See America’s most beautiful vista
Mount Washington is Pittsburgh’s highest natural vantage point and offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the city and its trio of rivers below. As well as having what has been dubbed the most beautiful vista in America, Mount Washington is also home to the oldest continuously operated funiculars in the world, the Duquesne and Monongahela Inclines, which have become a beloved part of Pittsburgh’s cultural identity.
Just a 30-minute drive from the airport, Mount Washington is a fantastic way to take in all of present-day Pittsburgh while appreciating the ingenuity of its industrial past.
Learn about the ‘Pope of Pop’
Pittsburgh was the birthplace of the iconic visual artist, Andy Warhol, whose colorful contributions to the pop art movement throughout the 1960s changed the way we think about art in the world around us.
The Andy Warhol Museum, just under 20 miles (32.2 kilometers) away from PIT, tells the artist’s story from the very beginning and explores the continuing impact of his legacy through the largest collection of Warhol work and archival material in the world.
The seven-floor facility houses 17 different galleries showcasing his original paintings of Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse and Campbell’s soup cans that have since become part of popular culture. Whether you’re a pop art pro or yet to pick up a paintbrush, the Andy Warhol Museum is a remarkable and vivid record of one of Pittsburgh’s most famous natives.
Take a breath of botanical air
Founded in 1893, the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a much-loved local landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The authentically preserved Victorian greenhouse contains 14 different themed garden rooms featuring rare and exotic species, including more than 800 rare types of orchid, tropical fruit and butterfly.
Despite being over 100 years old, The Phipps Conservatory is one of the greenest facilities in the world and is leading global research into sustainable landscapes. Located 22 miles (35.4 kilometers) from PIT, it provides you with the chance to drink in the lush beauty of the unique collection and discover how each and every one of the plants on display is helping researchers explore new avenues of conservation and sustainability. You’ll never look at your houseplants in the same way again.
Walk with dinosaurs
Welcoming around 400,000 visitors every year, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History is one of Pittsburgh’s most popular attractions and is ranked among the top natural history museums in the USA.
While the museum holds a staggering 22 million specimens, ranging from Arctic life to items from Ancient Egypt, it is most celebrated for its diverse collection of dinosaur specimens, which includes the fossilized remains of a Diplodocus discovered by the museum’s very own scientists, as well as the world’s first T-Rex specimen.
Whether you’re fascinated by all things Jurassic or you're chaperoning a bunch of budding biologists before you fly, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History has something for everyone.
Enjoy a bird’s eye view
The National Aviary is the largest aviary in the USA and contains over 500 birds from more than 150 different species. With daily interactive demonstrations, viewings, feedings and encounters, visitors can enjoy a truly immersive experience with rare and exotic birds that can't be found in zoos.
The National Aviary is also well known for its work in protecting and breeding critically endangered birds and, in recent years, has celebrated the birth of African penguin chicks and Eurasian owlets, who have become particularly popular with visitors as they’ve grown. The zoo is just 30 minutes from Pittsburgh Airport.
Please do touch the exhibits
Starting out as a traveling museum in 1972, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh has become a permanent part of the city and even worked with the airport to develop its innovative and interactive play area.
Featuring an eclectic collection of hands-on exhibitions and activities that includes pottery and Japanese paper-craft, as well as rocket-building and robotics, the museum actively encourages kids to poke, prod and pry.
If you’ve got a long flight ahead of you with some restless children, why not make time for a trip to the children’s museum before take-off?
Proper Pittsburgh
The Strip District was a vital cog in the machine of 19th-century Pittsburgh’s industrial heart. Today, the district’s countless warehouses, mills and manufacturing plants have been redeveloped and revitalized into a thriving market community that includes a variety of cafés and delis.
You can find traditional and contemporary cuisine amongst a number of art studios, antique dealers and independent boutiques. Take a stroll, eat some delicious food and pick up some souvenirs where, only 50 years ago, hundreds of tons of steel were forged on a daily basis.
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