We planned a week long Allegheny River kayak camping trip. Michaela, the owner/outfitter…read moreskillfully coached us before the trip, shuttled us and accommodated us on river and on Fuel Heart Island. She is an extra mile outfitter. You will not be disappointed!

I have experienced staying at various enterprises through the years, but have never had a more…read moreaccommodating host. Michaela is gracious, knowledgeable and helpful beyond words. Our Allegheny River camping trip was enhanced by her great island and willingness to assist and ability to be flexible. I would gladly stay there again!

Phillips Park is one of the things I appreciate most about living where I do. The abundance of…read moremature trees gives the park a genuinely healing presence, especially around dusk when the sky shines through the branches. They've even planted several newer trees along parts of the trail near the picnic benches and along the other walking path, which adds even more character to the park over time. One of the more unique aspects of this park is the 9-basket frisbee golf course that stretches across much of the green space. Fun fact: it was created by students and teachers from Carrick High School. Being that it's such a unique feature, people come from all parts of the city to play. There's also a nice wide trail on the west side of the park that works well for walking, running, skating, biking, or walking dogs. It overlooks the surrounding neighborhoods and is especially beautiful in the evening. One unexpectedly charming part of the trail is the very friendly and affectionate cat that often wanders around that area. The cat honestly acts like it owns the trail, casually walking around visitors and sometimes even following people if they're especially kind to it. As silly as it sounds, the cat genuinely adds something to the atmosphere of the park. It slows people down and makes people appreciate their surroundings more instead of just rushing through the trail. It fits perfectly with the calm and natural feeling of the park and has become one of those small neighborhood details that makes the place memorable. The park also has several different walking paths and stairways that connect different sections together, including steps that take you from the rec center area down to the lower walking trail on the west side of the park. Near the rec center on the north side of the park there is also a pool with a deep end that reaches 9 feet deep. The rec center area also offers free Wi-Fi, additional indoor bathrooms, and a small Dog Library nearby, although it's usually pretty empty and mostly just has dog-related items. The southeast end of the park is probably the most developed area. There are three picnic benches, benches and trash cans throughout, a two-tier water fountain, basketball and tennis courts, and a clean porta potty that was stocked with toilet paper and sanitizer when I visited. There's also a playground with swings, slides, climbing equipment, and seating all around, and the playground generally seems to be one of the more active parts of the park. The basketball court also appears to be more popular and consistently used than the tennis court. On the opposite end of the park near the north side, there is also a large grass field that could work for football, soccer, rugby, or other sports, although it would benefit from resurfacing and proper field markings. There are actually porta potties located on both ends of the park, along with trash cans spread throughout different areas, which definitely helps considering how large the park feels once you start exploring all of the trails and open spaces. One thing I do wish the park would improve is the overall atmosphere created by some of the signage and maintenance issues. There are numerous warning and trespassing signs mentioning fines and even jail time, and the sheer number of them can make the park feel less welcoming than a public park should. The old bleacher area is another rough spot -- it's overgrown with thorns and vegetation to the point that the bleachers are barely recognizable and honestly look like something out of Jumanji. Combined with the construction hazard signs still sitting around the area, it gives parts of the park a neglected feeling. Still, despite some rough edges, Phillips Park has a raw and natural feeling that doesn't feel overly manufactured or "bought and paid for." It feels connected to the neighborhood a valuable resource to the community. The rec center additionally offers affordable amenities, including access to the basketball court from 1-7:30 pm during June through August, and the fitness/weight room membership for adults only costing about $5 a month, as well as lunch meals available for the kids and quality bathroom set up.

We're so lucky to have such a fantastic shop in our neighborhood (Bloomfield)…read more The owner, Suzy is so nice and knowledgeable. It's the place to go for all of your roller skating, roller blading needs, and accessories. Not only do they carry roller skates, poms, clothing, equipment, but they can also custom design skates too. All-inclusive shop (with a small area to test out new wheels) that is truly welcoming to all!

I feel so, so grateful to have a skate shop so close by. Years ago, when I played roller derby,…read morebuying online or at local skate rinks with limited supplies were essentially the only options. Wicked opened right around the time I stopped. Now that I skate recreationally, I can pop in here and grab whatever I need that day, whether it's new bearings or wheels. It's a small shop but they're always so friendly and helpful, installing things for you as well if you bring your skates along. It's also been cheaper than buying online a lot of the time, by at least 10 or 20%. Seems like a win-win to have the face-to-face interaction, support a local business and save some money, too.

Brentwood Park is really a lot for such a small footprint…read more The abundance of amenities packed into this park is what makes it unique and also helps justify the very spacious parking lot, which can fill up quickly during games and events. Because of that, it can definitely help to come earlier rather than later in the day, especially during the school year and especially with the entire park closing at 6 pm. This park is rich with things for children and families to get involved with, including a hockey rink, tennis court, and basketball court directly behind the library. Then there's a corn hole setup, a hotel-sized pool, a rec center, and a combo soccer and football stadium with track and field around the perimeter behind that, complete with additional bathrooms nearby. At the far end are four baseball fields with yet another bathroom building, not to mention the very new and very cool playground meant for very small children near the baseball fields. There are also abundant picnic tables placed both in the sun and in the shade where you can grab a bite to eat while enjoying the infrastructure supporting such a wide range of athletic interests in the student body. Multiple grills and plenty of trash cans also make it a great place to enjoy grilled food without worrying about cleanup. Another perk is how close this park is to Brentwood Library, which has spacious and clean family bathrooms with "flow-friendly" amenities including free tampons and pads, a baby changing station, and a free water bottle refill station. You can also use the free fountain or grab a few free books there as well. On top of that, there are additional bathrooms near both the football field and baseball fields, which really helps considering how spread out the park amenities are. The only thing I feel a bit disappointed about regarding the recent renovation is that, even with all the upgrades, they now only have one tennis court while still having four baseball fields. I do realize that reflects the child-centric nature of the park, as does the smaller pool and playground, but I still miss those tennis courts. Another downside is the entire park closing at 6 pm, which feels pretty early considering how much infrastructure and recreational space is packed into the area. In the end, it almost feels like the public park is viewed more as a service connected to the public school system rather than simply a park for everyone.

It's a small park, but it's got lots of shady trees, birds, and park benches. The traffic is…read moresometimes loud, but otherwise it's so pleasant here. It's beautifully maintained with no trash on the ground. There's a WWII monument which depicts each branch of the armed services. But oh the trees, the trees are tall and very shady

This parklet can be a little sketchy and it's always filled with garbage such as cigarettes, fast…read morefood packaging, paper bags holding empty beer cans, empty liquor bottles, etc. It is kind of sad that it's not able to be maintained properly. I feel like as soon as it's cleaned up it's right back the mess it was. Has a central location that is ideal...now if only folks could treat it with some respect.

Located in the courtyard of the Allegheny County Courts Family Division (in 1886 it was the…read moreoriginal location of Allegheny County Jail). Installed in 2012, this is an honor roll/memorial site to honor Allegheny County residents who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. The installation was made possible by the Vietnam Veterans of Allegheny County. Since I worked downtown in city government, this was part of my daily lunch walk. It's a beautiful and serene space in the heart of a hectic courthouse building and street. I find this to be something of interest to any human being, whether a local or tourist. It's a wonderfully constructed tribute to the history of our country that wasn't always good. Add this one to your list!

This is a nice park with a beautiful fountain and places to sit in the middle of the City. I…read morewalked through it when walking to/from lunch on a weekday and there were plenty of people sitting there, enjoying lunch and relaxing. The fountain is picture-worthy.

I used to like Beanie Babies, but when Bae and I are here, we're BNY Babies…read more This is a lovely idea. It basically is where they've made a little garden at the foot of the massive tower in the middle of downtown, which is one of the most distinctive skyscrapers in the city. It's definitely a great addition to a beautiful downtown and they did a good job with it.

Our teen daughter started at School of Rock in Wexford a year ago and she has grown so much as an…read moreartist, singer, and guitarist. It's amazing how much she has learned from this experience in this short time. The one on one teaching sessions with the great staff and the performance group practices really have helped her grow. Watching her and all of students perform at the end of each season at a concert venue is priceless. This is such an amazing opportunity for our daughter. We are so glad that we found School of Rock in Wexford and highly recommend this program if your child is interested in music.

Great place for musical instruction, and your kids will perform. Our 14-yr old daughter is enrolled…read morein the performance program. She has been taking a weekly 45 min. bass lesson and attending the 3 hr performance practice every Tuesday. It is a commitment, but our daughter can play bass !!! She likes that she practices every Tuesday with other students. There are many life lessons in learning to play with student musicians. DJ Blackrick owns the two Pittsburgh locations - Wexford and Castle Shannon. He has a staff of not just great musicians but great teachers. My only criticism is sometimes the communication can be better in regards to song assigments. Any issue we have ever had was addressed quickly. DJ is aware and hands on with his business. If you're kid wants to learn to play music, it's a great place. Plus, it's just really cool.