Pittsburgh Walking Tours

Walk, tour, eat and explore

Inclines. Trolleys. Riverboats. There's plenty of unique ways to get around Pittsburgh. But sometimes, your own two feet are all you need to experience the best of Pittsburgh's unique 90 neighborhoods.

Unsure where to start? Pittsburgh has a variety of guided and self-guided walking tour companies that let you enjoy the architecture, culture and flavors of the city and make the most out of your visit. Read on for our recommendations of walking tour companies or tips for creating your own tour.

Walk the Burgh Tours

When it comes to the sheer variety of tours available, Walk the Burgh Tours is the go-to place for tours year-round. If you're new to the city, the Best of the Burgh Tour is your best bet to see the highlights of Downtown and the Cultural District including Market Square, public art and the hidden gems they know best.

Return visitors or those with a more specialized interest also have plenty to pick from. Walk the Burgh Tours offers their incredibly popular Black & Ghost Tour and Whiskey Walking Tour throughout the year, as well as the Hollywood East Tour for movie buffs on select Saturdays.

Insider Tip: If you can walk uneven terrain and can do ~150 steps, book the Simply Steps tour for a one-of-a-kind exploration of Troy Hill and Spring Garden that is sure to be the highlight of your visit.

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation | Guided and Self-Guided

Looking for a more specialized tour for a group? The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation is your white glove solution to tailor-make an itinerary full of expert commentary and related information to suit your unique needs.

Their website also contains several self-guided walks, and I highly recommend their Exploring Pittsburgh book to help provide context on your travels if you're going solo. On Mondays, you can even tour the Old Allegheny County Jail Museum through their preservation efforts.

Insider Tip: Locals, you'll love this tour, too. I'm a Pittsburgh native and I learned more about this city on their two hour architectural walking tour than I have in the previous 30 years living here.

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh

When you're ready to leave Downtown and explore even more, DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh takes you into even more neighborhoods with their popular guided walking tours, insider tours and neighborhood events.

Walk "Millionaire Row" in the Northside, explore Carnegie Mellon University's campus, go on an Oakland Walk of Fame and much more with tours that vary Saturdays and Sundays April-Sept.

'Burgh Bits & Bites Food Tours

The perfect Pittsburgh pairing is fantastic food with any activity. This makes 'Burgh Bits & Bites a fan-favorite, offering two-ish hour tours that involve lots of stopping to savor the local cuisine.

Put on your comfiest shoes and your stretchiest pants - you will be stuffed after Italian pastries, Polish pierogis, Greek specialties and so much more on your tour led by friendly experts.

Homewood Experience

You don't need to book a tour company to enjoy the history and richness of Pittsburgh. Take the community-driven Homewood Experience Artwalk that takes visitors on a self-guided walk past special installations, murals historic buildings and other cultural landmarks to preserve the history of this community.

Rivers of Steel

To truly dive into Pittsburgh's steel heritage, book a Rivers of Steel tour that will take you in and all around the National Landmark Carrie Blast Furnaces. The Industrial Tour focuses on the site's iron-making history, while the Arts & Grounds Tour shows off the impressive creations this location inspires and the Iron Garden Walk is botanist-led, taking you around the wild gardens and grounds.

Insider Tip: Watch the calendar for events and festivals happening here as well. Tours can often be booked the same day, letting you truly appreciate this venue with a guided tour before coming back out to the festival.

Free Pittsburgh Walking Tours

Take an engaging and entertaining tour of what it's really like to be a Pittsburgher (and even learn authentic Pittsburghese) with Free Pittsburgh Walking Tours of Downtown and the North Side. These tours are name-your-own-price; simply pay your guide with cash or via Venmo at the end of your tour as much as you like.

Redbuds & North Shore Monuments Walking Tours | VisitPittsburgh

We've developed some exclusive walking tours to help you out, too. Discover the history of Pittsburgh in our North Shore Monument Walking Tour to discover Mr. Rogers, the location of the Steelers' Immaculate Reception play and more. Or, take a leisurely stroll across the North Shore and through downtown and the South Side each spring to see the redbuds in bloom.

Redbuds in bloom

Make Your Own

Pssst. Also, feel free to disregard all of the above and just make your own tour. That's the beauty of Pittsburgh being so walkable. Grab a map, pick a neighborhood, and explore it end to end.

Try easy walks like Lawrenceville and the Strip District first, then move on to Squirrel Hill, Bloomfield, Shadyside and Millvale. The opportunities are endless and, no matter where you pick, you're sure to find somewhere new and return home knowing more about Pittsburgh than ever!

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Jared B.

Author

Jared B.

Senior Manager, Content Development

Always in search of the next great craft beer and arcade. Can be found in the Supporters Section of Pittsburgh Riverhounds games and at whatever festival is happening in the city.

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