Pittsburgh Sports Travel Guide

Pittsburgh is completely not what I expected. The former steeltown has been revitalized in epic proportions. Starting with many brand new green buildings, to three new sports stadiums and arenas, and plenty of gastronomical treats in between, Pittsburgh is a blooming mecca of class and style.

PNC, Pittsburgh National Corporation, has dedicated plenty of money and attention to green building and environmental responsibility within the city and been a major source of revitalization to Pittsburgh. With the completion of their latest building, Three PNC Plaza, they own one of the largest mixed used buildings in the United States that is LEED certified for green standards. PNC also has a "living" wall and is doing much for the city of Pittsburgh with the completion of green buildings.

Pittsburgh is also home to plenty of amazing restaurants: probably most famous to readers is Primanti Brother's, known for their ridiculous cole slaw and french fry stuffed sandwiches. Both the pastrami and the capicola ham are my personal favorites. I experienced the authentic home to the Pittsburgh sandwich (originally made to satisfy truckers on the road) in the Strip District of Pittsburgh. There you will also find Deluca's Diner, with burritos the size of small babies, and delectable eats. If you're in the Strip District, be sure to visit the many street vendors, sports novelty shops, and a great deli, the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company.

On the other side of town, you will find Elements which is a gourmet farm-to-table restaurant. My palate was thoroughly satisfied with one of their international meat and cheese platters, followed by local Pike fillet, and a few of their phenomenal Lemon Meringue Martinis. Someone at my table ordered the "Skate Fin" which is the fin off of a skate (stingray). According to him, it was amazing, and something you will rarely find on the menu. Restaurants like this are normally only found in big cities such as New York City, or Los Angelos. Elements is proof of the new things to come here in Pittsburgh.

Besides food, Pittsburgh is known predominantly for their sports centered lifestyle. Home to six time Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers Football, three time Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey, and five time World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates (whom we would love to see win someone soon), Pittsburgh is a hub of sports focused fans. You cannot go anywhere in Pittsburgh without the signature sports colors of all three teams flying in your face: black and gold. There is a deep, strong pride in the history of Pittsburgh sports, and it is evident down to the storefronts where manikins were dressed in their Steelers' best.

I spent a weekend in Pittsburgh that focused on the sports centered way of life. The first tour I received was at the Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park baseball stadium. Even Jim Cape, an ESPN Staff Writer voted PNC Park one of the best parks down to the quality of their hotdogs (which I taste tested for myself, and wholeheartedly agree). When it comes to a great tour presentation, Dave F. is the man to ask for at the park. He knew intimate details of the park's history and gave us an extensive tour. Tours are available to the public, and right now PNC Park has a great feature on the Negro Baseball Leagues, of which Pittsburgh was home to two of these teams: The Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords.

As a girl with a deep passion for Steelers football, I was thrilled to get to tour the illustrious Heinz Field, which is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from PNC Park and feet from where the former Three Rivers Stadium once stood. The tour was based less on the historical points of the former PIttsburgh Pirates Football Club, and more on the "oohs and ahhs" of what the stadium and team had to offer. Heinz Field is not only home to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but also to the University of Pittsburgh Panthers. The most intriguing part of the tour was the fact that the entire stadium gets switched from Panthers to Steelers colors down to the signs, and chairs in the press room. Our tour guide informed us it takes the staff roughly 13 hours to complete this task. Besides this, getting to tour the exclusive Steelers locker room, and see the lockers of great players such as Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu, was quite special for a fan such as myself.

From the tour of Heinz Field, I got to taste more of Pittsburgh at Jerome Bettis' "Grille 36" which is right next to the stadium. I tasted one of Bettis' own recommendations, the great Pittsburgh Steak Salad, known for fries and steak on top of a green leafy salad. It was delicious, and the restaurant setting directly on the Allegheny River was beautiful.

The brand new, gold LEED green certified Pittsburgh Penguins Consol Energy Center is a highlight stop for anyone visiting this river town. The new arena highlights modern technology and green building advances, with a strong focus on fans, young and old. The green technology used for building this center is astounding and a great feat for such a large scale building. One of the great highlights for young fans is that youth teams from all around Pittsburgh each have their team jersey featured in a special wall dedicated to youth hockey. Fans may also experience high tech games made especially for them, and will find the arena built to showcase their connection to the team. The new arena has spacious comfortable seats, plenty of generic and local cuisine to feed the fans, lots of modern technology, and is an all around friendly arena for any sports-goer.

To learn more about the history of sports in Pittsburgh, visit the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Heinz History Center. This museum provides great information on all the various sports throughout Western Pennsylvania, including hockey, football and baseball, but also featuring boxing, biking, and racing.

Besides watching sports, visitors to Pittsburgh should also experience them. The three rivers are a hub of activity for the city of Pittsburgh. Kayak Pittsburgh is located right near PNC Park on the Allegheny River and provides kayaking rental and instruction. They promote many activities within the waterways.

For sightseers of Pittsburgh, do not forget a stop at the Duquesne Incline and take a ride to to the top of Mount Washington. The view is exquisite, and the Incline provides great, daily transportation for commuters heading into the downtown area from Mount Washington. Not even snow can stop the Incline. Besides the Incline, Pittsburgh has great public transportation options such as bus and subway.

Pittsburgh is more than just home to some of sports' greatest stars, and some of the best teams in their leagues. Pittsburgh has a variety of things to do for those who love food, outdoor adventure, and are interested in some of the most modern advances in green building technology. For more information on Pittsburgh, contact Visit Pittsburgh.