As the last week of February rolled around, Michigan State University’s spring break quickly approached. I was fortunate enough to travel to Pittsburgh and explore the city this year. I stayed for only four days, but those days were packed with history, action, amazing views, and delicious food!
On Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 9:30 a.m, started my drive to Pittsburgh. The drive was surprisingly easy and not as far as you would expect; from East Lansing, it was about a five-hour drive. However, the boring views of the Ohio Turnpike made for a less-exciting 200-mile drive.,
When I arrived, I unpacked and took a nap, before dinner rolled around. I went to Bakery Square, an outside shopping center, for dinner. We visited Alta Via Pizzeria with my boyfriend and his family. We got meatballs, chopped salad, and pepper parmesan fries for appetizers. For entrees, we got a margherita pizza and a pepperoni pizza. The meatballs were incredible, and the fries were exquisite with the garlic aioli sauce. The salad was also good–but nothing mind-blowing. The margarita pizza was delicious, with a nice, thin, crunchy crust. The pepperoni was similar to a Chicago-style pizza, but I preferred the margherita. Overall, my start to Pittsburgh was off to a good start.
For dessert, we stopped at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which was located in the same plaza. We chose two flavors: Blackout Chocolate Cake and Fluffernutter. If you are like me and have yet to learn what fluffernutter is, it is marshmallow and peanut butter. The chocolate was rich, and the fluffernutter was super creamy and deliciously sweet. Fluffernutter took the win this time.
I was shown Fifth Ave on the way back from dinner, where I was told it was the Pittsburgh equivalent to Grand River in East Lansing. The street was packed with people, and bustling with life. It was incredibly cool to see the shops and neighborhoods off the street.
The next day, for breakfast, we picked up bagels from Pigeon Bagels in Squirrel Hill. I had an everything bagel with fig and honey cream cheese. If you are a bagel fan, you will love these bagels. The fig and honey cream cheese was very savory with hints of sweetness.
Additionally, that day, I got to experience my first NHL game: Pittsburgh Penguins vs the Philadelphia Flyers. The game was entertaining and super action-packed. This was an instate rivalry game, so the stadium was packed, and the energy was intense. I was two rows back from the glass–it was surreal to be that close to the ice. The game was an insane back-and-forth between the teams, ending with the Penguins winning 7-6. This is a high-scoring game for hockey, and it was super fun through all three periods.
The following day, we went on some mini-adventures. Starting in the Strip District, we stopped at Deluca’s for breakfast (I was told this was a staple, and that I needed to experience it). I got the strawberry-nutella crepes. These crepes were divine, they also had many other breakfast options that looked just as delicious (the cinnamon pancakes were also good). Next, we stopped at Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop on Penn Avenue. I got a soda and a small box of candy. After that, we went to the Putt Shack, which is an indoor putt-putt golf place. Putt Shack is unique because the ball automatically tracks your score for you, and you can get bonus points and negative points depending on what you do on the course. I am happy to say that I won the round of putt-putt with one hole-in-one!
A little later, we went to the Duquesne Incline, located south of the Ohio River. The incline is over 140 years old, and the funicular takes you over 400 ft up Mount Washington. At the top, there is an observation deck that overlooks downtown Pittsburgh and the three rivers, the Monongahela and Allegheny, which converge to form the Ohio River. This view was stunning, and if it’s your first time in Pittsburgh, this is a must-see!
Lastly, we visited the Steelers Hall of Honor Museum. I am not a Steelers fan (Go Lions!), this museum was . They start with a video that explains the historical periods of Steelers football, which was interesting to learn about and easy to follow as someone who knows very little about the history of the Steelers. Then we went to see the rest of the museum, which had many artifacts and information about key players and coaches. I stopped at the gift shop afterward and picked up a couple of goodies.
On my last day in Pittsburgh, I was introduced to the magic of Oakmont Bakery donuts. I had the Boston Cream, which is my all-time favorite donut. Some other donuts that looked good, but I didn’t try the jelly-filled, powdered donuts. Later that day, we went to Dave and Busters.It was my first time going,and my favorite game was Connect Four basketball.
While I was there, I did other things unrelated to Pittsburgh: I watched Mystery Alaska and The Princess Bride, which I had never watched before. If you enjoy sports movies like Miracle or McFarland, you will enjoy Mystery Alaska. It is a bit dated, but the story is good nonetheless. The Princess Bride is an older movie, but I laughed out loud at this one, and I enjoyed it significantly.
Pittsburgh was an incredible experience. I loved the city, the food, and the overall atmosphere. I would love to return and explore more and learn more about the history. If you are looking for a city to visit, I highly recommend it. Undoubtedly, I will be heading back for a second visit!