NCAA® March Madness® Guide to Pittsburgh

Your companion piece for enjoying the best of Pittsburgh between buzzer beaters

NCAA® March Madness® is here. On March 21 and 23, 2024, PPG Paints Arena will be filled with some of the top teams in the nation as Duquesne University hosts the first and second rounds of the NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

While the action on the court is definitely the main event, we also want to invite you to explore the city between sessions and make the most out of your visit to our City of Champions. Follow our itinerary builder suggestions below:

Discover Sports Legends

NCAA® March Madness® will ultimately add new champions to our city's storied history. But while you're here, why not dive into our past and discover some Pittsburgh legends for yourself?

Start at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, located within the #1 history museum in the country, The Heinz History Center. This museum-within-a-museum contains two floors full of something to cheer about as it tells the stories of Pittsburgh sports from our major sports teams to boxing, basketball, racing and other legends you might just be discovering for the first time. Plus, more than 70 interactives ensure everyone is having fun while learning.

A fantastic way to spend an hour or two of downtime is to make it a point to see our historic stadiums on the North Shore. Book an Ultimate Acrisure Stadium Tour (available daily during the big basketball weekend) to see our Super Bowl trophies, locker rooms and field level views along with a photo op with the infamous Heinz ketchup bottle. Or, book one of the off-season tours on March 22 or March 25 and see the Pirates bullpen, club level, press boxes and more matched with one of the best views of any ballpark overlooking our city.

With tours still available March 22-24, The Clemente Museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of The Great One with photos and artifacts filling two floors of gallery space. Pro Tip: Grab a bottle of Engine House 25 wine while you're there. You'll thank me when you're sipping it back at the hotel room later.

Visit the Clemente Museum during March Madness in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena

3000th hit exhibit at The Clemente Museum

Hit Up a Sports Bar or Local Brewery

If you really want that authentic experience of being a Pittsburgher, cheer on your favorite teams and watch brackets bust alongside some locals. On the North Shore, head to Tom's Watch where giant screens surround every table so you don't miss a basket or to Mike's Beer Bar to truly sample the city with 300 local beers and 80 drafts of local favorites are at the ready. Other great sports bars include City Works, Redbeard's on Sixth and Primanti's Market Square (all just a short walk from PPG Paints Arena), Bigham Tavern atop Mt. Washington and Hemingway's in Oakland.

If you want a more relaxed vibe where the suds are still flowing, scope out one of our craft breweries in advance and set up shop to watch all the action accompanied by a local brew. Cinderlands in the Strip District, Sly Fox in Downtown, Penn Brewery in Deutschtown and 11th Hour in Lawrenceville will take you to some of our best neighborhoods with signature beers and plenty of screens to still enjoy the game.

Watch March Madness unfold at Tom's Watch

Tom's Watch bar on the North Shore

Pack Your Free Day with Fun

Whether you're in between games or enjoying your free day between rounds one and two, make every second off the court as exciting as watching the action.

Follow my two hours to explore Pittsburgh guide and follow that itinerary at your leisure to see some of the top spots in the city, starting with a ride on our iconic Inclines, traveling through Point State Park for a perfect photo op, cycling past our North Shore stadium district and ending in the foodie paradise of the Strip District. March weather can be a bit unpredictable, so feel free to sub in some public transportation and Uber rides if you opt not to bike or walk to each location.

If you have some more time to spend, consider some of these top-ranked things to do:

Discover the Andy Warhol Museum, the largest of its kind devoted to a single artist, across seven floors of exhibits.
Take in the flagrant flora of the Spring Flower Show at the stunning Phipps Conservatory.
Walk through stunning art displays, Pittsburgh history, dinosaur fossils and precious gems and minerals at the Carnegie Museums of Art & Natural History.
Travel back to our steel heritage with an inspired tour at the Rivers of Steel: Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark.

Phipps Conservatory

Credit |

Phil Johnson II courtesy of Phipps Conservatory

Pick a Neighborhood and Explore

Want more of an itinerary you create yourself? Open up our Neighborhoods map, pick one that sounds interesting and get out there and explore!

Pittsburgh is made up of 90 unique neighborhoods, each one with a specific story to tell from its inception through various changes as it became the Pittsburgh of today.

See how East Liberty became a tech hub that now houses Google and Duolingo. Be amazed at our space robotics industry on the Northside and let Moonshot Museum show you the next lunar lander on its way to the Moon. Or uncover a foodie haven like Lawrenceville and eat flavors from around the world until you're ready to burst.

Explore a new neighborhood during March Madness in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena

Breakfast at Pamela's in the Strip District

Credit |

Jody Mader

Sample Authentic City Flavors

Speaking of food, we hope you brought an appetite. Pittsburgh is filled with top-ranked restaurants that span the globe in flavor profiles, ensuring you can find what you want no matter the craving.

A few places to move to the top of your list:

Con Alma for drinks, jazz and a weekly menu filled with cuisine from lumpias and elotes risotto to Japanese yams and Korean fried chicken.
Newly opened Novo Asian Food Hall lets you sample flavors from seven different chefs along with boba tea and an inspired Japanese whiskey bar and cocktail selection.
Make reservations now for restaurants with James Beard-nominated chefs like Apteka (vegan) and Pusadee's Garden (Thai).
Grab signature flavors of Pittsburgh like the coleslaw and fries-topped Primanti Bros sandwich and pierogis you can find throughout many menus in the city.
Do Brunch right at fantastic Downtown locations like Ritual House, Sally Ann's and The Speckled Egg before you head into PPG Paints Arena.

Enjoy live jazz and great food at Con Alma during March Madness in Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena

Live jazz, great drinks and inspired cuisine at Con Alma

Get Out and Active

Have excess energy to burn off after all the excitement? Pittsburgh has you covered with miles and miles of riverfront trails and expansive parks dotting our neighborhoods.

And that's just the beginning! Book a walking tour or bike tour to learn about our incredible city as you see some of the top sights. Or, make your own tour! Sports fans can explore the site of the Immaculate Reception and tributes to the Homestead Greys. Movie fans can see where Pittsburgh factored into their favorite flicks.

No matter what your interests, Pittsburgh is yours to explore! Have a great trip to Pittsburgh enjoying college hoops, and wishing you no first round upsets that bust your bracket.