Pittsburgh
Known as the “Steel City” or “City of Bridges”, Pittsburgh is the second largest city in Pennsylvania with a population of about 305,704. Located halfway between New York City and Chicago, Pittsburgh is easily accessible for more than 70% of the U.S. population and 50% of the Canadian population.
Pittsburgh’s main business district is distinguished by a triangle-shape formed by the confluence of the Allegheny and Monogahela Rivers which join to form the Ohio River. Known historically for its steel industry, today the city’s economy is largely based on education, healthcare, technology, robotics and financial services. The area supports about 1,600 different technology companies and is headquarters for PNC Financial Services, Federated Investors and BNY Mellon.
Listed in the top 10 cities for certified green spaces, Pittsburgh is home to the world’s first gold, LEED-certified convention center, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where the 2012 Ubicomp Conference will be housed. And recently joining this list was the CONSOL Energy Center, the first LEED certified NHL arena in the world.
Pittsburgh’s 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 and Heinz Field, and the Strip District, a marketplace and nightlife hot spot. Only two miles in diameter, the city’s size makes it easy to walk to hotels, retail stores, theaters and restaurants.
For dining, our diverse ethnic heritage inspires and influences the flavors found at a wide range of restaurants running from casual to five-star.
Culture abounds in Pittsburgh with a world-class symphony, elegant ballet and renowned opera mix with adventurous installation art and the classic collections at the Carnegie, Frick and Andy Warhol museums—not to mention a unique look into Pittsburgh's past at the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center and Sports Museum.
J.D. Power & Associates recently rated Pittsburgh International Airport number one in the United States and number two in the world. Visitors originating in 20 major U.S. cities can expect to fly less than 90 minutes to arrive in Pittsburgh- that makes it an easy trip for more than 70% of the North American population.
Besides Carnegie Mellon, the city is home to famous institutions such as The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museum of Art, The Pittsburgh Steelers, The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, The Warhol Museum and numerous others.
Expected Weather for September
Pittsburgh has four distinct seasons with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. September falls within Pittsburgh’s autumn season and is generally mild and warm. It’s also one of our sunniest months with average precipitation of 3.21 inches.
The average high in September is 75 degrees Fahrenheit and the average low is 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Travel
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport is only 25 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh. The cheapest and most efficient airport transportation is the Port Authority's 28x Airport Flyer. This bus departs every 20 minutes from numerous downtown locations and carries over 40,000 riders every week.
Pittsburgh International Airport - Fact Sheet
- Site sits on 9,000 acres
- Runways Include: 28L/10R; 28R/10L; 28C/10C; 14/32
- 50 Gates
- Served by over 12 passenger carriers
- 155 flights a day to 37 non-stop destinations
- Conveniently located to many major highways
- Within a 90-minute flight of 70 percent of North Ameica's population
- Hyatt Regency located on landside
- Located 16 miles from downtown Pittsburgh
- Over 13,200 parking spaces connected to terminal by moving walkways
- Foreign Trade Zone designated for fuel and other industry
- AIRMALL features top rated news and gift and specialty retail along with numerous choices for food, beverage and dining all at guaranteed street pricing
- According to the 2009 Economic Impact Report, both Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport support approximately 72,850 jobs, generate nearly $2.2 billion in payroll, produce nearly $6.1 billion in economic activity and serve as vital transportation links to the business community.
Airport Shuttle / Limo Services
- All Star Limousines
- Elite Coach Limousines
- Kirk Livery
- Lenzner Coach USA
- Professional Limousine Services
- SuperShuttle
- We Care Limousine Service
Public Transportation
The Port Authority of Allegheny County has more than 875 buses, 83 light rail vehicles and the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines to make getting around Pittsburgh quick and easy. Our light rail system and three dedicated bus ways will help you to avoid traffic congestion and alleviate the tension associated with driving in an unfamiliar city. The Port Authority also sponsors the ACCESS program, the nation's largest paratransit program of its kind for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Contact the Port Authority for schedules and other valuable information.
Taxi Service
Taxi service is available by Yellow Cab or Checker Cab dispatcher, or the nearest hotel or Downtown cabstand. Average fare from the airport to Downtown is $35-$45.
If you are a member of Zipcar take advantage of the 50+ cars vehicles located in and around Pittsburgh during your visit.
Downtown Parking
There are over 20,000 parking spaces in Downtown Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Parking Authority operates nine parking garages in the Downtown area. Most garages are only $5.00 for weekend and special event parking.
A Little More About Pittsburgh
- National Geographic Traveler chose Pittsburgh as one of the best places in the world to visit, according to the 2012 Best of the World list. Calling Pittsburgh an “Extreme Metropolitan Makeover,” the city’s transformation over the past 50 years qualifies as revolutionary. From stunning architecture to sustainable design, this newest renaissance transformed Victorian and contemporary landmarks alike.
- Forbes ranked Pittsburgh in the top 20 best places for a working retirement. Factors include low unemployment rates and cost of living, plus solid job growth.
- Sporting News has ranked Pittsburgh in the top 10 of the best cities for sports. Categories included won-lost records, post-season appearances, power ratings, number of teams and attendance.
- Travelandleisure.com voted Pittsburgh International Airport the 4th Safest Airport in the Country.
- “Pittsburgh is a happening place culturally and economically,” says New York-based Creative Cities International’s Vitality Index. Ranked 11th out of 35 Cities for Urban Vitality, Pittsburgh, a medium-sized city, boasts all the offerings of a larger city.
- For the fourth time in four years, Pittsburgh has been named America’s Most Livable City, by the respected Economist Intelligence Unit. Pittsburgh was also the 29th most livable worldwide, being the first U.S. city on that list. The survey ranks cities based on 30 factors such as healthcare, culture, environment, education and personal safety.
- For more awards and rankings please visit: http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/news-room/press-kit/rankings/
Places to Visit
Carnegie Museum of Art & Natural History
http://web.cmoa.org/
http://www.carnegiemnh.org/
4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone Museum of Art: 412-622-3131
Phone Museum of Natural History: 412-622-3131
Hours: Tue-Sat, 10am – 5pm; Thur, 10am – 8pm; Sun, noon – 5pm
Carnegie Museum of Art is arguably the first museum of contemporary art in the United States, collecting the "old master of tomorrow" since the inception of the Carnegie International in 1896. Today the Museum of Art is among the most popular and esteemed cultural institutions in the region, providing visitors with access to great works of art, studio art classes, and interpretive programs that inspire, provoke, and delight.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History is ranked among the top five natural history museums in the country and is world famous for its dinosaurs, including the first-ever discovered T. rex. Through more than 20 galleries and the Powdermill Nature Reserve research field station, the museum maintains, preserves, and interprets an extraordinary collection of 21 million objects and scientific specimen, instilling a love of science, nature, and the environment.
Phipps Conservatory & Tropical Gardens
http://phipps.conservatory.org/
One Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: 412-622-6914
This 13-room Victorian glasshouse and gardens in Schenley Park feature tropical plants, palms, orchids, ferns, desert plants and bonsai, as well as many special flower shows and exhibits, and butterflies.
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
http://www.pittsburghzoo.com/
One Wild Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-665-3640
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium features 39 threatened or endangered species and more than 2,000 animals. Featured in their natural habitats, you can stroll through the largest temperate botanical gardens in the region and then visit the polar bears and sea otters near an Arctic fishing village at the new Water’s Edge exhibit.
The PPG Aquarium features colorful fish, sharks, penguins, and an ocean of aquatic life while the African Savanna is home to elephants, giraffes, and zebras. If you are traveling with children you won’t want to miss the sea lion shows or Kids Kingdom, with its petting areas and animal playgrounds.
Open year-round. Tram rides available seasonally. Only 8 miles from downtown.
Senator John Heinz History Center
http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/
1212 Smallman St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-454-6000
The Senator John Heinz History Center is Pennsylvania’s largest history museum and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, to celebrate more than 250 years of Western Pennsylvania history.
The History Center features six floors and 200,000 square feet of traveling and long-term exhibitions that appeal to children and adults alike. From George Washington’s first adventures in the region as a 22-year old during the French and Indian War and into the Steelers’ Super Bowl XLIII run, Pittsburgh’s greatest stories are told at the History Center.
Located in the Pittsburgh’s Strip District, just minutes from downtown, the History Center is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The August Wilson Center for African American Culture
http://www.augustwilsoncenter.org/
980 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3736
Phone: 412-258-2700
Named for Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright and Pittsburgh native August Wilson, the August Wilson Center for African American Culture engages regional and national audiences in its mission of preserving, presenting, interpreting, celebrating and shaping the art, culture and history of African Americans in western Pennsylvania and people of African descent throughout the world.
The Center’s state-of-the-art green building houses large and small exhibition galleries, a mid-sized theater for performances in all disciplines, an education center, a gift shop, and multipurpose spaces for community programs and events. Here you can experience theater, dance, music, history, film, literature, visual art, interactive education and entertainment.
The Center is open Thurs-Sat from Noon - 5 p.m.
The Warhol Museum
Experience contemporary art and popular culture by one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century, and a Pittsburgh native. The museum houses the world's most comprehensive collection of Andy Warhol's work and memorabilia as well as extensive permanent collections of art and archives, changing films, public programs, exhibitions and performances.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater
Located about an hour and half southeast of Pittsburgh, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater is a beautiful place to visit in the fall. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Kaufmann Family in 1935, the house is dramatically cantilevered over a waterfall. Named one of "50 places of a lifetime" by National Geographic Traveler. The only major Wright work to come into the public domain with its site, furnishings and art collection intact.
http://www.paconserve.org/43/fallingwater
1491 Mill Run Rd, Mill Run, PA 15464
Phone: 724-329-8501
Open for tours daily mid-March through November.
Mt. Washington
Visit Mt. Washington any evening to see why USA Weekend called this vantage point "the second most beautiful view in America." Daytime views are great too, and sightseeing can be paired with a visit to the Emerald View Park, a 280-acre green space.
Visit http://mwcdc.org/ for more information.
Outdoor Activities
September is a great month to visit Pittsburgh and experience it’s riverfront trails and numerous parks. Please visit the following links to learn more:
- Riverfront Trails: http://www.friendsoftheriverfront.org/files/heritage_trail.html
- Kayak Pittsburgh: http://www.kayakpittsburgh.org/
- Frick Park: http://pittsburghparks.org/frick
- Schenley Park: http://pittsburghparks.org/schenley
- Various Outdoor Activities: http://www.ventureoutdoors.org/
Suggested Restaurants
- Casbah - bigburrito.com/casbah
- Dinette - dinette-pgh.com
- Dish Osteria & Bar - dishosteria.com
- Eleven - bigburrito.com/eleven
- Girasole - 733copeland.com
- Kaya - bigburrito.com/kaya
- Legume - legumebistro.com
- Nine on Nine - nineonnine.com
- Piccolo Forno - piccolo-forno.com
- Salt of the Earth - saltpgh.com
- Seviche - seviche.com
- Soba - bigburrito.com/soba
- Spoon - spoonpgh.com
- Umi - bigburrito.com/umi
For more information on Pittsburgh and all it has to offer, please see : www.visitpittsburgh.com