Pittsburgh, PA 7 minutes / Windows Media Player

The Pittsburgh skyline, a city at the convergence of 3 rivers. The Ohio, the Allegheny and the Monongahela.

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Rated as one of the top five most liveable cities for three years, Pittsburgh is within a day's drive of more than half of the United States and Canadian population.

With three rivers merging in Pittsburgh, it is also the only inland port in the United States. It is the home to the first ferris wheel, first U.S. movie theatre, first press club, first robotics institute and the first U.S. radio station AND it is the original neighbourhood of Mister Rogers and has the corporate headquarters of Heinz, Alcoa and Bayer.

PNC Park, home of the Pirates

There is plenty do see and do in the Steel City. A Pirates game, for example, is a great way to spend a nice day, especially with the team's new two-deck stadium, PNC Park. Did you know that the first-ever World Series Game was held in Pittsburgh in 1903? Unfortunately the Pirates lost to the Boston Red Sox.

The Andy Warhol Musuem, a unique look at art and pop-culture.

Or for those who are more culturally-oriented, make sure to visit some or all of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is called "home of the dinosaurs", because of its Tyrannosaurus Rex and Diplodocus skeletons.

The Carnegie Museum of Art showcases a large collection of paintings, prints and sculptures, whereas the Andy Warhol Museum is dedicated to the works of, you guessed it, Andy Warhol.

The fourth Carnegie Museum is the Science Center, which is always great fun for those who feel young at heart, with its interactive displays and "cool" facts. But there is also the Mattress Factory Museum, which, oddly enough, has nothing to do with sleeping. Instead, it is one of the few museums of its kind that provides living and working space for artists in which they create new installations in the revamped factory.

For a great look at the city, head across the river to Station Square and get a lift from the oldest and steepest incline, the Monongahela Incline, in fact. It takes you up Mount Washington where you can get an unbelievable view of the city skyline.

Point State Park, at the tip of the city

Point State Park is another scenic spot to be. The park's fountain pumps out 6,000 gallons per minute and is actually fed by a glacial formation.

There's no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania, so shopping in Pittsburgh can be a great bargain. For antique and estate-specialty jewelers, try the Diamond District in the Clark Building on Liberty Avenue. For clothing, go to Shadyside, which is actually just outside of Pittsburgh in Oakland. Here you can find any store, from the Gap, to Laura Ashley and United Colors of Benetton. And for a variety of restaurants and bars, the Strip District would be your best bet.

The Carnegie Museum of Art. One of the many legacies left by to the city by Andrew Carnegie.

Getting around Pittsburgh is very easy. The city has created the Wayfinder System for visitors, meaning they colour-coded the city's five regions. They've also created the Purple Belt, which is a loop around downtown, with signs pointing you towards major attractions, like the Fort Pitt Block House. If you don't want to drive yourself, try the subway, or the "T", which is free in the downtown core, but will also bring you across the river to Station Square for just $1. Of course there are also taxis, but they require a phone call. Or, you could walk to the taxi stand of the nearest hotel and catch one there.

Pittsburgh is a very tourist-friendly city and has so much more to offer than what this review talks about, like the Frick Historical Society, Heinz Hall and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, so if you have the time, try and take a day or two to explore it. Besides, can you really afford not to go to the city that invented the Big Mac???