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.

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.

Beautiful fall day at Hollow Land Trust. I was happy to see maintenance done on the trails like…read moreclearing paths and adding bridges in swampy areas. Hollow Land Trust trails connect the Montour Trail to Moon Park. My pictures are from hiking the Meeks Run Trail and the Oil Well Trail .

Hollow Oak is not your typical land trust. They have a mission to provide recreation and…read moreeducational programs to local residents. They meticulously maintain trails for hikers and bikers. They are a community catalyst for bringing together local parks and environmental groups. They also have expertise which they make widely available in terms of building trails and learning about wildlife.

Of all the tunnels that lead into the City of Pittsburgh, this is the best one. As soon as you…read moreexit, you've got an amazing view of downtown spread out in front of you. The Point (Point State Park and its fountain), Mon (Monongahela) River...one of three that come together (the other two are the Allegheny and Ohio rivers), Fort Pitt Bridge, and the skyline of downtown. It's truly a glorious sight. However, getting through the tunnel from Parkway West (376 West) can be less than glorious as the two-lane highway often bottlenecks into the tunnel when traffic is the most backed up. But, take a deep breath, proceed with caution, and enjoy that beautiful landscape that is Pittsburgh.

The first time I came to Pittsburgh I approached through the Fort Pitt Tunnel. I had no idea the…read morecity, with its skyline and yellow bridges over the river confluence, was going to suddenly and dramatically reveal itself to me. It's a nice long tunnel, too, just to heighten the drama. Well, it's a long tunnel to get through a damn mountain but it has that effect as well. I don't even know why I ended up coming that way as I was driving from Detroit and much to my disappointment last month Google Maps didn't direct me through this epic tunnel but instead chose a more direct, sensible route, robbing us of the sudden reveal I'd raved to my dad about. It was an approach much like any approach to just about any city. Never fear - the Holiday Inn Express I'd coincidentally booked meant we'd travel to PNC Park for all 3 Tigers games there through the Fort Pitt Tunnel and be hit with BAM!!! YOU'RE SUDDENLY DOWNTOWN!! every time. And unlike almost every bridge we crossed over traffic wasn't absolutely logjammed through this tunnel. It'd slow down but it wasn't stop and go sea of taillights lighting up red for miles like the bridges sometimes were. And it afforded a little more breathing room before breaking out into four off ramps to choose from than the bridges. Actually it lets out onto a bridge after which you better be in the right lane for one of three choices. Old hat for locals I'm sure and most people are cool about letting people over but I'm glad the tunnel lets you emerge back into daylight or nighttime and the downtown view and reorient yourself for a few seconds before you hit some spaghetti junction. Anyways, great tunnel and it had been a very long time since I've driven through one besides something brief on the freeway. I'm sitting in Hart Plaza trying to figure out the last time I've driven through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. At any rate I like the Fort Pitt Tunnel better.

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!

I use the Hilton Bridge at least once a week, and I love that I can avoid Allegheny River Blvd. It…read moreused to be a rickety bridge built in 1908, but the replacement bridge is wonderful. A couple of great things about the bridge include the memorable implosion of the old bridge (then the dismantling and recycling of the steel) and the Hulton Bridge Hoax, which claimed the Hulton Bridge had an engineering error where the two sides weren't being built properly. I had hoped the old bridge could be saved as a pedestrian crossing, but the claim was the project was too expensive. Too bad, because it was a great idea.

Ever since they remodeled this bridge it has become an easy access to Oakmont from Blawnox. I only…read morewish they had an exit right off Rt 28 without having to take the Blawnox exit to get to it. Once you exit Rt 28 you have about a 3 mile drive through the town of Blawnox and then as you approach it stay in the right lane. At that point you are on it. It is a very nice bridge connecting to Oakmont and holds two lanes each way. Once off you can either stay straight to head into the heart of Oakmont or turn right to go to the business district. Oakmont has a lot to explore besides the outstanding bakery so it is my hope once the weather improves to check out more restaurants and other businesses this neighborhood has to offer.

We were here during the Washington County Covered Bridge festival. This bridge had a car show, live…read moreband, and some food and crafts to buy. Nice way to spend an afternoon!

This memorial is on the North Shore and close to the Vietnam memorial. It sits along the river…read morefront directly across from Stage AE. As others have said in their reviews, this isn't a memorial you just glance at or even walk on by. It provides pivotal information and heartfelt reflection on yet another war that took so many lives. There are inscriptions on all sides and all worth reading. When I am back in my hometown, I like to take strolls along the Riverfront Park and always make a point to stop here and read, no matter how many times I've done it before. If you're a history buff, this one's for you.

"Come, you masters of war, You that build the big guns…read moreYou that build the death planes You that build all the bombs" (Bob Dylan) This enormous memorial covers so much ground. It has flag poles, soaring panels, sculpted bases, murals, photo collages, and twenty-four black stone panels etched with white lettering that collectively tell the story of World War II and Pittsburgh's role in the war effort. The Pearl Harbor Panel reads in part: "In less than 90 minutes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor took a terrible toll: 18 ships lost; 2,386 Americans killed; 1,139 wounded. That count would come later. Just days after the event, an American seaman had his own view: "Well, we arrived at Pearl Harbor this morning and we were all prepared to see a sad sight...but we were still appalled at the amount of damage done. It was the greatest disaster that had befallen any navy. All of this was mighty heartbreaking, and I saw many a tear...But the men were not broken in morale...We lost the first round but are not whipped. We are just mad. We do not understand how a nation can do a thing like that. If they thought our morale would break, they are badly mistaken. We want to fight." Frank B. Hass diary entry, December 15, 1941 The Pittsburgh War Effort Panel reads in part: "Winning the War required contributions from everyone. Families "did without" as producers of home front necessities retooled to turn out munitions and military equipment. Bombers were built in former canneries; pickle plants were converted to assemble pursuit planes; and factories once devoted to the production of baby carriages now manufactured components of guns. The American Bantam Car Company in nearby Butler developed a prototype of the Jeep in 1940 and manufactured 2,675 of the vehicles during the War. "I, along with 10,000 other people, attended a launching today...(of) an ocean-going ship...built here at Pittsburgh...The most interesting thing...is that this sea-going vessel, launched out here on the Ohio River, came off an assembly line!"- Lowell Thomas, newscaster, March 5, 1942 "I wish...that the names of all the men who were doing this great production job in Pittsburgh could be written into the war history. Every time I approach Pittsburgh, especially by plane, I get a sense of tremendous power, a sense of accomplishment. Pittsburgh thrills you." - Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy I loved how this memorial embraced the sacrifice of the entire country- military, civilians, industry, local involvement, and three panels dedicated to America's women and the various roles they played in the war as nurses, factory workers, and in military service. The Allegheny River and Riverwalk provide a beautiful setting for this majestic memorial.