Gateway Clipper Cruise and the Three Rivers of Pittsburgh

The one thing that probably sets Pittsburgh apart from all cities is how it is situated at the intersection of the Three Rivers: the Ohio, the Monongahela and the Allegheny. No trip to the city is complete without a tour of these waterways.

Sailing from a port at Station Square on the South Side of Pittsburgh is the Gateway Clipper Fleet. This line of ships offer a wide variety of cruises: from weddings to dinner cruises to dance cruises to Christmas parties. For us, we took their basic 1-hour night sightseeing trip. By doing this at dusk, it allowed us to get a beautiful view of the city of Pittsburgh as the sun came down. I'd definitely recommend trying to book a cruise during this time frame. The cruises can be booked in advance on the company's website. They can also be purchased at the ticket window where the ship leaves from, but they do sell out, so I'd recommend getting your tickets early. In addition, in order to guarantee a good seat, get to the dock early and get in line. If you wait until the last second, you won't get a prime seat.

Once on board, you'll sail down the Monongahela river first. From here, you'll be able to get a good view of Mount Washington and the two inclines, the Duquesne and Monongahela, which the city is famous for. On the other side of the river, you'll get a gorgeous view of the downtown portion of the city, including my personal favorite, PPG Place, where the building looks like the lair of an evil villain. As you sail under some bridges and turn back around, the Captain gives you some history and interesting tidbits about the sights you see.

Following this river, you turn up the Allegheny river to offer you a different perspective of downtown. You'll also see on the opposite side of the river, the North Side of the city, which contains PNC Park (where the Pirates play and which is considered by many to be the top stadium in the Major Leauges) and Heinz Field (where the Steelers play).

The final leg of your journey takes you up the Ohio River, giving you a further view of the North Side of Pittsburgh, as well as more of Mount Washington. This is definitely a cruise I'd highly reccommend as it will offer the best views of the city from many different angles. At only $12.50 a ticket, it's well worth the money.