Year: 2026

The Festival of Combustion Showcases the Industrial Arts

You may be well aware of Pittsburgh's historic iron, glass, and steelmaking past as well as many industrial producers that call the city home to this very day.

Naturally, with its history, Pittsburgh is also home to a thriving industrial arts scene, and the annual Festival of Combustion event at Carrie Furnace merges these two into one with a fun day of live demonstrations, music, and hands-on activities focusing all things industrial arts.

Industrial art with a former steel blast furnace as a backdrop? It doesn't get much more Pittsburgh than that!

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10 Reasons to Visit Pittsburgh in October 2026

October in Pittsburgh is often when fall makes itself known. The temperatures drop rapidly, fall colors reach their peak, and the end-of-year slowdown starts becoming much more apparent.

But that doesn't mean you have to slow down in your explorations of the city, as it turns out October is another great month where you can get out and enjoy the city!

So if you are looking for things to do in Pittsburgh in October, check out the following options.

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30 Views of Pittsburgh’s Skyline You Need to See

It doesn't take long after arriving to Pittsburgh for you to realize that the city's skyline is truly special.

Naturally, you may want to go out and explore for a great view.

Thankfully, our natural geography of rivers and hills makes for many great viewing opportunities of the skyline- far more than the iconic view from Grandview Avenue on Mount Washington.

So in this one, we thought we'd highlight all of the great viewpoints you have of the Pittsburgh skyline to help you find a few lookouts you maybe haven't experienced before!

Please note that our photos may include shots taken with ultra-wide or telephoto lenses. Actual distances vary, but all are pretty awesome- that we can assure you.

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Penn Ave Pizza & Steaks Review – Hitting All the Right Notes

Penn Avenue Pizza & Steaks (PAPS) is a one-stop-shop for all things NY-style pizzas and Philly cheesesteaks.

While it is rare for a spot to do either of these on their own well enough to sing it from the rooftop, PAPS manages to make it work with delicious pies and an even more wonderful sandwich.

You'll want to go hungry when visiting this one!

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The Forge Review – Cocktails and Mezze in Lawrenceville

The Forge in Lawrenceville is one of those spots that you may not notice when driving along Penn Avenue. Apart from a small sign out front, this one is easy to miss if you're not looking closely.

But for those who make the effort to stop and head in, a delicious cocktail bar with Mediterranean small-plates and a modest pizza menu is your reward!

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Second Story Spirits Brings Delicious Infusions to Lawrenceville

Second Story Spirits is a spirits producer that opened its doors in Lawrenceville in September 2026.

Upon first glance, you may think Second Story Spirits is another distillery in Pittsburgh. We are happy to report, it is not.

This one is different in that they do not distill their base spirits in house, but rather engage in the art of infusion- that is, adding flavors to an already produced base spirit. Yes, there is no still here!

Where this could run in any number of ways, as we certainly have had our share of questionable infusions in the past, Second Story Spirits not only does this well, but their initial lineup is among the best in the game- distillery, infusion joint, or otherwise.

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10 Reasons Why We Don’t Love Living in Pittsburgh

When we first published our article about 10 reasons why we love living in Pittsburgh, we naturally braced for some pushback, since some of the reasons we love the city are also things people dislike about it.

We get it, and totally fair in many cases!

A good example here of a love/hate relationship is, perhaps, the weather. We love that we have four seasons and that the climate here is relatively mild (from a global standpoint, at least). But while that is also a perk, we'd be remiss if we didn't note that the number of cloudy and/or grey days is substantial. One positive and a negative on the other side of the coin.

So in this one, we thought we'd flip that around and take a realistic look at some of the things we don't like about living in Pittsburgh for a balanced counterpoint- the weather will be included here as well.

Of course, everyone reading this should know by now that we really love living here (let's be honest- we wouldn't have started this site and lived here as long as we have if we didn't). But we are also practical by nature and are never shy about discussing faults that could be better- especially if you are considering moving here and want to know some very real downsides that are, admittedly, getting better as time goes on.

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Flight 93 National Memorial – A Somber Memorial to 9/11

Sometimes as travel writers there are just a few spots we visit that are impossible to put into words. Destinations so sobering about the low points in human history that I simply cannot do justice in any one article.

I've found myself in this particular spot in many places around the world- be it Dachau in Germany, the ground zero spots of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, and the 9/11 Memorial in New York City to name a few.

In these particular cases I've tried time and time again to write about them, but end up being at a loss for words. Rather than ignoring the topic altogether, I ultimately end up only sharing photos as a means to try and provide a visual understanding of the experience.

So it should be no surprise that my visit to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, is no different. Today, I wanted to share a few photos from the memorial to encourage everyone to visit.

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Ruby’s Wine House Review – Classic Italian Done Well

Ruby's Wine House is a family-run restaurant and wine bar near Coraopolis serving up crowd-pleasing Italian small plates and pastas along with a diverse selection of wine.

The welcoming atmosphere and shareable nature of the food make this a great spot for hanging out with a group. It's the kind of place you settle in and order several rounds of antipasti and wine, all while enjoying the friendly service.

Our first visit here was with a group of friends who suggested the place, and at first we were not quite sure what to expect from this spot that's a bit of a drive out of the city in a quiet, somewhat remote location. Looking at the food menu, you could easily think this is just another red sauce joint cranking out mediocre pasta.

But once we stepped inside, we realized one of the things that sets Ruby's apart is the excellent hospitality. And on top of that, as dish after dish came out, we realized that the food is also executed quite well and belies the seemingly simple menu.

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