Welcome to Pittsburgh! What do you want to do first? Not sure yet? Well what about plans for tomorrow?
…Well you still have time to decide… Where are you staying? You haven't booked a hotel yet?!?!
Have some Pittsburgh questions while moving your kid into college? You’ve come to the right place.
One of the most popular times for new Pittsburgh visitors is late August, when thousands of students and their helpful families are moving into one of our six universities in the city.
Move-In Day can be stressful enough, so I’ve created this helpful blog to help plan some things to do before classes begin. Not sure where to eat, where you can walk to, or where to spend your nights? This blog writer/current Pitt student has you covered.
FOOD
Move-In Day is hard work. Celebrate a successful start to your semester with some nearby restaurants, perfect for bringing the family to.
Oakland Neighborhood (Pitt) Two of my favorite places are Pamela’s and Chikn. Both on Forbes Avenue, Pamela’s is a great breakfast spot for their famous crepes and hash, and Chikn is a favorite among Pitt students for affordable, delicious nugs and Nashville Hot chicken sandwiches.
Shadyside and Squirrel Hill Neighborhoods (Carnegie Mellon/Chatham) Looking for more international fare? Check out the nearby neighborhoods of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside, which both have lots of fantastic Asian food options. One option I’ll highlight is Sushi Too on Walnut St. They have solid Japanese food and a lot of options to choose from, making this a college student favorite. It is very close to the Carnegie Mellon and Chatham campuses. Also worth a stop is Chengdu Gourmet, serving up authentic Sichuan food from James Beard Award Nominated Chef Wei Zhu.
Market Square (Duquesne/Point Park) Market Square is perfect for our parents staying Downtown. It’s walkable from any of the Downtown hotels, as well as Duquesne and Point Park’s campuses. Market Square is surrounded by our beautiful skyline, has tons of outdoor seating and features about 15 different places to eat. I recommend grabbing a Pittsburgh original Primanti's sandwich if you've never had one!
Worth the Drive If you’re willing to Uber for some good pizza, Aiello's is the place.Although closest to Chatham, it’s not the most walkable from most of the campuses. The pizza is worth it though; it’s delicious, completely homemade and the place has a very nice dining room.
THINGS TO DO
As a Pittsburgh college student, you're sure to learn the city very quickly. Until then, here's a few nearby places to bring your folks to show them some of the highlights of the city.
Point State Park For our Point Park parents, this is the most convenient walk, and a lot of Pittsburghers favorite spot for photos, biking and festivals. At The Point, you can look 360 degrees and see beautiful views of Downtown, our 3 rivers, Acrisure Stadium and so much more! The Park is also a picturesque spot to picnic, throw a frisbee or visit Fort Pitt Museum.
Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History The Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History are on Forbes Avenue between Pitt and Carnegie Mellon. The museums are huge, with three floors and thousands of pieces to look at. Some of the many highlights include one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaurs and halls showcasing African Wildlife, Ancient Egypt, 18th Century Art and so much more. Be sure to take a family photo with Dippy the Dinosaur out front, a Pittsburgh celebrity!
Schenley Park Just south of Pitt and CMU campuses, Schenley Park one of the city’s biggest parks. For parents who like to stay active, the park is complete with scenic trails, a soccer field, a track and tennis/pickleball courts. Scenic trails sport boast stellar views of the city, especially Flagstaff Hill at the edge of CMU’s campus. Schenley is my favorite place to play pickup soccer.
Phipps Conservatory Phipps is Oakland’s botanical hub. Very large yet very accessible, there are plenty of plant displays and lots of seasonal themes. It’s great for the younger siblings who want to take pics for their Instagram. It is located on Schenley Drive and is walkable from Pitt and CMU.
NEIGHBORHOODS
If you had a long drive or just want to explore someplace new with loved ones, Pittsburgh is packed with walkable neighborhoods sure to have something for everyone.
Squirrel Hill The Squirrel Hill is a one-of-a-kind neighborhood that is very residential yet has a lot to explore. There's unique coffee shops, tons of international flavors, upscale shops, cool arts and theatres and more. There are also a couple of churches and synagogues if you’re into exploring those.
Lawrenceville/The Strip District Located Downtown along the Allegheny River, these two joint neighborhoods are favorites for people visiting the city. The Strip District has a ton of food and street shopping, including farmers' markets and the new Terminal shopping area. Lawrenceville is revitalizing its industrial past with new attractions and nightlife. They also have a hidden gem, The Clemente Museum.
Mount Washington Mount Washington is hands down the best view of the city. It’s been a go-to place for me to take people for a long time. Mount Washington has lots of overlooks, restaurants and the two inclines.
Pittsburgh Pirates Check out the nicest ballpark in MLB while in town! The Pirates have home games every day from August 21-27; including afternoon games Aug. 23 and 27, Star Wars t-shirt giveaway Aug. 25 and the Hall of Fame game Aug. 26. The St. Louis Cardinals & Chicago Cubs will both be visiting. Win or lose, PNC Park is an awesome fan (and foodie) experience.
The Incline Nothing quite says “Pittsburgh” like our Inclines. The Monongahela incline shows a great view of Downtown. Meanwhile, the Duquesne Incline down the road also has a great view of The North Shore and Point State Park.
Gateway Clipper One of the best tours of the city on a Pittsburgh staple, the rivers! The Gateway Clipper is a Riverboat that will go up and down the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers. Slowly enough that you will get a unique perspective of the city.
OH NO I FORGOT SOCKS
Don't panic. There's lots of stores nearby to grab anything you left at home including a Target, grocery stores and pharmacies all nearby.
Target, 6231 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206 and Downtown at 482 Smithfield St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
CVS, 3422 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 and Downtown at 242 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Rite Aid, 519 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 and Downtown locations at 100 Forbes Ave and 623 Smithfield St
Giant Eagle, 1901 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Just in case someone isn’t sure about their move in date, we plugged in this for you, too. Enjoy your stay in Pittsburgh!
