This post was sponsored by Harrison Everette.
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As a beer lover, my idea of heaven is being surrounded by free flowing and delicious creations from some of the world's best breweries. While I may not be in this particular heaven just yet, Pittsburgh does have an annual event that is about as close as you can get to my ideal scenario- the Pittsburgh Beerfest which during the winter edition featured here is at the convention center downtown.
Although this event is relatively young, the hundreds of samples available from local, national, and even a few international breweries makes this one as close to my picture of heaven as I can get.
Armed with an eight-ounce glass, an early admission ticket with all-you-can-drink access, and the Uber app on my phone ready to go for the end of the night, I was prepared to hit this one as hard as possible to try and find some new favorites.
Pittsburgh is in a unique position as a city because you can pick any direction, drive 30 to 60 minutes, and be out in nature.
Head southeast on your route and you'll end up in the Laurel Highlands, a region that is often referred to as Pittsburgh's backyard. And what a backyard it is! With many activities available throughout the year, this is one part of Pennsylvania that has us returning on easy day trips time and time again.
This past winter we had a goal, and that was to get out and check out some of the region's ski resorts. Our first instinct was to look to the Laurel Highlands and check out their three resorts all operated by Seven Springs (perfect for a weekend multi-park lift ticket!).
What did we find? Well, they're each tailored for various skill levels!
As one of the largest ski resorts near Pittsburgh, I've been to Seven Springs to go skiing several times now. And, not surprising, my visits have followed a fairly typical pattern for me, namely: drive down early in the morning, ski for four or five hours, get incredibly exhausted, and go home.
Each time I often thought about the other activities you can do at Seven Springs in the winter, but by the time we were ready to leave for the day I would forget about it until our next visit. Thankfully, during my most recent trip I was able to stay for the weekend, and was given the opportunity to try something I've been wanting to do for a very long time- go snow tubing!
After taking in this one, I had to ask myself why I waited so long to do it in the first place.
The DoubleTree Downtown Pittsburgh is a decent mid-range hotel in downtown Pittsburgh that is located in a prime spot next to PPG Paints Arena and a short walk from the action of the city.
During our visit, we wanted to find out if this hotel had any hidden surprises beyond these obvious perks, and while we found a few under the surface, we have to be honest in that the location is the true highlight worth staying at this hotel for- and there is nothing wrong with that in the slightest.
When it comes to Kennywood, Pittsburgh's nearest theme park, we often visit in the summer months to ride as many roller coasters and eat as many potato patch fries as we can stomach.
One thing we never experienced was the park's annual Holiday Lights display. So you know when our friends at Kennywood invited us to check them out that we jumped at the chance.
Fast forward a few days to our visit, and it only took a few minutes in the park to realize something very important- it is the perfect Christmas outing for families.
The North Side is home to a number of Pittsburgh hotels that predominately serve visitors coming in for a Pirates or Steelers game.
When our friends at SpringHill Suites North Shore invited us out to stay at the hotel for an evening, we wanted to see what made this hotel worth staying in- both for those coming in for a game and others who simply want to explore this awesome city we call home.
As it turns out, we were pleasantly surprised with what we found.
When it comes to live performances in the city, Pittsburgh has no shortage of venues and performing arts groups looking to entertain.
During a recent trip down to the Cultural District I was lucky enough to take in a dress rehearsal screening of the Pittsburgh Opera's rendition of Salome. Between enjoying the ambiance of one of our favorite performing arts venues, the Benedum Center, and taking in the show, it was yet another incredible night out in downtown Pittsburgh.
Bill's Bar & Burger, located in the same building as the Westin downtown, is an over-the-top burger spot with a surprisingly delicious weekend brunch menu.
Although Bill's has several other locations in the New York area, the Pittsburgh location is developing its own character by using local suppliers and creating special menu items unique to the local dining scene.
The burgers are some of the most tender, juicy ones we've had in the city, the beer selection is pretty impressive, and the Bloody Marys at brunch are not to be missed.
Kennywood absolutely loves going all out around the holidays, and no event is perhaps more extreme than the Phantom Fright Nights in the month of October.
During this event, Kennywood transforms itself into a theme park of horrors with several haunted houses, many scare zones, and several of the park's best rides open to enjoy.
When our friends at the park invited us out to enjoy the scares, you know we had to go.