Get away: what’s outside the city

The City of Pittsburgh has only so much to offer in terms of things to do. Step outside the… The City of Pittsburgh has only so much to offer in terms of things to do. Step outside the boundaries of the city limits and you will find much, much more.

Just up the Monongahela River sits the newly revamped Homestead Waterfront. Stores like GAP, Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie ‘amp; Fitch, Pac Sun and more are part of the shopping district. Shopping can do a number on your appetite, and restaurants aren’t hard to find there: Bravo, Mitchell’s Fish Market, Bar Louie and P.F. Chang’s are only a few. Laugh your butt off at the Improv, the Funny Bone Comedy Club’s rival. Across the street sits Sing-Sing, a dueling piano bar where the limericks and tunes are just as raunchy as food left in your mini-fridge over Christmas break.

Head on out toward the Pittsburgh International Airport for another taste of suburban shops and restaurants. In Robinson Twp. you can find almost anything to make your dorm room home at IKEA, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Wal-Mart. The Mall at Robinson also boasts a variety of stores. Restaurants here include Max ‘amp; Erma’s, Applebee’s, Panera Bread and more.

The Post-Gazette Pavilion in Burgettstown is the place to be for any and all music lovers. Some of this summer’s concerts include Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and Aerosmith and Kiss.

West Mifflin is home to the Roller Coaster Capital of the World, Kennywood Park. From new rides, like swirling King Kahuna, to old favorites, like the Pirate Ship and the wooden Jack Rabbit coaster, it’s best to hold on tight.

For the outdoorsy, Pitt is close to some of the best rock climbing and rivers in the Northeast. Ohiopyle State Park is less than an hour away, which is a good base from which you can raft or kayak rivers like the Youghigheny and the Cheat in West Virginia. Pitt’s outdoors club can help get you away from civilization, no matter what you’re looking for.

You don’t have to swim in the rivers, though. At the Waterfront, Sandcastle is home to a wave pool, countless water slides, hot tubs and a boardwalk filled with the usual waterslide park delicacies ? pizza and french fries to name a few. Sandcastle also hosts a Waves under-21 night every Thursday night in the summer, a dance and pool party for those in search of some under-21 nightlife. Just before the shops at Robinson, Settlers Cabin Wave Pool can be found. After being tossed around in this pool, you might think you are actually in the ocean.

With this being only a taste of what the Pittsburgh area has to offer, there should never be complaints that there isn’t anything to do here.