Sometimes, you just have to visit a place because you want to knock off an item on your personal list. That was the case with JRS’s and my visit to Pittsburgh. We went to attend a game at PNC Park, the home of the Pirates, and to see how awesome it was, because we’ve heard nothing but good things about it. But because of timing with her work and mine going to the Laurel Highlands area this week, we only had less than 24 hours here.

It’s a bit of a regret, because National Geographic named Pittsburgh one of the top 25 travel destinations for the year. Yes, we would have liked to have seen why a prestigious publication honored the city this way. We essentially came here to check off number ten on our Major League Baseball parks list. If we'd planned things a little better, we would be seeing more of a place I only knew from the 1980s movie “Flashdance” (and that's not a great representation of the city today). But we were impressed with the ballpark, and we would place it on the top half of our list, and we'd certainly return.

Normally, I would write only about the food at a ballpark. But JRS and I didn’t eat that much here, and I don’t think it would be an interesting post to write about the only two items we had and the beer I drank out of necessity. It was quite hot and humid during our visit, and I don’t think I’ve gulped a brew any faster than I did. Instead, I’ll describe my impressions of the park itself, as well as the food.

The ballpark

PNC opened for the 2001 season just up the Allegheny River from the old Three Rivers Stadium, home to both the Pirates and the Steelers. Now, like every other city that housed its professional sports teams in one facility, Pittsburgh built two dedicated stadiums, one for each organization. Acrisure Stadium, opened the same year, sits just under a half mile to the west. Like many MLB parks, PNC follows the design and construction of a traditional park, a style that began with Camden Yards in Baltimore.

With a crowd capacity of just under 39,000, PNC has that intimate feel I appreciate at these old-fashioned-inspired venues. Another impressive feature is the prevalence of Pirates history and tribute to the team’s accomplishments, which go back to 1887. Plaques showing former players adorn the walls, and statue-size bobbleheads sport their uniforms from decades past. There’s even a replica kid-size yellow bridge that’s one of the city’s hallmarks across the three rivers.

The location and views

One thing that nearly every visitor to PNC Park raves about is its setting. I’ve seen it on TV before, but now that I’ve seen it in person, I understand the wow factor. It’s like the views at Oracle Park in San Francisco and Petco Park in San Diego. But at PNC, you also see the distinct yellow steel bridges I mentioned above. The closest one is named after Roberto Clemente, probably the most beloved Pirates player, who passed away at age 38 in a 1972 plane crash in his native Puerto Rico.

Like many of the best MLB Parks, PNC is within walking distance of downtown, with many hotels close by and some even right next to the complex. We would have done that ourselves, but the temperature and humidity were both in the mid-90s, and it was too much for us to make the mile-long trek. Once you’re there, you’ll marvel at the awesome views of the Pittsburgh skyline, the surrounding green hills and the confluence of the Ohio, Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers.

The food

When I was first planning this post, I wanted to make it all about the culinary offerings at PNC. But as I mentioned, we didn’t have much, and I truly didn’t want to buy most of the food. I think it was mostly because JRS and I shared a Primanti Brothers sandwich, a Pittsburgh institution sold at the ballpark. Even though we split the turkey and cheese sandwich, it also included vinegar-based coleslaw, which gave it a nice tangy flavor, and French fries that were slightly soggy and honestly didn’t add much. Even though we had ours outside the ballpark, I included it here because they are available for sale there.

At the ballpark, JRS chose pierogi because she was looking forward to having Pittsburgh’s signature dish. Filled with potatoes and cheese, they were slightly sautéed, a bit crispy on the outside and topped with grilled onions, sour cream, chives and bacon bits. It was a savory comfort-food treat, and we nearly got another serving because they were that irresistible. Instead, I got haluski cannonballs: egg noodles, kielbasa, bacon, cabbage, and cheese rolled into a golfball-sized sphere, breaded, fried, and served with sour cream. While they were tasty, they were also, not surprisingly, too filling for me to finish. Other unique PNC foods include a Boricua dog, a coop puppy (chicken) sandwich, Nutella beignets, smoked turkey legs and chipped ham fries.