Many people don’t think of Pittsburgh as a tourist destination but this Steel City offers the frugal travelers both attractions and deals. To offset admissions to the Carnegie Museums including the Andy Warhol Museum (check for discount days), include these free attractions.

Mount Washington

Mount Washington (the locals call it the Mon) offers the best views of Pittsburgh. Formerly called Coal Hill, a nod to early mining days, the Mon oversees the three rivers and the city itself. There are quaint (i.e. pricey) restaurants and shops in the area.

Extremely budget minded travelers can trek up and down the Mon by foot or car. However, for $1.75, using the funiculars or inclines is an experience. The Monongahela Incline (shortened the Mon incline), opened in 1870, is the steepest and oldest incline in the U.S. It runs on the country’s oldest cable car operation. Take the half hour ride up and walk down to save money.

Point State Park

Point State Park sits at the tip of Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle (or Central Business District), a popular tourist destination. This is where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers merge.

Point State Park isn’t merely a free piece of green space, it is a historical site commemorating the French and Indian War. Throughout the park are restored bastions of Fort Pitt and 23 monuments and plaques allowing strollers to walk through history. Highlights include the Fort Pitt Blockhouse, one of the oldest authentic buildings in Western Pennsylvania, and of course, the huge fountain.

Entrance to the park is free.

The Frick Art And Historical Center

Located 20 minutes east of downtown Pittsburgh and reachable by public bus, the estate of industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick is a great day trip back into the past. There is an admission fee to Clayton, the main estate, but The Frick Art & Historical Center grounds, The Frick Art Museum, Car and Carriage Museum, and Greenhouse are free and well worth a visit.

Check the schedule for free talks by volunteers.

Pittsburgh is much, much more than the Steel City. Art, history, and nature offer the frugal traveler some budget stretching attractions.