7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Philadelphia Over Pittsburgh

Whether it comes to sports or cuisine, the rivalry between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh has been around for quite some time. If you’re trying to decide which Pennsylvania city to visit, let us convince you why you should pick Philadelphia over Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia is more central

Philadelphia’s East Coast location provides easy access to big cities such as New York, Baltimore, D.C., and more, with each one an easy drive away. However, you can also hop on a train or bus and get to any of those cities with relative ease. From Pittsburgh, you’re looking at quite a trek.

Philadelphia has better local beer and spirits

Philadelphia’s cuisine rules supreme

Forget cheesesteaks and scrapple—Philadelphia is home to several James Beard award winners, and some of its restaurants, including Zahav and Res Ipsa, have been recognized nationally. Pittsburgh has a solid food scene of its own, but it just isn’t on Philadelphia’s level.

Wawa vs. Sheetz

Philadelphia and its surrounding areas are home to Wawa, which serves up excellent hoagies, breakfast food, and coffee at amazing prices. Despite what many western Pennsylvanians would have you believe, Sheetz is simply the poor man’s Wawa.

It’s easier to get around in Philadelphia

Sure, Philadelphia’s SEPTA system isn’t flawless, but between buses, subways, regional rail trains, and trolleys, it’s relatively easy to get around Philadelphia proper and even its suburbs. And if you don’t want to take public transportation, it’s a walkable city. Pittsburgh’s buses and meager “T” subway system, with its limited stops, just don’t measure up.

Philadelphia’s pop culture is just better

Philadelphia is home to Rocky, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, M. Night Shyamalan films, and so much more, but when it comes to Pittsburgh’s pop culture, the fact is that nothing comes to mind. Even when The Dark Knight Rises was filmed in Pittsburgh, the filmmakers still felt the need to pretend it was downtown New York.

Philadelphia has a better work-life balance

If you’re looking to visit or move to a new city, Philadelphia’s work-life balance, in that you can work and live in the same neighborhood with ease, attracts thousands of young professionals. Pittsburgh’s downtown, while lovely, isn’t residential, which means longer commutes and empty neighborhoods once the working day is done.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

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Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.