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Exploring Pittsburgh and the Surrounding Areas

Pittsburgh is a fascinating city. As one of the early industrial hubs of the country, Pittsburgh was on its way to becoming America's second city before the Depression. With money from industry tycoons, such as Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon, the city blended practical industry with the artistic sensibilities of the nouveau riche. Like Carnegie Mellon, the city claims something of the Da Vinci effect. With fantastic museums, beautiful parks, a thriving cultural arts district (with a seasonal gallery crawl), an excellent city library system, and beautiful art deco architecture on every corner, Pittsburgh has many treasures for new residents to discover.

Related to its industrial roots, Pittsburgh has more than 80 distinct neighborhoods to explore. Originally based in ethnic heritage, many of these neighborhoods and districts now have a lot to offer everyone. Located between Oakland, Squirrel Hill, and Shadyside, Carnegie Mellon is a quick bus ride away (and also within walking distance) of three of the largest neighborhoods. Many convenient bus routes run by the university and will take you to other great areas to explore, including the Southside, the Waterfront, East Liberty, Regent Square, the Strip District, the Cultural District, and other areas of downtown.

And let us not forget, Pittsburgh is a huge sports town! With six-time Superbowl Champions, Pittsburgh is definitely Steelers country, but students will find a variety of athletics opportunities in the city, including the Penguins (hockey) and the Pirates (baseball). Additionally, Pittsburgh has several lesser known regional teams and eight colleges and universities with sports teams.

With two fantastic programs, your Carnegie Mellon ID+ card helps you take advantage of much of what the city offers.

  • PAT buses - The county's Port Authority provides dozens of lines, several of which have stops in the middle of campus along Forbes Ave and others a block away on Forbes Ave or down the road on Craig Street. Through an agreement with the organization, members of the campus community have access to all of these lines, including a convenient airport shuttle, the two Incline rails, and the downtown Metro at no cost.
  • ARTSpass - Thanks to sponsors across campus and in the city, Carnegie Mellon students have no-cost access to a variety of museums and cultural opportunities in the city. For a full listing and other exciting Pittsburgh events, please visit Student Activities's Pittsburgh Connections website.