Sports & Recreation
Pittsburgh has a lot to offer. Often referred to as the “City of Champions,” Pittsburgh loves its sports. We’re the only city in the country whose major sports teams (Steelers, Pirates and Penguins) all wear the same colors. Grab a terrible towel and cheer on the Black and Gold!
Ready to take on the outdoors? With 500 acres of Frick Park, a stone’s throw from campus, the “wild” inhabitants of the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, the view of Point State Park from Mt. Washington amongst other activities, we know you will find something exciting to do while you visit the ‘Burgh.
Professional Sports
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ home ice is the Mellon Arena, which features the world’s first retractable dome. The Steelers suit up at Heinz Field and this popular team was the first in the NFL to win four Super Bowls — fans are eagerly awaiting the elusive fifth Super Bowl win — one for the thumb! The Pirates’ PNC Park, voted the best baseball park in the nation by ESPN, is designed with a center field that opens to a dramatic view of Pittsburgh’s skyline.
PPG Place
PPG Place, a shining six building office and retail complex that is the crown jewel of the Pittsburgh skyline, is home to an ice skating rink in downtown Pittsburgh during the holidays and winter months. The Rink at PPG Place has an ice surface of 9,586 square feet — more than 2,000 square feet larger than the rink at Rockefeller Center.
Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
www.pittsburghzoo.com
The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium is one of America’s few zoo and aquarium combinations and ranks among the best zoos in the country. The zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals in natural settings — including two baby elephants.
Kennywood Park
www.kennywood.com
Visit Kennywood Park, the century-old “roller coaster capital of the world.” America’s finest traditional amusement park and a national historic landmark offers thrill-seekers five different roller coasters, great food and a little Pittsburgh history, all only minutes from downtown. Kennywood has been named among the best theme parks in the nation for its old-fashioned atmosphere and big-league roller coasters. The Thunderbolt, Kennywood’s classic wooden coaster, was awarded first place on the National Amusement Park Historical Association’s “Top Ten Coasters in the World” list. Kennywood’s food also garners praise and recognition — just ask any local about the legendary Potato Patch fries.
City Parks
www.pittsburghparks.org
If you like your cities on the green side, Pittsburgh is for you. Its four city parks (Schenley, Frick, Highland and Riverview) are nearby and feature walking trails, picnic grounds and places to get in on a pickup basketball or ultimate Frisbee game.
Ski Resorts
Snow bunnies and avid winter sportsmen and women can find choice powder within an hour and a half of campus at Hidden Valley or Seven Springs Mountain Resorts. Within six hours skiers can reach ski destinations throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.
Gateway Clipper Fleet
www.gatewayclipper.com
Cruise Pittsburgh’s three rivers (Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio) in style aboard the Gateway Clipper Fleet, the largest inland riverboat fleet in the nation and one of the biggest attractions in the city of Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Inclines
incline.pghfree.net
A visit to Pittsburgh isn’t complete without a ride on the Monongahela or Duquesne Incline. The Duquesne Incline features two original 1877 cable cars. Before the appearance of electric streetcars and automobiles, the incline was the most convenient way for Pittsburghers to climb the towering hills that are so much a part of the city’s topography. Today, the cars transport visitors to the top of Mount Washington for a spectacular view of the city and rivers, ranked the second best view in America by USA Weekend.
Within a Short Drive...
Heading out about an hour or so brings you to Laurel Highlands’ Ohiopyle State Park and great whitewater rafting for all skill levels on the Youghiogheny River. Marvel at the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Two of his homes, Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, are within a ten-minute drive. For the anglers, the Pittsburgh area is home to a number of limestone streams, making it ideal for trout fishing. Cyclists can catch up with the nearby Eliza Furnace trail, part of the Rails to Trails Conservancy, leading out of the city and, when completed in the near future, to Washington, D.C.
