Visitor Guides to Pittsburgh

Local Websites

• VisitPittsburgh.com
  http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/
  At this website from the Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau one can book hotels, theaters, and restaurants.
• City of Pittsburgh
  http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/
  Pittsburgh Portal
  http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/portal/
  The official municipal website provides a portal for residents and visitors.

• Imagine Pittsburgh
  http://www.imaginepittsburgh.com/
  Imagine what you can do here! One of the safest cities and a top adventure town.
• Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
  http://www.pgharts.org/
  The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust website will give you the latest information on what cultural events are happening downtown.
• Pittsburgh Magazine: City Guide
  http://www.wqed.org/mag/cityguide/
  Check out this annual city guide (July's issue) from WQED for information on attractions, arts & entertainment, shopping areas, dining, trails. All sorts of things for the Pittsburgher or visitor to do!
• Pittsburgh Neighborhood Tours
  http://pittsburghneighborhoodtours.com/
  A promotional website for the neighborhoods of Bloomfield, Lawrenceville, Oakland, Mount Washington, North Side, South Side and the Strip District. Find out what you can do in these neighborhoods.
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Explore Pittsburgh
  http://www.post-gazette.com/explorepittsburgh/
  This is the daily newspaper's guide to Pittsburgh for visitors, new residents, and natives. It includes: attractions, an interactive map, family activities, nightlife, dining, and Pittsburgh facts.

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Travel Videos
  http://www.post-gazette.com/travelvideos/
  Discover what western Pennsylvania has to offer through travel videos – brought to you by a partnership between post-gazette.com and Discover Pittsburgh Country.
• Pop City
  http://www.popcitymedia.com/
  PopCity covers the city neighborhoods of Downtown, East Liberty, Friendship & Penn Avenue Arts District, Lawrenceville, North Side, Oakland, Shadyside, South Side, Squirrel Hill, and The Strip District.
  • The Visitor's Guide to Downtown
    A September 27, 2006 article by Jen Saffron
  • Top 10 Unique Things to Pittsburgh
    An article by Abby Mendelson about what the visitor should not miss.
• Western Pennsylvania Museum Council
  http://westernpamuseums.org
  The Western Pennsylvania Museum Council is a non-profit consortium currently comprised of 84 museums in 16 counties in Western Pennsylvania. Look here for places to go.
• About.com: Pittsburgh
  http://pittsburgh.about.com/
  Area guide run by local Pittsburgh residents offers attractions, events calendar, pictures, links, and travel info, plus coverage of surrounding Pennsylvania counties.
• AOL CityGuide: Pittsburgh
  http://cityguide.aol.com/pittsburgh/
  Check out the Pittsburgh version from this national portal site. They do a good job on the Movies with a handy list of Pittsburgh theaters and what they're playing.

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Guide Books

• 3 Rivers on 2 Wheels
  "An Explorer's Guide to Urban Pittsburgh"
  A compilation of 10 self-guided bicycle tours offering intimate encounters with Pittsburgh¹s most diverse neighborhoods and eclectic architecture, 3 Rivers on 2 Wheels encourages and advises visitors and residents to explore the city¹s storied past and celebrated transformation by bicycle. Written by Louis Fineberg, a Pittsburgh resident who leads bike tours for the Berkeley, California-based adventure travel company Backroads. (May 2002)

  

• City-Smart: Pittsburgh (1999)
  Finally a national travel series has a book on Pittsburgh. A book by Doina Locke published by John Muir Publications.
  

• The Guide to Living in Pittsburgh: A Narrative for New Pittsburghers - library link
• Guide to Living in Pittsburgh - information on the web
  The 9th Edition (2000) of a guide book published by the graduate student organization of the School of Computer Science of Carnegie Mellon University.
• Insider's Guide to Pittsburgh
  Published by Globe Pequot Press, this book is geared to new residents.
• New Pittsburgh Publications
  This publishing company offers a few books of interest to both the visitor and the resident.
  • Rich/Poor Man's Guide to Pittsburgh
    The 10th edition of this classic guide to Pittsburgh restaurants and food by Dorothy Miller. Also contains 10 terrific day trips. Order online from New Pittsburgh Publications or borrow it from the library.
  • Pittsburgh Walking Map



• Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait
  "Franklin Toker, with the insights gained from his earlier studies as an architectural and urban historian, analyzes the city and paints a meticulously crafted portrait, neighborhood by neighborhood." From the University of Pittsburgh Press.
  

• Pittsburgh for Kids: a guidebook and directory for grownups and kids
  Compiled and edited by Karrol Bachman and the McEwan Open School. This is the 1999 version of a classic guidebook for families with kids in the Pittsburgh region.
• Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
  http://www.phlf.org/
  The books below and other publications about Pittsburgh may be purchased on their website.
  • Pittsburgh in Your Pocket : a Guide to Pittsburgh-Area Architecture
    by Walter C. Kidney. Pittsburgh, PA (450 The Landmarks Bldg., One Station Square, Pittsburgh 15219) : Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, c1988. New Edition 1994, $4.95.
  • Pittsburgh's Landmark Architecture : The Historic Buildings of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County
    The above author's 1997 monumental treatment

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Store
  https://ssl.post-gazette.com/store/
  The walking tours are available in booklet form. A walking tour for the South Side came out in the paper in 2004.
  • All New Go Guide: two-day getaways from Pittsburgh
    by Jayne Clark and Gerry Wingenbach (1997). Two-day getaways from Pittsburgh. If you want to get out into the surrounding countryside, visit nearby Ohio and West Virginia, check out these weekend trips. This one is not available in the PG store.
  • Walking Oakland: the ultimate tour of Oakland and surrounding areas (2003)
  • Walking Pittsburgh: the ultimate walking tour of downtown Pittsburgh (2002)
    Or buy it from the Post-Gazette Store.



• Quick Escapes Pittsburgh: 25 Weekend Getaways from the Steel City
  By Michelle Pilecki. Globe Pequot Press, c2001. This Quick Escape guide details 26 diverse minivacations within driving distance of Pittsburgh from New York's Finger Lakes to West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest. Great for Pittsburghers!
  

• Routes to Roots
  Produced by the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, this Driving Guide is organized into five driving routes named for the region's famous rivers--the Ohio, Beaver, Monongahela, Youghiogheny, Allegheny and Kiskiminetas. Routes to Roots begins each of the driving routes with an introduction telling the area's history and describing its unique character. Other features include maps, points of interest, local festivals and events, community profiles, itineraries, and useful information such as addresses, hours, admission, and telephone numbers. This book is available for purchase online from the Rivers of Steel website.
• Seeing Pittsburgh (1996)
  By Barringer Fifield; photos by Michael Eastman; University of Pittsburgh Press. A collection of walking and driving architectural tours written and photographed by two non-Pittsburghers. A great way to explore the city! From the University of Pittsburgh Press.