It is time.We now have less than one week of living in Pittsburgh before we move back in with our parents prior to our year-plus trip around the world.
In what should be a happy moment as the 2 1/2 years of saving to travel is finally at an end, we are sad. Sad to be leaving such a wonderful city that we've had so much fun in. We know we're going to have an amazing time exploring the world, but there is something about Pittsburgh that just makes us think that whatever city we return to wont stack up. Sure, the traffic is awful and winters are brutal, but we can get past that.
Truly, Pittsburgh is an awesome place. Since we'll be leaving in less than one week, we have to shift our view to remember all of our favorite places we've experienced along the way. If we have been able to convince you to visit this great city in the future, hooray! Try out this list when you get here for a Living the Dream approved itinerary.
Phipp's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
If there is one place in all of Pittsburgh that I would call my favorite, it would likely be Phipp's Conservatory. This 120+ year old botanical gardens is one of the city's premier attractions, and is also one of the most beautiful conservatories on the planet.
With over a dozen different themed rooms, Phipp's contains unique flowers, plants, fruits, vegetables, and decorations from all over the world. Many of the rooms are themed according to their temperatures and controlled humidity, with some of our favorites being the Orchid Room, an outdoor Japanese Garden, the Desert Room, a Fruit and Spice Room, a Butterfly Room (April/May) and more. In addition to the themed rooms, most littered with Dale Chihuly glass, Phipp's has quarterly themes that gives the conservatory a new feel every time you visit. For the best colors, the Spring flower show is always a must see (ends early April).
For those looking to visit, Phipp's is a good 2-3 hour experience. Admission in May 2013 was $15 per person with a small discounts for students and seniors.
The "Secret" View of the City
If you haven't visited Pittsburgh before, you may not know that downtown Pittsburgh is one of the more unique urban areas in the country. Rather than being in the middle of open land, laid out in a grid like most cities, Pittsburgh's downtown is actually built in a triangular shape. Of course, this was not for aesthetic design but rather due to the geographical oddity that is found in the city. Downtown Pittsburgh was built on the site of Fort Pitt, at the strategic spot where three rivers, Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio join together. Add in the fact that hills surround the city on nearly all sides and you have one unique downtown.
With these hills and rivers, there are numerous spots throughout the city to get up high and view the skyline from above. The most popular spot to view the city, and where we lived for almost 2 years, is Mount Washington, located just South of downtown. This local spot is a huge tourist attraction due to many fancy restaurants with city views and the two Inclines, 100+ year old cable and track cars that go up and down the mountain (think transportation up and down the mountain before roads were built).
Of the two inclines, the Monongahela Incline goes up the mountain near where we lived and gives a view of downtown from head on. The second of the two, The Duquense Incline is about a mile down the road from the Monongahela. This incline and corresponding viewing platform give a great view of the city at an angle, allowing visitors to see the city and rivers in their full and stunning glory.
But I'll let you in on a little secret. Its not the best lookout. We know of one that is better.
For all those riding the Duquense Incline, you need to go on a small walk. After exiting lookout platform (facing away from downtown), turn right and head up the small hill about 200-300 feet, past the two restaurants nearby. At the top of the hill there will be a statue of George Washington and an Indian Chief meeting and the most stunning lookout of the city you'll ever find. No fences, no trees, no obstructions.
Not taking the incline? Just put "Monterey Bay Fish Grotto" in your GPS and drive to the restaurant. The view is right out front (and a great restaurant too, if you can spend $25-$35+ per plate).
Considering we've lived up here for 2 years, running between the Inclines has been one of our favorite activities, and the reward is a view that cannot be beat. Especially when fireworks are involved.
For those looking to visit, there are plenty of parking spots on Mount Washington if you want to make a quick stop to see the view. For the full experience, we recommend taking one of the two Inclines up to experience the 100+ year old transportation method. The Duquense Incline has better parking (free) and the view mentioned above. $5.00 round trip on the Duquense Incline and $3.50 round trip on the Monongahela Incline.
Bike Trails
With the number of hills, rivers, and compact urban environment you wouldn't think Pittsburgh to be the type of city that is big on biking. As we were shocked to find out, the city has more bike trails than we ever thought possible and is a favorite activity of all outdoor lovers in the region.
The thing about the bike trails in Pittsburgh that we're going to miss the most is their central connection to the downtown cityscape. From the center of town you can pick any direction and be on a trail within just a few minutes. Most every major bridge has a pedestrian lane for walkers and bikers, and there is a major bike path on just about every side of the river you want. Care to bike to the Steeler's Stadium? Will be there in a few minutes. Want to bike as far east as your legs will take you? Many trails are built for that too. Want to see a Bald Eagle? We found one the other day on the South Side trail going East. Apparently there are two and they just had a baby (May 2013).
In combining this one with our previous attraction, we're going to miss our home quite a lot because it has been incredibly easy for us to pop on the Monongahela Incline, take our bikes down, and bike throughout downtown and the nearby trails to our heart's content.
The Strip District
If you have read our Pittsburgh Restaurant Bucket List post, you'll have seen a common theme in that many of our favorite food places are located in a part of the city known as the Strip District. This old warehouse district just outside of downtown was revitalized into a thriving business complex where boutique shops meet ethnic grocery stores and restaurants. While the boutique shops are a lot of fun, our love of the Strip District comes from the restaurants and grocers.
The unique claim that the Strip District has is that it is much like waking around the world in just a few city blocks. First you'll pass the Mexican grocery store Reyna's and pick up a bag of homemade flour tortillas that you can actually watch them make. Next you'll pass Labad's Mediterranean store and perhaps get a gyro if he's prepping them on the street. Count a few Asian and Italian grocers and you'll find yourself at Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, or Penn Mac for short. Grab some cheese and cheap olive oil and head over to the fresh produce stalls and Wholey's meat and fish market, home to cheap meats and unusual offerings. Finally, end the walk at Lotus Foods, the largest and, in our opinion, best Asian grocery store in the Strip District.
If this description doesn't make you drool, perhaps it will be the next point: each grocery store offers unique and authentic items, at rock bottom prices you have to see to believe. Or for everyone else, the chocolate store will definitely have something you've been looking for.
For those looking to visit, parking at the Strip District can be quite tricky. Metered parking is available, but often impossible to find a spot on the weekends in the early morning. Most paid parking ranges $5-$6 for a space within a block or two from the stores and restaurants. Stores typically close by 3pm, so in this one case we recommend going early and ending the trip with a stop at our favorite restaurant - Kaya!
Everything We Missed
For everything we love about Pittsburgh, there are many things that we quite simply never got the time to see. While Angie was in the city for 5 years, I've only been here for 2 1/2 (plus visits). In that time I never made it to some of the museums like the ToonSeum (cartoon museum), Science Center, or the Mattress Factory Art Museum. I never saw a Steelers or Penguins game, although Angie did see the Pens lose a few weeks ago with a cheap ticket from school. To make matters worse, we didn't even get out on the Gateway Clipper for a dinner cruise. Then there are all the restaurants we didn't get to try either because they had just opened or were never high enough on our list.
The drawbacks of saving for world travel and having too many options I suppose.
So come out and visit our city, you'll have a great time! We guarantee it.
Goodbye Pittsburgh, until we meet again!
