“Water” You Waiting For? Get to Sandcastle!

There’s nothing like summer in Pittsburgh – the bright sun shining down on the city skyline, kids getting their baseball gloves prepped to catch foul balls at Pirates games, the fireworks at the Point, kayaking on the river, etc. But perhaps the most dreaded thing about summer in Pittsburgh is, naturally, the heat. While Summer 2017 may have been a cool one for the ‘Burgh, it typically gets pretty hot in Pittsburgh during the summer. That’s why, on a hot day, it’s a great idea to stop by Pittsburgh’s premier water park, Sandcastle. 

Sandcastle is located in the Homestead neighborhood of Pittsburgh, across from the Waterfront shopping area. Its sister amusement parks are the nearby Idlewild and Soak Zone, as well as Kennywood Park. Prior to its opening in July 1989, the site was a facility that serviced the US Steel Homestead Works mill. Sandcastle contains fifteen water slides, two pools including a wave pool, a lazy river, and two children’s areas. I’ve only been to Sandcastle about three or so times, but I’ve been on all the slides and I assure you, they’re fun for all ages.

If you want to ride the slides with a friend, there are several slides where you can go down on a double tube. If you want to go on these slides by yourself, however, you can also go down on a single tube. The slides requiring tubes include Blue Tubaluba, Cliffhangers, Thunder Run, Tuber’s Tower, and my personal favorite, Dragon’s Den. Dragon’s Den is a stereotypical water park “toilet bowl” slide. Please don’t take that the wrong way; all it means is that there’s a part of the slide that’s bowl-shaped, and you go around and around in your tube until you land in a hole in the center of the “bowl”. Even though these types of slides can be found at a variety of water parks, the Dragon’s Den is still a lot of fun. The same goes for the other slides with tubes.

If you prefer to slide down on your back, you also have the option of going down body slides. One of my favorite slides at Sandcastle is Boardwalk Blasters. This is not a very long slide, and when I say that, I mean it. The slide itself is only about twenty-five feet, and the bottom of the slide is seven feet above the air. This means that, once you get to the bottom of the slide, you drop seven feet into a twelve-foot pool. Even though it’s a great slide, it’s imperative that you don’t ride it unless you’re a skilled swimmer. Also, my personal recommendation is to hold your nose when you’re going down. The most intense body slide, however, and probably the most intense slide at the entire park, would have to be the Lightning Express. It contains two smaller orange slides on its left and right side. However, the slide in the middle starts at eighty-five feet above the ground. It is definitely recommended that you lie on your back with your feet and arms crossed while going down these slides, especially the eighty-five-foot one. You can watch a video of the Lightning Express below. I definitely enjoyed all of the body slides at Sandcastle.

I’ve covered pretty much all of the slides at Sandcastle, but that’s not it for attractions. Sandcastle has a few more options for those who may want to take a break from the slides, or who may not want to slide at all. One is the Lazy River. You can get a decent twenty or so minutes out of one trip around Sandcastle’s Lazy River. And these twenty minutes are sure to be relaxing, whether you’re floating down the river alone on a single tube or with a friend on a double tube. I enjoy the Lazy River because not only is it relaxing, but there are geese that often linger around the area and that are really fun to observe. There’s also the wave pool, Mon-Tsunami. I always enjoy wave pools because they take the typical boredom out of what a regular swimming pool has to offer. This wave pool is pretty special to me because it was the first wave pool I ever swam in. If you want to swim in a regular pool, however, there is also the Mushroom Pool, which is located on the park’s lower deck. Even if you’re not going to swim in the Mushroom Pool, I recommend coming to this area to find beach chairs for your party. Even though there are beach chairs located pretty much all over the park, I’ve found that this area in particular contains lots of shady and peaceful spots. For very small children, there is the Tad Pool and Wet Willie’s Water Works. The Tad Pool contains two very small slides, and the pool itself is only two feet deep. A reviewer on TripAdvisor stated that the tad pool is a great place for young beginners to ride their first water slide, and also included a picture of a young girl on the slide. Wet Willie’s Water Works is basically a water playground for small children, or as a TripAdvisor reviewer put it, “a water-themed jungle gym.” Sandcastle has plenty of options for you, even if you don’t wish to go down the water slides.

I’ve covered pretty much all of the water-based attractions, so now I’ll discuss some more things to know when planning a trip to Sandcastle. The park has delicious food, so definitely stop by one of the food counters. My personal recommendation is to get some Potato Patch Fries while you’re at Sandcastle. They’re homemade French fries that you can get either plain or with toppings, and they’re considered a Pittsburgh delicacy. The original Potato Patch stand is at Sandcastle’s sister park, Kennywood. Sandcastle also has rental options. You can rent a locker to keep your belongings in for the day. You can also rent a cabana for your party; this is a great option if you want to be guaranteed both shade from the sun, as well as a bit of a VIP experience, during your visit to Sandcastle. Sandcastle hosts plenty of events, and also allows you to reserve your own private events. And the final thing about Sandcastle that’s definitely worth discussing is season passes. If you want to visit Sandcastle on a regular basis during a single season, consider buying a season pass. A season pass serves as your admission ticket throughout the season, and depending on which package you buy, gives you lots of perks and discounts. If you’re in the Pittsburgh area and looking to spend the summer at both an amusement park and a water park, consider the Ride & Slide Pass. It gives you admission to both Sandcastle and nearby sister park Kennywood, as well as lots of perks and discounts at both parks. And in 2018, Sandcastle and its two sister parks, Idlewild and Kennywood, will be introducing the All Season Dining Pass. The offerings for this pass differ between the three parks, but Sandcastle’s All Season Dining Pass allows you to get a combo meal every time you visit, provided you purchase this pass along with a season pass. Season passes and cabana rentals can be purchased through the park’s website.

If you’re looking to beat that Pittsburgh heat, then grab your trunks, towel, and sunscreen, and head on over to Sandcastle!

A Place You’ll Want to “Tweet” About

Do you love birds? And have you not seen a lot of them lately, no matter how often you refill your bird feeder or put your bird-calling skills to the test? Or, are you just tired of seeing the same types of birds appear over and over in your backyard? Then the National Aviary is the place for you!

The National Aviary is located in the Allegheny Commons neighborhood on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Opened in 1952, it is the largest aviary in the United States. It is home to over 500 birds, made up of 150 different species. Many bird species have become threatened or endangered, which is why one of the aviary’s goals is to save and protect endangered species of birds. The aviary is also focused on providing educational, recreational, and hands-on experiences to visitors by allowing them to not only view different types of birds both rare and common but to also touch and even feed these birds. 

One of the newest exhibits at the aviary is Canary’s Call. It was opened on November 8, 2013. It contains a larger than life canary cage, which makes for an amazing visual and interactive experience. Many TripAdvisor reviewers have stated that this was the highlight of their visit, not only because they got to view the canaries up close but also because they got to feed the canaries. One reviewer in particular said that it was interesting to see how the canaries “swoop down on you when they see you have some food.” This exhibit also contains Malaysian Flying Foxes, a species of fruit bats from Asia. In addition, it contains 178 back-lit LED panels for visitors to view videos and photos of canaries and other bird types.

Condor Court, one of the aviary’s outdoor exhibits, is home to the Andean Condor, one of the world’s largest birds. This bird has a wingspan of 10 feet. This may be the closest encounter you’ll ever have to condors: there are glass viewing panels that allow you to see these beautiful creatures up close. One TripAdvisor reviewer stated that it was fun to see condors up close, rather than seeing them flying from a distance, which he had also done before when he visited California. Condor Court is home to four Andean Condors: Lurch, Precious, Handsome, and Lianni. 

The Eagle Hall is home to two different types of eagles. One of these is the Steller’s Sea Eagle, which has a wingspan of 6.5 to 8 feet. The other is the bald eagle, which is one of the most recognizable, as well as one of the largest, birds in North America. The bald eagle is also known for being Pennsylvania’s state bird. One reviewer on TripAdvisor stated that she believed the aviary “rescued” the eagles by bringing them there.

Everyone knows that Pittsburgh is home to penguins, and not just the ones who are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. Penguins can also be found at in Pittsburgh at the zoo and at the aviary, but for this post, let’s just take a look at the ones at the aviary’s Penguin Point exhibit. It’s the home to 20 African penguins. It’s an open-air exhibit, allowing visitors to see penguins swim, waddle, and just be overall interesting and cute creatures. Penguin Point also contains Smews. Smews are a duck species native to Europe, Russia, and northern Asia. I asked my mom, who has been to the aviary quite a few times recently, about her experience at Penguin Point. She said despite the fact that the penguins are very noisy and very messy, they’re great creatures to observe. She said the exhibit allows you to view the penguins from inside through a glass pool, or to go outside and see them from the top of the pool. She also said that there are tubes designed for children to climb through to feel like they’re swimming with the penguins. She said that overall, the way that the exhibit incorporates interaction with the penguins is what makes it so interesting.

Now, despite the fact that it’s called an “aviary”, the National Aviary is not completely bird-oriented. Some of its exhibits also focus on plants, as well as other types of animals. One of these exhibits is the Tropical Rainforest, which is both plant-oriented and bird-oriented. And naturally, the birds here are mainly tropical birds such as parrots. One reviewer on TripAdvisor said that the birds in this exhibit were “very colorful and very vocal.” There is also the Grasslands exhibit, which is also focused on both birds and plants. The birds in this exhibit are the kind you’d probably find in your backyard, such as finches and sparrows. It includes greenery such as sea oats, bayberry, birch, and dogwood. One TripAdvisor reviewer said that this exhibit contains “a place to sit while you listen to quiet music, accompanied by the cheeps and chirps of the quietest little birds.” In the Cloud Forest exhibit, you can see an animal who, despite not being a bird, is one of the aviary’s most popular animals. It’s a two-toed sloth who goes by the name of Wookie. There’s also a baby sloth named Valentino. A lot of people on TripAdvisor were surprised to come to the aviary and find a sloth, such as one reviewer who said, “Who would expect to find a sloth in an aviary? An extra added bonus to a great place!”

It’s worth mentioning that the aviary includes several encounters. If you purchase these extra encounters, you can expand your experience at the aviary; you can not only observe the animals but also get up close and personal with them. This includes getting to go inside the exhibits themselves and actually getting to feed the animals, pet the animals, etc. Many people on TripAdvsior have said that these encounters are some of the best parts of the aviary. My mom told me about one unique encounter in particular, where paint is put on the penguins’ feet and they walk on pieces of paper; children then can take these “penguin paintings” home as souvenirs. One recurring complaint I saw across TripAdvisor about the encounters is that they are expensive. This is why my mom recommends getting a membership to the National Aviary. Getting a membership provides several perks, such as free admission, free parking, discounts at the gift shop and cafeteria, etc., but it also allows for access to all of the encounters without paying the additional price. One package in particular includes a dual membership to the nearby Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. You can purchase memberships on the aviary’s website.

Whether you want to talk to birds, feed them, or simply observe them, there’s no better place to do these things than the National Aviary in Pittsburgh.  

You’ll Have a “Field” Day at Heinz Field

If you’re in the Pittsburgh area and looking to attend a top-notch sporting event or concert, look no further than the iconic Heinz Field in downtown Pittsburgh.

While it has served a multitude of purposes, Heinz Field is perhaps best known as the home of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers as well as the University of Pittsburgh’s Panthers (college football). It sits along the Allegheny River in the North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Previously known as Three Rivers Stadium, it was once the home of not only the Steelers and Panthers but also the MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates. Three Rivers Stadium was split into two separate stadiums in 2001, Heinz Field and PNC Park.

As a longtime Steelers fan, I can assure you that there is no greater feeling than the thrill of attending a Steelers game at Heinz Field. My dad has season tickets, so I’ve been to quite a few games. The atmosphere is absolutely incredible, no matter what time of year you go – I’ve been to Steelers games in hot, summery conditions as well as snowy, freezing, wintery conditions, and the atmosphere is no different between the two. Steelers fans are passionate from the kickoff to the end of the fourth quarter, cheering for their team, singing along to Renegade by Styx (the Steelers’ theme song), and waving their Terrible Towels. While I’ve met Steelers fans from a lot of different places, I can assure you that there’s no better place to find the truest Steelers fans than at Heinz Field during a game.

While I’ve never been to a Panthers game, or Pitt game as it’s more commonly referred to, I’ve heard that it’s a thrilling experience as well. I was able to gain some firsthand knowledge of what goes on at a Pitt game from a friend of my mom’s, who quite frequently attends Pitt games at Heinz Field because her son is a member of the marching band. According to her, Pitt games have quite a bit of energy – she described the energy level at a game to be “somewhere between that of a high school game and that of a professional game.” She said that it’s always great to see fans get pumped up at the pre-game tailgates, and then to see them unleash their excitement and energy during a game. Pitt’s student section is also very passionate and very devoted to raising the energy throughout the entire stadium, which they do with the help of the cheerleaders and the mascot who linger around the student section area. And Pitt’s marching band, which is pretty well-known and well-respected, is another organization that is devoted to raising the energy level. My mom’s friend knows a lot about the band in particular because her seats are right next to their section. She says the band is really good at getting the crowd pumped up because they play almost throughout the entire game, regardless of which team has possession of the ball at the time. This level of devotion is truly commendable; I’m a member of the band at my university, and we only play when our team has possession of the ball. She also said that in addition to getting the crowd motivated, the band also serves as great entertainment in addition to the game itself, especially at halftime when they take to the field. I’ve never been to a Pitt game at Heinz Field or otherwise, and I don’t know too many people who have either, but it certainly sounds like it’s an unforgettable experience.

In addition to being an amazing sports facility, Heinz Field is also an amazing concert venue. A number of different artists have performed here over the years, including Beyonce, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, One Direction, U2, Taylor Swift, and more. Many of these artists, particularly Taylor Swift and U2, have performed here more than once. While the Pittsburgh area has many concert venues, most of them are indoors, which is why Heinz Field is an ideal location for attending an outdoor concert. For this same reason, many people travel from other towns to attend concerts here – one example includes someone who traveled all the way from Atlanta, Georgia, to see U2 in concert at Heinz Field and posted about their experience on TripAdvisor. There aren’t as many concerts held at Heinz Field as there are at other Pittsburgh venues throughout the year, so you should definitely check out a concert here when you have a chance!

Didn’t get a chance to eat before going to an event at Heinz Field? There are several different stands located throughout the entire stadium. Whether you’re looking for a meal or just a small snack, they’ve got you covered! You can get a variety of foods, including popcorn, nachos, pretzels, sandwiches, chicken wings, chicken tenders, fries, and soda. If it’s cold outside, I’d definitely recommend getting a hot meal as well as a hot beverage (coffee or hot chocolate). My personal favorite thing to get at Heinz Field is the fries, because you can pour as much vinegar as you want on them. But if you’re craving something Pittsburgh-ish, stop by the Primanti Bros. stand for an iconic Pittsburgh-style sandwich. You can’t go wrong when it comes to getting food at Heinz Field.

Whether you’re looking to see a top-notch concert or to see the Steelers or Panthers in action, you’re sure to have an unforgettable experience at Heinz Field.

An Intro to Nick's 'Burgh Picks

Greetings! My name is Nick Mathur. I'd like to welcome you all to my first post of my new blog, Nick's 'Burgh Picks, the blog where I talk about some of the greatest places in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and why they're worth visiting.  

Before I get more in-depth into what this blog will be about, here's a little about myself. I'm from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, about 90 minutes from Pittsburgh. But as of two years ago, my second home is Cheswick, located in suburban Pittsburgh; I go back and forth between there and Johnstown because my dad moved there two years ago. I go to college at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where I study communications. I am a member of the school newspaper as well as the marching band. I am hoping to work either in the field of journalism or radio one day.

 

The city of Pittsburgh has always been a big part of my life. I've been visiting the city off and on since I was a kid for a number of reasons. It may have been to visit family, see a sporting event, see a play, etc. But no matter the reason, I've always adored Pittsburgh. It's a beautiful city, whether it's viewed during the night or the day. I love the feeling of driving on the parkway and waiting for the breathtaking view of Pittsburgh to appear. Not to mention, it has some of the kindest people you'll ever meet, and some of the most enjoyable recreational activities in the northeastern United States. 

 

Whether you're from the area or just a tourist passing through, Pittsburgh has so much to offer for you. And don't just take my word for it – there are lots of people who would agree. That's why, in addition to writing about my own experience at some of the best locations in Pittsburgh, I'm going to include the experience of others – I'll be including information from online reviews, as well as information from my friends, family, classmates, etc., about their experiences at these places as well. I'm so excited to share a lot of what Pittsburgh has to offer with you, and I hope it encourages you to venture out into Pittsburgh and enjoy it.