Summary:

Looking for just the facts? If you prefer to chart your own venture off the beaten path, these Pittsburgh neighborhood snapshots can get you started.

Bloomfield

Time Needed: 2-5 hours, including dining
Vibe: Little Italy
Big Draws: Italian restaurant row on Liberty Avenue (1)
Locals Love: Coffee at Crazy Mocha (2); new music at Paul’s CDs (3); Iron City beer and live music at Bloomfield Bridge Tavern (4); gelato at Grasso-Roberto Café (5); fresh cookies from Paddy Cake Bakery (6); late night pancakes at Ritter’s Diner (7)

Lawrenceville

Time Needed: 4 to 8 hours, including shopping
Vibe: Post-industrial arts

Big Draws: Art galleries and boutiques of the 16:62 Design Zone (8); historic monuments of Allegheny Cemetery (9)
Locals Love: Bowling at Arsenal Lanes (10); a shot-and-a-beer at Sufak’s Round Corner Bar & Hotel (11); Pious Monk Dunkel at Church Brew Works (12); handpoured soaps at Jay Design Soaps & Gifts (13); authentic Italian cuisine at Piccolo Forno (14); indie rock jukebox at Brillobox (15)

Mount Washington

Time Needed: 1 to 6 hours, including dining
Vibe: Picture perfect vistas
Big Draws: Incline rides (16); photo sessions overlooking the skyline; fancy dining on Grandview Avenue’s Restaurant Row
Locals Love: Piano bar performances at Shiloh Inn (17); Fizzleburgers at Shiloh Village Dairy (18); big and creamy scoops of DiFiore’s ice cream (19); chilling out in community rocking chairs on Grandview Avenue (20)

North Side

Time Needed: 1-3 days, including museums
Vibe: Old city grandeur
Big Draws: The Andy Warhol Museum (21), Pirate games at PNC Park (22), Tailgating before a Steelers game at Heinz Field (23), Pittsburgh Children’s Museum (24), Carnegie Science Center (25), National Aviary (26)
Locals Love: Oktoberfest at Penn Brewery (27); Kayak Pittsburgh launch at the Roberto Clemente Bridge (28); contemporary art at The Mattress Factory (29); open rehearsals of the Pittsburgh Banjo Club (30); fresh cherry pierogies at Roxolana’s Garden (31)

Oakland

Time Needed: 1 to 3 days, including museums
Vibe: International and intellectual
Big Draws: Art exhibits and dinosaur bones at the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History (32); Nationality Rooms in the Cathedral of Learning (33); Heinz Chapel (34); flower shows at Phipps Conservatory (35); Schenley Plaza (36)
Locals Love: Late night hot dogs and fries at The Original Hot Dog Shop (37); “Doors of Oakland” art installation at Gus Miller’s News Stand (38); cheap burritos at Mad Mex (39); biking on the Eliza Furnace Trail (40); pilgrimage to Forbes Field outfield wall and home plate (in the lobby of Posvar Hall) (41); homemade ice cream in a fresh waffle cone at Dave & Andy’s (42)

South Side

Time Needed: 1-2 days
Vibe: Fun and funky
Big Draws: East Carson Street restaurants and bars (43); live music at Club Café (44); yards of ale at Mario’s South Side Saloon (45); late night sandwiches at Primanti Brothers (46); shopping for new styles at South Side Works (47); catching contemporary stage performances at City Theatre (48)
Locals Love: Walking the city steps of the South Side Slopes (49); pretzel sandwiches at the Pretzel Shop (50); Fu Manchu cocktails at Tiki Lounge (51); art exhibits at Brew House Space 101 (52); rollerblading at Riverfront Park (53); browsing the shelves at City Books (54) and Eljay’s (55); Cigar Camp at Bloom’s (56); spice cake from Greb’s bakery (57)

Strip District

Time Needed: 1-2 days
Vibe: Historic Market District 
Big Draws: Saturday morning shopping for produce, cheese, seafood, bread, sausage, and coffee (58); exploring heritage at Senator John Heinz History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum (59); art exhibits and shopping at Society for Contemporary Craft (60); pints of Guinness and traditional Irish music at Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle (61)
Locals Love: Visionary bread from Jimmy & Nino Sunseri (62); the elevated model train set and lobster tanks at Robert Wholey Co. (63); fresh macaroons at Enrico Biscotti (64); floor-to-ceiling trinkets at Mike Feinberg (65); cheese buying tips from Carol "Dear Heart" Pascuzzi at Pennsylvania Macaroni Company (66); drinking coffee at La Prima (67).

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