📍 Pittsburgh: The Unconventional Travel Gem 🏙️

Pittsburgh has been named one of Lonely Planet’s must-visit cities for 2025! How would you describe it? The Steel City? The City of Bridges? Perhaps a place where revival meets a touch of rust. 🏗️🌉 Back before industrialization, this area was lush and green 🌳—there was even a saying that a squirrel could travel from Pittsburgh to Chicago without ever touching the ground! Then came the steel era 🚂: canals filled with barges carrying coal and iron ore, steelworkers laboring day and night under skies glowing red, and even the university’s “Cathedral of Learning” turning black from pollution. It’s hard to believe the city is now clean and vibrant again. Here’s some off-the-beaten-path inspiration: 🧢 Emerald View Park A great spot for skyline views. Love hiking? Try the Grand View Scenic Byway. The Duquesne Incline cable car is also a popular ride! 🚠 🧢 University of Pittsburgh Worth a stroll—the Cathedral of Learning is a majestic Gothic “Batman-style” building. 🦇🏛️ 🧢 Zoo & Aquarium Even if you’re not a zoo person, it’s fun to see lions napping surrounded by admirers. 🦁😴 🧢 Carnegie Museums A combo of art and natural history—perfect for exhibition hopping and photos! 🖼️🦴 🧢 Carnegie Mellon University Famous for its iconic sculptures. 🎨 🧢 Strip District Former warehouses and railways turned into a vibrant street market. 🛒🌭 🧢 Point State Park Known as the “Golden Triangle”—where three rivers meet. 🌊🔺 🧢 Carrie Furnace An abandoned factory (currently closed until May 2025). Pennsylvania has many such post-industrial sites—raw and powerful. 🏭⚙️ More fun facts: 🎓 Locals are called “Yinzers”. 🎓 “The Paris of Appalachia” comes from Brian O’Neill’s book The Paris of Appalachia. 🎓 Best time to visit: May to October. 🎓 Perfect for #NoRushTravel #CityWalk I also drew inspiration from scholar Ray Huang’s writings on America. #TravelInto2025 #PittsburghTravel #PATravel #UPitt #PhillyDayTrip #JustGo #NewYearTravel #OffbeatDestinations 🎒📸✨