I have used this truss bridge on a daily basis for years. It's a quick jaunt from downtown to South…read moreSide. I have driven it, biked, and walked it for years. Mainly walking as it made for great exercise and great views. The bridge was originally constructed to transport steel for J&L Steel and it's believed to have been built in the late1800s. The bridge was updated in 2007. As mentioned, the walk across the bridge brings spectacular views of the city.

A wonderful testament to the foundations and the riverfront trails community coming together to…read moremake Pittsburgh a more livable place. The bridge connects trails on either side of the river and keeps bike and pedestrian traffic out of harms way. There are beautiful views of the river and the city. Nearby is the delightful Riverside Park. My favorite time to cross is at sunset.

This is the quintessential Brownsville historical attraction. If you are looking for a prize of…read morelocal history you cannot find anywhere else then look no further

I have heard of Nemacolin Castle, but had thought it was near the resort by the same name. It…read morewasn't until I entered the address into the GPS that I learned it is located in Brownsville. Husband and I decided to visit when the Christmas tour was offered. We got a history lesson on the man who founded a trading post and built the castle. The Bowman family was quite influential in the area. It is impressive to be made aware of the history behind the family and the home. The home is managed by the historical society and volunteers. It would be great if they would get some additional funding for restoring the home. Right now, they rely on donations and admission fees to maintain the upkeep. There are areas of sagging floors and peeling wallpaper. It is fortunate that most of the furniture items were actually owned and used by the family. The piano is beautiful and one of the first to come to the area. The home was decorated for the Christmas holiday. Admission is $15 for adults and tickets may be purchased online or at the door. On busy times, I would recommend reservations. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. We were in a tour of about 18-24 people which was too large of a group. The some of the rooms were small and we were crammed in to hear the guide. Still, it was a nice way to spend a rainy Saturday before Christmas. I want to return when they have a haunted tour next fall.

Cantilever truss bridge built of steel in 1951by Bethlehem Steel to cross the Mon River…read more It connects the small towns of Rankin and Whitaker just outside of Pittsburgh. Four lanes for motor vehicles along with sidewalks for crossing on foot. Official name is George Rankin, Jr. Memorial Bridge. Its namesake was a well-known politician and banker. He was a Pennsylvania State Senator. The bridge is modernized and handles hundred of cars daily.

Newley renovated. Nobody follows the posted speed limit. Usually free flowing traffic. Recommended…read morewhen visiting Kennywood! Travel it often. Stay safe!

Cool thing but unless you are going to be out this way for another reason (before it is moved to…read moreWexford), it's probably not worth it. It is scaffolded a bunch and surrounded by fencing with barbed wire (my photo is taken through it but from behind it). Like the Hollywood sign, cool but untouchable without hopping a fence. Bottom line: Cool but may not be worth a special trip; have a second thing to do, like going to Costco or checking out Rivers of Steele or Trundle Manor.

Visiting the historic Westinghouse Atom Smasher in Forest Hills has been one of my favorite quirky…read moreadventures over the years. Built back in 1937, this iconic, 65-foot pear-shaped tower was actually the world's very first industrial particle accelerator, making it a huge piece of scientific history right in the Pittsburgh area. It's pretty wild to stand near this massive relic of the early atomic age, especially now that the old laboratory building is gone and the bulb is resting on its side. Even as an abandoned piece of history, checking it out always makes for a fun, fascinating afternoon of exploring and a great reminder of the city's innovative past.

We discovered this last summer through a flyer at a PA tourist ino center; had not found it listed…read morein any other publication, etc. And, what a find! I don't remember the name of our tour guide, but he gave a great tour. We had plenty of time for questions and photos, and totally enjoyed learning about this critical part of our country's history. Altho both of us have backgrounds in labor, this site would be of interest to anyone who has any interest in our country's history, the history of the area, who knew anyone who worked in this industry, labor history, etc. We were delighted to have had the opportunity to be here!

Please come and see this! This is the story of America, our great grandparents came here from…read moreEurope around 120 years ago and worked 16 hour shifts 6 days a week for very little pay. They built America and their children/grandchildren/great grandchildren grew up, went to college and became white collar. The Carrie Blast Furnace National Historic Site ( Rivers of Steel) is a place where you can take a guided tour of what is left of a steel mill that closed in 1978. If your gps try's to send you to Homestead PA that is not the right location.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't make it all the way across the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. I made it…read moreabout a quarter of the way, and then noped the eff out. I turned around and went back to solid ground. You see, this pedestrian bridge has an open steel grating walking surface, so you can see 150 feet below you to the Ohio River. It's a long way down. Every time I looked down, my stomach flipped. Finally, I said, "Heck naw," flipped the peace sign to my family (who are normal people and had no problem walking across a bridge), and got off. I guess I mention this for one main reason. If you don't like looking down at the dark, dank waters of a river from a height of 150 feet, this pedestrian bridge might not be for you. I've walked across many bridges in my life with no problem, so I'm not bridge averse. But this one, like I mentioned previously, has an open grating, so it's like walking along a fence that's turned on its side. Oh, heck no! I give the Wheeling Suspension Bridge five stars, though, because it's a historic part of Wheeling, and it really is a neat bridge. The views from the bridge are amazing, and if you make it to the other side, you end up on Wheeling Island. At the entrance of the bridge, there are some signs that have information about the history of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. When we visited, there was construction going on at the entrance of the bridge, so it looked blocked off, but it wasn't. The bridge is open to pedestrians, and I think bicycles, too, because I saw a dude bike across it.

This is a historic gem that is well-worth a brief stop if you are staying in Wheeling, WV or…read morepassing through downtown. The suspension bridge (competed in 1849) crosses the Ohio River and represents a key engineering milestone in U.S. history. First, it is a pedestrian-only bridge (bikes and mopeds allowed), which makes a quiet and peaceful walk. Street parking is available just a short walk away. Second, it's scenic to walk along the bridge at sunset or at dawn (if you can). Third, be careful to avoid looking down too much if you are scared of heights as you can see the river 90+ feet below through the mini-slots on the steel road portion of the bridge (for vehicles and horses). I would recommend walking on the sidewalk portion instead. I hope Wheeling, WV might consider building a city or state museum in downtown near the bridge to provide an overview of its fascinating history and perhaps share insights about the history of Wheeling itself from its role as a frontier town (competing with Pittsburgh to get the National Road), to an industrial center, to its role in Civil War History (the independence of West Virginia from Virginia occurred here). While the downtown feels quite empty on weekends, a museum could bring more tourists and attract restaurants, cafes, and condos.

I've crossed the Homestead Grays Bridge countless times over the years on my way over to Homestead…read moreand the Waterfront. Its high-level arch design is really distinctive and gives it a classic, industrial feel. It offers a great view of the Monongahela River as you make your way across the water. While traffic can definitely back up during busy hours, it's always been a reliable and convenient route for getting to the shopping center and into Homestead and Munhall.

Back to Homestead, Pennsylvania corn a visit. This bridge is really nice with a view. The traffic…read moreflows well at different times that I've passed by here.

The Greater Wheeling Trail is also known as the Ohio River Trail. Along with the with the…read moreWheeling Creek Trail, it's part of the Wheeling Heritage Trail System. The Brooke Pioneer Trail connects at its northern end. Using the combination of trails, my husband Rick and I did a 32 mile round trip between Wellsburg and Wheeling. Although the address shown is the parking lot at the southern end of the trail, we connected from the Brooke Pioneer Trail and made our way south. Picking up from where we connected, we continued our way south along the Ohio River. Like the Brooke Pioneer Trail, this path is sandwiched between WV #2 and the river. We continued to enjoy the great river views as we pedaled along. Approaching the north end of Wheeling, we saw a lock and dam. From this point south, the trail became much more urban-like, however it was very well marked and maintained. At this point, Wheeling is very long an narrow because of the topography. We curved a little to the west, temporarily losing the urban feel of the trail as we were in the narrows between the cliffs and the river. Curving again to the south we regained the city atmosphere and had a great view of Wheeling Island. We noticed the tail wasn't as well-marked south of I-70/US-250,but it was still easy to follow. We eventually made our way to the southern terminus & parking lot at 48th Street. We retraced our path north to and we picked up the Wheeling Creek Trail. This trail was built on an old Baltimore & Ohio line and whereas the Ohio River Trail had a city feel to it, the Wheeling Creek Trail was in a park-like setting. The trail didn't parallel the creek in some places--indeed it was adjacent to the interstate in places, but it was still a pleasant, meandering ride towards the eastern edge of the city. The scenic high point was the tunnel near Rock Point Road. After reaching the east end of the trail, we turn around and headed back to Wellsburg. We did every inch of the 32 mile combined trail systems. These trails were an easy ride, paved all the way, and made for a pleaseant day cycling.