Secret Pittsburgh

Location: 623 E. Eighth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Website: https://riversofsteel.com/experiences/tours/

Hours: Tours offered seasonally (May - September)

           Thursday - Friday   3:30PM - 8:30PM

           Saturday - Sunday  10:30AM - 3:30PM

Admission: $$

           Prices differ by tour, ranging from $5 to $27

Transportation: Bus and car

Access: Accessibility different by tour, contact Rivers of Steel for exact information

The Rivers of Steel company offers several boat tours including the Uniquely Pittsburgh Sightseeing Tour and the Hardest Working River Tour, both delivering some of the most unique views of Pittsburgh. This tour allows you to view the city from a perspective that is often overlooked, the rivers. Your journey begins as you take off from the North Shore of the Ohio River, heading through the Allegheny River. We recommend standing at the bow of the ship for the best view. One of the first sites that will catch your eye is Heinz Field, home field of the proud, six-time Super Bowl Champion team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. As you pass these sites you will hear interesting relevant facts from the guide such as how the name of our city’s champions is a reference to Pittsburgh’s close connection with the steel industry.

As the boat sails closer to the Allegheny River, it passes under several bridges, whose original designs have been preserved. The old-fashioned steel structures are a reminder of Pittsburgh's industrial past as the Steel City. When the ship turns and heads towards the Monongahela River, you can catch a glimpse at Pittsburgh's Downtown from the bow of the ship. Among the cluster of sleek, downtown buildings, you’ll discover Pittsburgh's tallest building. Once known as the U.S. Steel Tower, the building is now named after UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center). This change highlights a shift that occurred in the city, from the city’s past in industrialism to its present and future which is based on technology, education, and the medical industry.

A notable feature of this tour of the city is the freedom passengers have to move around the ship through its duration, allowing passengers to get amazing personalized views of the Pittsburgh sites. Passengers are given free reign to both the upper and lower decks of the ship. Heed the nautical directions that your educational tour guide presents at the beginning of the tour though because they will use these to point out landmarks on your journey. Both decks include speakers for full audio access. 

Rivers of Steel also offer tours for young students where they have the opportunity to talk with a local conservationist, help pull water samples from the river water below, and find little critters in the water to view under a microscope. 

Hopefully you will find yourself taking a Rivers of Steel boat tour sometime soon and get the chance to see the city from the rivers’ point of view!