What To Photograph If You Only Have 24 Hours In Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

January 12, 2024

In June 2023, I took a 24-hour trip to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The purpose of this trip was to hear one of my favorite concert photographers speak. However, I spent the majority of my time photographing the great tourist destinations that exist in the city. This is a fantastic city full of great attractions for families and solo travelers alike. I exercised all of my travel photography muscles.

Here Is What I Would Photograph If I Only Had 24 Hours In Pittsburgh PA

Duquesne Incline Up Mt. Washington

The Duquesne Incline is a relic of a bygone era. Coal workers used it as transportation to and from work at the top of Mt. Washington. After parking at the base of the incline, I walked into this rickety, small building with a grumpy person selling tickets. I read ahead of time to have exact change, so that made my entry even faster. As I waited to board the ride vehicle, I watched as it slowly rolled down the tracks from the top of a very steep hill. I boarded a very old wooden trolley, windows open, and watched as we were pulled up the hill.

Once at the top, I took in the beautiful aerial views of downtown Pittsburgh and the three rivers (Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny River). The clouds were high and added a level of detail and contrast to the cityscape. I then boarded the trolley car and made the descent back to the base. This attraction is worth the time and the few dollars it costs for a round-trip ticket.

PNC Park

PNC Park is the home of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Pirates. I was arriving to the city around 9am with my first activity being after lunch. As I am a fan of behind-the-scenes tours, I decided a guided tour of PNC Ball Park would be perfect. The tour guide was great and gave a history of the Pirates and the baseball park. He allowed us plenty of time to make the photographs that we each wanted, which can sometimes be an issue on tours. I wanted a single shot, and I got it. This would be directly behind home plate (any level) photographing toward center field and downtown. I recommend this tour for anyone visiting Pittsburgh or for anyone who loves baseball.

Downtown Pittsburgh – This Could Easily Fill 24 Hours In Pittsburgh

The speaker I was attending was at a hotel in downtown, so I made sure to walk around downtown quite a bit. It was rush hour and was mostly cloudy, so I didn’t get a ton of shots of the skyline. One thing I wanted to see was the fountain the the point where the three rivers meet just west of downtown. The walk was a bit further than I expected, so I really had to move to get back for my event. It was worth seeing the fountain and photographing it between me and downtown.

Gateway Clipper Riverboat Tour

I am a lover of boat cruises and tours anytime I am in a new place. Pittsburgh’s version of this is the Gateway Clipper. While the boat ride itself was just a standard river cruise experience, it was great hearing about the history of the city and its buildings. A river tour gives you a chance to see many of the city’s sites and attractions. It is a great way to get an overview of the city. From there, you can decide what you wish to explore further. I always think about these as being great for photo location scouting.