Moving to Pittsburgh - Any Suggestions?

[serendipity]

Any Pittsburgh disers out there? I'll be moving to Pittsburgh with my husband this January. We will know absolutely no one so it would be great to make some friends!

 

[Mandychelle79]

Best way to make friends Throw on some steelers or pens gear and go to the local watering hole

I live about an hour north of the city, dh drives downtown 5 days per week (but that may change once I graduate). Which area are you moving into?

You may also want to brush up on your Pittsburghese ( just google it) so you have some idea on what people are saying

 

[KellyWasHere]

Good advice! We live about 45 minutes outside of the city. I've grown up around Pittsburgh and love it. I think we have great cultural offerings (although it doesn't match up much to NYC!) and I'm a huge Pens fan. Don't know what your interests are but you should be able to find whatever it is around here.

Unless you're looking for a good baseball team. Then you are out of luck.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

Unless you're looking for a good baseball team. Then you are out of luck.

 

[Mandychelle79]

Good advice! We live about 45 minutes outside of the city. I've grown up around Pittsburgh and love it. I think we have great cultural offerings (although it doesn't match up much to NYC!) and I'm a huge Pens fan. Don't know what your interests are but you should be able to find whatever it is around here.

Unless you're looking for a good baseball team. Then you are out of luck.

But Hey, atleast PNC park is a beautiful park and it is sometimes the only Sporting event in town that you can get tickets to ( and the price is affordable for my family of 4)

 

[lspst8]

I'm in the Pittsburgh area too. I've lived in western PA for most of my life, and I think it is great. I'm about 30 miles east of the city, and I work north of the city. What area are you moving to?

 

[coconutprincess]

Hi!!! I am a Pittsburgher... born and bread. I live about 12 miles north of the city, and I work downtown (blech). The one rule is you don't leave your quadrant. I broke the rules and moved north (my family is south). People don't cross rivers. I don't get it. But as a result, my family refuses to come see me. I don't complain about that though!

What area are you moving to?

Oh yeah... and Southwest is one of the only direct flights I think to Disney.

 

[serendipity]

We're moving downtown so that my husband can walk to work. I will be working remotely, aside from when I travel for work.

As for sports - the DH is a big baseball fan. I'm not much of a sports fan, but noticed on our last trip that everyone else is. I think based on the energy around the Steelers games I may be able to enjoy it.

I enjoy the arts mostly (theatre, art galleries, ballet, etc) and also enjoy lounges and nice restaurants. We went to the nutcracker during our last visit, which I enjoyed and I was very happy to see the tree with ice skating rink as well. I think we'll enjoy the city, I'm just concerned about not knowing anyone (we have a big social group where we currently are of friends and immediate family).

 

[arminnie]

Don't!

Just kidding. I moved there just before the great blizzard of '78. I think we got 80 inches of snow. Totally different city back then with the steel mills still operating right in the middle of the city.

Talked to a guy last night who had just recently been there and he loves it.

 

[Art 1]

Pittsburgh is a very difficult place to move to and make friends. The people are set in their ways and not very open to new people.

 

[FireDancer]

I'm in Cleveland but make it to Pittsburgh at least once a year because some of my friends are from there. It really is a nice town with lots to do. The biggest piece of advice I would give is to get GPS for the car. I'm very good with directions but since many of the roads are built to go around mountains and rivers it can be hard to get anywhere, especially if you are heading to the suburbs.

Upgrading your wardrobe to include a lot of yellow and gold might also be a good idea.

 

[coconutprincess]

Is your husband relocating with the same company? Why do I have a feeling its mine? We have a lot of relocations right now from NYC. A coworker of mine relocated and I think his new friends are really his neighbors.

Downtown isn't bad. A former coworker of mine lives down there and loves it, its just not for me. I'm guessing you'll be living in one of the newly renovated condos near the cultural district. She said the hardest part is getting groceries, as there is nothing downtown, so she just drives to the suburbs, and then the doorman in her building brings them up to her condo.

The one thing you'll note is there's not really that "nightlife" there. I went to Lydia's in the Strip for a work dinner last month and we were the only people in there. Like people dine out before a show, but nobody is like oh I want to go downtown to eat. I know a lot of the trendier places are Six Penn Kitchen, Tonic (I just went there for lunch last week), Olive and Twist, Sonoma Grille, Olive and Twist. The one great thing is you'll be close to the Strip, where there is always really fresh food and produce.

I do agree with a PP that people are very set in there ways and its hard to meet new people here.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm in Cleveland but make it to Pittsburgh at least once a year because some of my friends are from there. It really is a nice town with lots to do. The biggest piece of advice I would give is to get GPS for the car. I'm very good with directions but since many of the roads are built to go around mountains and rivers it can be hard to get anywhere, especially if you are heading to the suburbs.

Upgrading your wardrobe to include a lot of yellow and gold might also be a good idea.

Good advice. The street system is old and can be confusing.

There's not alot to do Downtown, the streets pretty much close up after dark unless there's an event. The easiest area to commute from is North Hills, I-279 is quick, there is no tunnel like the other directions.

As others have said, sports is a good way to break the ice and make new friends. Maybe your husband can make connections through work.

 

[The LK 4]

Pittsburgh is a very difficult place to move to and make friends. The people are set in their ways and not very open to new people.

I don't find this to be true at all. People are very friendly here.

 

[Amy]

Welcome to the 'Burgh!! I live east of the city, grew up in the south hills. I work downtown (about a block from PPG Place - where you saw the tree and skating rink), so pm me once you're settled in, and maybe we can meet for lunch!

Winter in Pittsburgh is not the best time. The city is dull, lifeless. Like others said, once all the workers go home, town is pretty dead. They're really trying to revitalize downtown, so maybe in a couple of years it'll be better. Summer brings a lot of activities. If you like the theater, be sure to check out the CLO and their summer shows.

If you're not a Steelers or Penguins fan, you'd better learn to be one!!

 

[EdiePA]

I have to respectfully disagree with a couple of the PP. I moved to Pittsburgh three years ago. As a 50 y.o., everyone thought that was a really "gutsy" thing to do, but it's been great. I live in the Oakland area and walk to work, or I can ride the Pitt shuttles, a real savings on parking and transportation.

My son lived with me for the first two years, and we figure out that in that time, we were able to see 7 out of the 10 hottest tickets with the CLO and the Broadway shows that come in. If you liked the Nutcracker, be sure to see one of the ballets with the full orchestra -- a wonderful experience.

I decided in the first months that I lived here that each weekend I would explore a new area of the city -- Pittsburgh truly is a collection of small towns, each with its own "flavor".

Edie

 

[KellyWasHere]

Wow, I didn't realize that Pittsburgh is thought of as unfriendly.

Although I'm sure every city has that reputation by some people, depending on their experience.

Yes, there's not a ton of nightlife, especially in the winter. I've never been a nightlife kind of person. But maybe the Southside has more options?

 

[POOHLUV69]

I didn't realize we were unfriendly either?? I've lived here all my life you would think I would have noticed?

The Southside or Strip District would probably be your best bet for nightlife, not sure of what goes on in town.

The summer obviously brings more things to do, but if you ski, 7 Springs isn't too far away and would make for a nice weekend away.

 

[coconutprincess]

Yeah... I don't think unfriendly is the right word because its a very friendly city. But depending on your age, its really hard to meet people that you didn't go to HS/College with. Most of the people I know are still good friends with their HS buddies and haven't really deviated from that. I know that's not always true but in some cases it is. I know some of my friends have struggled with this too.

I think my perception comes from the fact that my friends who relocated to other cities typically made friends at work or through neighbors. 95% of my neighbors are 30-40 years older than me and I really didn't have much in common with those I work with as historically they are much older than me as well, so I never formed those friendships. Not that people aren't nice, my neighbors are very friendly and give a wave when they are out. But the actual friendship of do you want to come to a jewelry party I'm having isn't really there. But on the other hand, I know some people who hang with their neighbors all the time - so it just really depends on the circumstances.

I've really tried to get involved to meet new people through.

But either way - its a great place to live. If it wasn't... I would have been outta here and down somewhere south

 

[rwdavis2]

Hi!!! I am a Pittsburgher... born and bread. I live about 12 miles north of the city, and I work downtown (blech). The one rule is you don't leave your quadrant. I broke the rules and moved north (my family is south). People don't cross rivers. I don't get it. But as a result, my family refuses to come see me. I don't complain about that though!

Boy is that true. You'd swear the rivers were made of molten lava then bridges out of wood.