Get ready to embark on an exciting new journey as KinersKorner.com takes you on a tour of Major League cities across the country. In this new feature, we explore the hidden gems and must-see attractions that go beyond the ballpark, while also diving deep into stadium reviews and the fan experience.
When people are planning vacations, Pittsburgh isn't the first place on most lists. But when baseball fans plan vacations, Pittsburgh is a much discussed destination. It's not hard to figure out why when you look at PNC Park, home of the Pirates and probably in the Top 2-3 of most baseball fans when they're asked to name their favorite road ballparks.
We went in June of 2023, and it was a trip that had been in the back of my mind ever since I passed by the park in 2012 when the Pirates were in Bradenton for spring training. It was a mission of mine to find a good time to go, and 11 years later that good time finally came. There are certainly no regrets on my part, as PNC Park is a must visit for any baseball fan.
But there are other baseball themed spots for you to visit when you go. One place you have to go to is the Clemente Museum, filled with memorabilia from the life and career of Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. But learn from my mistake: Plan your trip there and buy your tickets in advance. They sell out quick so there's no walkup. We missed out on it but you don't have to.
But here's what we did that was also fun: We stayed at a Hampton Inn and Suites in the downtown area. Imagine our glee when we found out that across the street was the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, which was chock full of artifacts from the Pirates, Penguins, Steelers, the Pitt Panthers, and a burgeoning section on high school football in the area, which celebrates its favorite sons such as Joe Namath and Tony Dorsett. The WPSM takes up two floors out of seven in the Heinz History Center, with the others housing other exhibits featuring Mister Rogers (a Pittsburgh icon), The Pittsburgh Innovation Museum, From Slavery To Freedom and, yes, an exhibit featuring artifacts from Heinz ketchup.
The Museum is on the end of what's known as the Strip District. It ain't Vegas, but it provides a different kind of fun vibe with it's restaurants and specialty grocery stores. (My brother was going from butcher to produce stand screaming "YOU CAN'T GET THIS WHERE I LIVE" and proceeded to load up his trunk with prosciutto and pasta for a five hour ride home.)
Sometimes they have great exhibits on the strip. When we were there, the block was lined with 50's and 60's style race cars. Kelly O's Diner at the end of the strip as a great spot for breakfast. Keep in mind it's cash only and if a party member arrives late, they don't get fed. But well worth the short wait outside and the short wait for your meals.
Now to the park itself. As previously mentioned. We stayed downtown. You can stay in the ballpark district that will put you closer to PNC. But to me, part of the charm of going to PNC is taking that walk across the Ohio River on one of the three bridges to get to the park. Commonly known as the "Three SIsters", you can walk across the Clemente Bridge on 6th which is the one that's most prominent when you look out over center field, but you can also cross the Andy Warhol on 7th or the Rachel Carson on 9th. We had to go across the Warhol because when we were there, the Clemente was closed for repair. But there's something about walking arcoss the Clemente with the park in your sights that you can't miss.
Make sure you walk around the park to view the statues honoring Bill Mazeroski and Willie Stargell. Also check out the bern with the all the retired numbers on it (great when it's lit up at night as well.) Then enter the park and take a seat behind the plate to enjoy perhaps the best vista in all of baseball. Doesn't matter if you're low or high. The closer to the plate you are, the better the view you'll have of baseball heaven.
As an added bonus, if you sit in the club seats, they have pool tables!
Now let's talk about food, because many will describe the food at PNC Park as generally "just okay" (or as the kids call it: "mid") at best. For example: lots of locals will tell you that if you want to get a sandwich at Primanti Brothers, get it in the city and not at the ballpark. That's what they told me, so I listened and avoided it.
The place you want to hit for a good ballpark meal is Manny's BBQ, named after Pirates legend Manny Sanguillen, in left center field. On the first night I had the pulled chicken over pierogies and it was delicious. (I took a bite of another pierogi from another stand and it wasn't quite as good as these.) The next day I went with the mac n' cheese, also with pulled chicken on top, and it was scrumptious. You can also get pulled pork on top of these, and other items that will no doubt be better than "mid".
But if you'd rather wait until after the game for a meal, there are plenty of restaurants down the street from PNC if you walk from Mazeroski Way on to North Shore Drive and past the statue of Mr. Rogers (I told you ... he's big in Pittsburgh.) Noted burger connoisseur that I am, I railroaded everyone into eating at a place called Burgatory. I crafted a "make your own", and if you have taste buds similar to mine, then order the following: A wagyu burger with a sweet onion rub, a cage free egg, lettice, tomato, and roasted garlic mayo on a brioche bun. The quality of the beef is top notch and the toppings weren't overpowering and worked in concert together. The chips on the side were also a great touch. I don't say this lightly: this was one of the best burgers I've ever had.
But if burgers aren't your thing, the entire area is filled with different types of restaurants that will cater to your culinary whim.
So that's a quick rundown on baseball and eats in the city of Pittsburgh. I hope this helps you decide to go for the first time, or to return to glory as I hope to do in the future.
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