Pittsburgh: 446 Bridges, August Wilson Pulitzers and 335 Miles Car-Free to Washington DC
Blow glass at the Pittsburgh Glass Center then see PPG Plaza six towers of mirror glass by Philip Johnson, see 600 birds at the National Aviary beside Acrisure Stadium in the world most bridged city, follow August Wilson ten-play Pittsburgh Cycle through the Hill District he documented with two Pulitzers, hike Schenley and Frick Park ravines covering more acres than many European city parks, cycle the Great Allegheny Passage 335 car-free miles to Washington DC, and fly into Pittsburgh airport with some of the lowest fees of any major US hub.
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Pittsburgh Glass Center
The Pittsburgh Glass Center in Friendship, opened 2001, is the most comprehensive glass arts facility in the US. Pittsburgh has historic connection to glass through PPG Industries founded 1883. The PPG Place complex downtown, designed by Philip Johnson and opened 1984, is the most dramatic all-glass building in any American downtown, six towers in mirror-finish silver-reflective glass. The Mattress Factory museum in the Mexican War Streets presents large-scale installation art including permanent Yayoi Kusama installations predating her international fame.
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National Aviary and North Shore
The National Aviary in Pittsburgh, the only independent nonprofit aviary with national designation, houses over 600 birds representing 150 species in free-flight exhibits. Adjacent, the Andy Warhol Museum and the Children Museum of Pittsburgh form a cultural cluster. The North Shore has Acrisure Stadium and PNC Park connected by the Roberto Clemente Bridge, painted Steelers gold and closed to traffic before games. Pittsburgh has more bridges than any city in the world at 446, spanning its rivers and valleys.
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August Wilson Legacy
August Wilson, born Frederick Kittel in 1945 in the Hill District, wrote the Pittsburgh Cycle, ten plays each set in a different decade of the 20th century documenting African American life with two Pulitzer Prizes for Fences in 1987 and The Piano Lesson in 1990. All but one play is set in the Hill District. Wilson largely educated himself at the Carnegie Library. The August Wilson African American Cultural Center in the Cultural District preserves his legacy through performance and community programming. A statue stands at Liberty and Tenth Street.
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Schenley and Frick Parks Trail System
Schenley Park in Oakland, 456 acres donated by Mary Schenley in 1889, contains 15 miles of trails connecting through Panther Hollow to Frick Park for over 20 miles of urban forest. Frick Park at 644 acres is Pittsburgh largest park. The Frick Art and Historical Center presents Henry Clay Frick personal collection of European Old Masters and the restored Clayton mansion. Pittsburgh park network, funded by Gilded Age philanthropy, gives the city green space per capita exceeding most comparable American cities.
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Great Allegheny Passage to Washington DC
The Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile rail trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland Maryland, connects to the C&O Canal Towpath extending 184.5 miles to Georgetown in Washington DC, creating a 335-mile car-free cycling route between the two cities. The passage follows former railroad grades averaging under one percent grade. Overnight accommodations oriented to cyclists operate along the route. The Pittsburgh end passes through Homestead where the Carnegie Steel Works stood. Trail cycling generates over 100 million dollars in annual economic impact.
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Pittsburgh Practical Guide
Pittsburgh airport on I-376 offers direct flights to major US hubs and European destinations with among the lowest fees of major American airports. Amtrak connects to Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago. Downtown hotels cluster near the Cultural District. Pittsburgh is within a 6-hour drive of half the US population. Winter averages 28 degrees Fahrenheit in January with regular snowfall. Spring and fall are most pleasant. Residents are called Yinzers after the local dialect term yinz for you all. Pittsburgh has the highest proportion of Catholic residents of any large American city outside the Northeast.