un-vordox wrote:Is there anything I should check out that is close to the school (besides the "O" or obvious bars) on my visit next week? This is looking like one of my top 3 choices now. I'll be with my finace who is from the area, but she doesn't know the city itself as well as other parts of western PA.
You can take a drive up to Mt Washington and enjoy the view of the city from up there; it's pretty spectacular. Primanti Brothers is also a place to check out for some food if you want to join in the craze. Most of us who lived there stopped going after a few times, but out of towners seem to love to check it out. You can also take a walk through the Cathedral of Learning (very impressive building).
For the living situation, obviously check out Shadyside and North Oakland. I'd stay away from South Oakland unless you love drunk undergrads and keg parties all the time. I believe that Pitt students still have free use of all mass transit in the city (so that makes Shadyside and Squirrel Hill attractive options since getting to campus won't be hard) and the University also has dedicate shuttle buses serving North Oakland. You can also check out the South Side, but stay away from the flats (the area near all the bars) for obvious reasons.