Au Pair Travel: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Whether it's your 30 day grace period, or you have some vacation time, there are lots of ways to experience the United States during your au pair year in America. This series will give you a head start of things to do and things to see in some of the most popular cities in the U.S. Add Memphis, The Twin Cities, Denver, and more cities to your to-do list.

Pittsburgh is one the United State's most livable and accessible cities - let alone a great place for traveling. Its affordability and relaxed attitude mixed with growing cultural spots make the Steel City a must-see place during your au pair year. And if you're a sports lover, you've come to the right place! Pittsburgh is home to many American sports teams, including American football, soccer, baseball, hockey.

When to visit:

Pittsburgh is a city that has it all from the snowy winters to hot and humid summers. To make the most of what the City of Bridges has to offer, try to arrive in Pittsburgh in either late spring or early summer. Many tourists visit during the winter holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas), plus the weather in late summer can be a lot to handle, so we recommend visiting in this easy season.

Things to do / see:

• Start living like a local ASAP. Indulge in fried oysters at the oldest restaurant in Pittsburgh (The Original Oyster House), munch on pierogies' from Pierogies Plus, or explore the burgeoning restaurant scene at acclaimed favorites like or Gaucho.
• See the "colorful" side of Pittsburgh. Randyland, an artist's imaginative exhibit, will have you grabbing a pic for the 'gram. On the other hand, spot the coolest views from Canton Avenue, or people-watch at Market Square.
• You can't visit Pittsburgh without visiting some of its awesome museums. For those looking for the history of the city, check out the Heinz History Center. If art is up your alley, stop at the Warhol Museum(yes, that Andy Warhol!).
• Get outside! The 'Burgh is chock-full of amazing views, thanks to all the hills in the city. Check out the Duquesne Incline (it's famous!), walk around Point State Park and make a lucky wish at the huge fountain, get a cityscape view from Grandview Park, or get in your daily dose of green at the Phipps Conservatory.

How to get there and around:

The great thing about Pittsburgh is that it's sandwiched between many big East Coast cities. If flying is more your style, arrive through the Pittsburgh International Airport. If you're more of a local, trains arrive in Pittsburgh from Cleveland, Columbus, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and even New York City.

Once you're there, downtown is easy to walk around. To get around town, Pittsburgh has plenty of buses and a great bike system, Bike Pittsburgh. Taxis and ride shares are also available.