Pittsburgh is known as one of the top US cities for sports fans, especially those (like me) who have a Sidney Crosby-obsessed 12-year-old. We ventured to Pittsburgh in the midst of the Pittsburgh Penguins playoff run in April and the vibe in and around the stadium could not have been better.
I did not have any expectations heading into the city in early April. I was excited to have my kid live out his dream of watching Crosby play, but we could not have expected that the rest of the weekend would have us falling in love with Pittsburgh.
First off, the Burgh Bus comedy tour. This was a riot. Everyone looking for a good time has got to hop onto the Burgh bus for a laugh. Especially if you have chatty boys like me, they will get a kick out of Matt Light or whoever is leading the tour!
Secondly, the tailgate. On a cold and crisp April day, the Pittsburgh Pirates home opener tailgate outside PNC Park is well worth a visit. The parking lots are full of friendly fans, quick to share in whatever fare they are cooking up. The bridge is closed down outside of the stadium to allow the pedestrians to enjoy the vibe of opening weekend. The Pierogi race is always great for a laugh and the stadium has some great bites!
While the snow may have fallen for a few minutes during the game, we had a riot enjoying the atmosphere and the people of Pittsburgh. And have you seen the stadium views? There are few stadiums (of any sports) in the USA with nicer views!
We also got to visit Highmark Stadium, the home of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. The soccer stadium views are pretty nice too! Fans get a front-and-centre view of the team whether sitting pitchside or cheering along in the supporters section.
While my only complaint has to be that April is not NFL season, that is about the only thing I can come up with about coming to Pittsburgh in the spring. But maybe I can make up for that with a fall visit for a Steelers game. I can only imagine the tailgating football fans after seeing the Pirates tailgate. If you happen to be in the city when it is not NFL season, you can still get into Acrisure Stadium with a tour! We got to walk around the field and see the inside of the locker rooms!
A big surprise for us was a visit to the private museum of Roberto Clemente. While I had never heard of Clemente, I fell in love with him and his story, and the hundreds of pro sports players who have come to the museum to pay tribute to such a great human being. The Clemente Museum showcases the world’s largest exhibited collection of baseball artifacts, works of art, literature, photographs, memorabilia, and related materials which focus on Roberto Clemente, his teammates, his personal life, and his humanitarian causes.
If you are coming with kids like I was, or even if you are not, pop into the Heinz Museum. There is an entire floor dedicated to sports in the city, and of course, a large section dedicated to Heinz!
A couple other things that give Pittsburgh a vibe are its walkability and its food. It is the perfect city to walk around in with everything centrally located.
Can you believe we packed all of those sports into just one weekend?
Follow other sports themed trips. Check out three days in Tampa with Teens featuring NHL hockey and MLB Spring Training
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.