Weekend Pittsburgh Vacations

For people with hectic schedules or little time to spare, weekend vacations in Pittsburgh will give you that great balance of a short but jam packed experience that will leave you recharged and ready for the coming days and weeks. A good way to start your vacation is to do some sightseeing aboard a century old cable car on the Duquesne Incline making its way to the top of Mount Washington and get a great view of the Pittsburgh Golden Triangle. If you are interested in birds, a trip to the National Aviary should definitely be on your list. The aviary is the largest in the whole country and is the only non-profit of its kind, with over 600 different species of birds, including endangered ones. While going to school during a vacation will definitely seem weird, going to the Cathedral of Learning in the University of Pittsburgh is not. The main attractions are the 27 Nationality Rooms inside the cathedral; each room is a representation of an important event or period of the country it is named after, for instance, the Japanese Nationality Room displays Japanese carpentry and woodcraft while the English Classroom is designed after the House of Commons in England.

Must Sees for Pittsburgh Vacations

Pittsburgh is a city that is full of unique and historic attractions that tourists should not leave without seeing. The PNC Park is one example, it is a small ball park compared to others in major league baseball but it is one of the most beautiful and is classic in style like Bostons Fenway Park. The park offers great views of downtown and Allegheny River and is a budget-friendly destination for those on Pittsburgh vacations because of its affordable tickets and concessions. The Cathedral of Learning is another; it is a 535-foot building serving as the centerpiece of the University of Pittsburgh, designed in late Gothic architecture. The Nationality Rooms are the cathedrals main attractions, each room depicts an important time or event to the particular culture the room is representing. For example, the English Classroom is modeled after Englands House of Commons and contains several artifacts that survived the latters bombing which were given as gifts by the British government while the Chinese Classrooms design is reminiscent of palace halls found in the Forbidden City in Beijing and is dedicated to Confucius and his ideal of a classless education.

Day Tours for Vacations in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh vacations are a great mix of museums, historic landmarks, great food, shopping opportunities, sightseeing, and numerous sports and recreational activities. For great views of the citys Golden Triangle, visitors can take a ride on the historic Duquesne Incline that scales the side of Mount Washington right up to the top and back down again. It was used in 1877 to transport workers to their homes on top of the mountain from their jobs along the Pittsburgh rivers and was closed in 1962, it was reopened in 1963 through fundraising efforts of the locals and has been a major tourist attraction ever since. If you would like to spend some quiet and peaceful hours in the afternoon, head over to Point State Park and stroll along the landscaped grounds or see the monuments and plaques that commemorate important people and events in history. Visitors should also try eating at the equally historic Primanti Brothers restaurant in the Strip District and order their hearty and filling sandwiches topped with coleslaw and French fries that has made eating at Primantis a must for everyone.

Lets Celebrate on Pittsburgh Vacations

If you have the luxury to choose when to go on Pittsburgh vacations, visit during festival time to make your trip more enjoyable and get to participate in celebrations dear to the locals of the city. Its not a hard thing to do, anyway, since annual events and festivals happen in Pittsburgh all year round, like the Three Rivers Arts Festival, for example. It is a very large crowd drawer with days of numerous art exhibitions, demonstrations of different arts and crafts, and live musical performances taking place in early June. Every March, the city holds its biggest parade on St. Patricks Day with hundreds of participants such as marching bands, groups from the Irish community, and numerous floats that draw thousands of people to watch the spectacle. Thousands of people also flock to Point State Park and North Shore to watch the Three Rivers Regatta and the Fourth of July Fireworks; the event is filled with jet ski and powerboat races, great food, concerts from different artists, childrens activities, and the amazing fireworks display in the evening. Light Up Night is the annual event that officially starts the holiday season in Pittsburgh; there is the tree lighting ceremony, horse drawn carriage rides, display windows unveiling their holiday decorations, and a fireworks show to cap off the event.