Rivers of Steel’s Uniquely Pittsburgh – Historical Cruise

At this time we believe the Explorer riverboat is not in operation and is receiving maintenance upgrades. We do not have an estimated timeline when tours will resume. Please check directly with Rivers of Steel to check on current operation status.

The Rivers of Steel maintains a number of historical sites in southwestern Pennsylvania, with one of the most notable being the Carrie Furnaces in Rankin/Swissvale (just southeast of the city).

In 2018 the nonprofit launched a new riverboat tour that takes place on Pittsburgh's three rivers. This one takes patrons on a journey through Pittsburgh's history, laying out where we've come from as a city and how the citizens of the past have paved the way to our prosperous future.

As this tour is one of the most in-depth lessons you'll get on all things Pittsburgh, it is aptly named Uniquely Pittsburgh. But instead of being set in a classroom, this one using the views of the city from the rivers to really bring the region's history to life.

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Nostalgia Overload at Pinball PA in Aliquippa

Sometimes all we want is a little bit of nostalgia.

Thankfully, when the nostalgia fix we seek involves old school video games and pinball machines, Pittsburgh has just the place- Pinball PA.

On a hot summer day we wanted to get out of the heat and relive our childhoods, so we made the drive out to Aliquippa to get our fix of retro arcade heaven.

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Clem’s Cafe Review – Tender Meat Worthy of the Drive

If you follow any Pittsburgh barbecue circles at all, odds are good you'll hear the name Clem's Cafe come up time and time again.

This spot in Blairsville is located about an hour east of the city and has a die-hard following of many Pittsburghers who make the drive just for their meat.

Intrigued by this prospect, I made the trip out to Blairsville to give them a try.

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Idlewild and Soakzone – A Great Outing from Pittsburgh for Kids

Idlewild and Soakzone in the Laurel Highlands is one of the nation's most popular children's theme parks (not to mention the oldest amusement park in the state), and is a spot we've been wanting to check out for quite some time.

Except we had one problem- we don't have kids.

It wasn't until our friends at the Laurel Highlands invited both us and our friends at UncoveringPA in for a visit that we had a light bulb moment- we could steal their son for the day in order to visit the park!

Okay, fine, we didn't actually steal UncoveringPA's son, but we did get to enjoy Idlewild through his eyes all the same during our visit, and that is pretty much the same thing.

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Barrel and Flow Fest – The Nation’s First Festival for Black Breweries

Barrel & Flow Fest (formerly Fresh Fest) is a unique beer festival in Pittsburgh put on by our friends at Drinking Partners podcast and was designed to be the first black brewery festival in the United States.

The festival had many goals in mind, including introducing craft beer to a market that has been traditionally overlooked, highlighting local minority-owned businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs, and of course celebrating beer made by a few of the only 50 or so breweries in the USA operated by black business owners.

If that sounds like a tall order with a lot of ways to experience the event, you're not alone. But after attending this one practically every year since its inception, we can safely say this is one we'll be making a staple in our Pittsburgh beer festival rotation for many years to come.

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How to Choose Where to Stay When You Visit Pittsburgh

If you are looking to visit Pittsburgh from out of town, one of your first thoughts is likely “where do I stay?”

In a city of 90 neighborhoods, figuring out where to stay in Pittsburgh could make or break your visit almost entirely. So finding a spot that fits your style, budget, and interests is key.

As with most of our guides, we want to take a detailed dive into the best neighborhoods to stay in for your Pittsburgh visit.

But not only are we going to dive into our favorite aspects of each neighborhood (both in general and from a visitor's perspective), we also want to provide the reasons why you may not want to stay in the neighborhood as well!

Because as awesome as these neighborhoods are, none are perfect. Depending on your style, budget, and trip goals there may be some things you need to keep in mind before booking.

With that, let's jump into it!

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Biergarten Review – Rooftop European Beers at the Hotel Monaco

With all the beautiful buildings in downtown Pittsburgh, we often find ourselves wishing for more options for eating and drinking on the rooftops of some of the tallest buildings.

While we do not have many sky-high dining options available, the folks at the Hotel Monaco have tried to rectify this problem with their rooftop Biergarten.

We had been to this one before for quick drinks and were invited back down as guests of the hotel to try more. In this one we share our full thoughts on this beautiful rooftop bar!

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Checking Out Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best of the Burgh Party

Pittsburgh Magazine is known for hosting several events in the city throughout the year. Their flagship event, in our opinion at least, is the Best Restaurant Party which takes place each June. The next biggest, and considerably smaller event, is Best of the Burgh. This one focuses on the best of the city's businesses overall and takes places just a few weeks later each July at Stage AE.

We were invited to check out the Best of the Burgh party by the magazine, and wanted to share a bit about what you need to know before attending the next event!

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