If you are looking for the ultimate urban tailgating experience, look no further than the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). With its NFL stadium, this tailgating scene is part pro and part college. Some might consider it the best of both tailgating worlds. Here is what to expect on game day at Pitt.
I was at Pitt for a Thursday night game, so I was unable to see multiple meals made. With the short amount of time available to tailgate on Thursdays, I was impressed with what I saw.
Of course, there were your standard tailgating fare of brats and sausages…
I was incredibly impressed when I saw a regional influence of home made potato filled pierogis cooking in a pan.
Pittsburgh is a t-shirt and jersey tailgating scene. With clothing you have two color schemes. The current scheme of navy and gold, or the retro scheme of royal blue and yellow.
Whichever colors scheme you choose, you can’t go wrong as long as you are wearing something that supports Pitt!
Pitt’s campus is located in Oakland, one of neighborhoods located in Pittsburgh, but the football stadium is located in down town Pittsburgh.
Pitt’s football team plays its home games at Heinz Field; home of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. The stadium is located next to CNC Park, home of Pittsburgh’s MLB team the Pittsburgh Pirates. Both stadiums share parking lots and tailgating places. If your season tickets come with a parking pass, there are many lots right outside the stadium that are perfect for tailgating! Both stadiums are on the shores of the Ohio River and offer spectacular views of the Down town Pittsburgh Skyline.
If you don’t have a parking pass for one of the lots, there is plenty of parking down town, and is a short walk across the bridge to the stadiums. A word of caution, these lots across the river may or may not allow tailgating, you will have to check and see. This water front stadium location does offer a unique tailgating opportunity.
Tailgating on water! Across from Heinz field, there are slips where you could tie up your boat and tailgate before the game. While the boat scene at Pitt is nothing compared to that of Washington or Tennessee, it is still a cool concept! Here is what a few of the lots outside and around the stadium look like.
Tailgating at Pitt is a pleasant mix of NFL and College. The location and infrastructure was what you would expect to find in an NFL setting, but when Pitt fans arrived, it was filled with the passion only found in the college game!
Heinz field has a unique location and if you are able to go to a night game, then the views of the cities skyline at night are amazing!
Before you head off to your Pitt tailgate make sure you are up to date on the schools current parking and tailgating policies. There is a link available on the Tailgating resources page.
