science Center. We ended up walking out into the river with water up to our knees. It was just a fun, carefree day.

While the Science Center can be interesting, it’s best for younger children. At 17, I was way too old to enjoy it.

I would strongly suggest visiting the Duquesne Incline if it’s your first trip to Pittsburgh. While it is a touristy thing to do, you will also see locals riding up and down the steep

hill to get to and from work. Once at the top, it offers spectacular views of the city. I’m undecided on which is better—the nighttime view or the daytime view. Both are stunning, and with the low fare ($5 roundtrip), you might venture to do both.

View of downtown from the incline. (Photo by Katie Hendershot)

While Paul and I will eventually start covering all of the MLB ballparks across the country, I will suggest PNC Park to see a Pirates game. It’s an amazing place to see a game with incredible views (maybe you’re noticing a trend here) and a friendly atmosphere. For being so new, the ballpark has a lot of unique qualities.

Sticking to the unique flavor of the ballpark, the food options pay homage to the traditions of the city. Pierogies are a big part of the local flavor, so much so that you can eat them at the ballpark, or watch people dressed as them race around the ballpark between innings. Check out the local favorite Primanti Brothers station at the ballpark if you want to be immersed in the culture of the city. At PNC Park, it’s more than just the traditional hot dog and popcorn ballpark fare.

Another feature of PNC Park is the closeness to the action. The seats are right up close to the field, which is great for anyone looking for pre-game autographs.

One of the most spectacular sights I have ever been graced with is the sunrise over downtown Pittsburgh. PNC Park looked like it was glowing.

Other than those main sites, there are plenty of great food options. On my various trips to Pittsburgh, I’ve been lucky enough to try a few.

The Church Brew Works is a church transformed into a pub. It’s complete with stained glass windows and everything. I got a southwestern pizza that will ignite your mouth, but still, it’s delicious. It’s a unique venue for food and while it is good, it’s worth trying out just for the experience.

Another favorite of mine is Joe Mamas, an Italian restaurant. I ate there so long ago that I don’t remember what I got, but I know it was good because I’ve begged my parents to take me back for years. Pretty much any type of Italian food you could want and I remember a chocolate lava cake for dessert that still makes my mouth water.

If neither of those things strike your fancy, you can’t miss The Milk Shake Factory. Basically, this is like a childhood dream come true. You must get a milkshake there if you can. Trust me, you have to. I’m a strong proponent of the cookie dough one. But besides that, there are tons of bright candy options that I wanted to try. It’s like you stepped into the world of Willy Wonka. Well maybe not quite, but close. There were all sorts of candy and sweets options all over the walls. I would’ve loved that place as a kid.

So basically, in Pittsburgh, you’re going to get lost, but once you find your destination, it’s likely to reward you. This is just a snippet of Pittsburgh though. There’s plenty more to explore.

Traveler rating: 7/10