"Meet me under the Kaufmann's Clock." How many times have you uttered those words when making plans…read moreto meet up with friends or family? Countless times for Pittsburgh natives like myself! This has been a popular meeting spot for decades. In fact ever since it came into existence and though Kaufmann's is long gone (1887-2015-sold to the May Company in 1946), the iconic clock remains. Note-this actually isn't the original clock. The original was installed in the 1800s. This one has been around since 1913 and is an official entry on Atlas Obscura. Did you know it weighs over 2500 pounds and is made of pure bronze? Yep! This historic landmark is a legendary piece of downtown Pittsburgh history. It's something cherished and beloved by all. If you find yourself downtown, get over to the corner of Fifth & Smithfield to meet someone under the Kaufmann's Clock.

An ornate 2,500-pound bronze clock has hung at the corner of Smithfield Street and Fifth Avenue in…read moredowntown Pittsburgh since 1913. On the corner of the downtown Kaufmann's department store, central location in Downtown Pittsburgh made the clock a popular meeting place. The clock was declared a landmark in 1981. A wedding even took place under the clock in 1996. Today the building houses apartments, a hotel and hopefully soon, a Target.

4.5 stars. The Point State Park Fountain is located where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet…read moreto form the Ohio River. It was built in 1974 and renovated in recent years. Operational in warm seasons, the fountain water comes from pumps, and its height of up to 150 feet is adjusted by park staff depending on weather conditions. For many years, I have visited Point State Park to view this fountain. Most recently I visited on a hot day in June, and the wind blew a refreshing mist of fountain water onto me. The fountain looked beautiful, especially with the backdrop of the rivers, football stadium, and boats sailing by.

An iconic Pittsburgh landmark! The fountain is at the middle of the "point" part of Point State…read morePark. It is a really cool site to see and love that you can spot it from so many different vantage points and angles! It was recently renovated again (although I'm not even sure what they did or if there were any real changes). I think my favorite vantage point is trying to catch a glimpse coming out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel. Either that or if I'm lucky enough to be on a boat that makes a pass past the fountain. (like the Gateway Clipper). It is also great to visit up close which is where you get a real sense of just how high the fountain really shoots! (Although on windy or otherwise bad weather days they can adjust the height to prevent issues). The fountain is a great gathering space. You see all sorts of pictures being snapped here. Weddings, proposals, families, proms etc. It makes for some really great people watching.

Tony Vanoy and I went to the "Point of View" on Mt Washington in Pittsburgh PA on Sunday June 8th…read more The park is free to enjoy! There is no parking lot so you need to find some on street parking near by! The views are Amazing! Pittsburgh and all the buildings with the 2 Rivers and bridges plus you can see the Pittsburgh Steeler Stadium ! The statue is of George Washington meeting and talking with the Seneca Indian Chief! I definitely recommend you checking it out!a piece of history with gorgeous views! I definitely would go back again!

Take the Duquesne Incline to Mount Washington. Turn right upon exiting the incline house and walk…read moreup the sidewalk, slight incline, to the top of the hill. As many years as I lived in the area, I had never viewed this statue of Guyasuta and Washington. It was well worth the brief climb and presents a slightly different, but still arresting, view of the city of Pittsburgh. Interestingly enough, several days later we viewed "The Football Town" at the Kamin Science Center. Imagine our surprise to see that the final sequence of the film featured Pat McAfee speaking from, you guessed it, "Point of View."

The overlook is in the West End of Pittsburgh (Crafton/Elliott) & it has some of the most fantastic…read morepanoramic views of the city. From this vantage point you can clear view of Point State Park and all three rivers, Heinz Field & PNC Park. The rivers being: Ohio Allegheny Monongahela Sunrise views are breathtaking.

Oh, this is an iconic spot to view downtown Pittsburgh day or night. Gawd, how I love it so…read more Parking is easy and free. I noticed porta-potties, too.

I am a yinzer through and through and cherish all the history that is Pittsburgh…read more Carrie Furnaces are no different. The tours are incredible and you learn so much. I come from a long line of steelworkers and thought I pretty much knew all there was to know. That was, until the tour. The tour guide was extremely informative. Most of the folks working (volunteering) at Carrie have some connection to the steel industry. In addition to the tour, I have had the privilege of attending events there as well. Yep, they rent out the space. Everything was well put together at the events and having the furances as backdrop took it to the next level. As far as the tours go, I feel so strongly that Pittsburgh natives and tourists alike take one. It's really incredible to learn how much of the country was built because of Carrie.

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Keith! He had to do much first hand knowledge of the facility,…read morehaving worked there himself when he graduated the army. The tour lasted about 2.5 hours and was mostly outside in direct sunlight. There were a few opportunities for shade, but not many. If you come on a hot day, plan to arrive hydrated and grab a complimentary water bottle from the check in desk. You'll need it. Parking is plentiful, the history is intriguing, and the art scattered about the property is thoughtful and engaging. If you're lucky, you'll spot some wildlife who inhabit the surrounding area.

If you are looking for an amazing place to go for a walk, I highly recommend the Dashield Dam. I…read moresee people walking it every day, no matter the weather, and they are all quite friendly. But I go here to watch the amazing birds. I see Eagles, Wood Duck, Great Blue Heron, Gulls, Kingfisher, and a whole lot more. Migrating waterfowl stop here frequently to relax and grab something to eat. It's a great place to fish, too. It's a little tricky to find, so follow your GPS or the helpful signs. It's unique and well worth the trip.

While visiting friends in Ohio we discovered Lanterman's Mill, first built in 1845 and later…read morerestored in 1985. I am a lover of hiking, waterfalls, mills, bridges, gardens, historic places and tranquil spaces. Lanterman's Mill has all of this which makes a visit here nearly perfect. --- If you follow my reviews then you know I have a particular affinity for COVERED BRIDGES. When I discovered this place while doing a Google search of things to see in the area, I did not notice any pictures of a covered bridge. So it was beyond thrilling to walk behind the mill (where it is hidden from street view) and stumble upon it. For me, this was like finding a briefcase of money as I stood in total disbelief for several minutes. Not only was it a delightful surprise, it was beautiful and well maintained to boot, which is not always the case with covered bridges. Built in 1989, the covered bridge is not historic, but was designed in the likeness of other local bridges from the 1800's that farmers used to bring their grain to the mill. There is also a gorgeous arched street bridge that provides an excellent vantage point for photos of the mill & waterfall as well as another decorative suspension bridge just a half mile away. A 2-mile loop hiking trail known as East Gorge Walk and West Gorge Trail allows for wonderful views of the river gorge and leads you to the suspension bridge from the mill. These trails connect with the West Cohasset, East Cohasset, Axtmann and Old Tree Walking Trails and can more that triple your mileage as you explore the northern end of the park. --- OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST along the connecting walking trail are several ponds, small lakes, picnic pavilions, playgrounds and even a public golf course @ Mill Creek Metro Park. There is a Riverside Garden, Quarry Garden, Nature Center, and the ruins of a historic furnace built in the 1820's which produced approximately three to four tons of iron daily. Pioneer Pavilion, built in 1821 as a mill for carding and fulling wool is a rare surviving example of early 19th Century industry. It sits within view of the furnace. Cascade Gorge Natural Pool and an area known as THE FLATS round out some of the beautiful areas of interest near Lanterman's Mill. NOTE: The Flats are a lush grassy area surrounded by a horse fence. If you follow the fence you will notice an enormous tree in its path, which causes the fence to terminate and continue on the other side of the tree. Not sure what kind of tree it is, but it certainly seems to be very, very old based on the thickness of its trunk. It is easily more than 100 years older than any tree in its vicinity. FINAL THOUGHTS The Mill is a testimony to human determination. The current mill is the third incarnation. The first mill was built of logs and operated from 1799 to 1822. In 1823 the original mill was replaced by a second mill which operated until 1843 when a flood washed it away. A grinding stone from this mill can still be seen resting in the creek bed 500 feet downstream of the Falls. Lanterman's Mill ceased operations in 1888. [source: millcreekmetroparks.org] Lanterman's Mill itself is over 5-stories tall and has a very unique feature of having the waterwheel inside the basement of the mill. All the walking trails are free, but entrance inside the working areas of the mill are currently $3 for non-resident adults and $1 for students and seniors (July 2023). A butterfly garden is on site and during our visit we were graced with many birds, a groundhog, chipmunk and the largest most unusual forest mushroom we've ever seen. It is absolutely a stunning place in the summer. I can't even begin to imagine how magical it is in the Fall season as the trees change into their best outfits. Enjoy! BTW I've been trying my hand at TikTok & made a few videos of our visit to this mill if you care to see them: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8dqN8JM/ - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8dVsHeW/ 2023 / 10

What a fun nice stop. It's so beautiful here. I remember we brought kids here when they were little…read moreand it had not been renovated. Now it's all fixed up and worth the tour and walk. Plenty of parking and a short walk to the mill. Then you can take a stroll along the creek and take history tour of the mill. They have a nice gift shop inside too. Take a picnic and enjoy the surrounding beautiful nature.

I recently learned that you should always be open minded to the suggestions on the billboards on…read morethe highway. We saw a sign mentioning the Palace of Gold on the way to Pittsburgh so we decided to make a detour and check it out. My first impression was how beautiful it was. Most of the building is indeed gold colored so there was no false advertising there. They also do tours of the palace so you can get an in depth look of the palace. The tour guide did an amazing job. What I really enjoyed was how quiet peaceful it was. There was a lot more to do than look at the temple. You could take a walk, visit the temple for worship and just enjoy the Mountain View. Everything was very relaxing. We loved it visit to the Palace of Gold. Such a hidden gem!

I'm a little torn on this review to be honest and it's kind of a hard one to write because the…read morePalace of Gold is definitely beautiful, but overall my experience wasn't the greatest. I visited in winter, which meant no flowers were in bloom in the gardens and the outdoor space was pretty gloomy with the exception of a very cool bug that I found on the steps. The seasons definitely change the atmosphere and I imagine that in spring or summer it feels much more vibrant and alive here. The palace itself is lovely with intricate details and ornate interiors and very much what I expected stylistically. However, it wasn't nearly as grand in scale as I had imagined. It was much smaller than I thought it would be. When you step inside the front lobby area, there are gorgeous stained glass windows and beautiful decor and I really enjoyed the light coming through into that space and being able to take photographs in there. The woman inside asked us on a few occasions if we wanted to take the tour and I wasn't sure until we saw the lobby area. Unfortunately, the biggest disappointment was for me was finding out -- only after paying -- that photography wasn't actually allowed inside. That was tough and had I known I definitely would have made a different decision. Personally, I would have been just as happy taking photos of the exterior and I would have saved myself a lot of money. The tour is a little costly considering that you're just accessing a very small area and although the information was somewhat interesting, I had already read the majority of it beforehand. After the tour I was excited to head over to where they keep the cows, which are considered sacred here, because I had read that guests are sometimes allowed to help feed them. Unfortunately (again) it's only during a specific time of day and there wasn't anyone around that I could talk to, but I was able to see the cows through the fence and they were absolutely adorable. We were advised during the tour that we were welcome to go to the lunch offering near the housing area and we did try to find what the tour guide had described, but there were no clear signs. When we did eventually locate the area where they were serving some food, it felt very uncomfortable, like we had wandered somewhere we weren't meant to be. We definitely didn't feel like we belonged there and left almost immediately. Overall, the palace itself is really beautiful and historically interesting and although I don't subscribe to the beliefs of the people here, I do respect what it represents to them. Between the cost and the no photo surprise and the general feeling of uncertainty throughout our visit, we just spent much of our time here wandering and feeling uncomfortable. The welcome center wasn't very welcoming, the peacock walk had no peacocks and the chanting and yelling of Krishna devotees can be a frightening experience to those new to it. This is worth seeing once, hopefully in a season where it's full of flowers and sunshine and beauty. I just suggest you manage your expectations and definitely make it clear that you are not there to be converted.

I was in the area this morning for a doctors appt., and saw this old cabin sitting in the woods in…read morethe valley. I walked over to it from the medical building next door. I found a cabin with a grave stone in the front yard, and a hiking trail through the woods. The trail was nice, and I walked for a little ways, but didn't have enough time to follow it all the way (Also, it is deer hunting season, and although there is a mailbox that says orange vests are available to wear, it was empty). I would like to come back again some time, and see the whole trail. There weren't really any signs that explained the history of the cabin, nor a trail map, which I would have liked, but otherwise, it's a nice little place to get out into some nature . . . Cheers!

I was here for the Washington County Covered Bridge festival. The festival takes place at a number…read moreof covered bridges once a year in mid September. This site is nice if you did not want to park far from the food. The McClurg covered bridge is in this park. The food offerings were good. We had the BBQ half chicken followed up with apple dumplings. They tasted great. The dumpling was a whole apple cored wrapped in pie crust and baked, and served with ice cream. They also had vendors selling items like alpaca socks and sweaters etc. Nicely done and a nice way to spend a couple hours.