100 Reasons Why We’ll Never Stop Loving Pittsburgh

If you’re a Pittsburgher, no matter where you go in life you’ll always have a piece of the city with you, whether you stay there for life or you move away. Being born in Pittsburgh means having the soul of the city ingrained on your own soul. It sticks with you forever. Here are 100 reasons why we’ll never stop loving our great city.

100. All the beautiful bridges

At last count…  over 446 bridges in our near the city of Pittsburgh.   And all of them beautiful in their own way!

99. The gorgeous views

Some of the prettiest include PNC Park, Mount Washington and more.

98. Our local news anchors that become local celebrities         

Seeing Sally Wiggin out of the newsroom is always extra exciting.

97. The Strip District

With all the specialty foods and shops, the Strip District is always a fun place to visit.

96. Steel—and our history with it

We were a steel town and it will forever remain in our roots. The steel industry in Pittsburgh is forever part of our lore.

95. Lots of movies were filmed here

Batman, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, you name it, many movies were filmed in the ‘burgh.

94. All of our awesome museums

The Carnegie Museum of Art, Heinz History Center, The Frick and more are just some of many great museums in Pittsburgh.

93. Lawrenceville

The hip and cool neighborhood always has a new boutique or café opening up.

92. How the city looks after a fresh snowfall

Photo by Dave DiCello

There’s something so peaceful and perfect about it, isn’t there?

91. The magic of Light Up Night

Photo by Dave DiCello

Light Up Night in Pittsburgh is a huge event for the city.  Ushering in the holiday season makes the city extra sparkly.

90. Ice-skating at PPG Place

When the weather gets cold it’s fun to skate around PPG Place, especially when the giant Christmas tree is in the middle of the rink.

89. Our skyline

pittsburgher

There’s something just truly breathtaking about the burgh’s skyline.

88. Mount Washington

Speaking of skylines, the view from Mount Washington is simply perfect.

87. Fries on salads

Who needs croutons when you can have fries on salads?

86. Heinz Hall

Home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Heinz Hall has brought us countless concerts over the years.

85. Schenley Park

If you’re in for a little nature, Schenley Park is the perfect green space in the city.

84. Phipps Conservatory

With magnificent seasonal flower shows, Phipps is truly unparalleled.

83. Top notch universities

The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and more…

82. The Cathedral of Learning

Our version of Hogwarts, the Cathedral of Learning is a magical place to study.

81. The fact that we get all four seasons—sometimes in the same day

Swisshelm Park

Pittsburgh can have hot and sunny summers, cold and snowy winters, gorgeous falls and beautiful springs—sometimes all in the same day as locals like to joke.

80. Randyland

The most colorful and unique place in Pittsburgh is arguably Randyland.

79. Shadyside

Restaurants in Shadyside

Shadyside always has plenty of shopping and dining options.

78. The three rivers

Things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend

Pittsburgh has always been a city well-known for its rivers.

77. Three Rivers Stadium

Three Rivers Stadium opened its doors in 1970 to many memorable Steeler games, concerts and more.

76. The Immaculate Reception

Anyone who was lucky to be alive will always remember where they were when that ball was caught.

75. Fred Rogers

Mr. Rogers always new what to say to make us all feel loved.   Here are some of the best Mr. Rogers quotes.  We’ll be your neighbor any day Fred.

74. Jerome “The Bus” Bettis

We’ll never forget that iconic smile, or the way he bussed his way through our opponents when he was a Steeler.

73. Hines Ward

Speaking of smiles, we’ll never forget this Steeler’s one…or his toughness for that matter.

72. Mario Lemieux

Anytime we see the number 66 we’ll always think of Lemieux.

71. Sidney Crosby

Lemieux’s prodigy, Crosby is often called the G.O.A.T.

70. Roberto Clemente

We’ll always remember Roberto Clemente, the Pirates right fielder and the legacy he left behind.

69. Canton Ave., the steepest road in the U.S.

Pittsburgh has hills and then it has Canton Avenue… the steepest street in America.

68. The Pittsburgh Inclines

What’s not to love about the the inclines in Pittsburgh.  The Duquesne and Monongahela inclines are staples of the Pittsburgh skyline!

67. The Log Jammer at Kennywood

RIP to one of the most fun rides at Kennywood.

66. The Steel Phantom

The OG of modern roller coasters, we all grew up riding it when we were tall enough.

65. Christina Aguilera

We will always hold a special place in our heart for the Wexford native.

64. Joe Manganiello

When the actor and Pittsburgh native gets hyped about the Steelers, we get excited too.

63. Rachel Carson

The conservationist and Pittsburgh area native Rachel Carson was truly ahead of her time.

62. Andy Warhol

The quirky and iconic artist is an essential part of American history and Pittsburgh history.

61. Sandcastle Waterpark

Going to the waterpark on a hot summer day was always a favorite among Pittsburgh kids.

60. Jeff Goldblum

The Jurassic Park actor was a CMU grad.

59. Gabby Barrett

The American Idol contestant and Munhall native finished third in the latest iteration of the show.

58. Dennis Miller

The comedian, actor, former SNL cast member and sports commentator hails from the ‘burgh.

57. UPMC Health System

Monroeville

UPMC can be seen everywhere in Pittsburgh, even on the skyline.  Recently, the healthcare system made plans for being the only health system performing living donor transplants.

56. Pittsburgh hospitals

55. The David L. Lawrence Convention Center

The David L. Lawrence Convention Center has brought us Pittsburgh favorites like the RV show and Home and Garden Show.

54. Page Dairy Mart

There’s nothing like a sky high cone from Page Dairy Mart on a balmy evening.

53. The South Side

The South Side is a diverse, fun neighborhood and is home to lost of restaurants and bars, shops and friendly people.

52. Fiori’s pizza

The all-natural, hand-tossed pies are favorites among many Pittsburghers.

51. Lenten fish fries

Churches and fire halls around the city are home to fish fries every Lent.

 

50. The Mattress Factory

The contemporary art museum always has interesting exhibits.

49. Chip-Chopped ham

Try ordering chipped ham anywhere but Pittsburgh and you’ll be met with stares.

48. Dippy eggs

A Pittsburgh delicacy, it’s hard to make a good dippy egg.

47. Eat N’ Park

The diner has probably been frequented by every Pittsburgher at some point in their lives.

46. Eat N’ Park Smiley Cookies

The iconic smiley cookies are a must for locals and former locals.

45. Clark bars

Who doesn’t love the peanutty-chocolatey goodness?

44. Pierogies

The delicious doughy crescents taste especially good in Pittsburgh.

43. The Pirates Mrs. T’s Pierogi Race

Who doesn’t love cheering for Jalapeno Hannah, Sauerkraut Saul and their friends?

42. Being the third safest city in the U.S.

Things to do in Pittsburgh

According to bestplaces.net, Pittsburgh is the third safest in the country.

41. The Pittsburgh Polka

The legendary polka tune gets the city all excited for game day.

40. The chant “Here we go Steelers, here we go!”

Pittsburghese

It’s even turned into a hashtag now.

39. Potato patch fries

Kennywood’s delicious fries are best with cheese and bacon.

38. Kennywood

Pittsburgh’s amusement park has a rich history.

37. Heinz Ketchup

Wherever we go, it’s always Heinz. If a restaurant sells Hunts, we don’t trust it.

36. Primanti’s sandwiches

The sandwiches as big as our heads can fill you up for the day.

35. Pittsburgh popcorn

You haven’t tasted popcorn until you’ve tasted Pittsburgh popcorn.

34. Wedding cookie tables

Unique to Pittsburgh, we love cookies with our wedding.

33. Prantl’s burnt almond torte

Prantl’s is home to the famous cake.

32. Iron City beer

Pittsburghers love to hate the beer.  Iron City Beer has been a staple brew of Yinzers around the world.

31. The Gateway Clipper Fleet

So many have had proms, weddings and other important celebrations on their boats.

30. The U.S. Steel Building

The U.S Steel building is an essential part of the Pittsburgh skyline.

29. Civic Arena/Mellon Arena/Igloo

The Civic Arena in Pittsburgh was an architectural marvel when it was built. No matter what you call it or how you renovate it, there are plenty of Penguins memories inside.

28. Sarris Candies

Easter wouldn’t be the same without Sarris candy.

27. Mancini’s bread

Fluffy, perfectly crusty bread makes Mancini’s a dinner table must.

26. Mr. Yuk

The iconic sticker was created by the Pittsburgh Poison Center.

25. St. Patrick’s Day in Pittsburgh

No city knows how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like Pittsburgh.

24. Dr. Jonas Salk

The discoverer and developer of the first polio vaccine did it in the ‘burgh.

23. Pittsburgh Property Diva

We love the local realtor giving us plenty of deals with plenty of pizzazz.

22. Mineo’s Pizza

Pittsburgh family owned and operated since 1958, Mineo’s makes a mean pie.

21. The Great Race

The annual race brings lots of Pittsburghers together to run through the city.

20. The Regatta

Every summer, the annual motorboat and river festival brings out locals for fun and entertainment.

19. Our libraries

Pittsburgh arguably has some of the best libraries in the world.

18. Pittsburghese

Pittsburghese Dictionary

We speak a unique language dahn here in the ‘burgh n’at.

17. Pamela’s Diner

Their gigantic fluffy pancakes—enough said.

16. Night of the Living Dead

Zombies will hold a special place in Pittsburghers’ hearts due to the movie being filmed here.

15. Big Ben

Our version isn’t a clock like London, but a 6’5″ quarterback.

14. The view coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnel

The view of the city after the tunnel takes your breath away.  The view from the Fort Pitt Tunnel is one of the most iconic views in the world.

13. The Pittsburgh Zoo

The zoo has been around since 1898.

12. Dependable Drive-in

One of the last surviving drive-ins in the country lies in the Moon Township area.

11. Thumbprint cookies

Trying to find a thumbprint outside of Pittsburgh the way Pittsburgh makes them is tough.

10. Wigle Whiskey

Wigle Whiskey is making the city proud as a locally owned family business.

9. The Carnegie (Soon to be Kamin) Science Center

The center is home of countless field trips, awesome exhibits and lots of fun for all ages.

8. The Allegheny Observatory

Perfect for a romantic date night under the stars, the Allegheny Observatory has been around since 1912.

 

7. It’s an affordable city

Pittsburgh Villians

Pittsburgh is one of the most affordable cities in the country.

6. Pepperoni rolls

There’s nothing better than buying a pepperoni roll from the food stand at a high school football game.

5. All of our quirky and fun bars

Pittsburgh has countless bars that are all unique and interesting as most are not chains.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

 

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a legendary history.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Stanley Cup winning team is revered among Pittsburghers.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

Name a Pittsburgher who wasn’t born and raised a Steeler fan.

1. The people!

The people of our great city are what makes it a beautiful, unique, friendly, wonderful and perfect place.

And if that wasn’t enough… here are the Best Scenic Views in Pittsburgh and some great places to take a picture in Pittsburgh for Instagram.

8 thoughts on “100 Reasons Why We’ll Never Stop Loving Pittsburgh”

  1. Hi Kate. My name is Harry Hansen. First I want to thank you before I spank you. I really appreciate being able to keep an eye on Pittsburgh life. Brings back memories to this 75 year old guy that left Western Pennsylvania as a 17 year old in 1960. I joined the Marines and have lived in Southern California ever since. I so appreciate and enjoy everything you post about the Burg. I,and quite possibly most my age feel that the omission of Bill Mazeroski’s walk off home run to beat those damn Yankees in the 1960 World Series should have topped your list. You could make we old guys really happy by eliminating maybe the fries or another food item and put Maz as the number one. His accomplishment was incredible and matched by none other. Keep up the great work Kate,I’ll talk to you again soon.

    1. I wondered why the 1960 Pirates & Maz’s Home Run weren’t mentioned somewhere—Guess they were too young to know how important that was to so many Pittsburghers! Go Pirates!!!!

    2. Carol (Schmitt) Whetzel

      Born and raised in Pittsburgh (Mt. Washington). I would have liked to have seen a picture of St. Mary of the Mount Church included in this presentation. What I most miss about Pittsburgh are the people I knew there and the life I led then.

  2. Arlene Callithen

    I

    I am so home sick for Pittsburgh after watching this. I live in Florida now and the only good thing about it is the weather in the winter months.

  3. I tell everybody I meet across the country that I believe Pittsburgh is the greatest city in America, and I truly believe that. The two best parts of being born a Yinzer are the following:
    1. You believe that you can/will always win no matter what it is your competing in. I’ve traveled all over the country for decades on business and Yinzers think differently. We are lucky to grow up in an environment where our sports teams win a lot, our business’ are top ranked, and the city is always at the top of any rankings. We grow up expecting to win and that’s a fantastic way to live life. A great example of this is when I go to Philly for business. They always wonder how their gonna lose while I always think how am I gonna win. This is very true.
    2 There are no better people to meet outside of your home city than Yinzers. When I meet Yinzers in airports, in Vegas, at the beach, etc. we act as though we just met God. Honestly, there is nothing like sitting at a blackjack table in Vegas and hear the guy across from you say Dahn, Nutah, gumband, etc and say “where are you from in Pittsburgh?” and the look on that persons face is fantastic while they reply “how’d you know I was from Picksburgh?”. We then hug, and make plans to spend every minute together from that point forward.

    Just remember, we are all LUCKY to be born in Pittsburgh!

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