Sports, Rivers and Bridges Bring Downtown Pittsburgh to Life

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are a favorite with all ages. This 15-acre attraction has a historic 14-room glasshouse and 23 distinct gardens. Another exhibit and worth a visit are the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh, where 30 rooms depict the city's ethnic heritage. The city's diversity is reflected in its 90 distinct neighborhoods.

Pittsburgh is a city built on innovation, and that extends to hard-working chefs whose creativity is capturing national attention. The city is home to a dozen or more James Beard Award semifinalists. The Novo Asian Food Hall recently opened in the Strip District. Yelp users voted Pita Land Middle Eastern Bakery and Restaurant one of the top l00 U.S restaurants in 2023. Pamela's P&G Diner earned a presidential seal of approval when President Barack Obama made a special trip due to his appetite for Pamela's crepe-style pancakes.

In 2021 Con Alma was voted one of Esquire Magazine's best 27 bars in America. This bar has a mission: Inspired by the city's rich jazz heritage, Con Alma is working to return jazz to its rightful place at the forefront of the city's music scene.

And a taste of Pittsburgh's fabulous ethnic food should be part of everyone's culinary choices. The Oyster House goes back 150 years as the city's oldest bar and restaurant and is one of the city's historic landmarks. The appeal for traditional culinary staples has not waned. Old favorites such as pierogies, stuffed cabbage and kielbasa are as popular as ever.

Aptly named the City of Champions, Pittsburgh is home to three major professional sports teams -- the Steelers, the Penguins and the Pirates. Each has its own dynamics, incredible moments and hall-of-fame players. The city hosts a wide array of sports events, such as the NCAA basketball championship that attracts thousands of visitors each year.

The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Heinz History Center tells stories of Pittsburghers who became champions and champions who became Pittsburghers. The two-floor edifice houses hundreds of artifacts and exhibits that portray notable moments in sports history -- the controversial Immaculate Reception, for example. In l972 quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass ending in an unusual catch and game-winning touchdown, spurring the Steelers to win four Super Bowls in the l970s.

The Roberto Clemente Museum pays homage to a local baseball legend and humanitarian who made a lasting impact on generations of sports enthusiasts. The museum is located in a former 19th-century firehouse that is now an urban wine cellar developed by winemaker Duane Rieder.

It is worth noting that Pittsburgh benefits from a legacy of involvement and investment by industrial moguls and corporate leaders. Philanthropists such as Andrew Carnegie, H.J. Heinz, Henry Clay Frick and a host of others built the foundation of the city's rich cultural environment.

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WHEN YOU GO

For more information: www.visitpittsburgh.com

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Marci DeWolf is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.