Great for a short city trip or a long getaway, Pittsburgh is a city that has it all. With no shortage of culture as well as delicious cuisine and world-class sports, this destination is like no other.
Below are 10 new reasons why every traveller should add Pittsburgh to their bucket list this year.
Arts & Culture
August Wilson: The Writer’s Landscape
The August Wilson African American Cultural Center recently opened August Wilson: The Writer’s Landscape. The first ever permanent exhibition dedicated to the life of the Pulitzer prize-winning playwright, the impressive collection features artefacts that reveal the people and places that had a profound impact on Wilson’s body of work. The exhibition is free to visit.
GUITAR: The Instrument that Rocked the World (20 May – 30 Oct)
Taking place at the Carnegie Science Center, GUITAR: The Instrument that Rocked the World is an immersive exhibition that will explore the evolution and history of the instrument, including the science of creating sound with wood. Highlighting the guitar’s impact on culture over 5,000 years, the attraction features over 70 guitars and 100 historical objects.
Monet in Bloom (7 May – 25 Sept)
Based on the works of impressionist painter Claude Monet, Phipps Conservatory will host ‘Monet in Bloom’. Through horticultural displays, Phipps will reimagine the artist’s works by creating three-dimensional, floral versions of his most iconic paintings such as ‘Water Lilies’ and ‘The Saint Lazare Station’. The displays will pay homage to Monet’s scenes of delicate flora and dreamlike design, which have stood the test of time for over 100 years.
Sports & Adventure
PNC Park Enhancements
Watch the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team in action at their home stadium of PNC Park. Representing the evolution of the team, this year the iconic park will see new enhancements, including new social gathering spaces with open sight lines to the field, new hospitality and concession concepts, improvements to gathering areas, new kids play areas and fun opportunities for fans to interact with the team’s history.
Shorty’s Pins x Pints
Located in Pittsburgh’s North Shore district, Shorty’s Pins x Pints is an old school entertainment complex featuring eight lanes of duckpin bowling, foosball tables, bocce courts (Italian lawn bowling) and pinball machines. The fun doesn’t stop there, as there’s also two full-service bars, a riverfront outdoor area with fire pits, and a delicious menu featuring sharing plates and tacos by the plenty.
Family Fun at Kennywood
As well as its many classic rides, Kennywood will host numerous exciting events throughout the year. Bites and Pints (26 May – 26 June) invites visitors to enjoy international cuisine, speciality cocktails and craft beer, whilst Celebrate America with Fireworks (1-4 July) will include four nights of fireworks as well as live music and magic shows. Other festivities include Summer’s On! (5-31 July) and Fall Fantasy Parade (6-12 August). The jam-packed events calendar kicks off Kennywood’s two-year party ahead of its 125th anniversary next year.
Food & Beverage
New Brews in the ‘Burgh
With 48 breweries and counting, Pittsburgh is not shy of places to relax with a drink. Casting a spell in Lawrenceville, COVEN Brewing is the newest addition to the beverage scene. The venue offers many beer styles with a focus on hop-forward New England IPA and Saison. Inner Groove Brewing is also due to open a new tap room in Allentown, featuring the beers that locals know and love as well as a beer garden.
Gi-Jin celebrates its first anniversary
After opening mid pandemic, delicious eatery Gi-Jin is celebrating its first anniversary this month. With an authentic Japanese menu, the restaurant specialises in sushi, hand-rolls, and gin. Menu favourites include beef tataki, Hamachi and dynamite crab. Diners will want to request a table far in advance for this 2022 Yelp Top 100 honouree.
Con Alma
Con Alma is a restaurant and jazz bar inspired by the rich jazz heritage of the city. Meaning ‘with soul’ in Spanish, the venue provides some of the best food and drinks in Pittsburgh along with the perfect soundtrack. Featuring a Latin-inspired menu, the dishes are connected to South America, Mexico and the Caribbean whilst paired with prohibition-style classic cocktails. The original Con Alma (Ellsworth) was listed in Esquire Magazine’s Best 27 Bars in America 2021, while the newest outpost, in the heart of the Cultural District, is the perfect addition to any night at the theatre.
Flight route
British Airways relaunches its direct flight
From 3 June, Pittsburgh will be even more accessible to holidaymakers from the UK & Ireland following the reinstatement of the non-stop service from London Heathrow (LHR) to Pittsburgh (PIT) with British Airways. Flights will operate four times a week.
For more information, please visit www.visitpittsburgh.com.
