48 Hours in Pittsburgh: Itinerary Builder by Interest

Short answer

A classic 48 hours in Pittsburgh: Day 1, the Strip District and Point State Park, then an incline up Mount Washington for the view at dusk. Day 2, a half day in Oakland (Carnegie Museums, Phipps Conservatory, the Nationality Rooms) or on the North Shore (the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory), then dinner in Lawrenceville. Watch for Tuesday closures at several museums. Downtown is 17.4 miles, about 29 min with no traffic from the airport.

Pittsburgh in a weekend

Two days, by the numbers

25Verified stops in the builder, across seven parts of town.

29Minutes from PIT to Downtown with no traffic.

$0T rides between Downtown and the North Shore.

$2.75The 28X bus from the airport to Downtown or Oakland.

Interactive

Your two days, your interests.

48-hour itinerary builder

I'm into:

Day 1 is a Day 1: you land at PIT Day 2: your flight home

Pace

RelaxedPacked

I'll have a car

Assumes about an hour from landing to town (a 29-minute drive plus bags) and leaving town 2½ hours before your flight. Each half-day stays in one part of town. Stops on their published closed days are skipped. Hours and prices change: check each venue before you go.

The full list

Every stop in the builder

Stop	Part of town	Good for	Notes
Inclines and Grandview Avenue	Mount Washington and Station Square	views, history	Ride the Duquesne or Monongahela incline up to the overlooks. Both run past midnight.
Point State Park	Downtown and the Strip	outdoors, views, history	36 acres where the rivers meet, a National Historic Landmark. No entry fee; open sunrise to sunset.
Strip District markets	Downtown and the Strip	food	About half a square mile of grocers and produce, meat and fish markets, next to Downtown.
Primanti Bros., the original	Downtown and the Strip	food	The Strip District storefront where Primanti's started in 1933.
Heinz History Center	Downtown and the Strip	history, kids	Smithsonian affiliate at 1212 Smallman St. Open daily 10 to 5; free for 17 and under.
The Andy Warhol Museum	North Shore and Northside	art	117 Sandusky St, devoted to Pittsburgh-born Warhol. Closed Tuesdays.
Mattress Factory	North Shore and Northside	art	Installation-art museum in the Mexican War Streets. Closed Tuesdays; Mondays by appointment.
Mexican War Streets walk	North Shore and Northside	history, outdoors	Brightly painted homes and cobblestone streets on the Northside.
National Aviary	North Shore and Northside	kids	700 Arch St on the Northside. Closed Tuesdays.
Kamin Science Center	North Shore and Northside	kids	The former Carnegie Science Center, on the North Shore. Open daily.
Children's Museum of Pittsburgh	North Shore and Northside	kids	On Allegheny Square. Closed some holidays and select school-year Wednesdays.
A home game	North Shore and Northside	sports	Steelers and Pirates play on the North Shore; the Penguins play Downtown. Check the schedules.
Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History	Oakland	art, history, kids	Two museums, one building and one ticket, at 4400 Forbes Ave. Closed Tuesdays (the art museum only from Labor Day to Memorial Day).
Nationality Rooms	Oakland	history	In Pitt's Cathedral of Learning. Guided tours $10 for adults; closed Tuesdays; no cash.
Phipps Conservatory	Oakland	outdoors, kids	Glasshouse gardens in Schenley Park, given to the city in 1893. Open daily.
Schenley Park	Oakland	outdoors	456 acres in Oakland, a city park since 1889.
Frick Pittsburgh	East End	art, history	7227 Reynolds St. The Car and Carriage Museum is free; house tours are ticketed. Closed Mondays.
Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium	East End	kids, outdoors	In Highland Park, with free parking. Check its season before you go.
Lawrenceville and Butler Street	East End	food, nightlife, art	A walkable, artsy neighborhood with shopping along Butler Street.
Bloomfield, Little Italy	East End	food	Italian markets and old neon signs along Liberty Avenue.
Squirrel Hill dinner	East End	food	International food on Forbes and Murray Avenues.
East Carson Street	South Side	nightlife, food, history	A National Historic District of Victorian blocks on the South Side Flats.
Gateway Clipper cruise	Mount Washington and Station Square	views, kids	Family-owned riverboats from the Station Square dock since 1958.
Carrie Blast Furnaces	Out of town (car)	history	Rivers of Steel guided tours of a former steel-mill blast furnace site, 801 Carrie Furnace Blvd.
Kennywood	Out of town (car)	kids	Amusement park founded 1898, 10.7 road miles from Downtown. Seasonal; check its calendar.

From each venue's own website and VisitPittsburgh, checked October 19, 2026. We list closures and fees only where the venue publishes them.

Go deeper

Have more than 48 hours?

Smallman Street in Pittsburgh's Strip District, lined by the old produce terminal and warehouses, with St. Stanislaus Kostka Church's twin towers at the end

NeighborhoodsWhere to stayTake the neighborhood quiz.

PNC Park's ballfield and stands, with the yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge and downtown Pittsburgh beyond the outfield

Game dayCatch a gamePirates, Steelers and Penguins trip planners.

The yellow-and-black Steel Curtain roller coaster rising over the Kennywood Park entrance building and the Racer

With kidsKennywoodCheck the season on the month-by-month guide.

Downtown Pittsburgh's skyline across the river on a clear day, with the UPMC sign atop the U.S. Steel Tower at center

Day tripFallingwaterFrank Lloyd Wright, two hours south.

Questions

What can you do in Pittsburgh in 48 hours?

Ride an incline to the Grandview Avenue overlooks, walk Point State Park where the three rivers meet, eat through the Strip District, and spend a half day in Oakland (the Carnegie Museums, Phipps Conservatory, the Nationality Rooms) or on the North Shore (the Warhol, the Mattress Factory, a game). Use the builder to fit it to your interests and flights.

Do you need a car for a weekend in Pittsburgh?

Not for the city core. The 28X Airport Flyer runs between the airport terminal and Downtown and Oakland, every 30 to 40 minutes from about 5 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. The fare is $2.75 (exact cash, ConnectCard or mobile ticket). The T is free between Downtown and the North Shore. You need a car for Kennywood, the Carrie Blast Furnaces and day trips like Fallingwater.

Which Pittsburgh museums are closed on Tuesdays?

Per their own sites: the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory, the National Aviary, the Nationality Rooms visitor center, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History (the Carnegie Museum of Art closes Tuesdays from Labor Day to Memorial Day). Frick Pittsburgh closes Mondays.

How long is the drive from Pittsburgh airport to downtown?

17.4 miles, about 29 min with no traffic, by OSRM road routing.

Keep planning

Sources

48 hours in Pittsburgh, built for you.