Jeremy, Author at Discover the Burgh

10 of the Coolest Pittsburgh Houses You Can Visit

September 11, 2024September 14, 2016

When it comes to unique Pittsburgh houses, be it the historical or downright weird, this city is full of them. Unfortunately, many of these houses are private residences that are not open to the public, which makes fully appreciating them somewhat tricky.

Throughout our quest to experience the many things to do in Pittsburgh, we've visited a number of the unique houses in the city and have fallen in love with several of them.

In this guide we wanted to share some of our favorites that you can also go visit!

This guide only features Pittsburgh houses we've personally toured. If you are looking for more details about each house, click the link inside the description to be taken to our full review. When we find more properties to explore in the future, we will update this guide accordingly!

Note: Most every house in this guide requires advanced reservations. Many do not accept walk-up visitors.

A Stroll Through the Thornburg Conservation Area

July 8, 2026September 13, 2016

When I go out exploring in and around Pittsburgh, one of the things I like to do is look at the map and see what kind of public parks and spaces are near me. More often than not these turn out to be simple playgrounds or parklets that do not warrant an article, but every once in a while I discover something amazing that I never knew was there.

The Thornburg conservation area is one of those places, and after visiting this one I can safely say that I look forward to returning many times in the future.

Carrie Furnace Tour – Finding the Steel City’s Roots

October 8, 2025September 7, 2016

Throughout its history, Pittsburgh has been known for a lot of things. The city was host to George Washington on multiple occasions, the departure point of Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition, home to America's early glass industry, and the world's leading supplier of iron and steel- and that is before even getting to the 20th century.

Although these are all incredible in their own right, it is the steel industry in Pittsburgh that made the city famous the world over.

In its prime, Pittsburgh was producing thousands of tons of steel per day- more than half of the entire output of all factories in the United States combined- and boasted a staggering number of mills located along the city's rivers. But by the 1980s this all changed- the steel industry went bust, nearly all of the factories were shut down, and Pittsburgh went through one of the largest depressions from which it only recently emerged.

Since then, most of the factories have been demolished and replaced with new industries. But a small portion of one massive factory, the iron-producing Carrie Furnaces, was rescued by the Rivers of Steel Heritage Foundation and turned into a historical site for future generations to come and learn about how the Steel City got its name.

Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh Review – Downtown Gem

October 5, 2023September 6, 2016

When I normally think of convention center hotels, my first thought is of a place for business travelers coming in for a conference or large meeting. What I often do not think about is that these hotels can also be spots for visitors coming in for a weekend to explore the city.

My visit to the Westin Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh did coincide with a conference, but the property helped me redefine my image of a convention center hotel. For those who want to be in the heart of it all and even have a great view to boot, regardless of why you're visiting, the Westin Convention Center should definitely be on your radar.

Sheraton Station Square Review – Go for the River View

February 22, 2023August 31, 2016

Pittsburgh's iconic view from Mount Washington is known far and wide as one of the world's best skyline views. We don't know a Pittsburgher who doesn't love it, and rarely hear of visitors who don't make a special trip to the neighborhood just to check it out.

What this iconic view does not have, however, is a hotel with that same vista. For whatever reason, be it political, monetary, or otherwise, it just hasn't happened.

But there is one hotel that will get you close, and that is the Sheraton at Station Square located at the base of Mount Washington. So when we were invited to this hotel to stay the night, you know checking out the view was high on our list.

So how does this hotel stack up, view and otherwise? We share it all below.

Touring The Frick Museum and House in Pittsburgh’s East End

July 8, 2026August 29, 2016

Looking back at Pittsburgh's history, you come across many world famous industrial and business magnates who had a large presence in the city: Carnegie, Frick, Heinz, Westinghouse, and Mellon are just a few you may have heard of.

As their fame was spread to the corners of the world, their wealth at home grew, and so did their local estates.

In other cities these estates would likely have been handed over to foundations to ensure they stand the test of time, but in Pittsburgh many have been demolished over the years. Out of all of the famous Pittsbughers listed above, the estate of only one businessman, Henry Clay Frick, still stands- and it is kept in working order exactly as it was left as a part of the Frick Collection.

Pittsburgh Weekend Guide – Outdoors Edition

July 20, 2024August 14, 2016

In many cases, weekend guides in popular cities focus on the main attractions that you should see and do. We enjoy these (and even wrote about them all in our first time in Pittsburgh weekend guide), but more often than not they leave us wondering what else a city has to offer outside of the iconic spots.

For our weekend guide series, we wanted to look at Pittsburgh from different perspectives. To do this we put together what we think are awesome itineraries for those who are on a mission to dive deep into just one aspect of the city.

For our outdoors weekend in Pittsburgh guide, we wanted to share some of our favorite outdoor spots in and around the city, all while keeping some of the major highlights in mind that you'd expect to visit during a weekend to Pittsburgh.

Note: Unlike other guides in this series, we know that going outdoors for a long hike can be rather exhausting. As such, we've built more downtime into this guide so you can relax or explore nearby attractions and Pittsburgh neighborhoods on your own.

Unblurred – First Friday Gallery Crawl in Garfield

October 8, 2025August 13, 2016

If you're like us, odds are good you pass through Garfield quite often but very rarely stop to explore. There was likely a good reason for this, as it wasn't until recently that this neighborhood began a massive revitalization. Thankfully we are here to say that businesses are starting to come back and push the neighborhood into the spotlight.

Out of all of the businesses types that have opened up in Garfield in recent months, none are more abundant than independent galleries run by local artists. Be it public galleries, DIY workshop spaces, and everything in between, Garfield is quickly becoming home to some of Pittsburgh's most talented artisans.

But there is one problem- you probably don't know any of these exist. Factor in odd working hours, subtle storefront signage, and the low foot traffic in the neighborhood and you may not notice the true revival that is underway when you drive through.

Enter Unblurred, the neighborhood's first Friday event that is changing the perception of this neighborhood one month at a time.

What are the VIP Suites at PNC Park Like?

July 8, 2026August 3, 2016

There are some experiences in any city that come along once in a blue moon, and then there are some that are even rarer than that.

Despite the number of Pirates games we've attended over the years, enjoying the game from a VIP suite was one of those rare experiences we were only recently able to have.

But be warned– once you attend a game in a VIP Suite, PNC Park will never be the same again.

Teppanyaki Kyoto Review – Unique Japanese Fare in Highland Park

July 8, 2026July 28, 2016

When you hear the word teppanyaki, your first thoughts are probably about those horribly themed hibachi restaurants that are available in just about any city in the country.

I'm here to report that the Japanese restaurant Teppanyaki Kyoto in Highland Park is not that.

What this restaurant is, however, is one of the most authentic Japanese establishments you'll find in Pittsburgh. As someone who has eaten his way around Japan, and loves just about everything there is about the country, it is high praise when I say that Teppanyaki Kyoto does it right.

But as much as Teppanyaki Kyoto offers an incredible menu full of Japanese items you may never have tried, the real gem of this restaurant is one particular dish: okonomiyaki– my favorite Japanese food of all.