Pitt a plentiful, collegiate playground

Ready to experience the magic of the Steel City? Pittsburgh has a lot to offer. From PNC Park to the Andy Warhol Museum, the city has something for everyone’s bucket list. Here are the top five things you’ll want to check off before your time is up at Pitt.

Catch a show at the Benedum Center

 Whether you’re a show choir kid or a live concert lover, the Benedum Center concert venue has something for you. Open since 1928, the venue is a Downtown staple in Pittsburgh entertainment. From the raspy indie sounds of alt-J to Broadway blockbusters such as “The Book of Mormon,” Benedum is perfect for a casual night of fun. For a fancier evening, it is also home to both the Pittsburgh Opera and Pittsburgh Ballet, showing classical styles of music and dance. With many student discounts through Pitt’s Cheap Seats Programthat offer seats as low as $15 a show, it shouldn’t be hard to find what you are looking for.

 Visit all things Carnegie

 As the steel industrialist worth $480 million, Andrew Carnegie left a legacy in Pittsburgh with the Carnegie Museums bringing art, science, music and literature to the city and its people. At the Museum of Art, you’ll see classic Monet paintings, and prehistoric dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History are right next door. For edgier tastes, catch a Michael Jackson Tribute laser show at the Carnegie Science Center. Whether you’re looking to learn something new or just want to wander around, the Carnegie Museums foster your cultural needs. And with your Pitt ID, the museums are free or discounted. The exhibits change frequently, so you will always have a reason to return.

 Explore Neighborhoods Outside of Oakland

 Oakland has many great things to do, but there is more out there. From catching a movie at SouthSide Works to seeing the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Downtown, Pittsburgh is bursting with entertainment. Each area is accessible by Port Authority busses, which are free for students making finances easier for us broke college students. You can grab a burger with a date at BRGR in East Liberty or catch a Pirates game at PNC Park. You can do some shopping in the Strip District or you can relax with a cup of tea from Dobra Tea in Squirrel Hill. Wherever you go, you’ll bite into a different slice of Pittsburgh each time.

 The Incline View

If you’re looking for an out-of-the-city view, look up for the Pittsburgh Incline. With the view from the Duquesne side of Mount Washington and one from the town of Monongahela, you will experience the classic Pittsburgh skyline. You’ll see the three rivers, PNC Park and the iconic buildings of Downtown. Incline rides are free to Pitt students, so your journey starts at the bottom of Mount Washington and ends at the top of Grand View Avenue. The ride takes only moments after you enter the red trolley on either side. On the way up, you’ll start to catch a glimpse of the full picture of the city. Once you get off the trolley at the top, the ride rewards you with a postcard view of downtown. From the Duquesne side, you can enjoy a romantic dinner with a loved one at Isabela’s, or an ice cream cone on a sunny day from the Monongahela side. But whatever side you do pick, you won’t be disappointed.

 Summer in Pittsburgh

 After every school year, most students pack up their dorms and return home until fall, oblivious to the beauty that is Pittsburgh in the summer. After a frigid, snowy winter, the city of Pittsburgh rewards students with a picture-perfect summer. The weather is warmer and the shorts come out indefinitely. Baseball season is in full flare and it becomes acceptable to wait in bar crowds. You can throw around the frisbee, football or baseball without worrying about a cold front moving in. Even if you are taking classes, interning or working, you can enjoy the summer here. And with Memorial Day and Fourth of July weekends, you’ll never forget your summer in this great city.