Travel to Pittsburgh

[vikingGoalie]

not sure where to post this, guess it kinda applies here...
I'm going to be travelling through the pittsburgh area over the weekend.
I have some time to kill saturday/sunday. I was wondering if there is any decent drop-in hockey in the area.

I know this time of year is the dearth of hockey, bladerunners warrendale used to have an awesome saturday evening pickup hockey this time of year. But apparently this year it's on hiatus until mid august or so.

I've played over at ice castle a few times on friday's but won't be in town then. Since a lot of ice rinks are internet challenged google searching for this is a bit of a crap shoot. I was wondering if any of you are playing drop-in anywhere on the weekends? (Checked RMU but they don't have anything this weekend either)

tx

 

[Mister Hockey]

not sure where to post this, guess it kinda applies here...
I'm going to be travelling through the pittsburgh area over the weekend.
I have some time to kill saturday/sunday. I was wondering if there is any decent drop-in hockey in the area.

I know this time of year is the dearth of hockey, bladerunners warrendale used to have an awesome saturday evening pickup hockey this time of year. But apparently this year it's on hiatus until mid august or so.

I've played over at ice castle a few times on friday's but won't be in town then. Since a lot of ice rinks are internet challenged google searching for this is a bit of a crap shoot. I was wondering if any of you are playing drop-in anywhere on the weekends? (Checked RMU but they don't have anything this weekend either)

tx

Southpointe has sticktime on both this Sat. And Sun. You can pull up the schedule on their site. Full equipment is required.

 

[Jjbuck]

IceCastle has the most reliable off season schedule.

 

[drvannostren]

Friendly Away Fan! | Coming to Pittsburgh

Hey folks, sorry to intrude on your board, friendly away fan here (Canucks) comin to Pit for the first time in Dec for the game. Questing to cross off all 30 NHL arenas for Canucks games (over half done!).

Couple questions if you don't mind...

1) The area around the arena looks pretty safe/classy from google street view. Is that accurate? I'll be arriving in the morning/early afternoon to check the area out before the game. But I'm not sure where I'm staying yet, so is this area ok to walk around/hang out post game?

2) Seems any hotel/airbnb in the area is pretty pricey, does anyone know of any decent lodging for 1 night maybe <$80?

3) Hockey bars...THESE are some of the best reasons to go to away games, I love hitting bars packed with legit fans. Give it up! Where's the best spots pre/post?

4) This 28x bus seems ok for airport transport, but it takes an hour, according to the sched. Is that pretty accurate? My flight OUT is at 8:30am so if I stay in the arena district I wanna make sure those early busses will still work out ok.

5) If I end up staying by the airport, how's that area? Obvs it won't be too fun, but the last bus leaves at 10:55pm so I don't need to immediately rush out of the building, which is nice.

Thanks much folks, looking forward to seeing Consol and walk the city in my Canucks jersey of course.

 

[Ogrezilla]

We really don't have an "arena district" we have an arena right at the edge of downtown. If you go towards downtown, its pretty nice. If you go away from downtown about two blocks farther than the arena, you are in probably the worst part of the city.

I would think the best bars are going to be a few blocks from the arena downtown, but I never really go out downtown. Sharp Edge is the only bar I can even name downtown; its a good one.

I've never stayed in a hotel in the city since I live here, so I can't help with that. The airport is definitely not right in the city, so an hour by bus makes sense.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Hey folks, sorry to intrude on your board, friendly away fan here (Canucks) comin to Pit for the first time in Dec for the game. Questing to cross off all 30 NHL arenas for Canucks games (over half done!).

Couple questions if you don't mind...

1) The area around the arena looks pretty safe/classy from google street view. Is that accurate? I'll be arriving in the morning/early afternoon to check the area out before the game. But I'm not sure where I'm staying yet, so is this area ok to walk around/hang out post game?

2) Seems any hotel/airbnb in the area is pretty pricey, does anyone know of any decent lodging for 1 night maybe <$80?

3) Hockey bars...THESE are some of the best reasons to go to away games, I love hitting bars packed with legit fans. Give it up! Where's the best spots pre/post?

4) This 28x bus seems ok for airport transport, but it takes an hour, according to the sched. Is that pretty accurate? My flight OUT is at 8:30am so if I stay in the arena district I wanna make sure those early busses will still work out ok.

5) If I end up staying by the airport, how's that area? Obvs it won't be too fun, but the last bus leaves at 10:55pm so I don't need to immediately rush out of the building, which is nice.

Thanks much folks, looking forward to seeing Consol and walk the city in my Canucks jersey of course.

1.) Eh, it's OK. I'd suggest other areas to check out such as the Southside, Central Business District, or even Mount Washington if you have some time to kill. The Blue Line Grille and Souper Bowl are good pre-game bars right by the arena though.

2.) Try surrounding neighborhoods on Airbnb or even Couchsurfing. I found some decent prices in Shadyside. For example:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2558217?checkin=12/06/2014&checkout=12/07/2014&s=iGaG

3.) The Blue Line Grille and Souper Bowl as I previously mentioned are the ones that jump out in my mind.

4.) Even though Yellow Cab is pretty unreliable around here, I think they really prefer making trips from hotels to the airport and vise versa. Not too sure how fast a bus would get there due to construction and all the stops it'd have to make.

5.) There's plenty of things to do around the airport... if you have a vehicle. Cabs aren't too common, but you could try your luck with an Uber or a Lyft.

We really don't have an "arena district" we have an arena right at the edge of downtown. If you go towards downtown, its pretty nice. If you go away from downtown about two blocks farther than the arena, you are in probably the worst part of the city.

I would think the best bars are going to be a few blocks from the arena downtown, but I never really go out downtown. Sharp Edge is the only bar I can even name downtown; its a good one.

I've never stayed in a hotel in the city since I live here, so I can't help with that. The airport is definitely not right in the city, so an hour by bus makes sense.

Sharp Edge, Olive or Twist, Meat & Potatoes, Butcher and the Rye, Wingharts, NOLA, Primanti Bros, are all decent places in the area you're talking about.

 

[mikethelegacy]

Hey folks, sorry to intrude on your board, friendly away fan here (Canucks) comin to Pit for the first time in Dec for the game. Questing to cross off all 30 NHL arenas for Canucks games (over half done!).

Couple questions if you don't mind...

1) The area around the arena looks pretty safe/classy from google street view. Is that accurate? I'll be arriving in the morning/early afternoon to check the area out before the game. But I'm not sure where I'm staying yet, so is this area ok to walk around/hang out post game?

2) Seems any hotel/airbnb in the area is pretty pricey, does anyone know of any decent lodging for 1 night maybe <$80?

3) Hockey bars...THESE are some of the best reasons to go to away games, I love hitting bars packed with legit fans. Give it up! Where's the best spots pre/post?

4) This 28x bus seems ok for airport transport, but it takes an hour, according to the sched. Is that pretty accurate? My flight OUT is at 8:30am so if I stay in the arena district I wanna make sure those early busses will still work out ok.

5) If I end up staying by the airport, how's that area? Obvs it won't be too fun, but the last bus leaves at 10:55pm so I don't need to immediately rush out of the building, which is nice.

Thanks much folks, looking forward to seeing Consol and walk the city in my Canucks jersey of course.

Let me give you an early welcome to Pittsburgh! It's a beautiful city, and I think you'll really enjoy Consol Energy Center.

There is a really small bar called Tailgators right up the road from the CEC, it's at the bottom of the "Washington Plaza Apartments". For a hotel, you could always stay at the Cambria Suites that are literally 50 feet from the arena.

The Blue Line Grill is a game day favorite, and it's down on 5th Avenue near the American Eagle Outfitters CEC entrance gate. I don't know that there are many "Penguins only" bars in the city, since this city has more solid roots in it's football and baseball team (although most people on this board most likely only give a crap about hockey), but you can still find some decent places to eat where you will run into plenty of hockey fans on game day. You gotta try a Primanti's sandwich in downtown's Market Square. In my opinion, it's overrated, but it's still a Pittsburgh staple.

Good luck, and have fun in the arena, it's a beauty!

By the way, I have wanted to visit Vancouver since the Olympics were held there. There are some magnificent views in that city. Very pretty.

Oh and PS, for transportation, don't use the bus. It may be a few extra dollars, but a cab, or even using ride-sharing apps like Lyft or Uber are going to get your there faster, and way more comfortably.

 

[drvannostren]

Thanks folks, keep it coming!

This shadyside area looks pretty far, I think I'll try to stay downtown or at the airport. I could've phrased it differently and not said Arena District. I was gonna say downtown but I didn't want to assume the arena was actually downtown. I just meant the arena near the arena as opposed to any sort of district .

This Souper Bowl place is cool in that it's right next to the arena so I'll definitely be checking that out. At least a few of those bars listed as well.

When you guys referred to the worst part of town, I just wanna make sure I understand WHICH direction you mean. If I understand you correctly, the area from the arena then towards the junction of Allegheny River and Monongahela is the "good" area? That's where I'm looking at hanging around. Might walk over to PNC/Heinz Field for some pics too, I just like stadiums in general and a 35 minute walk isn't bad if the weather isn't horrible (which it might be!) when I've got plenty of time to kill.

Looking forward to it!

Also...Mike Legacy...got any Percocet?

Great advice Mike. I found Tailgaters on street view...I'm willing to check out any place but what a RANDOM spot for a bar .

I've never heard of this sandwich but I'm more than happy to check it out.

Any idea what a cab to the airport costs from this area? I'm super cheap so that's why the bus works for me, plus I can handle some "discomfort" and I'll be travelling super light and if my hotel is by the airport I'll have no luggage at all. I'd love to cab but if it's like $60 or something I'd rather spend that money having fun at the game, I have a real thing against cabs (not the drivers, I just hate the price!) plus I feel like a fun way to get a sense of the city a bit is using public transport. I do this for almost all the road games I can (...Anaheim/LA I have to rent a car, just because it was gonna be a real b**** otherwise).

 

[Xavier Laflamme*]

Thanks folks, keep it coming!

This shadyside area looks pretty far, I think I'll try to stay downtown or at the airport. I could've phrased it differently and not said Arena District. I was gonna say downtown but I didn't want to assume the arena was actually downtown. I just meant the arena near the arena as opposed to any sort of district .

This Souper Bowl place is cool in that it's right next to the arena so I'll definitely be checking that out. At least a few of those bars listed as well.

When you guys referred to the worst part of town, I just wanna make sure I understand WHICH direction you mean. If I understand you correctly, the area from the arena then towards the junction of Allegheny River and Monongahela is the "good" area? That's where I'm looking at hanging around. Might walk over to PNC/Heinz Field for some pics too, I just like stadiums in general and a 35 minute walk isn't bad if the weather isn't horrible (which it might be!) when I've got plenty of time to kill.

Looking forward to it!

Also...Mike Legacy...got any Percocet?

In reference to the arena itself, there's no area where you're going to walk into thats legitimately dangerous. You'd have to cab it over to the hill district or north side for that. I'd recommend staying at a hotel in station square. It's walking distance to the arena or a short cab ride over. There's a lot of bars and restaraunts in that area and you're also in walking distance to Mt. Washington where you can check out our incredible views.

I hope you have a great time.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

In reference to the arena itself, there's no area where you're going to walk into thats legitimately dangerous. You'd have to cab it over to the hill district or north side for that. I'd recommend staying at a hotel in station square. It's walking distance to the arena or a short cab ride over. There's a lot of bars and restaraunts in that area and you're also in walking distance to Mt. Washington where you can check out our incredible views.

I hope you have a great time.

Good call, I didn't think of Station Square.

 

[mikethelegacy]

Thanks folks, keep it coming!

This shadyside area looks pretty far, I think I'll try to stay downtown or at the airport. I could've phrased it differently and not said Arena District. I was gonna say downtown but I didn't want to assume the arena was actually downtown. I just meant the arena near the arena as opposed to any sort of district .

This Souper Bowl place is cool in that it's right next to the arena so I'll definitely be checking that out. At least a few of those bars listed as well.

When you guys referred to the worst part of town, I just wanna make sure I understand WHICH direction you mean. If I understand you correctly, the area from the arena then towards the junction of Allegheny River and Monongahela is the "good" area? That's where I'm looking at hanging around. Might walk over to PNC/Heinz Field for some pics too, I just like stadiums in general and a 35 minute walk isn't bad if the weather isn't horrible (which it might be!) when I've got plenty of time to kill.

Looking forward to it!

Also...Mike Legacy...got any Percocet?

Great advice Mike. I found Tailgaters on street view...I'm willing to check out any place but what a RANDOM spot for a bar .

I've never heard of this sandwich but I'm more than happy to check it out.

Any idea what a cab to the airport costs from this area? I'm super cheap so that's why the bus works for me, plus I can handle some "discomfort" and I'll be travelling super light and if my hotel is by the airport I'll have no luggage at all. I'd love to cab but if it's like $60 or something I'd rather spend that money having fun at the game, I have a real thing against cabs (not the drivers, I just hate the price!) plus I feel like a fun way to get a sense of the city a bit is using public transport. I do this for almost all the road games I can (...Anaheim/LA I have to rent a car, just because it was gonna be a real b**** otherwise).

I'm not sure what an Uber/Lyft would cost, maybe some people have experience with them here (I don't). Not sure if you have Uber/Lyft in Canada, but it's basically an app you have on your phone, and you submit that you need a ride, and you get a response for Lyft/Uber drivers in the area that will pick you up. Similar to cab drivers, except each Lyft/Uber driver works for themselves, not for a cab company.

As I said, I can't speak to the prices, although I'm positive a cab will be much more expensive than a bus. Your best bet is going to be to get a hotel close to town and take a bus/cab in the morning most likely.

Also, Goon is a great movie, can't wait for the 2nd one. I think they are securing funding right now for it.

P.S. - This is a primanti's sandwich...lol (different meats of your choice, cheese, french fries, cole slaw and tomato all smushed together between two pieces of bread, lol)

 

[Big McLargehuge]

"Worst part of town" is all relative. The arena isn't near anything that I'd be scared of, but north of the arena is one of the poorer parts of the city. There's no real reason for anyone to go there unless they live there. It'll be easy to tell which direction to go, just go towards the gigantic buildings. The largest building in Pittsburgh is essentially across the street from the arena.

I'd also look into Station Square and suggest checking out the South Side.

The bus in Pittsburgh was pretty useless the last time I used it, and it's been stripped down since then. I'd suggest Lyft or Uber since the cabs aren't any better unless the airport is involved. There is the T, which would give you easy access from Station Square to the arena, but most of the system is in the South Hills which isn't really relevant to visitors.


I'd have to imagine Lyft/Uber would be pretty cheap in Pittsburgh, depending on where you're going and when. The exception would be if you're going a fair distance from the city, but even then it's going to be cheaper and quicker than a cab. I've had nothing but great experiences with using those services. I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a ride.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

"Worst part of town" is all relative. The arena isn't near anything that I'd be scared of, but north of the arena is one of the poorer parts of the city. There's no real reason for anyone to go there unless they live there. It'll be easy to tell which direction to go, just go towards the gigantic buildings. The largest building in Pittsburgh is essentially across the street from the arena.

I'd also look into Station Square and suggest checking out the South Side.

The bus in Pittsburgh was pretty useless the last time I used it, and it's been stripped down since then. I'd suggest Lyft or Uber since the cabs aren't any better unless the airport is involved. There is the T, which would give you free access from Station Square to the arena, but most of the system is in the South Hills which isn't really relevant to visitors.

Not true. The "free fare zone" starts at the stop on the other side of the river from Station Square.

T Free Fare Zone

Rides within the T's Free Fare Zone are free at all times. The zone includes the following stations:

Downtown Pittsburgh: First Avenue Station, Steel Plaza, Wood Street Station and Gateway
North Shore: North Side Station and Allegheny Station

Free rides to North Shore stations are provided thanks to sponsorship agreements with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rivers Casino, ALCO Parking and the Stadium Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.

http://www.portauthority.org/paac/FaresPasses/Fares/Zones.aspx

http://www.portauthority.org/paac/Portals/0/images/HiResMapNSC.jpg

 

[mikethelegacy]

A taxi cab is going to be $38.30 according to this website:

http://www.taxifarefinder.com/main....town&to=Pittsburgh+International+Airport+(PIT)

Not sure how outdated the info is, but it sounds about right. Annoying, but it is what it is.

I looked up an Uber fare quote and it was $32 - 42 as well, so if you don't wanna spend that, it looks like it's gonna be the bus for ya man.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

I'll throw my hat in for Pizza Milano as a quality pre-game place. It's about a minute walk from Blue Line. Good pizza and the pitcher specials are reasonable too. I can't speak for how crowded Blue Line and Souper Bowl get (I'm guessing packed as well), but PM, if you don't get there about 2 hours before game-time you're unlikely to find a seat. It'll be easier since you're traveling solo however, since you should be able to find some amiable fans wherever you go that will let you share a table with them if there's a solo seat.

Station Square would be good place to stay. You can take the incline up the hill to Mt. Washington which will give you some great view for some pics, including the other stadiums. There's also the Sheraton in the South Side, which is almost in the same area. That's if you're into a more noisy bar scene. I'm sure a place like Mario's (not Lemieux related) would still be pretty packed for a while after a game, as well as a few others bars nearby it. Again, that area can be kind of a zoo, although a Thursday night would probably be more manageable. Definitely the best bar-hopping location if that's what you're looking to do post-game. Just get back before they close

If you'd want a more central downtown place, the Fairmont is a great location, since it's right by Market Square, and pretty close to the point and the Cultural District on Penn Ave. It's more on the expensive side though (relative to Pittsburgh, of course )

Either way, getting TO the Airport that early will probably be a bit of a headache to varying degrees no matter where you stay.

 

[mikethelegacy]

Not true. The "free fare zone" starts at the stop on the other side of the river from Station Square.

I rode the T everyday for a while and I can verify this as well. You can take the T from Allegheny Center (Heinz Field, Casino) to First Avenue Garage stop for free. But as soon as it crossed the Monongahela River, you get charged to zone 1 fare.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Sorry about that, I was always riding from the South Hills so I never gave that a try...guess it starts a station later than I thought it did.

It's still an extremely easy thing to use if you're staying around there and don't feel like walking.


The airport...it's far from the city. It's unavoidable. It cost me $38 to get from "downtown" Quebec to their airport, and that's 14 kilometers away instead of 14 miles...at least there is a bus option here.

 

[NMK11]

Granted this was a few years back, but I took the 28x from the city downtown almost every day over the summer. If you're going during rush hour I'd actually suggest it, there's a bus-only route that bypasses the tunnels that are the main choke point getting into the city from the west, so it was usually pretty reliable (and cheap).

 

[Dying Alive]

Any of the downtown hotels are probably going to be pricier than those right across the river. If you really want to be close, stay at the Cambria Suites at Consol Energy Center. As the name would imply, it's literally right next door. There are a few hotels in the South Side that are easy walking distance to the arena - the Holiday Inn Express and Spring Hill Suites come to mind. There are also a few Bed & Breakfasts where you might be able to get a really good rate since it's off-season. There are also tons of bars & restaurants in the South Side (literally, there are probably 100 or more in a 20 square block radius) but it tends to be a college crowd, so if that's what you're looking for you'll be happy. You can also stay at Station Square and take the T over. IIRC it's less than $2 each way. Just get off at the Steel Plaza stop and follow all of the people in Pens jerseys to Consol. It's an easy walk.

It's probably cheaper to stay near the airport but it's a trade off as since you won't have a car you'll have to rely on public transportation. I live in the west/airport suburbs & see the 28X bus all the time but I can't say how reliable it is or where it actually stops downtown. An option would be staying in the Robinson Mall area. You'd still be close to the airport (10 minutes or so) but you're not really in the middle of nowhere the way you are if you stay at the airport, and most if not all of the hotels have airport shuttles. While it's definitely suburbia there's plenty to do while you're not at the game. If it were me and it was in the budget I'd use Uber or Lyft to get back and forth to the game and then use the hotel shuttles to get the airport. Then again, despite living in this area I'd also pay the extra money and stay downtown to avoid the headache. Just depends how much $ you plan to spend and how you want to spend it.

 

[Contender]

The Microtel in Robinson Town Centre may be a good option. The price seems around your budget for the hotel. It's not at the airport and not in Pittsburgh, but more so the middle. Plenty of restaurants and a mall to waste some time in the area. Although, you will have to add in transportation to the city, so it may be a better option to find a hotel closer to the city. The Hampton Inn in the Strip disrict is a bit pricey, but worth it.

You gotta eat at Primanti Brothers and Peace, Love, and Little Doughnuts.

 

[Freeptop]

Great advice Mike. I found Tailgaters on street view...I'm willing to check out any place but what a RANDOM spot for a bar .

One thing about Pittsburgh - there's no such thing as somewhere being a "RANDOM" spot for a bar. Any spot is a good spot for one!

As for the hour-long ride to the airport - that's reasonably accurate. Our airport is a decent ways outside of town.

 

[Cherpak]

A taxi cab is going to be $38.30 according to this website:

http://www.taxifarefinder.com/main....town&to=Pittsburgh+International+Airport+(PIT)

Not sure how outdated the info is, but it sounds about right. Annoying, but it is what it is.

I looked up an Uber fare quote and it was $32 - 42 as well, so if you don't wanna spend that, it looks like it's gonna be the bus for ya man.

Wow thats actually pretty cheap considering its a 45 min to an hr ride from the airport. I have taken shorter rides for 60 dollars or more, especially with construction jamming up traffic. That damn meter stops for no one and nothing.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

My girlfriend's sisters and brothers' in law were in town this past weekend and asked to go to something here that the could not get where they come from. The last time that they came was years ago and rarely get here. I took them that time years ago to the famous place here, that you see on television all the time,

https://www.primantibros.com/

for one of these:

And both said that it was the worst sandwich that they ever ate. I honestly agree with them, it may not be the worst, but honestly it is the most overrated.

If you want to try something unique to Pittsburgh, and which is actually great, and somewhat famous (Obama had them come to the Whitehouse to make these for them), then go to Pamela's Diner in the strip district:

http://www.pamelasdiner.com/

Just ignore everything else and order the Pamela's Famous Crepe Hotcakes:

http://www.pamelasdiner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/strip_menu.pdf

The Strip is worth walking around as well, and is not far from the arena.

I took my borther's in law to Pamela's and they went bonkers after trying them.

Trust me, run do not walk there and get an order, but be prepared to wait in a long line if it is a busy time, like a saturday or sunday.

 

[mikethelegacy]

My girlfriend's sisters and brothers' in law were in town this past weekend and asked to go to something here that the could not get where they come from. The last time that they came was years ago and rarely get here. I took them that time years ago to the famous place here, that you see on television all the time,

https://www.primantibros.com/

for one of these:

And both said that it was the worst sandwich that they ever ate. I honestly agree with them, it may not be the worst, but honestly it is the most overrated.

If you want to try something unique to Pittsburgh, and which is actually great, and somewhat famous (Obama had them come to the Whitehouse to make these for them), then go to Pamela's Diner in the strip district:

http://www.pamelasdiner.com/

Just ignore everything else and order the Pamela's Famous Crepe Hotcakes:

http://www.pamelasdiner.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/strip_menu.pdf

The Strip is worth walking around as well, and is not far from the arena.

I took my borther's in law to Pamela's and they went bonkers after trying them.

Trust me, run do not walk there and get an order, but be prepared to wait in a long line if it is a busy time, like a saturday or sunday.

Great suggestion with Pamela's. The strip is definitely a better option, since he can literally hit Pamela's for breakfast, Primanti's for lunch, and then Peace, Love and Little Doughnuts for desert! HAHAHA. Sounds like a Pittsburgh-kinda day to me.

Literally, get the Strawberry Hotcakes and Pamela's and you will probably move to Pittsburgh just to have them all the time. Brown sugar, whipped cream and strawberries, wrapped with Crepe-style Hotcakes....jesus I'm salivating haha. Might have to head to Pamela's this weekend.

 

[Cherpak]

With all the health crazes nowadays i'm surprised Primantibros even still exists any longer. That sandwich was built in a different era. Yuppies and vegans must lose their minds knowing it still continues on.