Group-friendly locations and activities in Pittsburgh, USA

Discover the ‘City of Champions’

A visit to Pittsburgh would not be complete without experiencing the sporting pedigree of the city and the reason it is known as the ‘City of Champions’. For starters, it is home to three professional sports teams – the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are among the most decorated teams in the NFL and were the first franchise to win six Super Bowls. Groups can visit Acrisure Stadium on a matchday with group tickets available for ten or more people and join the sea of more than 68,000 dressed in black and gold. Movie buffs among your group may recognise the stadium from the 2012 film, The Dark Knight Rises.

Alternatively, stadium tours can be booked for groups, providing an opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes look at Acrisure Stadium, including the locker rooms, the FedEx Great Hall, home to the Steelers’ six Super Bowl trophies and original lockers and seats from the old Three Rivers Stadium, and an opportunity to go down to pitch level. 

If ice hockey interests your group, the PPG Paints Arena is the home of the five-time winners of the Stanley Cup, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Group tickets and fan experience packages are available when booking tickets for ten or more, including opportunities to take shots on goal after the game and have a group photo on the ice.

PNC Park is the home stadium for the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team and provides a skyline view of the city and bridges as the backdrop for MLB games. Groups of 15 or more can book tickets at discounted rates, with additional benefits including credit to use on food and merchandise and a welcome message for the group on the LED boards at the stadium.

Tours are also available at discounted rates for groups of 25 or more. Lasting around 90 minutes, they provide a broad view of the 38,000-seat facility with its view of the city’s skyline and a chance to discover the extensive history of Pittsburgh baseball and the city.

Admire museums of history and art

For art lovers, there are a variety of museums and galleries to explore, including the Andy Warhol Museum, a seven-story museum that celebrates the life and work of the Pittsburgh native and leader of the pop-art movement.

Guided group tours last one hour and explore the museum’s permanent collection and temporary exhibitions through interactive discussions and activities. Tour themes include Andy Warhol’s Life and Times and Dandy Andy: Warhol’s Queer History.

Alternatively, the Carnegie Museum of Art features a collection of more than 30,000 objects in a range of different media including paintings, architecture, sculptures and the Gallery of Miniatures, where you can find miniature reproductions of real rooms and displays of miniature antique furnishings. Groups can take part in guided tours of the museum, looking at iconic and contemporary artists and how art has changed between 1945 and today.

The Carnegie Museum of Art can be visited with a joint admission ticket to the the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, where groups can walk among dinosaurs, minerals and gems and other dioramas of wildlife in their habitats. Groups of ten or more can book guided tours, which include general admission to the museum and take advantage of discounted admission.

Part of a family of museums that includes the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, Fort Pitt Museum, and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, Heinz History Centre offers group tours and discounted admission.

Exhibits include From Slavery to Freedom, taking visitors on a journey beginning in 18th century Africa through 21st century Western Pennsylvania and Heinz, looking at 150 years of innovation by the brand including an 11-foot ketchup bottle made up of 400 individual bottles. 

Embrace nature

Built around three rivers and packed with parks and outdoor spaces, Pittsburgh has an abundance of outdoor activities for groups to discover.

In the middle of Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighbourhood, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens encompasses 15 acres including a 14-room glasshouse and 23 distinct gardens, with a broad collection of plant life including orchid and bonsai collections, desert plants and tropical fruit and space plants. 

Guided tours of the conservatory are available for groups of up to 40 and focus on the plant collections and the history of the gardens.

Elsewhere, the National Aviary is home to more than 500 birds and mammals from around the world. Large walk-through habitats allow for close interactions and visitors can watch flamingos and penguins and spot a sloth in the trees.

Group discounts are available for pre-booked visits and guided tours led by experts are available for groups of 15 to 40. Live immersive bird shows can be booked for groups of up to 125 people.

Pittsburgh’s rivers offer a selection of active things to do, including kayaking and whitewater rafting. Groups can take part in kayaking experiences for up to 30 people, with a choice of single and tandem kayaks to select from on the lake of North Park, or on the river with views of downtown Pittsburgh and the stadiums overlooking the water.

For a more relaxing experience, sightseeing tours, wine tasting and dinner cruises on board paddle steamers are available with Gateway Clipper Fleet and can be booked for groups of 15 or more, with the group assigned tables adjacent to one another on board.

Explore colourful neighbourhoods

Pittsburgh is made up of 90 neighbourhoods, each offering something different. Take some time out and explore the city to find places to shop, eat and hang out with drinks.

One of the most visited neighbourhoods in Pittsburgh, Mount Washington provides a viewpoint of the skyline and is also home to a variety of restaurants, from fine dining to ice cream and baked goods, cold beer and breakfasts. For the full experience, reach the neighbourhood on board the funicular railways, the Duquesne Incline and the Monongahela Incline.

The Strip District is the go-to for foodies in Pittsburgh, with half a square mile of of grocers, produce stands, meat and fish markets and street food vendors. Highlights include Primanti Bros. and their signature sandwich which is topped with coleslaw and French fries while Dianoia’s Eatery is an Italian café and restaurant offering homemade pastas and authentic Italian dishes.

Lawrenceville is another popular neighbourhood among locals and visitors. The area is home to a collection of small businesses from fine dining to music venues, art studios and night life.

Among the highlights are Mix Candle Co, where groups can book to create their own fragrant candles and even take their own drinks with them, and the Roberto Clemente Museum. Dedicated to former Pittsburgh Pirates player and humanitarian Roberto Clemente, the museum can be visited for guided tours of the collection which showcases a collection of baseball artefacts, works of art, literature, photographs, memorabilia, and materials which focus on Roberto Clemente, his team mates, his personal life, and his humanitarian causes.

Try Pittsburgh’s craft beer

The city is home to more than 50 craft breweries, making it a hotspot for beer-lovers, from IPAs to stouts. Many of the breweries offer guided tours, providing an insight into how the beer is made and offering opportunities to taste the finished product. 

Among the city’s many breweries are Penn Brewery, the oldest and largest craft brewery in Pittsburgh, specialising in German-style beers; Coven Brewing, one of the newest breweries in Pittsburgh known for its IPAs and sours; and Pittsburgh Brewing Company, which offers private guided tours of the brewery on the 42-acre property by the river.

City Brew Tours allows visitors to taste beer and tour a number of different breweries in one day. Private tours can be customised for groups of 25 or more and include tastings at every location, transport for the whole experience, a beer expert and dedicated event planner.