Pittsburgh Vacations, Pittsburgh Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Pittsburgh Vacation Guide

Pittsburgh is the second largest city in Pennsylvania and was named in 1794 as one of the few American cites to be spelled with an "h" at the end of a burg suffix. This makes it one of the most misspelled cities in America. The first Europeans arrived in Pittsburgh in 1710 as traders and the economy started to boom!

In the 19th and 20th centuries, wealthy businessmen and nonprofit organizations donated millions of dollars to create educational and cultural institutions. As a result, Pittsburgh is rich in art and culture. You can see this at the plays in the Cultural district downtown, the museums on the North Shore and in Oakland, and the Education you can receive at Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Pittsburgh. Don't hesitate to visit the Phipps conservatory as well for a stroll through the butterfly room.

There are three rivers in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, the Allegheny and the Monongahela flow together to form the third, Ohio river, which is why Pittsburgh is known as a city of bridges—336 in total. Pittsburgh ranks with the world's top three cities of Bridges: Saint Petersburg, Russia and Venice, Italy, which has historically, held the title of "City of Bridges." The latter two have 579 and ~400 bridges respectively.

Pittsburgh is also a great adventure city for outdoorsy people. One great aspect is the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile system of biking and hiking trails connecting Cumberland, MD and Pittsburgh, PA.

Coming to Pittsburgh you will see a lot of culture, outdoor activities, night life, family fun and a great appreciation for sports. Whether you cheer for the Pittsburgh Steelers (Superbowl champions 2008), The Pittsburgh Penguins (Stanley Cup champions 2009) or the Pittsburgh Pirates (best known for their post-win fireworks nights)...you'll find many other fans cheering along with you!