The Center for PostNatural History – A Most Unusual Museum

Transgenic Goat at the PostNatural Museum in Pittsburgh

The Specimen Vault at the PostNatural Museum Pittsburgh is a hub of unusual museums, and The Center for PostNatural History in Garfield is no exception.

For those who are not familiar with the term, PostNatural describes living organisms that have been modified by man through everything from selective breeding all the way to genetic engineering by accredited scientists, mad scientists, and everything in between.

As an engineer this museum sounded perfect to me, and I was incredibly excited about visiting during their limited Friday and Sunday opening hours to check out the exhibits.

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Gaucho Pittsburgh Review – Delicious Argentinian Meat

When it comes to barbecued meat, the country of Argentina could really teach the world a thing or two.

During our travels in Argentina we devoured the country's famous barbecue and were so enamored with it that we frequently highlight the dish of Patagonian lamb as one of the best things we've ever eaten. (…and if you read our full travel destination list, you'll understand that this is truly saying something).

That being said, crafting an authentic Argentinian barbecue is not easy, and we can attest to being disappointed in most Argentinian restaurants that try to produce this country's iconic food outside of South America. As you can imagine, we had mixed emotions going into our visit to Gaucho Parrilla Argentina.

On one hand the reviews we've seen were all fantastic, but on the other hand we have a long history of being disappointed by restaurants in other parts of the country that simply do not stack up to the real thing.

Luckily for Gaucho Parrilla, they are absolutely spot on and routinely deliver what could be our favorite meals in all of Pittsburgh.

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Artifacts Pittsburgh – Fantasy Shopping in the West End

Artifacts Pittsburgh

If you have an itch to do some fantasy shopping for one-of-a-kind items in Pittsburgh, look no further than Artifacts in the West End. Touted as a “museum with a price tag,” Artifacts is home to over 20,000 items ranging from Turkish rugs, European artwork, hand crafted tables, to stuffed lions and giraffe busts, human-sized griffon statues, and everything in between.

We couldn't make this up even if we tried.

We first learned about Artifacts during a quest to find a seating area that would compliment a Turkish rug and lamp that we bought while traveling in Istanbul. Naturally, stories of Artifacts' massive showroom of Turkish rugs and other unique items inspired us to visit in hopes of finding our dream accompaniment.

We didn't, and that is fine by us.

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Grapperia Review – The Most Italian Bar in Pittsburgh

Spritz Homage at Grapperia in Pittsburgh

Grapperia Bar in PittsburghIt only took one word to get me into Piccolo Forno's annexed bar, and that word is grappa.

For those who do not know this spirit, grappa is made by distilling the waste products from the wine-making process (think skins, pulp, seeds, etc).  The result of the distillation process is an extremely concentrated, very flavorful, and incredibly high-proof alcohol that quickly became one of my favorites during our travels around Europe.

For reasons unknown to me, this spirit has not taken off as much in the USA, and grappa has been something I've only enjoyed while abroad- until now.

Congratulations Pittsburgh, you're now officially a European city.

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Randyland is a Colorful Must See Attraction in Pittsburgh

Unlike other attractions in the city, you'll have no problem spotting Randyland from a distance.

This outdoor art studio, if you can call it that, is quite possibly the most colorful spot in all of Pittsburgh– and that is only the first impression from looking at it on the outside.

Once you enter, a world of incredible art and whimsy is yours to explore.

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Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a Must Visit

Phipps Conservatory in Oakland is one of the shining gems of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is true not only for the gorgeous plants and foliage that they show off in their massive botanical gardens, but also for their efforts in sustainability- Phipps Conservatory is one of the most energy efficient buildings in the world.

With dozens of themed rooms, an assortment of flowers and artwork that cycles quarterly in their seasonal flower shows, and improvements made every year, Phipps is an attraction that will keep you returning time and time again.

When we decided to write a review of this stellar attraction, we were debating on whether or not to feature one flower show, or go broad and share images from several. In the end we decided for the latter, purely because we don't want to give it all away. We want you to see it for yourself.

So come inside and let us give you a brief glimpse at why we love this attraction!

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29 of the Best Pittsburgh Hotels to Consider – Local’s Guide

Pittsburgh has thriving tourism scene that brings in millions of visitors per year, be it for our many sporting events, major conventions, or purely from the fact that the city is pretty awesome (okay, we may be a bit biased on that one).

If you are one of those millions of visitors, you're in luck- this one is for you!

Since founding Discover the Burgh, one of the most common questions we receive is “what hotel should I stay at during my visit?”. To help answer this question, and continue our quest to experience everything Pittsburgh has to offer, we decided to make it our mission to personally review every single Pittsburgh hotel.

We do this not via a Google search, not by passing through the lobby or on a 30-minute guided tour, but by personally reserving a room and staying in every single hotel in the Pittsburgh.

To cover the best hotels in Pittsburgh that we have visited so far, this guide was born!

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Transportation Options in Pittsburgh – Navigating the City

Fort Pitt Tunnel

We're not going to lie, navigating Pittsburgh can be quite difficult for someone who is not used to the roads. Downtown Pittsburgh is triangular rather than on a square grid, highways are built on top of highways, and there are many road oddities all throughout the city.

That being said, we can say that there are many options to get around Pittsburgh for those looking to visit or live in the city. The following is a selection of the very best recommendations we can provide.

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The Complete Guide to Moving to Pittsburgh

Are you considering making a move to Pittsburgh? Trust us and just do it! 

If you didn't already know it, you'll soon find out that Pittsburgh is one of the greatest cities in the country.  We would know- we've lived here for many years, moved away to travel, and returned to live in the city we can't get enough of!

But before you can really dive into all the great details of this wonderful city, you first have to move here.  There are a lot of considerations to keep in mind for those who are moving in from out of town, so this moving guide is quite comprehensive.  To make navigating easier, please use the following navigation links to jump down to sections you may be interested in reading.

NeighborhoodsUtilitiesCar Information / LicensingParking Permits and Street CleaningPet Information

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