Walking Pittsburgh

See also: Walking and Hiking.

Self-Guided Walks

• Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Public Art Walking Tours
  You can download 5 brochures in .pdf format covering public art in The Cultural District, Retail District & Firstside, The North Shore, Grant Street Corridor District, and Oakland.
• The Fabric of Pittsburgh Walking Tours
  The City of Pittsburgh's Planning Department's Historic Review Commission has created several self-guided tours of historic districts in Pittsburgh. They include "historic districts" (Mexican War Streets, Allegheny West, and Manchester), "city legacies" (Fourth Avenue, Grant Street, Mellon Square, Monongahela Wharf, Downtown Churches), and Historic Interiors.
• Neighbors in the Strip
  This official site for the Strip District (wholesale grocery district with fish and meat markets, ethnic food stores, produce markets) offers an interactive map.
• Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation: Whirlwind Downtown Walking Tour
  This self-guided walking tour features a selection of architectural landmarks and public spaces in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. See below for the Whirlwind Walk book.
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published three walking tours of the area: Downtown (2002), Oakland (2003), and Southside (2004). These came out in the paper but were not put online. Oakland and Downtown were printed as brochures which can be obtained at a few libraries.
  • Walking Oakland: the ultimate tour of Oakland and surrounding areas (2003)
  • Walking Pittsburgh: the ultimate walking tour of downtown Pittsburgh (2002)
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Downtown Pittsburgh Walking Tour
  David Bear takes you on a one-day, eight section walking tour through the Golden Triangle. (May 01, 2006) Included are printable .pdf maps of each section.
• Pop City
  Pop City is a wonderful site for learning about the city of Pittsburgh. Sherrie Flick has contributed articles about walking in various neighborhoods of Pittsburgh
  • Walk this Way: Pittsburgh's Walkable Neighborhoods (8/26/2009)
  • Urban Walk #3: Squirrel Hill to East Liberty (3/26/2008)
  • Urban Walking Tour: Bloomfield to the Strip (3/14/2007)
  • Confessions of a Walker (Strip District to the South Side) (12/6/2006)
• Robert Morris University: Walking Tour of Pittsburgh
  Downloadable MP3 audio walking tour of Downtown Pittsburgh in 10 languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish!

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Guided Tours

• Homewood Cemetery Guided Walking Tours
  The Homewood Cemetery Historical Fund offers two walking tours in the summer, from August through the first week of November on alternating Saturdays at 1:00 p.m.
• Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
  Ask about their various bus and walking tours. Note that many must be scheduled 10 days to three weeks in advance and some have a 10 person minimum.
• Sierra Club - Allegheny Group: Outings
  The local chapter of the Sierra Club offers walks in their Events/Outings section, where they will also list walks by other groups.
• Venture Outdoors
  Venture Outdoors also posts walking activities from other organizations. Search for "hiking" activities (ALL organizations).

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Books & Articles

Whirlwind Walk: Architecture and Urban Spaces in Downtown Pittsburgh
PENNA F159.P63 W55 2011x
Updated and expanded, Whirlwind Walk is the first fully-illustrated comprehensive walking tour guidebook to many of the principal buildings and public spaces in downtown Pittsburgh. Published by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, which offers a short Whirlwind Tour brochure.

• Pittsburgh Walking Map
  Unique 4-color map and mini-guide to buildings and attractions in key city areas (Downtown on one side, Oakland on the other). 400 bldgs, parking and sights, mini-guide to 46 points of interest, capsule restaurant reviews, new riverfront attractions. Order online from Know Where to Go Pittsburgh.

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Videos

• Out Of This Furnace, A Walking Tour Of Thomas Bell's Novel
  Bringing to life the characters and locale of the novel, Out Of This Furnace by Thomas Bell, David Demarest presents a walking tour of Braddock, contrasting its appearance today with historic black-and-white photographs. from the University of Pittsburgh Press.
• WQED Pittsburgh: Rick Sebak and the Pittsburgh Video Collection
  These videos about Pittsburgh include "North Side Story", "The Strip Show", "Downtown Pittsburgh", "Wylie Avenue Days" (Hill District), "Holy Pittsburgh" (Pittsburgh churches), "The Mon, the Al, and the O" (Pittsburgh's three rivers), "Pennsylvania Diners and Other Roadside Restaurants", and "Something about Oakland".
  The following are available in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
  • North Side Story
  • The Strip Show
  • South Side
  • Downtown Pittsburgh
  • Something about Oakland
  • Holy Pittsburgh
  • Flying off the Bridge to Nowhere!

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Can't Walk?

• Molly's Trolleys
  A Pittsburgh-based charter service specializing in conferences, meetings, group tours, weddings, and other special events.
• Just Ducky Tours
  For the more adventurous, Just Ducky offers a fun-filled trip through Pittsburgh in a vintage World War II amphibious vehicle, able to drive from land into water.

Last updated Friday March 30 2012.