There are, of course, so many things to see and very little time when all you've got is about 24 hours in one city. I did a quick day trip to Pittsburgh, PA and challenged myself to see some interesting stuff during my time there.
I did the Duquesne Incline and saw the stadiums, bridges, and sights from afar.
(View from the top of the Incline)
I didn't want to waste time trying to get to all of the best diners all around the city, which I am sure are great, and I didn't go to The Strip or do any tours. Instead, after the Incline, I went to the place that drew me to this city in the first place: RandyLand!
I saw this place on Instagram and knew I had to see it for myself. The drive wasn't long for me, coming from Columbus, OH. It opens at 10 am and Randy was there tinkering around. He welcomes everyone with a great big smile and his contagious high energy. Randyland is truly an expression of the man who made it.
(Randy Gilson)
Randyland is free and runs on donations. Visitors are allowed to come and go as they please to see the art in and around the courtyard and buildings. I am really glad I got to see this place and it was a great way to start my day in Pittsburgh.
Not far from Randyland is the Mattress Factory, a modern contemporary art gallery. If you want weird conceptual art, this is the place for you! I'm not going to lie, this wasn't my favorite art gallery in the world. I'm not even sure I understood half of what was displayed, but sometimes it's healthy to get outside of your comfort zone....
Although I didn't enjoy the gallery, that doesn't mean someone else won't. You should go an check it out for yourself, it may be your cup of tea. What I did thoroughly enjoy was the alley behind the Mattress Factory Randy told us about. It's called Poet's Alley.
The vibrant and intricate paintings in the alley are centered around the theme of a poem also painted on the houses, some in different languages. This unexpected stop, a suggestion from Randy, completely made up for the art gallery. This is one place everyone should explore when visiting Pittsburgh. It may not be on the various "Best things to see in Pittsburgh", but I would definitely put it on my list.
Another thing that may not be on the "Best things to see in Pittsburgh" is the PPG campus. I like to call it the Black Glass Castle. How gorgeous are these buildings? The whole campus is beautiful inside and out.
I saw this place first from the Incline ride and had to go exploring to find it. I'm glad I did. I do not know if there are architecture tours in this city (if you know of one, let me know and I'll return to take that tour!) but they need one. There are many beautiful buildings in the downtown area and I wandered around looking at them. The PPG campus was still my favorite for a two simple reasons.
1. It's a glass castle
2. They had the cutest dinosaur statues!
Before I headed out, I made one more stop at the Milkshake Factory. I didn't want to stuff the day full of trying to get around to every little attraction or museum and I still had a blast roaming around a city I wasn't familiar with at all. I had a great day in Pittsburgh.
If you have any special attractions or stops you think should be on a "Must See" list, please let me know in the comments below! I'm always open to suggestions and exploring alternative attractions!
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