Pittsburgh: A Shadow Of Its Former Self - But Undeniably Beautiful
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- In 1960 Pittsburgh was commercially, culturally and in population one of America's 10 most dominant cities, including the city's GDP and per capita GDP, which was top 10 as well. Shortly after that the decline began, and now Pittsburgh is a shadow of what it was. The population has declined by over half. The steel industry collapsed, along with the accompanying jobs, and now Pittsburgh ranks around 30th in city GDP and 50th in per capita GDP. That said, I visited Pittsburgh expecting to see what news articles I have read in the past having described the city as dirty and polluted. Instead I found it vibrant and, surprisingly, quite clean and beautiful. A downtown full of people, and virtually no meter parking available (My $5 dollar a day parking budget doesn't allow for garage or lot parking). Regularly ranked as one of America's most livable cities. No, the city is not what it was in it's heyday, and in 2021, the city again declined in metro population as older citizens died off and too few new people moved in. Still, although it has some problems - crime is a bit high and there's issues with infrastructure - overall it's a really nice place with friendly people and a low cost of living.
We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh
2.6 out of 5
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Travel Vlog #67
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Not surprised the comment section is mad that’s common for Pittsburgh ppl to be mad. Majority of the ppl here are delusional about hearing critics about PA but this place is most definitely dying and is miserable not to sound biased at all but I’ve lived here for 7 years and it took me less than a week quit literally to find out this place is hideous in the scenery aspect and the citizens that live here. It’s funny bc they get so upset when opposite opinions are expressed about this city but they wouldn’t even know what they are talking about if 1 that haven’t lived anywhere else 2 barley traveled any where else 3 no someone from some place else etc Pittsburgh ppl are blatantly delusional and ignorant to how bad this place is but also that everyplace is not like this I could continue but I would be writing for a week straight so I’ll just leave it there and wait for the angry Pittsburgh ppls response….
I'm from Pittsburgh. I agree with you 100%. Most people around here have been subjected to crap like "Pittsburgh is someplace special" and all sorts of other nonsense for the past 40 years. Everyone talks about the region rebounding, but it never does.
Certain parts of the city (South Side for example) see investments on occasion. Everyone will flock there to be a part of the new big thing, but once a new trendy area takes off, people leave the previous big thing and flock to the new big thing ... this results in the previous big thing rotting away. Not enough people move here to support such endeavors. I don't blame them!
Pittsburgh and its surrounding neighborhoods have some of the highest property taxes in the country. You'd think most of the schools would be awesome as a result, but they mostly stink. That's being nice too. Not all districts are bad, but if you did something wrong to the universe and you are somehow forced to move here, please research the schools in depth. Most of them, again, are garbage.
The people are great though ... they're friendly in general and will help you navigating the horrible streets. Seriously, some streets in European cities that were bombed in WWII would be an upgrade over some of the crap they call "roads" around here. Also, if you enjoy drinking yourself silly, you'll fit right in.
However, starting a life around here means you have to work 3 times as hard to earn half of what you'd make in other smaller, growing cities with a lower cost of living (i.e. you get taxed to death around here). That's why most kids graduating college run from this area the minute they graduate. Only idiots like myself stick around. Opportunities are slim pickings around here. Pittsburgh's idiotic obsession with high taxes is the reason why.
Overall, the place is a polished shithole. Some parts of it are very nice, but most of it is "meh" at best ... there's nothing really memorable about it outside of the people. I don't see it ever recovering personally ... when you're blowing serious money on garbage like bike trails while bridges are collapsing, people that may want to move here for one of the rare opportunities tend to look elsewhere since the idiots running the region are abject morons.
@@greedo50273 you hit the nail on the head. I would mention the morons running the city and state, but some people are too sensitive to hear the truth.
I made positive comments about Pittsburgh because I have always lived in the suburbs of Phila which is so dangerous I don’t go except for Chestnut Hill. My friend lived in Chestnut Hill she didn’t like it because to many old people. Both my sons live in Pittsburgh. Their bosses pay them more then they’d get here and housing is less. I’ve been visiting for 6 yrs as a visitor I love it and it is considered one of the best places in the states to retire because of the lower cost of living and hospitals and public transportation. Where did you decide to move?
Pittsburgh is definitely in the running for ugliest city in the world. All the grimy disgusting clapboard houses covered in that fake brick asphalt crap and moldy vinyl coverings over the windows. I mean, how? You would think there was some kind of competition to make the ugliest houses the world has ever seen and Pittsburgh took to it with a passion.
@@MrHorse-by3mp mr Horse where are you from?
My roommate lived in Amsterdam until he was 16. He has traveled to France, China, South Africa, Nigeria, etc. Pittsburgh is his favorite city.
Weird lol
it actually makes sense. If you're used to more bustling, crowded metro areas than you might appreciate Pittsburgh for its simplicity and easier urban life
We moved to Pittsburgh suburbs 3 years ago from California and LOVE it here!😃
Same. Hopefully you left your liberal politics back in California
Moving to the Pittsburgh suburbs next week and excited!!
@@gracenotes818 Which part?
Been here 55 years,,,we all loved our little gem,,it was wonderful,,,until the woke Democrats took it and turned it to landlords and slum,,,now they want to turn the suburbs into housing and grafeatti,,shit hole now,,look what happened to California,,,shithole
@@josephdale69 Right wing Republican so no liberal politics to leave😁 MAGA
Pittsburgh is a very underrated city. It's well-endowed with museums, theaters, art galleries, and a lot of other attractions. It is a difficult city in which to drive, and an even more difficult one to find any parking. I strongly recommend staying at one of the pricey downtown hotels, so you can walk instead of driving (the city is VERY walkable). While it has its rough neighborhoods, Pittsburgh's overall crime is somewhat lower than average compared to other U.S. cities. And yes, most people are quite friendly and approachable. One drawback is the harsh winters. Summer is the best time to visit.
I don't know dude, but some can make a strong argument that the city of Pittsburgh was responsible for the Johnstown Flood that happened on May 31, 1889 that nearly wiped out the entire town. Now why do I say that, you might be asking?
That's because of some of the most powerful and wealthiest people in the country at that time in period (known as the "Pittsburgh Elites") like Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick were known members of the South Fork Hunting & Fishing Club, and may've been responsible for removing the huge cast iron pipes that controlled the water levels from the South Fork Dam to keep it from overflowing. After the tragic Flood and massive fires that preceded it, the courts never brought any charges whatsoever against the South Fork Hunting-&-Fishing Club (you know those wealthy elites like Carnegie and Frick paid the courts off to look the other way) and never finding any of its members responsible for playing a role in weakening the dam that later led to it bursting the way it did.
Hi, I believe the crime might even be lower than nearby Columbus for example. I love its location too, because there are a lot of other big cities not too far away to visit.
I would agree that Pittsburgh has a lot of things to go see/do (museums, Heinz Hall, Station Square, Point Park, Schenley park, sports stadiums, Gateway Clipper, shopping)... but as a place to actually live, it's awful.
Pittsburgh is kind of like Las Vegas. It might be fun to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there.
Of all the places I've ever lived, Pittsburgh was by far the worst.
I think Pittsburgh's population will become more stable in the future. While many other cities/areas of the country face severe water shortages, Pittsburgh has 60 bill. gallons flow through it's downtown rivers everyday and will never have to worry about not having enough of it.
Agree. The eco-migrants are going to boost a lot of the former rust belt.
@@thirdcoast5755 don't say that. They're going to drive up the housing market and property taxes even more. Its already an overpriced mess.
Just moved here from Utah. Salt Lake is almost gone.
Salt Sandy City coming soon.
Grandfather was born and raised in North Side.
I'll make 7 generations in our family now here.
I live in Mt. Lebanon. Would recommend a retake on this video.
Love ❤️ Pittsburgh. Great town with wonderful people. Sorry you missed the town I know and love.
I absolutely LOVE PITTSBURGH. I've been to 49 states and lived in a dozen different cities including Portland, San Francisco, New York, Minneapolis...and the city throughout America I love the most...despite seeing pretty much everywhere in the usa, is....PITTSBURGH. Such a cool ciity. I also liked that you saw Cumberland and Morgantown briefly along the way,....two other places I think like so cool and interestiing as far as small cities go.
Yes, Cumberland and Morgantown looked really interesting. I will definitely be visiting both cities on our second run through!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip very cool....I hope you film those two! :)
You missed so much of Pittsbugh! So many great neighborhoods and you chose one of the poorest, the Hill District. It's a beautiful city with a lot to offer and explore.
Who willingly goes to the Hill District?
Well, that is just what he does, sadly. He drives through the most run down parts of cities that he visits.
@@swaghauler8334 The people who live there.
You missed so much of the great parts of the Burgh. You missed Southside, Northside, The Strip District, Bloomfield( Italian Neighborhood) Polish Hill and so many more. Very disappointed in this video of our great city.
I agree! You can't just judge a whole city based on a short ride around downtown and a ghetto!
My only problem with the video is that the title makes it seem like you did a full tour of Pittsburgh when in reality you toured downtown and the most heavily decayed neighborhood. I liked the tour though just wished It was more in depth, because Pittsburgh is a very beautiful city with a rich culture and contrary to popular belief a thriving population.
This video was great. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for 3 years now. I still think it’ll be a booming city in the future. It’s just not appreciated right now
Born and grew up in the Pittsburgh area, but not in the town itself. It has a lot to offer. Sports, world class health care, a world class symphony orchestra, vibrant arts community, superior educational opportunities with Pitt, Duquesne, Mellon, etc.. A transfer took me away many years ago. One derogatory saying we always did have about the Burgh. "The shortest distance between two points is under construction."
Mike Webster #52
Pittsburgh is doing better than most rust belt cities,it isn't booming but it's stabilizing instead of into deep decline like it was in the 80's..One of the first Rustbelt Cities that's recovered.
Bro your title is hilarious. Drove through one of the worst neighborhoods in the city and is that what your basing it on? Every city has its areas. There are areas around the city like East Liberty, Southside, Lawrenceville that were also in decline that over the last 15 years have completely turned around and are modern and vibrant. Tons of tech companies alive and well in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh’s “decline” was the late 70”s and 80’s after the mills closed up. Mid 90’s through now the city has reinvented it self in many ways. As for people leaving you don’t mention about the amount of people also coming. Buying a house here right now is virtually impossible without making an offer 30-50k over asking price and often they are being bought sight unseen which is crazy. We were a finalist city a couple years back for a massive Amazon corporate office. Numerous projects are constantly going on. Your title is incredibly misleading. Not to mention we are a foodies dream place the variety, quality, and unique food here is absolutely insane. You could spend a week here doing nothing but eating at various eateries all day. Not going to mention how many parking garages you drove by. Maybe do a bit of research on where to park ahead of time. Where you ended up is only blocks from downtown not really outside the city at all. You mostly have the city good remarks so your title is incredibly misleading. Anyways anytime you venture back this way do a bit of fun research and eat all the food and visit some of our wonderful museums and our great zoo. Also make sure you get outdoors lots of great hiking and lakes not too far from the city that are very enjoyable to frequent.
Your description ain't the Pgh I know and love. But Pgh is a tale of 2 cities.
@@acbrown what is the description of the Pittsburgh do u know and love?
@@davidmike3560 Once upon a time in the 60's & 70's Pgh had a population of almost 700,000 people. Today Pgh has approximately 300,000. We were a top 10 market. There has also been a significant loss of population in Allegheny County, so it's not folks moving to the suburbs. Jobs were better paying, there were vibrant shopping and night life for everyone, all over the city, not just Shadyside, Oakland and Southside. IMO, East Liberty has been destroyed. There are small pockets of development while the rest of the area rots even further. City playgrounds left to rot. PPS was once one of the best school districts in the state, not now. I was proud of the way Pgh rebounded in the 80's & 90's, but it is no where near what had been & can become. Until we recognize that there hasn't been enough done and keep patting ourselves on the back for the little bit that has been achieved for a very small % of the population, Pgh will remain stagnant and the population drain will continue.
@@acbrown everything everywhere was better in the 60’s 70’s than today.
@@davidmike3560 Nope, that is not true at all. Have you ever been outside of PA? Such an odd comment.
I like Pittsburgh it's a very peaceful City it's very quiet it's a very friendly City too
Where was he driving?! I'm born and raised and I love living in the south hills. He's on the hill district that's been bad since the 70s I believe.
Keep my hoods name out your fu**ing mouth
it's sad but a true view of Pittsburgh.
@@bobworkingman554 Um, not the suburbs, you’re sadly mistaken
For reference the chairs in front of people's houses are used as parking space holders.
We escaped Florida to find a better place to live, and we chose Pittsburgh. We absolutely love it here and are beyond happy in this beautiful city.
We could have moved anywhere in the country. So, we conducted a methodical two-year search of medium to large cities, with our primary criteria being high quality of life, low cost of living, healthy job and business opportunities, and a progressive political environment. We narrowed our list to 20 cities from one end of the country to the other and then finally down to five, which we visited in person to scout them out. In the end, Pittsburgh won. We really don't think we could've picked a better place that scored such high marks in all four of our primary criteria and in our numerous secondary criteria. We found plenty of places with very high quality of life but with a matching high cost of living, for example, and we found perfectly affordable places but where we knew we'd be unhappy. Pittsburgh was the sweet spot. We quit our jobs, sold our house and moved here. We both eventually found good jobs, and after three years renting, we bought a house. We've lived in Pittsburgh five years now and plan on starting a business here soon.
We love how beautiful it is here in every season, the surprisingly rich cultural offerings (the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is considered one of the best in the world), the big city amenities, festivals and other activities; the vibrant and diverse city neighborhoods, business districts and parks; the historic downtown and Cultural District; the top-notch health care systems; and how the city has become acclaimed hubs for higher education and the medical, high-tech and robotics industries. The city and region have a bright future. Every time we have out-of-town visitors, they too are surprised at how amazing Pittsburgh is. In fact, one of our married couple friends decided to move here from Chicago based on our recommendation and their visit. We're working on others!
Of course, Pittsburgh's not perfect. No big metro area is. There is extensive room for improvement in multiple areas, such as with the roads and equitable economic opportunity. But I've lived in 14 cities in six states and have traveled extensively over my lifetime, and I can say truthfully that moving to Pittsburgh was one of the best decisions I've made. For the cost of living, there's not a better place to live and work in my book.
How do u like the drab, dreary ,cloudy skies & winter 250 days of the year!
I agree with your post and I'm glad it's working out good for you and your wife! For the cost of living and amenities I feel Pittsburgh can't be beat. It's quiet at night, clean-ish, and I live about 10 mins from Walmart and lots of other shopping. In my area I never have to worry about parking. I miss the train in NYC. That's one thing that I wish they had here
@@jgrysiak6566 The winter is the only season that sucks, but having a wood burning fireplace is kind of fun and is a whole other experience. The spring and fall here are pretty nice. Not excessively sunny but there are many nice days. We had our first 80 degree day well over a month ago which is not bad! Summers are hot and wonderful (to me) and the nights are still cool enough that I don't even use AC in my house
@@kshenriques , all the cities under the great lakes are drab, dreary & cloudy from Syracuse NY to St.Louis!
@@jgrysiak6566 Yes. We smoke lots of weed 😄
Pitt is a city built by the whimsy and vision of American moguls....simply stunning architecture. Absolutely unique vibe, from the architectural profile to the natural geography.
built by tartarians.
As a lover of Pittsburgh I enjoyed your video. The content was fair but the title of the video is not fair. Pittsburgh has demonstrated to the rest of the country how a city that once thrived on heavy industry can re-invent itself when that industry evaporates. Visit again. Explore the fabulous parks and culture and nightlife of Pittsburgh next time.
I also am a Pittsburgh native and worked in North Side for 40 yrs... it's sad what this great city turned into. You can be mad at me but this is a product of a Democrat run city.
@@bobworkingman554 Yeah. Infrastructure is heavily underfunded, meanwhile there's always money to put in bike lanes apparently (and thus taking up more precious parking).
@@dynagaming2693 "Precious parking" I thought bike lanes were part of urban design 101
so true, you need a day or two in each neighborhood to get an accurate feel
Live in Pittsburgh, pay high taxes. Police never show up. Streets are never plowed or salted. Live four minutes from Pittsburgh in the suburbs. Pay way lower taxes. Police/fire/DPW services are A+. Pittsburgh is a dump. Except the politicians in Pittsburgh are top notch!!! Oh, wait.....
Bingo!
You should have entered the city via Interstate 376 East, through the Ft. Pitt tunnel. The view of the downtown triangle is breathtaking. A lot of commuters ride the PAT bus into town.
...during rush hour... so he gets the real "Pittsburgh" experience of driving with some of the most inconsiderate people in the world! 🤣
Pittsburgh is my favorite city in the US. Say whatever you want about it, it's got a vibrant scene and so many awesome places to visit, from the Andy Warhol museum to watching the Penguins play. The grit and steel add to its charm (although I admit that driving is horrible there).
I think Pittsburgh is a once dying city that is slowly coming back to life.
I stayed at a hotel near the university, and they had a shuttle that took us downtown. The area was relatively small enough to cover a lot of ground. The people are friendly, but yeah, it’s definitely not a hip place like, say, New York City.
In fairness, you visited in March when it's gray, rainy, and cold. If you come back sometime in May through October it's MUCH nicer.
I love my hometown. It's beautiful. Does the weather suck, yes it does but it's a wonderful place to live. It's hard to drive and park in Pittsburgh because of the topography. The PPG building was Gotham City in the Dark Knight Rises.
Scroll through most of the comments and you’ll find others parroting these negative reviews, despite the fact most have never even lived here.
The climate and weather is terrible. Winter basically last from November to late May. There really is no "spring" season to speak of. Sure, the plants and trees start growing again, but it's still damn cold. Also, cloudy and dreary, sometimes even during the summer months there could be very little sunshine. The city itself is particularly bad, but that weather is just gross, unless you like cold and cloud cover. Depressing
@@Johnnybomb1 That's just not true, at least for the 8 years I've lived here. It almost routinely starts to hit 60 degrees by mid-late march, Last year was ass cold, but those are the bad years, a normal year it's cold by like November, warm by mid march, and I literally have many photos from multiple years wearing t shirts and shorts from that early in the year. The only thing that really sucks about Pittsburgh winters is that they're ugly and gray, you barely get any snow most years (you might get 1 big dump in December or January that lasts a week or two but that's really it) so there's really nothing to look at. Yea it does rain pretty often, but it's never consecutive days, usually random and sporadic days throughout the week, sometimes if you're lucky it doesn't rain at all the entire week. If you learn to take advantage of the sun when it's there, rather than being upset about when it's not, it's really not all that depressing.
Pittsburgh is now the trailhead for the Lewis and Clark National Historic trail. I lead hikes in Emerald View Parki in Mt. Washington. The cultural district is thriving as is the North shore entertainment venue. I live two miles from downtown in a large Victorian house that we got for less than 50K. We have woods and wildlife and are free to have campfires and chickens in our yard. For me, it's the best of both worlds and the blight that everyone likes to point out is limited by the geographic confinements of the topography.
Like all places, there are two Pittsburgh's. One for them, one for the "others". Most concerning is the never ending population decline.
The suburbs and surrounding area has millions of people. The population decline is horseshit
@@mikec3949 Perhaps, yet the focus of the post title appears to be on the city of Pittsburgh, not it's surrounding suburbs.
Lotsa old people dying off.
@@jgrysiak6566 Not all that long ago, Allegheny county was the 2nd oldest county in the United States behind only Dade county, Florida. The remnants of the steel age are now very old and dying off. This city may make a comeback, but it's a long way off. 400,000 people are a lot to make up for. I've been here for 55 of my 59 years and only stay here because its cost of living is reasonable compared to many other cities.
What most people forget about when it comes to loss of population is not people leaving but family-size being one or two people less than it used to be. My parents had five children but in turn those five children have only had six children
This brings back memories. We did a 2-year move from Houston TX to Marshall Twp, 20 mins north of downtown... went into the city all the time. The 8 months of dreary weather and the insular, caustic people were not for me. But the scenery is beautiful and I miss it. I have traveled a lot and PGH is a very unique city... hope to get back there sometime. You are right that parking is a hassle, requires pre-planning if you don't have intimate knowledge. I was able to get it for $3-10 on parking apps. The city and metro are a large patchwork.. some is very vibrant, most has seen better days. The entire region has a dire problem with opiate addictions, which was very striking to me. After living up there it's clear why that place is slowly dying, while the south & west are quickly growing.
I was born and grew up there but left in 2011. There were far better places to see old homes than hill district. Particularly the Mt. Lebanon/Upper St. Clair area has beautiful neighborhoods with the old architecture that you seek. If you even feel like traveling out 15 more miles the other direction, Sewickley/Edgeworth area has exquisite old homes. I see that you are one for risk/reward experiences. If you do make it back over, head over to McKees Rocks and stop by the Pierogies Plus restaurant. You will have the greatest eastern European cuisine from the team there. It's exactly how grandma made pierogies. Happy travels.
I’m from Pittsburgh….and even I gotta admit this city is not what it use to be
Is every city you visit “ a dying town” All cities have bad and good areas! You miss Pgh.on an overcast rainy day and judge the city on a crap day . Pittsburgers love the Burgh!
I’d say California has the country beat in ugly smelly cities
Iys mostly drab & dreary here every day. What are u saying? Lol
I lived/worked in Pittsburgh for a time... people that "love" living there are high out of their minds. 🤦
Pittsburgh is a great place to visit and a terrible place to live.
Not really that familiar with Pittsburgh, but from everything I've been reading up on over the past year or so, Pittsburgh seems to be on the upswing. It's consistently listed in top places to move due to affordable housing, good healthcare, and improving job market. As others have pointed out, every large metro area is going to have areas that are rundown.
It is and if you really spend time there and not riding thru you will see new projects spring up everywhere they are always building or remodeling everything.
You missed so many good things about Pittsburgh and it's surrounding area.
You're certainly right about driving in downtown and lack of parking. It's difficult because it's a triangle so, the streets run parallel to the rivers causing angular street corners. It's also impossible to get a "sense of direction" due to the topography.
The steel mills get all of the blame for the pollution but, what no one tells you is that during those times, EVERYONE burned coal for their heat. Everyone. That was a HUGE contributor to the pollution.
Interesting. Thank you for the additional info.
I saw so many parking garages open in this video. We never have any issues finding parking. 🤷♀️
@@valeriejack4483 My budget doesn’t allow for the cost of parking garages.
I grew up in Pittsburgh and you should have seen Pittsburgh in the 70's and 80's. I drove a cab downtown and Pittsburgh had everything you wanted. A lot more people walking around. Pittsburgh is more tame now.
Been there for a few baseball games. From Wisconsin. Beautiful city, beautiful ball park. Friendly people. Every city has its problems, and "troubled" areas. Do your research before you go to ANY city. Use common sense. Enjoy what every city has to offer. And of course it declined after the mills closed. Just like when an auto plant,or other major employer closes. Never good.
I'm from Pittsburgh. You passed DOZENS of parking garages and a few lots as well as metered on-street parking...I'm assuming you didn't want to pay to park? That's fine, but be clear about that. You absolutely had MANY parking options! 😒
I double checked my footage. I did not pass “dozens” of parking garages. My budget doesn’t allow for the $20 to $30 cost to park in a garage in any case. I passed 2 parking lots - both were crammed full to overflowing. I had driven around for 45 minutes before I turned the camera on. There were zero open parking meters.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip It’s possible you just weren’t driving in the right areas, plus things can start to get a bit overwhelming with traffic and not knowing where you’re going. There’s a garage right near PPG place that almost always has openings, one garage is attached to the old Kaufmann’s building, a couple of new garages popped up with other new constriction buildings, the historic round white garage, a multi story one facing Liberty avenue (I think someone drove off one of the floors - several floors above the street), and there are a couple of open lot style places on the Allegheny river side of town because almost no one is back to a full in-office schedule yet.
Christian, buddy, listen. Your road infrastructure is terrible. I've driven it for decades. It wasn't designed for high volume traffic. It's bad. Accept it.
@@ElectricBuckeye Pittsburgh won’t have good infrastructure until the politicians in charge stop with silly little pet projects.
@@mikaelafox6106 it won't be because of pork barrel spending. It's simply because the whole city would need to be redesigned. It just wasn't planned to be able to handle that much traffic.
Born in PBG lived in DET work in HOU. . . . . Pitt is a GREAT city so is DET the only reason I left is because I got tired of shoveling snow every winter. . . . Although HOU has hurricanes, sooooo, i guess no place is perfect. . . . . 'cept Heaven
Dude visited Pittsburgh, went downtown and the Hill lmao
Unfortunately the streets are hard to navigate because of the rapid growth in the early 1900's combined with hills and rivers. However, you missed many great area's of the city (Lawrenceville, Shady Side etc...) furthermore the suburbs surrounding the city are outstanding with many amenities especially to the North of the city. Love Pittsburgh!!
Pittsburgh is not a fast moving place. So many people driving their cars into homes & businesses on the news. They need to slow down on this old road infrastructure!
@@jgrysiak6566 Pittsburgh also has decent transit. We've visited a dozen times and get everywhere by bus. The three dedicated busways are the envy of many other American cities -- they allow you to scream through the city at rush hour on the equivalent of a bus-only superhighway at 50+ MPH while the traffic on surface roads is crawling at 5 MPH. No complaints. Ditch the car and see a whole different side of this unique American city.
Yeah you missed so many great neighborhoods. Other cities you tour the neighborhoods . You just visited the worst one with the most shootings.
I was born and raised here! I love it. You did pass a lot of parking while you were driving, the signs were there. If you’re ever back, park in Dormont and take the T. Check out Dean Bog here on UA-cam :)
I have tried visiting Greenville SC a few times on a Sunday and I had to leave because I couldn't find a place to park. Some of these places are horrible for parking.
Thanks for posting your visit to Pittsburgh. It is nice to have an armchair visit to such a historical city. Downtown looks vibrant, and worth a live-time visit one day.
@Lord Spoda:
Not sure if this was ever suggested, but you need to visit the city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which is an hour outside of Pittsburgh (if going by Amtrak) and is home to where the one of the worst man-made disasters ever, in the form of the infamous Johnstown Flood that killed around 2209 people on May 31, 1889
Sounds interesting!!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip indeed it is, especially when one learns about the history of what happened to the town on that fateful day
It's on my list now.
As a resident of Pittsburgh, I can say that out of all my travels (31 states), Pittsburgh has the WORST parking and driving out of any state / city I've ever been in. Shit, back in the day there wasn't even street signs for 90% of the roads. What I personally hate the most about living in Pittsburgh is that all everyone talks about is sports. When you say you're from Pittsburgh the first thing anyone says is "Oh! The Steelers!" It's very annoying, especially as someone who doesn't even follow sports. Also, the Hill District isn't even that bad compared to a lot of other Pittsburgh neighborhoods, it's just extremely poor. Homewood, Rankin / Braddock, McKeesport, McKees Rocks (I lived in The Rocks for 5 years), Allentown / Beltzhoover, etc. I don't feel nervous walking around the Hill District, but I won't even drive through McKeesport or Homewood.
What about the Pirates?
@@dopeMike_ What about them? They're normally a very bad baseball team, then they start off a new season strong, everyone proclaims about how much they believe in them, then they blow it. Rinse and repeat year after year.
@@dopeMike_the Pirates?... do they play at the stadium where they do the pierogi races and t-shirt giveaways via launcher? 🤔
I was there in the early 2000's visiting a college. We took a walk down to see the park at the tip and get some food. As we walked we soon realized there was nobody anywhere. We found a McDonalds and as we got to door it was closed. It was 5:30! We found out later we were in Pittsburgh's international business district, it was Friday and every company was closed by 5 pm. The park was empty too.
Pittsburgh is on the come back, no pollution from Steel mills, more technology, it's where 3 rivers meet not 2 the Monongahela, Allegheny, and the Ohio, Pittsburgh is a Beautiful city, and the most friendliness.
The two rivers meet and create the Ohio. And never said the city wasn't nice. In fact I said it's beautiful. It's just not the powerhouse it was in the mid 1900's.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip 1+1+1=3, 2 rivers run into the Ohio, Pittsburgh is called the city of 3 rivers, and the neighborhood that you were saying oh it's is real bad, that's called abandoned houses! Fraudulent title!
It is the City of 3 Rivers, but 3 rivers do not "meet" there. The Allegheny and Monongahela "meet" there (it's the confluence of the two) and together they form the Ohio, which BEGINS there. The other two rivers END there. The Ohio then runs past Cincinnati, Louisville and ends at the Mississippi River at Cairo, Illinois. I've been to all three places and many in-between. The area I drove through had a few abandoned houses, but most were occupied. Pittsburgh was in the US top 10 in culture, population and industry up into 1950. It's declined slowly ever since and is hovering around 30 now in population and GDP. Per capita GDP is even lower - Pittsburgh ranks 52. Pittsburgh's metro population declined in 2021 - its natural decline (deaths vs births) was the highest in the country last year. These are the facts. Sorry they hurt your feelings but it is what it is.
You mentioned, a lot of people running around. Didn't see that many running around in downtown.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, 4th generation on my dads side and 8th gen on my moms side. First of all you visited during the worst time of year, fall through winter. Always cold dark and rainy. Summer here is awesome! There is never any parking downtown ever. We are a very proud diverse city. We are far from dead. After the mills left we have worked tirelessly on redeveloping ourselves as a tech and medical hub. We are a talkitive bunch of loveable, blue collar people. We have diverse green spaces and trails among the city as well. The crime downtown is mostly drug related. We love our Steelers, Penguins and sometimes our Pirates. We have amazing food, culture and history. You only got a glimpse of what there is here. Come back and see us again.
I’m curious, why didn’t you go to Shadyside? Your title could have been Pittsburgh is on the rise. The point is is that every city has its bad neighborhoods.
Because no one is interested in seeing a video of Shadyside. Also, I made it a point to say that every city has its bad sides, and that Pittsburgh's wasn't near as bad as many other cities. I then praised Pittsburgh as beautiful. Clearly, you didn't actually watch the video.
Hi, I really enjoy your videos they teach me so much and I get to see cities close up. They are so interesting please keep them coming.
Thank you for watching, Linda! :)
Grew up in Pgh. back in the60's and 70's. Still have Family there. Tho I live in Ky. since 1981. It turned into a tech town in the 80's. A lot of positive change. However. The winters stink! The potholes are terrible and driving around in all those hills is the worst! It is a beautiful City in a 4K drone fly over! Would I move back at 62? I think not! Thanks for the video!
Thank you for the kind words, Greg! Yeah, the city wasn’t what I expected. I had always been told that Pittsburgh was dirty and polluted. It wasn’t that at all, and is actually kinda beautiful! Traffic was really bad, though. 😬
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Also the Hill District was a thriving black area in the 50's before the great urban renewal of that area killed that great community. They built the Civic Arena. And knocked down that whole area for progress. So sad! Thank you again for sharing that video! Brings back good memories!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip traffic bad ? have you ever been to LA ?
Lol at “slowly dying.” that’s bs. Have someone show you the city next time.
@@logantodd5943 I have to respectfully disagree with your comment. I left Pittsburgh 20 years ago and returned to live last year, for family reasons. It has declined in so many areas. It's so sad to me as I loved Pgh.
In the late 1800's into 1950 Pittsburgh was a major US cultural and economical powerhouse and among the largest cities in the US. In 1950 the city population peaked at 677,000. In 2020 it was 302,000. The metro peaked in 1960 at 2,768,000 - in 2020 it was 2,371,000. The city GDP was in the top 10 into the mid 1900's. Now it's 25th. Per capita GDP is even worse - Pittsburgh is 52nd in the US. The largest ethnic group leaving are African-Americans (minus 13% between 2010 and 2020, per the US Census), which means the city is becoming less diverse. These are facts, and although it appears they hurt your feelings, the very definition of a city in slow decline. Pittsburgh is a nice city, beautiful even. But it's nowhere near the juggernaut that it used to be.
As long as we have Democrats running the city things will never get better.
@@davido6684 Why is that some people can never see beyond Dem or Repub? It will never get better with that kind of thinking. We need more thinking about the issues and the solutions, not this Rep vs Dem crap. Those aren't Rep potholes any more than we have Dem schools. The population that the city/region lost was both Dem and Repub. Think beyond the political talking points. As Michael Jackson would say... Look at the Man in the Mirror.
@@acbrown I'm simply going by what I see with my own eyes. California, Oregon, and Washington are all cesspools. All Democrat run. Name one Democratic run city or state that's doing well right now. Could Republicans do better? We'll never know until people wake up.
Greetings from Edinburgh in Scotland.Your vlogs are really interesting and informative.Keep up the interesting work and will continue to watch all your other vlogs.
Thank you for that, Alasdair! :)
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Fun fact: The "correct" way to pronounce Pittsburgh is just like Edinburgh, Scotland. Of course, no one in the U.S. pronounces Pittsburgh that way.
Good point about how a city's mood goes up or down based on the local NFL team's performance. Here in metro Atlanta where I live, you can imagine how it was after we lost to the Patriots in the worst meltdown in Superbowl history. 🏈
Downtown Pittsburgh looks amazing and I would love to attend a Pirates game at PNC Park.
I think you mean attend a beer drinking and nacho cheese & chips eating event at PNC Park... supposedly they play baseball there too. 🤷
The downtown area is vibrant and the construction of new apartments is booming for young people
Pittsburgh suffers from the typical problems one finds in one party rule. There is nothing inherently wrong with Democrats or Republicans but there is an inherent problem when one party rules. Absolute power is never productive. The sense of and practices of entitlement of the Allegheny county Democratic Party results in people for the government. This turns the Gettysburg Address upside down. The sheer number of political entities in that county makes an already difficult process next to impossible. It also duplicates services which has placed an ever growing burden on the taxpayer. Few people want to pay more in tax. Those who can avoid taxes do. The poor business climate has chased entities away from Pittsburgh for 5 decades. Forget Big Steel and the Google workforce is a drop in the bucket. It is simply not fertile for growth because of one party rule.
But one party rule doesn’t happen by accident. The Republican Party is essentially non-existent in western Pa. So the Rs offer little hope.
Sad. But true. Census Numbers have a way of revealing what people really think.
Vote blue 💙
They tried to bring an Amazon warehouse here, but the old people killed it. They didnt want the traffic in their neighborhood!
Good paying American jobs going elsewhere!
@@kshenriques If Blue is Democrat then you are part of Pittsburgh's problem.
@@jgesselberty All lies. Pittsburgh should be grateful for a resident like myself
Very true. Pittsburghers always vote Democrat, even if it’s a bad decision. It’s brainwashing at its finest.
Just north of the city a new Shell plant went in and many moved here to Center township, Beaver County for employment at the plant & the many homes & hotels went in to accommodate Shell employees. Visit Pittsburgh in the summer and you will have a whole different opinion on it. Pittsburgh is awesome! Plenty of parking garages too.
Beaver County is also the armpit of PA. Landlords are now charging high ridiculous rents to live in a drab, dreary, downbeat place.
I actually don’t mind people believing this, if people stay away then housing stays cheap around here.
That’s the spirit. The people of Boise, Idaho wholeheartedly agree with you.
If only that were true...I write this looking at shabby row houses on my street selling for 400k
I really want to visit Pittsburgh, and maybe even relocate there (hopefully to a safe area). Such a beautiful city, and area. And yeah, all big cities in America are going to have run down parts of town, but that does not mean that those parts are dangerous, or the people living in them are bad. Thanks for the video. I wish it would have been longer, and maybe you could have drove through Dormont. I would like to maybe find a place in Dormont, because it is very reasonable rents, and it right near the Subway station, or whatever they call it.
Technically it's called The Pittsburgh Light Rail but we just call it The T.
We so enjoy your travels ~ we have traveled a great deal over the years, but we don’t choose to now. It is such a pleasure to watch your and Nic’s videos. WELL DONE ! Shadow
Wow, thank you!
Those of you who could get depressed by prolonged absence of sunny days, stay away from Pittsburgh.
Bro you are driving by a parking garage at 11:10 while saying “there is no place to park here”.
The same at 12:19
Parking garages are not in my budget. I only park at meters.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Free99 meters.
TL;DR - 7:30.... that's a prefect summary of Pittsburgh!
Even near the airport where I used to live, the traffic patterns are convoluted and confusing (which lead to near fender benders between x3 to x10 a week! ...because I lived near the Marriott along I-376)
Grew up around Pitt, live near Philly now... Philly traffic and parking is so much worse lol
Pittsburgh is under significant gentrification. Go to the surrounding suburbs in the Mon Valley, rust belt towns. You will see the real Pittsburgh! McKeesport, Duquesne, Braddock, Homestead, Rankin, etc.
I hope they gentrify the whole area. Including the shit holes you mentioned
The places you mentioned aren't Pittsburgh though
You drove through downtown and one rough neighborhood. You missed all the neighborhoods that are coming back! You need to do more homework before you visit and judge a city.
The UPMC was the first skyscraper in the world to be over I think over 13 stories and also have the same sized base and roof.
Love that building.
No UPMC bought the floors of the US steel Tower
@@SPIIIVA My great uncle was one of the Ironworkers during the construction of the US steel Tower it was his third job after he got back from Vietnam war
Originally designed to be the world headquarters for United States Steel.
It’s clear that this guy is not prepared with the right knowledge of Pittsburgh and it’s rich history. Well it may not be a “steel city” anymore it has advanced in so many other areas, health care, education, banking, technology, and engineering. It honestly never had a period where it crashed and sank into disarray such as Detroit or Cleveland. I think if you made this video for educational purposes, I would say you did a bad job. The metro area still has a population of over 1 million people. The reason the city itself is so low in population is because the city limits haven’t changed since the early 1900s. The combined statistical area is actually over 2 million and is 24 in population in US. ( and growing) Most people live in the suburbs OUTSIDE city limits. Please for the love of God if you come here and make a video to say it’s dying have your facts straight. Now I will say Pittsburgh has become more dangerous lately and unfortunately that seems to be trending in every American city. ( I wonder why) Also to Nia King not sure where you came from but clearly you just must not be a person that educates themselves on the local culture, although you will defend yourself to no end to prove you are “cultured” I’m sure and your spelling is bad. I’m a south hills native and joined the navy when I was 18, went to Japan, did deployments to other countries, lived in Florida for 2 years and Washington DC for 4. I will always call Pittsburgh home and love it and find comfort in it. I love all places I’ve been and I don’t compare them to my home, I enjoy what is different about where I go. Anyway this video did annoy me a bit just to hear someone make comments on a place so hastily. I like the idea of what you’re doing but please title the video appropriately. You said the city was dying and couldn’t find parking and said downtown was crowded… lol
I think overall this is pretty fair assessment of Pittsburgh's history, particularly in the 20th century and early 21st century. However, you'd need to spend several days to get a true flavor of the city.
1) Downtown Pittsburgh is definitely not the easiest to drive in. It's better to park outside the city and take the "T" (light rail system) into downtown and walk around.
2) Driving up 5th Avenue through the Hill District is one of the worst (maybe the worst) part of Pittsburgh. Past the Hill District on Forbes and 5th Avenues, you'll come upon the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie-Mellon University campuses, along with very nice areas like Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Highland Park and Point Breeze.
3) Also, there are very nice suburban areas such as Sewickley, Fox Chapel, Peters Township, the North and South Hills, etc.
I've was born and raised in Pittsburgh, and I've lived in other places, but "da burgh" is home and where I live now, and is my favorite place.
I live in Sewickley. Truly an idyllic community!
13,000? Fahgeddaboutit! I'm from NYC, 13,000's nothing. Even by percentage, that's a good number to retain. I think you're rather over-critical.
I didn’t have anything to do with the population loss. And if you watched the video, you know I liked the city a lot. I thought Pittsburgh was beautiful, which I wasn’t expecting.
Most of your observations are pretty accurate. One thing to keep in mind about Pittsburgh and most other major cities, is that late 19th and early 20th century, there was no such thing as the "suburbs." Nearly all of the steel mills were clustered along the rivers and Pittsburgh in particular, and people literally walked to work from their homes or took the streetcars (now the T subway). When the boom turned to bust in the 70's and the with the city "renaissance," the burgh transformed itself into a major technology and healthcare innovation city. Now, again as most major cities, it is a Democratically run, highly taxed, difficult to get in and out of or parking (as you noted) city, and people now live in the less taxed more open and beautiful suburbs and drive to the office complexes outside of the city. Now, the metro Pittsburgh area is 2,339,652 with an average household income of $86,943. A far cry from the 300,000 city limits. No one wants to live in the city.
A lot of people from Pittsburgh moved out like an 20 to hour radius house’s getting built like no tomorrow
Monongahela is pronounced Mah-non-ga-hey-lah. Too bad you didn’t get to visit shadyside (ritzy) or lawrenceville (trendy with the millennials), or south side. The Market Square area of downtown is always bustling (especially in summer) and has had quite a few new shops popping up. Quite a few nice walking trails and museums as well. Schenley Park and Frick Park are nice to walk through and escape into the “wilderness” for a little while. Also if you were here in the summer you could go to Sandcastle water park and Kennywood amusement park. Back in the 80s there was a super fun ride there called the Monongahela Monster. 😆😂
The hipster revival of houses on the South side is so funny to me. People paying "Ohio mansion countryside estate" prices for tiny townhouses with no garage. 😂
I don't get these people.
I’m a Pittsburgh fan. Admittedly, I’ve only gone there on business trips so I haven’t seen much beyond downtown but they have some beautiful hotels and restaurants. If they had a bigger arts scene I’d probably consider moving there.
You drove past the Allegheny Court House without mentioning this architectural gem. You should have went to Oakland, the east end of Pittsburgh.
The “bad” parts of Pittsburg don’t look anywhere near as bad as Baltimore! At least the streets are quiet and the people stay inside, not out in the streets drinking, selling drugs and shooting at each other like in Baltimore!
I agree. Did you not hear me say that Pittsburg was beautiful several times?
should have taken the incline and walked town, i live very close to that incline i could have given you a tour! cool video, i like the music.
The Great Allegheny Passage is a bike trail that runs between Pittsburgh and Cumberland Md. It is in the bed of a defunct railroad so there are no steep hills on it. It has free campsites on it or it did in 2012 when I was there. I traveled the whole lenght of it. It is paved with crushed limestone. In Cumberland I got on the C & O Canal Towpath and rode to Washington D.C.. Again, no hills. However, the canal towpath did not have the crushed limestone so I got a bit mud covered while on it.
Pittsburgh was always one of my favorite cities to go to. It's on my retirement list, though after watching your video on Charleston, WV, I may have to check that out as well. I've been to Charleston, but never really considered it.
Moved here from NJ three years ago. Love it. City isn't steel or manufacturing and hasn't been for many years. The main drivers are "Eds and Meds" Universities and Hospitals. The biggest employer in the state of PA is UPMC.
1 thing I've learned about Pittsburghers in person and in comment sections on videos of their city......CRAZY DEFENSIVE about their city! Even when you point out a shitty reality of their city- they will deny and argue it to the death and tell you its the Best city in the Universe bar none! Def nothing wrong with city pride, but sometimes you gotta step away from being delusional and admit the realities, even if its negative.
I always laughed when I heard the Pittsburgh is one of the only cities to be constantly ranked in the top 15 big cities for best places to live! 🤣
I lived around here long enough to tell you that seems like a stretch! It's definitely not the worst, but it has problems.
Please keep saying bad things about Pittsburgh.....it will keep people from coming here, which is a good thing. We have a low cost of living and some really nice neighborhoods, dont need more people coming to f it all up.....so please keep saying how bad it s and how its dying.....those of us that live here thank you for helping keep people away. Its nice as it is...
I'm sorry I love Pittsburgh. I've visited 10-ish times on business; put it up there with Nashville, Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto in my top five favorite American cities.
Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto don't belong in the same sentence as "American". 🤣
...and Toronto DEFINITELY doesn't belong in the same sentence as "top" or "favorite"... 🤮
Ok, a lot of people are still able to drive, that's a good sign. So far so good.
The first time I was in Pittsburgh it was so easy to get into the city but getting out was craziness lol.
It's a tough place to drive in, key!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I remember well lol.
Old highway infrastructure needs to be rebuilt to handle today's traffic.
If you are going downtown, Take The Bus or the Light Rail in, In Europe and Asia people don't expect to find car parking in the Downtown either
I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh, and I left in my mid 20's for "greener pastures" job wise. The city has changed, and I think the local government has " rolled with the punches" on economic downturns or up turns. Like most cities in the "rust belt" , it has taken a while for them to look beyond the steel industry to survive. Yes, every city has its sketchy sections, but you have to look at what new industries have come and stay with the city limits not suburbs in recent years. Pittsburgh, during its economic heavy industry hay days was called the "Smoky City" . If the air quality was poor, the economy was good. But, when i go to visit my relatives , visiting Pittsburgh is like a new city to explore in some areas. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
The Northside is still high crime 😳 but yea Hill district got a lot better & cleaner but if you go to like Peters TWSP or Upper St. Clair 👍👍😏🤣🤣
Pittsburgh is my hometown. I love Pittsburgh. I live in Ohio, an hour from Pittsburgh. Yeah you drove thru the worst (Hill district) part of Pittsburgh.
Great video! Thanks for making it.
Coffee thing makes sense, Sense we get more rain than Seattle.
Pittsburgh‘Glory Day’s’ included extreme pollution to the point that sometimes people needed their headlights on in the middle of what would otherwise be a clear sunny day. I lived there in the 70’s and I can tell you this with absolute certainty. So, those glory days were actually pretty horrible for the environment and for the people people who had to breathe that toxic air.
Here in Adelaide, South Australia we have two football teams in the national competition. The Adelaide Crows and the Port Adelaide Power. Although the offical memberships are relatively close in numbers the supporter based massively favours the Adelaide Crows. When the Crows won back-to back Grand Finals in the 1990s the entire city seemed to be on a high for weeks. When the Crows are not winning as has been the last few years the town has been more subdued. Weird how sport plays such an integral part of people’s lives. Seems pretty facile. Me, I support neither club.
aaaaaand back to the topic. I dont mind ADL I like the way its laid out wine country and beach. Reminds me of Arizona and California in one.
As usual I always ♥️ your videos. I’ve heard allot about Pittsburgh from all the way in Australia: The good, the bad, the Hipster vide to the Fox News version of a city in decline😂. But beside all the individual thoughts, Pittsburgh looks remarkably beautiful with the trees and nature. I honestly love to visit one day to make up my own mind as Ive heard so many good things from Pittsburgh… but yes there is always an opposite too
Oh, I thought Pittsburgh was very beautiful. All the residential areas in the hills are something to see.
Pittsburgh is a nice place to go see... just don't live there!
Pittsburgh is an example of how a city can have a shrinking population and yet become a better place to live because of that.
we have enjoyed your video very much
For me Pittsburgh is a growing city and not the opposite, with my full respect to what you said
I was just recalled back, I have been stay in America, in these few years. Today 2022/11/15-04.19pm, I recalled back, I have been travel around US with somebody, once I said:" pretty cool!"
That can't be a bad area. Look at the new cars!
You should see McKeesport. Fascinating.
glade you like pittsburgh live here for 65 years i like it too