Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about what NOT to do when you visit Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While many travel blogs will tell you all the fun things to see in Pittsburgh, we want to be sure you know about the things you should NOT do when you plan a Pittsburgh vacation.
Don’t Miss Out on Pittsburgh Food
There are some classic Pittsburgh foods to try when you visit, and if you know someone from Pittsburgh, they’ll make sure to tell you all their favorite places! Fair warning: they put fries in or on everything! Deli sandwiches, burgers, even salads, just might come with fries on top!
Primanti Brothers is the spot to go for deli sandwiches in Pittsburgh. It’s a local chain of sandwich shops, and they are known for putting fries and coleslaw on their sandwiches. Their Pittsburgher is a burger, with fries on top! It’s messy and it’s super filling, and it’s the first place any local will tell you to go.
Sheetz is a gas station/convenience store/mini-mar. It’s like a Pittsburgh version of WaWa. If you want snacks, go to Sheetz. They also have a full deli-grill inside, so you can order your food at the kiosk and it’s made to order. If you order a salad, you won’t be surprised when they ask if you want your fries on top or on the side. Because this is Pittsburgh.
Pierogies are another popular food to eat in Pittsburgh. They have a lot of Polish immigrants, so they also have great pierogis. They often come with meat or cheese inside, but you can also get fruit inside for a sweeter pierogi.
Chipped ham is something you might see in Pittsburgh; typically it’s something you would eat at home or take to go. It’s not necessarily a restaurant item, but a BBQ chipped ham sandwich is a Pittsburgh staple.
For breakfast, Pamela’s Diner is a great spot. They have a few locations around Pittsburgh. The food is delicious; I get the crepe pancakes, while Jocelyn swears by the chorizo hash.
Of course, I always sample the local beer when traveling and Pittsburgh is no exception. Iron City Beer is brewed by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company and comes in many different variations.
When it’s time for dessert, don’t miss these Pittsburgh spots:
- The Milkshake Factory has the best milkshakes I’ve ever had.
- Billy’s Ice Cream
- Eat n Park for smiley cookies
- Gus & YiaYia’s Shaved Ice Cart at Allegheny Commons Park
- If you’re invited to a wedding in Pittsburgh, you’ll get to experience the Pittsburgh wedding cookie table. It’s a Pittsburgh staple!
Don’t Just Stay Downtown
Downtown Pittsburgh is great, but you should also get out and explore beyond the downtown area. Pittsburgh is really a city of neighborhoods. A few Pittsburgh neighborhoods to check out include:
- Mount Washington – take the incline (Don’t call it a funicular, it’s called the Incline) which is a little trolley on track up the hill. If the trolleys look familiar, it’s because Mr. Rogers was from Pittsburgh and modeled his trolleys on the incline. The views are phenomenal!
- The Strip District is a narrow strip of land along the Allegheny River. The neighborhood has great restaurants, as well as many markets and sidewalk vendors.
- South Side Pittsburgh is a National Historic District due to a row of Victorian homes, and is also a great destination for nightlife in Pittsburgh.
- Pittsburgh North Shore sits across the Allegheny River from downtown Pittsburgh, and is where the major sports stadiums (Heinz Field and PNC Park) are located. Don’t ever call Heinz Field anything other than Heinz Field, regardless of the “official name.” Like Chicago’s Sears Tower, it will always be Heinz Field.
- The Mexican War Streets District is another historic neighborhood that is recently emerging as an art district, with art destinations like Randyland and the Mattress Factory.
- South Oakland is the academic and healthcare center of Pittsburgh as there are three universities, as well as hospitals and museums.
There are so many unique neighborhood places to visit in Pittsburgh, so make sure you include a couple in your plans!
Don’t Miss Out on Pittsburgh Museums
Besides eclectic neighborhoods and delicious Pittsburgh food, there are also some fun and unique museums in Pittsburgh.
- The Heinz History Center is a Smithsonian museum and also includes the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum and Fort Pitt Museum
- Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, and the Andy Warhol Museum has the largest collection of his art and archives in the entire world.
- The Mattress Factory Museum of Contemporary Art is both a museum and experimental lab for artists.
- The Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh include the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and the Andy Warhol Museum.
- The Frick Pittsburgh Museum offers a glimpse into the gilded age at the 19th century residence of industrialist Henry Clay Frick
Don’t Skip Point State Park
Besides all of the great Pittsburgh neighborhoods, there’s Point State Park. It’s where Three Rivers Stadium used to be; there are three rivers that all converge here. It’s a beautiful spot on the river and if it’s a nice day, you’ll find plenty of locals enjoying the great outdoors in the heart of the city.
Don’t Miss Kennywood
Kennywood is THE amusement park of Pittsburgh. Every local probably spent a lot of time there as a kid. If you ask a local, they will tell you to ride the Steel Curtain, and the Terminator. If you like amusement parks, this one is kind of a throwback, and it’s super fun for all ages.
Don’t Avoid Talking to Locals
Pittsburgh has a reputation as a tough town, but the locals are actually very neighborly. They are super friendly and they love having tourists because it’s not a huge tourist destination. They will gladly share their recommendations for where to eat and what to see in Pittsburgh. We had so many recommendations from Pittsburgh locals; we were pleasantly surprised!
Don’t Be Surprised if You Can’t Understand the Locals
Don’t feel bad if you have to ask a local to repeat themselves, there are still a few language differences in Pittsburgh. It’s not so much an accent, but totally different words that they use, like yinz!
Yinz is basically local slang for the plural “you.” Someone might say “how yinz doing?” and it’s basically just the Pittsburgh version of y’all. People from Pittsburgh are sometimes even called Yinzers.
Don’t Ever Confuse Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
They’re both located in Pennsylvania and both start with a “P” but that’s where the similarities between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia end. The two cities are major rivals in all things, including sports and especially hockey. There’s also a bit of a rivalry with Cleveland, as they are just two hours apart.
What Not to Do in Philadelphia
Don’t Diss Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has a lot of nicknames and not all of them are positive. Sometimes, the city gets a bad rap as it’s had some rough times as it went from the reigning steel-producing city to a sharp decline in manufacturing jobs. However, there’s actually a lot of cool stuff to see and eat in Pittsburgh. Don’t write it off; it’s an awesome city worth visiting.
The locals have a lot of pride in their city! They are passionate about their sports teams, their museums, and their food.
Don’t Be Caught Off Guard by the Pittsburgh Left
When you’re driving around Pittsburgh, you’ll notice something called the Pittsburgh Left. It’s a sudden left turn when the light goes green, also sometimes called a holeshot. Be prepared and when you’re at an intersection in Pittsburgh, be on alert for someone to turn in front of you.
Yinzers have a similar disregard for crosswalks; just because it says “don’t walk” doesn’t mean they won’t just dart out into the intersection.
Downtown Pittsburgh has a lot of one-way streets, so driving is already a bit confusing, even without other drivers turning left in front of you and pedestrians ignoring the traffic lights.
Don’t Miss the Fort Pitt Tunnel
If you’re driving to Pittsburgh from the West, take the route through the Fort Pitt Tunnel. You instantly go from rolling hills and small communities, through the tunnel, and you’re downtown. It’s a cool transition and offers great views of the Pittsburgh skyline. It’s beautiful at all times, day or night.
Don’t Rely on Public Transportation
In Pittsburgh, they have the “T.” It includes light rail lines and subway lines, but as a tourist, it’s not that useful. There are a lot of stations on the south side, but on the north side, there aren’t many stops. It’s much more of a commuter system than a tourist one. It doesn’t even go to the airport!
Grab Some Wolters World Travel Gear!
Don’t be surprised if you fall in love with Pittsburgh! Between the food, the museums, and the history, it’s a great city to visit! We were pleasantly surprised by how much we loved our visit to Pittsburgh. Want more USA travel tips? Check out some of our other blog posts: