Pittsburgh, PA — Frommers

A city once known for billowing steel factories, Pittsburgh wows first-time visitors today with crystal-clear rivers and a first-rate arts scene. The city's Golden Triangle sits at the junction of three rivers, a favorite location for anglers and kayakers. Natural history and art are on display at the Carnegie Museums while the Andy Warhol Museum hails Pittsburgh's most famous artist. A testament to the city's history and cultural vibrancy, Station Square's turn-of-the-century furnace sits front and center -- as part of a musical fountain.

Things to Do
Pittsburgh's finest cultural attractions are housed in the Carnegie Museums; fossilized dinosaur bones and glittering geodes are among the natural treasures in the Museum of Natural History, while the human creations of Picasso, Georgia O'Keeffe and Frank Gehry draw attention at the Museum of Art. Pop art reigns supreme at the Andy Warhol Museum, which houses the work of the groundbreaking hometown darling.

Nightlife and Entertainment
Neon lights and public artworks illuminate the night sky in Pittsburgh's Theatre District, with performances ranging from African-American dance troupes to Arthur Miller classics and the symphonic sounds of the velvet-and-crystalline Heinz Hall. Homegrown alternative music bands and DJ mixers fill the clubs of Pittsburgh's Strip District. Sip a drink late at night anywhere in Station Square, set high on the riverbank overlooking the well-lit downtown.

Restaurants and Dining
Pittsburgh's Strip District is the place to go for richly sauced pastas and Parmesan-crusted fish dishes inspired by the city's Italian immigrants, while Deutschtown features authentic German eateries and breweries. The local favorite Primanti Brothers sandwich, also in the Strip District, is the lunch of choice. Go hungry, as Primanti is famous for including French fries and coleslaw inside their sandwiches, along with chopped meat, cheese, and sliced tomato.

Active Pursuits
Three rivers -- the Monongahela, the Ohio and the Allegheny -- join to form the Golden Triangle, a favorite spot for kayaking and fishing downtown Pittsburgh. Look down onto the city's watery center from the steep hillsides overlooking Pittsburgh from the Duquesne Incline plane railway. Sports lovers head to PNC Park or Heinz Field to enjoy an afternoon of fresh air, hot dogs and cheering for Pirates baseball or Steelers football against the sparkling, glass-and-steel skyline.