The Big List of Must-Do’s in Pittsburgh
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Charming Main Streets
Pittsburgh is a city of many vibrant neighborhoods (90 in fact!). Many of these historic areas of the city are home to tree-lined shopping & dining districts. Outside of the hustle and bustle of the city, you will find many charming small towns which are still home to an active Main Street.
Downtown Sewickley – Quaint small town located 13 miles NE of downtown features a charming tree-lined Main Street lined with local businesses. Mediterra is a wonderful coffeeshop. The town holds many year-round events including a popular holiday Light Up the Night festival.
Mt. Lebanon – Upscale suburb that is home to a walkable downtown. Downtown is home to a variety of locally owned businesses including Orbis Coffee, Vinyl Remains (great record shop), and Sesame Inn (great Chinese food).
Shadyside – Trendy walkable neighborhood known for its’ abundance of shopping and dining options. The area features a mix of upscale well known brands like Athleta and Lululemon and local boutique shops. A number of great local restaurants (Mercurios and Pasha) and coffeeshops can be enjoyed.
Aspinall – Low-key walkable neighborhood with historic homes. The area is home to a number of parks and local businesses. Check out Spice Affair (good Indian food) and Beans N’ Cream (rock themed coffeeshop).
Blast to the Past!
If you love anything retro, you are in luck as Pittsburgh is home to a fabulous pinball arcade and the world’s largest vintage bicycle shop. If you wish you had a time machine, definitely add these 2 activities to your list!
Bicycle Heaven – The World’s Largest Bicycle museum features over 6000 rare and vintage bikes. Here you will be able to view several rare futuristic looking Bowen Space Landers which today can be worth over $40,000! Also pretty cool is seeing Pee-Wee Herman’s famous ride from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
Pinball Perfection – The region’s largest pinball museum is home to hundreds of retro machines. If you love old fashioned gaming, you can literally spend all day playing old time pinball and arcade machines for one low price!
Holiday cheer
Although the city does not rank up there with Chicago or New York or even Philadelphia in terms of America’s best Christmas cities imo, you will still find a wide range of events to help get you into the holiday spirit. Cold temps, the high chance of snow, and many ice rinks add to the festive ambiance! So, if your visit falls during December, don’t worry there is plenty of festive fun, along with fun winter sports to enjoy!
Christmas Village – Annual German holiday market where you can enjoy specialty foods and shop for handcrafted ornaments and gifts. Conveniently located next to the ice rink.
The Rink at PPG Place – Super festive rink downtown featuring a giant Christmas tree as the centerpiece. Enjoy holiday tunes and a festive choreographed show as you enjoy winter’s best calorie burner.
Spirits of Giving Around the World – This free exhibit takes you on a unique journey where you will learn about holiday traditions throughout the world.
Holiday shows/plays – All season long, you can enjoy a festive lineup of holiday productions. Recent highlights have included A Christmas Story at O’Reilly Theater and Holiday Pops at Heinz Hall.
More holiday & winter activities in the ‘Burgh!
The best shopping
If you are looking for something to do indoors on a cold and rainy day, you could always hide out in the mall for a few hours. Fortunately, there are plenty of great options throughout Pittsburgh.
The Mall at Robinson – This large 2 floor suburban mall features a great mix of over 120 specialty and big name shops. There is a nice sunroof to bring in some light on those dreary days and a big Starbucks right in the center. I Made It Market is a great place to shop for local crafts and goods.
Monroeville Mall – Fun old style mall that feels as if it is straight out of the 80’s. Lots of cool stores to browse through here including Pearl of the Orient specializing in Asian household goods. As a side note, scenes from the Dawn of the Dead filmed here.
More indoor fun!
As the weather is cold, rainy, or overcast more often than not, indoor attractions are always a plus in cities like Pittsburgh. Here’s a few more fun things to do on a rainy/snowy/cold/overcast day!
- Bowling – AMC in Mt. Lebanon offers a number of great specials. If you want to get fancy, Arsenal Bowl is the place to be. Unlimited bowling offered although it gets packed on weekends.
- Movies – A number of movie theaters to choose amongst. Cinemark at Robinson Township offers great matinee deals.
- PPG Paints Arena – Home to many concerts and athletic and events. Check the lineup.
- The National Aviary – Explore exotic plants and bird life in a warm setting any time of the year.
- Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. – Strip District staple specializing in Italian goods.
- Roger Clemente museum -Museum dedicated to Pittsburgh Pirates’ Hall of Famer.
