Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

It was a very last minute decision to spend the night in Pittsburgh on our way from Niagara to home. One of those 'hey, we haven't, why not' things. Now I know exactly why not. Because somewhere deep in my subconscious I knew that Pittsburgh had a road system designed and paved by the devil himself.

View from the top of the Monongahela Incline

With plans to eat dinner at the Hard Rock we figured we could squeeze in one sightseeing thing first. We settled on Point State Park and the tallest fountain in the nation that is housed there. Put Point State Park into the GPS (because all is well with GPS now that we're in the US...) and go. In 45 minutes we did not manage to actually make it to the Park. We drove around it a couple times. Almost even above it. We never were more than a mile and a half from it. But I just couldn't seem to actually get to it. Short of driving off the side of one of the asinine bridges. The GPS was NO help. It can't tell if I'm on the bridge, the road that runs below it, or the road that runs parallel to it. In fact, the woman at the hotel later told us not to bother with GPS in Pittsburgh. She suggested online directions. Which I'd proven in Canada I was inept at using. Pittsburgh also takes the cake in confusing, life-flashing-before-your-eyes, one-way streets. I don't find myself using the Lord's name in vain often, but four times in one night I yelled "Oh God!" whilst attempting to drive.

The Hard Rock proved easier to find. Located in Station Square it overlooked the railway and the Monongahela River. It also had some fountains outside that moved and changed colors along with music. So that was fun. After that we took another crazy road straight through a mountain and found our hotel.

The next morning we went up the Monongahela Incline. A little car that goes up a track up the side of a big hill. That sounds underwhelming. But, there's an amazing view from the top. A little further down the river is the Duquesne Incline. It's a cheap ride, and worth the price for the view. 

That was it. Bidding the roads and bridges good-bye, we left to finally go home. 

Philadelphia, PA

I took this trip with another one of my friends and we made one very fundimental mistake: we went in January. I don't recommend that. Talk about cold. Ouch. Now, our main purpose for going was to see a show, so the weather wasn't really our first concern. But I would choose a more outdoor-friendly time of year to visit this awesome city.

We had one day to explore the city (and see our show), so we tried to pack in as much as we could. We started the morning by heading to the famous Eastern State Penitentiary. This was the first Penitentiary designed to reform prisoners with confinement and solitude. Famous criminals Al Capone and Willie Sutton were housed here, and you can look inside Capone's elaborately decorated cell. On a guided tour you'll learn about the prison's basic operation, means of reformation, and the several escape attempts made throughout its working history. And for those with ghosties on the brain, yes, this is a famous haunted location featured on Ghost Hunters. No, I did not see anything floating around or hear anything banging on walls. Why? It was too cold for any ghost with commen sense to be out and about.

Next we visited Love Park, which houses the famous statue spelling out the word LOVE. I shall give you fair warning that this statue is much smaller than most pictures will have you believe. So small in fact, that we drove around the block several times looking for it and not even seeing it, though it was in plain site. Love Park is in the middle of several busy streets and is not easy to park near. You're better off parking a few blocks away and walking. Also, no fountain in the middle of the winter. Still, it's famous and recognizable, stop and see it!

You can't go to Philly without enjoying some of America's greatest moments in history. A luckily they're all clumped together. There's no fee to get a look at the Liberty Bell. And the hall it lives in is full of other exhibits and videos.

Directly across the street you can enter and take a tour of Independence Hall. A ticket is needed to enter, but the ticket is free. A guide will take you through each room open to the public and will certainly teach you something you didn't know. A highly recommended tour!

I also recommend saving some time to wander through China town. The shops are interesting, the restaurants are authentic, and it's like visiting another country without leaving Philly.

And to leave you with my final warning...parking in Philly is VERY difficult. The parking garages are sometimes underground, and the ramp to go down is in the middle of the street. No joke. Make sure you read the signs for side of the road parking, sometimes you have to pay sometimes you don't. If you can avoid driving while exploring the city, do it! But don't let this little fact sway you from visiting, because no matter how many times you had to drive around the block, everything  you see and do will be worth it!