<p>We (age 60 give or take) are coming to Pittsburgh in June for a wedding. Any suggestions on what to do during the day? We will have two free afternoons. Thanks. We like art, shopping and just observing.</p>
<p>One of my absolute favorite things to do in Pittsburgh (and that would be wonderful to do that time of year) is to go to Phipps Conservatory. It’s right next to the Carnegie Mellon campus (and students get in for free), and it is essentially a collection of some of the most amazing botanical gardens I’ve ever seen. I went once at the end of the summer, and once in the winter - they change a lot of things seasonally, but it’s always so pretty. I would highly, highly recommend it. </p>
<p>Additionally, there is the art museum and the natural history museum right next to CMU, and those are both very nice as well. I’ve also heard good things about the Andy Warhol museum and the Mattress Factory, but haven’t been to those two myself.</p>
<p>I second Phipps as a top choice - beautiful conservatory with a lovely range. If the weather is decent, go up to Mt. Washington and take in the view from the platform at the incline - stunning panorama. You could park for free at the bottom and ride the incline up, but there are a lot of stairs to climb if you do that.</p>
<p>See the Nationality Classrooms at the University of Pittsburgh:
[The</a> Nationality Rooms - Welcome!](<a href=“http://www.pitt.edu/~natrooms/]The”>http://www.pitt.edu/~natrooms/)</p>
<p>I was impressed with Pitt’s Chapel and Pitt’s Grand room of the Cathedral of Learning.</p>
<p>If you like the classic tourist kinds of thing-- Mollys Trolleys gives a guided tour of the city. They do a very nice job with a tour a bit over an hour. </p>
<p>The Pittsburgh Performing Arts center has many excellent productions.
There’s matinees on the weekends.</p>
<p>Great ideas; thank you all.</p>
<p>[Phipps</a> Conservatory](<a href=“http://phipps.conservatory.org/]Phipps”>http://phipps.conservatory.org/), the Carnegie [Museum</a> of Natural History](<a href=“http://www.carnegiemnh.org/]Museum”>http://www.carnegiemnh.org/) and [Museum</a> of Art](<a href=“Carnegie Museum of Art”>http://web.cmoa.org/), the Cathedral of Learning [Nationality</a> Rooms](<a href=“http://www.pitt.edu/~natrooms/]Nationality”>http://www.pitt.edu/~natrooms/), and [Heinz</a> Chapel](<a href=“http://www.heinzchapel.pitt.edu/]Heinz”>http://www.heinzchapel.pitt.edu/) are all with a short walking distance of each other. </p>
<p>Phipps, a classic victorian greenhouse, is one of the best conservatories in the country. The major museums of the city are the Carnegie, and one admission will get you into both the art and natural science museum which are connected. The natural history museum has the world’s largest collection of Jurassic dinosaurs. The art museum is known for its impressionists through modern pieces, as well as its “Hall of Architecture”. Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning is free to enter, and the Nationality Rooms on the third floor are open during the day (and have audio tour buttons just inside the door). A self guided tour of all the rooms is available for $3, but tours end at 2:30. If you can arrange a guided tour (have to call in 2 weeks in advance), I would recommend doing that. Pitt’s Heinz Chapel is also free to go in, and free docent tours are available (and sometimes they will even demonstrate the organ for you). Other things to see within this small footprint could be [Soldiers</a> & Sailors Memorial](<a href=“http://www.soldiersandsailorshall.org/]Soldiers”>http://www.soldiersandsailorshall.org/), the [Stephen</a> Foster Memorial](<a href=“http://www.pitt.edu/~amerimus/index.html]Stephen”>Welcome to the Center for American Music), and the [Frick</a> Fine Arts building and university art gallery](<a href=“http://www.haa.pitt.edu/frick/artgallery.html]Frick”>http://www.haa.pitt.edu/frick/artgallery.html).</p>
<p>Again, the above is within a few blocks of each other in Oakland, adjacent to CMU and the University of Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>Elsewhere in the city, I would recommend the [Warhol</a> Museum](<a href=“http://www.warhol.org/]Warhol”>http://www.warhol.org/), [Mattress</a> Factory](<a href=“http://www.mattress.org/]Mattress”>http://www.mattress.org/), [The</a> National Aviary](<a href=“http://www.aviary.org/]The”>http://www.aviary.org/), the [Heinz</a> History Center and Fort Pitt Blockhouse (Smithsonian Affiliate)](<a href=“http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/]Heinz”>http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/). If you are into architecture, Pittsburgh is an awesome place for that, and the [Pittsburgh</a> History & Landmarks Foundation has various tours](<a href=“http://www.phlf.org/phlf-tours-events/]Pittsburgh”>http://www.phlf.org/phlf-tours-events/). And if in Pittsburgh, you absolutely have to go up to Mount Washington for the view at some point. It has been rated as one of the most beautiful views in the US. From [Station</a> Square](<a href=“Station Square® ::: Pittsburgh ::: PA”>http://www.stationsquare.com/), you can take Pittsburgh’s answer to San Francisco’s cable cars, its [Inclines[/url</a>], up to the top. Also, make sure you try to get to a [url=<a href="Almost Famous, Always A Favorite. Since 1933! | Primanti Bros.[/url</a>] for Pittsburgh’s signature sandwich (there is one on Forbes Avenue in Oakland a couple blocks west of the Cathedral of Learning).</p>
<p>Anyway, a general website that may be useful is <a href=“http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/[/url]”>http://www.visitpittsburgh.com/](<a href=“http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/CustomerInfo/Inclines/tabid/119/Default.aspx]Inclines[/url”>http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/CustomerInfo/Inclines/tabid/119/Default.aspx)</a></p>
<p>Most of the pretty fun things to do in Pittsburgh have been mentioned, but you have to be sure to stop by Dave & Andy’s Ice Cream in Oakland. It’s definitely one of the things I miss most from living in Pittsburgh!</p>
<p>[Dave</a> & Andy’s Homemade Ice Crm - Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 - Citysearch](<a href=“CitySearch - Your local city guide”>CitySearch - Your local city guide)</p>
<p>I love Phipps etc but it is important to do something that gives you a sense of this special city…if you do only one thing go to the Strip District and the Heinz Pittsburgh History and Sports Museum…see the real italian stores [Neighbors</a> in the Strip](<a href=“http://www.neighborsinthestrip.com/]Neighbors”>http://www.neighborsinthestrip.com/) and after eating and shopping take a tour at the museum. [Heinz</a> History Center](<a href=“http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/]Heinz”>http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/)</p>
<p>I went to the Strip before picking up son from CMU to go home for Thanksgiving. I went prepared with an ice chest to lug home all the great food and stopped in the Mexican wholesale store and Troy Polamalu was there with wife and child…we had a lovely chat about the special character of fresh tortillas…I guess they were stocking up too! I was too shy to ask for an autograph (and anyway there was nothing to sign but tortillas) but it was nice to see that even the famous like to rub elbows with their neighbors in the heart of the city. </p>
<p>Anyway, if you want to understand the special nature of Pittsburgh–hard working, innovative sports fans with great culinary traditions from the home countries…go to the Strip!</p>
<p>If you’re baseball fans, you could attend a nice minor league game at their beautiful ballpark on the river, with spectacular views of the city.</p>
<p>Poor Pirates. :(</p>
<p>(I went to a ton of games, and the only time they’d ever win was against my hometown team.)</p>