Feeling at home: Not Just Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood

One of the Inclines
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It was like finding a new, yet familiar place that I felt I belonged in...

Coming from the south, you don't even see the city until you've gone through a somewhat lengthy tunnel, and then you're blown away by the city's sudden, dramatic appearance once you're out of the tunnel.  You're on a bridge, you're suddenly over one of the Three rivers, you see the city and its tall shiny buildings, Heinz Field on one side and PNC Park on the other.  I read somewhere that Pittsburgh is the only city in the US that has "an entrance".

Feeling at home in the Steel City

View of Pittsburgh
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Pittsburgh is way more beautiful than I thought it would be.  Vibrant, colorful at times, a bridge is always there to take you anywhere you want to go.  This city has more bridges than any other I've ever seen, so it pretty much lives up to the "City of Bridges" nickname I've heard somewhere before.  Talking to others who've passed through or visited Pittsburgh for the first time recently, I've discovered we're not the only ones who came into the city surprised and left it feeling satisfied.

Station Square, Pittsburgh
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One warning, if driving in Pittsburgh for the first time: for some reason it's very easy to get lost.  Come prepared and ready to encounter some challenges in finding the right bridge!

The Incline is a great little ride up the hill to Mount Washington, where you can take in some great views of the beautiful city of Pittsburgh.  If there's only one thing you have time or budget to do in Pittsburgh, I definitely recommend taking the Incline ride because of the experience of riding the unique Incline and that you can take in the city in one shot.

The people are way friendlier than I expected as well.  You don't expect people of the "Steel City" to be as nice as steel isn't, but they really are.  Many of them love striking a short conversation, and make you feel like a 'Burgh native.  They love their city and are very respectful of others, even if they come wearing Eagles colors, or whatever the case may be.  Along with the people of Alabama, they're definitely among the friendliest people in the US that I've had the pleasure of encountering and interacting with, and we'd hang out with Pittsburghers any day.

Pittsburgh is definitely our kind of city, our kind of place to hang out in and just be ourselves.  We're definitely going back there!