Pittsburgh is built where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio. Downtown has the Cultural District and Point State Park. Oakland is the base for museums and university visits.
The Golden Triangle is small enough to walk. The Cultural District runs along Penn Avenue, and Point State Park is at the tip, where the rivers meet. PNC Park, Acrisure Stadium and the Andy Warhol Museum are across the Allegheny, and the T light rail runs there from Downtown.
The Strip District runs northeast from Downtown along Penn Avenue, with markets and restaurants in old warehouse blocks. Lawrenceville continues farther along the Allegheny with independent shops and dining. The corridor is long. Stay near the stretch you’ll use most, because Downtown gets far away quickly as you head east.
Oakland has the Cathedral of Learning, Carnegie Museums and Phipps Conservatory. Shadyside lies east of the campuses, with shops on Walnut Street. South of the Monongahela, East Carson Street is busy at night, and Mount Washington has the inclines and the skyline overlooks. With the rivers and the hills, a hotel that looks close on the map can be a long trip.
Summers are warm, with July highs averaging around 83°F. Winters are cold and snowy. Pittsburgh International Airport is west of the city, and the 28X Airport Flyer bus runs to Downtown and Oakland. If you drive, ask about hotel parking and leave time for the bridges and tunnels.