 |
|
Pittsburgh: Imagine What you can do in America’s Most Livable City!
by Joe McGrath
The secret is out. Pittsburgh is a fabulous city made up of interesting neighborhoods with extremely friendly people. It’s a city that’s rich in culture and steeped in history. It’s a city that loves its sports, Primanti sandwiches, and fireworks.
And, it’s a city that’s full of surprises. “Wow!” is the frequently heard refrain from visitors when the beautiful skyline bursts into view after exiting the Fort Pitt Tunnel. When we tell them our rivers are so clean that major fishing tournaments are held in Pittsburgh, they say, “Who knew?” And, we smile to ourselves and say, “Hey, you’re in America’s Most Livable City!”
Indeed. Pittsburgh is livable and a whole lot more. With incredible cultural amenities, sports teams that rock and a population that’s waiting with open arms, this is one city that you’ll want to visit again and again.
Celebrate Pittsburgh’s 250th Birthday!
Pittsburgh was named 250 years ago—in November 1758—when a British and colonial army, led by General John Forbes, occupied the ruins of Fort Duquesne. He named the new settlement at the Point for his superior, British Secretary of State William Pitt. Thus marks the birth of America’s Most Livable City.
To mark the historical moment, the Pittsburgh region is planning an elaborate, year-long celebration. Here are some highlights of the year-long party:
1. The American Eagle Outfitters Tour of Pennsylvania bicycle race, a professional race with a $250,000 purse, will draw hundreds of thousands of spectators and cyclist enthusiasts to Pennsylvania in June 2008. The race, which traverses about 450 miles over six days, begins in Philadelphia and ends in Pittsburgh on June 29th in Pittsburgh. Bring your cow bell!
2. The much-anticipated completion of the Great Allegheny Passage, a 335-mile bicycle and hiking trail that connects the nation’s capital and Pittsburgh.
3. The Forbes Trail Driving Guide retraces the 200-mile route that an army of 6,000 British and Colonial forces—under the command of Gen. John Forbes—traveled during the summer and fall of 1758.
4. In early October we’ll celebrate the completion of the trail that links Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., with the Great Allegheny Passage Community Ride. The 335-mile trail from Mount Vernon, VA to Point State Park in Pittsburgh follows the 1755 route taken by British General Edward Braddock and his chief aide, George Washington. The trail passes through small towns and offers spectacular scenery.
5. Located in downtown Pittsburgh, Point State Park is being restored to its original splendor. The $35 million renovation project will be open in time to celebrate Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary.
6. Reunions, reunions, reunions. Whether you’re from Pittsburgh or just wish you were, coming “home” in 2008 is perfect for everyone who wants to be greeted with warmth and treated to good, old-fashioned family hospitality. Plan your next family or corporate get-together in Pittsburgh.
7. Here come the brides—all 1,000 of
them—to the Carnegie Music Hall. That’s
right, the world’s largest wedding vow
renewal ceremony dubbed “Re-Union:
World's Largest Wedding Vow Renewal”
hopes to make it into the Guinness Book of
World Records.
8. Get ready to be dazzled. Come October and November, downtown Pittsburgh shines during a one-of-a-kind artistic lighting event by noted French artist Lucette de Rugy, president of Artlumiere. Buildings throughout the city and Oakland will be illuminated like never seen before.
9. The Federated Investors Parade of Champions pays tribute to Pittsburgh’s rich athletic heritage as the City of Champions. The weekend of June 20th-22nd, 2008 will be dedicated to each of the three pro teams—Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins. The Parade of Champions will be a veritable “who’s who” of Pittsburgh Hall of Fame personalities, where hometown heroes will return to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
10. What do Big Macs, Bingo, and the Ferris Wheel have in common? All were created in the Pittsburgh area. Learn more about these “firsts” and others at a new permanent exhibition, Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation, opening in September 2008 at the Heinz History Center.
Family Fun for Everyone
When it comes to family fun, Pittsburgh could be called “Kidsburgh” for all of the things there are to see and do!
The fabulous new Dinosaurs in Their Time exhibit at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History takes you on a journey back millions of years to the world of the dinosaurs. Dramatically posed in their natural habitats and on a scale never seen before anywhere in the world, this is one of the finest dinosaur exhibits in the world. It features the third-largest collection of real dinosaur bones in the country. The museum is ranked among the nation’s “Best Museums for Dinosaur Sightings” by the Travel Channel.
A must for all visitors is a ride on the historic Duquesne or Monongahela Inclines to the top of Mt. Washington to get the perfect bird’s eye view of the city and rivers below. Another great way to see Pittsburgh is from the water. From Station Square, set sail on the Gateway Clipper Fleet on a variety of fun excursions. Or, let Just Ducky Tours take you on a land-and-water tour on a WWII amphibious vechicle.
Kennywood Park, Pittsburgh’s national
historic landmark amusement park is a
Pittsburgh tradition not to be missed.
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium features a new polar bear exhibit, complete with a bear den, waterfall, and a clear tunnel that lets visitors get eyeball-to-eyeball to polar bears. And, the National Aviary is the nation’s premier bird park featuring more than 600 exotic birds in natural habitats.
If gardens are your thing, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a delight any time of year. Phipps is always blooming with tropical plants, a butterfly garden, Bonsai, miniature orchids, and seasonal flower exhibits please the senses. A new 12,000-square-foot Tropical Forest immerses visitors in a tropical paradise of thriving plants and towering trees.
Winter blahs? Not in downtown Pittsburgh. During the winter months, PPG Plaza in downtown Pittsburgh is home to an ice skating rink that’s larger than the rink at Rockefeller Center. During the holiday season, look for the plaza’s traditional 60- foot tree which is replaced by a fountain during the warmer months!
Young children get the hands-on green light at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, an award-winning museum, full of interactive exhibits. Carnegie Science Center boasts one of the world’s most sophisticated interactive planetariums, a four-story domed OMNIMAX Theater and a WWII submarine. And, science meets sports in real and virtual adventures at SportsWorks.
Learn about the rich heritage of the Pittsburgh region at the Senator John Heinz History Center, which houses six floors of permanent and changing exhibits, including artifacts from the Smithsonian Institution. The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum celebrates the region’s rich sports tradition and captures the story of Pittsburgh sports through artifacts, hands-on interactive exhibits and audio-visual programs.
So Much To Do
Pittsburgh’s thriving Cultural District, the 14-square-block area in the forefront of the city’s third Renaissance effort, offers performances by the world-class Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, Pittsburgh Public Theater, Broadway Series, and Pittsburgh Opera. A new Cabaret at Theater Square features an intimate setting and year-round programming.
Throughout the city, other performance venues are packed with possibilities. From the South Side’s City Theatre, which has been described as Pittsburgh’s most adventurous theatre to Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, which has preserved the city’s jazz legacy, there is something for everyone.
Pittsburgh love affair with art doesn’t take a back seat either. Pittsburgh, in fact, is consistently ranked among the top arts destinations in the world.
In Oakland, the Carnegie Museum of Art is home to a fine collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and contemporary works. For more than 100 years, the Carnegie International has been the premier North American showcase for the best new art and new artists from around the globe. The renowned exhibition presents the work of an exciting array of established and emerging artists, all at the forefront of contemporary art. The exhibit runs May 3, 2008-January 11, 2009.
On the North Shore, the Andy Warhol
Museum, a seven-story museum featuring
the work of pop artist and Pittsburgh native
Andy Warhol, features an extensive permanent
collection of art and archives showcasing
one of the most influential American
artists of the 20th Century. The renowned
Mattress Factory is known throughout the
world for its room-sized environments created
by in-residence artists. Photo Antiquities
Museum of Photographic History offers a
history lesson on photography and boasts
more than 100,000 negatives and prints in
its archives.
Art lovers will also enjoy Wood Street Galleries, which features multi-disciplinary artists from all over the world. And, the Society for Contemporary Craft presents high-quality exhibitions and educational programs showcasing work by nationally and internationally known artists.
Getting Around
One of America’s safest and “most livable”
cities, downtown restaurants, theaters,
and shops are easily accessed on foot
or on the “T,” an underground rail system
that is free within the downtown area.
Pittsburgh’s three rivers provide 38-miles of downtown shoreline for recreation. Riverfront trails lead visitors on a scenic path that connects the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with the Cultural District, Point State Park, PNC Park, Heinz Field, and the Strip District.
Few cities of any size can match what Pittsburgh has to offer. Visitors to the region—more than 10 million annually— will discover a wealth of attractions, culture, and history in Pittsburgh.
—Joseph McGrath is the president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh. www.visitpittsburgh.com
Shopping | Arts | Dining | Sports | Attractions | Maps | Subscriptions | Links | Home
... when it's time to establish an Internet presence.