Pittsburgh: America’s Most Livable City

What’s not to love? You’ve got your bike trails, your Primanti sandwiches, the South Side on a Saturday night and, hey, don’t forget the Steelers! Like you could even if you wanted to!

Yepper, Pittsburgh is a city that offers the best of all possible worlds. It’s clean. It’s safe. It’s affordable. And, Beautiful, too. That’s right, capital B in Beautiful!

In the words of Pittsburgh Pirates announcer Lanny Fratarre, there’s nooooooooo doubt about it: Pittsburgh has all of the big-city amenities with none of the big-city hassles. No wonder why Pittsburgh was named “America’s Most Livable City” in the 2007 Places Rated Almanac.

Whether you’re having fun in the Strip District – shopping the markets by day or dining and dancing there by night – or exploring the Andy Warhol Museum during a Good Fridays event (the museum stays open late, offers half off admission prices and there’s a cash bar), there’s always something to do in Pittsburgh.

For art lovers, Pittsburgh’s the place. The city was named “Best Arts Destination” among mid-sized cities in 2007 by American Style magazine. Thanks to renowned museums such as the Carnegie Museum of Art, the always-funky Mattress Factory, the Frick Art Museum, and the Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh is on the map – figuratively and literally – when it comes to art. After all, there are terrific walking tours with guidebooks of public art in Downtown Pittsburgh and the Oakland neighborhood.

And, check out some of Pittsburgh’s 89 neighborhoods. From the steps in the South Side slopes to Little Italy in Bloomfield, Pittsburgh’s eclectic neighborhoods are worth exploring.

If shopping is more your bag, check out the “Shop ‘Til You Drop” tour, where you’ll find antique stores, art galleries, specialty shops and more. (And remember, there’s no tax on clothing!) Or, get off the beaten path with the “Neighborhoods-in-a-Nutshell” tour that will take you to places loved by locals. You may even see the local man who’s working on the goal of having a drink in each of the city’s neighborhoods!

Outdoor lovers will fall for Western Pennsylvania’s hiking and biking trails and parks. There’s plenty of water sports and even Segway city tours for you to cruise around town, too. But you’d better put on your biking shorts because your gluts are going to get a workout on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, a 37-mile trail and greenway park system that runs along all sides of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. This trail is part of the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile rails-to-trails project that will connect Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., when it’s completed in 2008. If you have the stamina, you can ride all the way from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. Massage anyone?

If sheer entertainment is what you’re after, there’s nothing better than sitting back and taking in a show. And, there’s no better place for that than in the downtown Cultural District, which is home to five major theaters and where you’ll find ballet and Broadway, opera, and symphony performances. There’s even a Cabaret for all kinds of musical revues. All this within a 14-block area! Giant talents grace the stages. They’ll have you laughing in the aisles at a critically acclaimed comedy or losing yourself in a first-rate drama. Yes, the lights on Broadway reach all the way to Pittsburgh!

Looking for edgy, hip theater? Look no further than Quantum Theatre. Quantum is uber cool because all of its productions are staged in places that aren’t actually theaters. Instead, think abandoned industrial site or museum and even cemetery. Or you can catch a performance of Squonk Opera. Billed as a “wacky, provincial opera company,” Squonk shows are fun for everyone.

When it comes to sports, Pittsburgh is at the top of its game. We’re a town that bleeds black and gold, the colors of our three professional sports teams – the Pirates, Penguins and Steelers.

Because Pittsburgh is surrounded by rivers, it’s fitting that the city is a premier location for water sports. The rivers are perfect for fishing, kayaking, canoeing and boating. From spring to fall, a kayak and canoe rental concession is open on the North Shore, next to PNC Park. And, you gotta regatta at the annual Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta. Or check out the Head of the Ohio, a race featuring rowing teams from all over the globe.

Pittsburgh has had plenty to boast about, too, after hosting national sporting events, such as the 2005 Citgo Bassmaster Classic, the 2006 MLB All-Star Game and, most recently, the 2007 U.S. Open Golf Championship.

Editorial provided by VisitPittsburgh. See for yourself what all the buzz is about.