The Steel City and Heinz Field have been considered one of the top travel destinations for fans of the NFL for the last two decades or so, thanks to the ever-growing city and the sites and sounds offered to those visiting.
Now, Pittsburgh knows where it stands when it comes to top NFL destinations across the league, thanks to the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, a longtime NFL reporter.
Volin, who has covered more than 200 NFL games in 13 years as a writer, in 29 NFL cities, plus Mexico City, took on the task of ranking all 30 NFL cities (Los Angeles and New York count as one each due to two teams). Pittsburgh, which Volin has frequented often as a New England Patriots’ beat reporter, comes in at No. 9 in his rankings, slotting just behind Denver and just ahead of Chicago.
“Pittsburgh rocks, especially if you don’t have to rent a car,” Volin writes. “The 20-minute walk from downtown across the bridge to Heinz Field is a great way to start the day. The stadium itself is fantastic, offering beautiful views of the skyline. And Steelers fans always bring the energy.”
Heinz Field’s location on the North Shore is quite ideal for the city of Pittsburgh, considering it’s just a few city blocks from the Pirates’ PNC Park. Many developments have occurred in the space between PNC Park and Heinz Field, with bars, restaurants, and plenty of parking popping up in recent years, making it easy for fans coming to the area for games to have a great time.
And, like Volin writes, downtown Pittsburgh is just a short 20-minute walk over the river from Heinz Field. Plus you can’t beat the view from inside the stadium, looking out at the city skyline over the confluence of the Allegheny, Ohio, and Monongahela rivers.
Pittsburgh feels like it’s slotted into this list correctly, with places like Seattle, Nashville, and now Las Vegas slotted ahead of the Steel City.
