How to stay sane while stuck in the city this summer

As finals week looms, it can occupy the minds, time and anxieties of all Pitt students. It’s OK if summer still seems far away — or maybe it’s all too close. 

Perhaps you’re stuck working or taking classes in the Pittsburgh area this summer. You might be thinking, “What am I going to do all summer while my friends are gone?” Don’t worry. Pittsburgh has a humongous array of art, events, concerts, music, plays and films that you can’t get elsewhere.

You know that Panther Card — the one that gets you meals at Market Central, pays for dinner at QuickZone and even nets you coffee at Common Grounds? It has a few other uses as well, such as free bus rides. Hopefully this is common knowledge, but those bus rides can lead to even more exciting places, including museums. 

Obviously, the Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History is located just a couple of blocks down Forbes Avenue from the Cathedral of Learning, and those two museums are so massive that you could likely spend a week checking them out.

For the Carnegie initiates, it might be time to move on to other places such as The Mattress Factory on the North Side or even the Andy Warhol Museum across the Warhol Bridge. The Mattress Factory is a small contemporary installation art museum — nothing like what you’d see at the Carnegie. The Warhol is a huge collection of Andy Warhol’s pop art and iconoclasm. For people who like the greener side of things, take a trip down to Phipps Conservatory in Oakland. A day among the flowers and butterflies can’t be a bad one.

But the absolute can’t-miss event, coming up June 6-15, is the Three Rivers Arts Festival, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Admission is free, so go and listen to the daily live music acts and browse the artwork that you probably can’t afford, but can at least appreciate. The festival is located in the very heart of Pittsburgh, the Cultural District. Check out row after row of artists and vendors, taste some deliciously fried festival food and watch the fountain sparkle at Point State Park.

Also in the Cultural District, the Benedum Center will show two Broadway musicals. First is “Legally Blonde,” running from June 13-22, almost immediately followed by “Footloose,” which will run from June 24-29. Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, a longstanding and talented non-profit, will stage both shows, so check them out while they’re here.

But what if you’re more of a sports fan? Start with the Buccos. The Pirates are coming off a staggeringly impressive season, and, for the first time in 20 years, are actually an exciting team worth rooting for. Every Friday, home games supply free T-shirts to the first 25,000 fans, so get to PNC Park early. Some exciting dates include shows on May 10, June 26, July 19 and August 9 — if you’ve never seen the Zambellis before, you’re in for a treat. Also, Pirates Fan Jam boasts a really strong contender this summer — the Goo Goo Dolls will play after the game June 7.

On the South Side, Station Square has a multitude of fun things to check out. There’s the Duquesne Incline, which slowly elevates you over the city to the beautiful viewpoint of Mount Washington. While you’re up there, take a good look at the beautiful Highmark Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Pittsburgh’s United Soccer League professional division men’s soccer team. 

And for those working hard this summer and padding their pockets, cruising on one of the Gateway Clipper Fleet ships might become tempting. There’s nothing like a fanciful trip across the Allegheny on a ferry. Similarly, you can also catch a Just Ducky tour, a delightful excursion around the city on a hybrid boat-truck vehicle.

If you’re more of the adventurous type, there are a few great places to visit. Sandcastle and Kennywood Park, which are located in West Homestead and West Mifflin, respectively, are two of the best summertime experiences available to Pittsburghers. Sandcastle is a decently sized water park, with all the standard attractions: a massive wave pool, lazy river, body slides and tube slides. It’s the best place to spend a hot and humid day. Then when the sun begins to set and the heat begins to disperse, take the short trip over to Kennywood, get a discounted Night Rider’s pass and check out the classic coasters, including the Jack Rabbit, the Racer, the Thunderbolt and the Phantom’s Revenge.

Finally, we mustn’t ignore the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium in Highland Park. If you haven’t been to the zoo here, be warned that it’s massive and there are many animals to see. Visitors might experience a cuteness overload while watching the sea lions swim daintily in their tanks, the zebras and elephants lounging in their savannas, the polar bears diving in and out of their habitat and, of course, the penguins frolicking and waddling inside the aquarium.

Hopefully this by-no-means-comprehensive list gets your palate whet for the summer season. There’s a lot to see in Pittsburgh if you go to the right places.