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Pittsburgh

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2025

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Cityscape of downtown skyline and vintage incline in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA at sunset 1288178233 state

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Overview

There may be more beautiful cities than Pittsburgh, but few mix the seemingly contradictory aesthetics of filigreed beaux-arts elegance with muscular art-deco swagger. This is a city of stone and steel, with old public libraries and brick row houses beside wide bridges and towering skyscrapers. There's an old-school class to Pittsburgh's good looks, underlined by an attitude towards dining, drinking and the arts that is genuinely innovative.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Mattress Factory

    Mattress Factory

    Pittsburgh

    Since 1977, this art space has hosted the avant-garde. It now occupies several buildings in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood, and always has something…

  • Duquesne Incline

    Duquesne Incline

    Pittsburgh

    This nifty funicular and its Monongahela Incline twin down the road, both built in the late 19th century, are Pittsburgh icons, zipping up the steep slope…

  • Entrance

    Andy Warhol Museum

    Pittsburgh

    This six-story museum celebrates Pittsburgh's coolest native son, Andy Warhol, who moved to NYC, got a nose job and made himself famous with pop art. One…

  • Cathedral of Learning

    Cathedral of Learning

    Pittsburgh

    Soaring 42 stories, this Gothic tower at the center of the University of Pittsburgh is a city landmark. It has a 4-storey common room at ground level and…

  • Randyland

    Randyland

    Pittsburgh

    Hey, did you notice the giant yellow house with enormous floor-to-roof wall murals and a small army of garden statuary and a junkyard's worth of painted…

  • Children's Museum of Pittsburg

    Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh

    Kill a day (or at least half a day) with the kids at this multistory fun house, which includes an attic space devoted to illusions, a waterplay area, a…

  • Carnegie Museums

    Carnegie Museums

    Pittsburgh

    Founded in 1895, these neighboring institutions are both tremendous troves of knowledge. The Carnegie Museum of Art has European treasures and an…

  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 3/8/20 The Frick Fine Arts building on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh on a sunny winter day

    Frick Art & Historical Center

    Pittsburgh

    Henry Clay Frick, of New York City's Frick Collection fame, built his steel fortune in Pittsburgh. This Frick shows a small art collection (including…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Take an incline up a hill. Enjoy work by Andy Warhol. Eat a huge sandwich. And more.

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Best Time to Visit

Summer, fall, winter, spring there's never a bad time to visit Pittsburgh. Here's how to make the most of your trip to the Steel City.

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Transportation

Though there are a ton of options when it comes to getting around Pittsburgh, the best and most successful way is to walk.

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Free Things to Do

It’s easy to discover this fantastic city without spending a dime.

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Best Neighborhoods

The Steel City boasts 90 some different districts, each with their own flavor. Here are the city’s best neighborhoods.

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Day Trips

From charming rural communities to expansive natural spaces, the best of Western Pennsylvania is yours to discover on a day trip from Pittsburgh.

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Traveling with Kids

From thrill rides at Kennywood to laser shows at the planetarium, Pittsburgh has plenty to keep kids smiling.

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