City Guides: Things to do While Boating in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Located in western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is about two hours south of Erie, Pennsylvania. With 17 marinas, four public boat ramps and three rivers (the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers come together to form the Ohio River), Allegheny County gives boaters many opportunities for kayaking, fishing, watersports, docking/dining and private boat slip rentals. It’s also home to Heinz Field (errr … Acrisure Stadium) and PNC Park of Steelers and Pirates fames, just in case you have any sports fans in your crew.
Along with the boating and sporting events, visitors can enjoy a wide variety of arts and culture, urban parks and outdoor activities. Let’s get started!
Andy Warhol Museum
Photo: Wikimedia
Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum has the largest collection of Warhol art and archives in the world. After all, he is from Pittsburgh. What more would you expect? Take a day away from a private boat dock for rent and visit Warhol’s work as well as collaborations and other art like his work. The collection has nearly 900 paintings and 100 sculptures as well as photographs, newspapers and books.
Warhol fans will enjoy his popular paintings of consumer products like Coca-Cola and Campbell’s Soup and celebrity portraits of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy. The collection includes works from the 1960s and 1980s in rotating exhibits. The museum is located on the North Shore just across the Andy Warhol Bridge on the Allegheny River, making it convenient for access from private boat lift rentals.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Photo: Wikimedia
Gifted to the city by Henry Phipps in the late 1800s, the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a historic landmark. It offers extensive gardens, unique installations and flowers like orchids, bonsai and palm trees, cactus plants and native specimens. See Monet’s art brought to life with flowers or wander through a tropical Hawaiian garden. Enjoy exhibits such as historic art and glass art by masters like Dale Chihuly and Hans Good Frabel. We think it’s one of the best spots to visit from private boat slips for rent.
Point State Park
Photo: Visit Pittsburgh (via Facebook)
Any diehard Steelers fan will recognize Point State Park. It’s that iconic aerial shot seen at every televised NFL home game … that triangular point of land at the confluence of the three rivers (also known as the Golden Triangle). It connects to the other side by the Ft Pitt Bridge and the Fort Duquesne Bridge. Acrisure Stadium (the stadium formerly known as Heinz Field) is just across the Allegheny River where it becomes the Ohio River.
This area was a strategic spot during the French and Indian War (1754-1763), and there are markers, monuments and historic structures throughout the park. Visit the Fort Pitt Museum, located at the park, to get insight into the historic events of the French and Indian War and the American Revolution as well as Pittsburgh history. Plus, it’s just a terrific vantage point for sightseeing shutterbugs.
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Photo: Wikimedia
Take a day away from a private boat dock rental to commune with elephants, giraffes, lions, polar bears, cheetahs, flamingos and marine creatures such as jellyfish, sharks, sea lions and stingrays. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is located in Highland Park on 77 acres and has more than 4,000 animals as well as endangered and threatened species. The zoo and aquarium partner with conservation groups to protect sea turtles, ocelots and penguins.
Duquesne Incline
Photo: Wikimedia
The Duquesne Incline takes riders to the top of a mountain on an included railway. Enjoy spectacular city and river views as you’re going up as well as from the observation deck at the top. There’s also a museum on Pittsburgh's history at the top. The Incline originally opened in 1877. It was restored in 1963 and still uses the original wooden cable cars. It’s part of the Pittsburgh Transportation System and is a super cool place to visit from private boat lift rentals.
We hope you’ve discovered a few things to add to your Pittsburgh itinerary. Whether you dock at a private boat slip for rent, anchor at a riverfront resort or just pass through, you really need to get to Steel City. Let us know your favorite attractions!
