Pittsburgh

Once notable for steel mills and pollution, modern Pittsburgh thrives from a renewed focus on technology and fresh air after years of revitalization projects. Ride up the cable car to the top of Mount Washington to get a feel for why Pittsburgh is called the “City of Bridges”—more than 440 bridges connect the city’s roads. And while you’re up there, take a peek at where the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers meet — nearby, you’ll see Heinz Field, where the six-time Super Bowl champ Steelers play, and down the street, the Pirates’ beautiful PNC Park. Even the NHL’s Penguins have a shiny new arena, the Consol Energy Center, which opened in 2009. Aside from sports, the Steel City offers the comprehensive Andy Warhol Museum, as well as a myriad of museums affiliated with Carnegie-Mellon University. You’ll see, smell and taste the city’s Italian, Slavic and Polish history in the Strip District, where fresh-food markets, brasseries and nightclubs fill former warehouses — nothing says Pittsburgh quite like a Primanti Bros. sandwich, bursting with French fries and cole slaw, right on the bun. If you don’t get your fill there, pop over to the South Side Flats neighborhood, where bars and nightclubs line a full mile stretch along East Carson Street.