Discover Pittsburgh: River Trails, Parks, and Culture

Pittsburgh can be explored in a variety of ways: along three rivers, on paths through parkland, or through art, nature, and the history of western Pennsylvania. When planning your trip, you can decide whether you’d like to spend most of your time outdoors, on the water, or visiting exhibitions. These priorities can also help guide your choice of a vacation rental in Pittsburgh.

River Trails and Parkland

The Three Rivers Heritage Trail System is a 33-mile network of trails and greenways. It runs through Downtown Pittsburgh and along both banks of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers. The trail connects Downtown with Oakland, the North Shore, the South Side, and the Strip District. If you’d like to get to know the city on foot or along a route through its river landscape, you’ll find an extensive trail here that passes through several named neighborhoods. The Eliza Furnace Trail connects the paths in Schenley Park with Downtown Pittsburgh, offering a different way to find your bearings: it runs between a network of park trails and the city center.

Schenley Park covers 456 acres, with trails, wooded areas, and attractions. Visitors can also play a round at the Bob O’Connor Golf Course. This park offers both trails through woodland and green spaces and the option to play golf. If you’d like to combine time outdoors with museum or cultural visits, you can balance these interests in different ways when planning your stay in Pittsburgh.

Cycling Trips and Experiences on the Water

The Great Allegheny Passage stretches 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, through the Laurel Highlands to Pittsburgh. The route described extends beyond the city, making it a starting point for a trip where cycling plays an important role. Pittsburgh can serve as the passage’s endpoint as part of a longer route plan.

You can also experience the water from a different perspective: Kayak Pittsburgh lets you paddle on the Allegheny River, with views of Downtown and the North Shore from the water. In addition, Pittsburgh has 38.3 miles of riverfront within its city limits, providing ample space for fishing. Paddling with city views and fishing from the riverbank are different ways to include the river landscape in your trip.

Gardens, Exhibitions, and City History

Seasonal flower shows and exhibitions are part of the experience at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The Conservatory includes a glasshouse dating from 1893. If you’re interested in plants and changing displays, you can combine a visit here with other cultural discoveries in Pittsburgh.

The Heinz History Center presents the history of western Pennsylvania across six floors of interactive exhibitions. At the Andy Warhol Museum, gallery talks introduce visitors to the museum and explore Warhol’s life, art, and legacy. The National Aviary offers close encounters with birds, including species that are extinct in the wild or critically endangered. These places explore different subjects: regional history, art, and birdlife.

Another historic site is the Neill Log House, Pittsburgh’s oldest surviving log cabin. Built in 1795, it has been preserved as a window into the city’s early settlement history. Together with the Heinz History Center, it offers a way to explore Pittsburgh’s and the region’s history from different perspectives.

If you’d like to include pages for other places in your trip planning alongside Pittsburgh: West Mifflin, Munhall, Baldwin, Imperial-Enlow, Carnegie, Clairton, Tarentum, and Robinson Township.

For the broader trip overview: Allegheny.