 My husband and I began our trip to Pittsburgh snuggling in front of an old Bessemer furnace.
Admiring a blast furnace doesn't typically rank on a list of things to do on a romantic getaway. But this old Bessemer sits in the heart of Station Square, a dining and nightlife hot spot near downtown. The furnace has been transformed into an art piece, a backdrop for a dancing fountain that shoots multicolored jets in time to songs by The Beatles and Carlos Santana. We ordered wine on The Grand Concourse's patio and soaked up the evening watching the water, admiring the lights and, yes, gazing at an attractive blast furnace.
It used to be that Pittsburgh conjured images of belching chimneys and smog-choked skies. That Steel City has long since been replaced by a metropolis of trendy wine bars, edgy public art and downtown walks along the banks of three great rivers.
We found a charming piece of old Pittsburgh at the Renaissance Hotel, a landmark structure built to turn heads in 1906. A granite grande dame that overlooks the Allegheny River, the place still drips with elegance, leaving visitors to crane their necks looking at intricate ceiling mosaics, marble and brass balconies and a 30-foot glass dome overarching it all.
Saturday morning found us wandering the Strip District. Its core, a 15-block stretch along Penn Avenue, once Pittsburgh's warehouse district, brims with life on the weekends. We picked up strawberries grown just beyond the steep riverbanks, indulged in biscotti before lunch and then headed for a sandwich at a Pittsburgh classic, Primanti's.
The Primanti Brothers' kitchen assembles sandwiches 24 hours a day, stuffing the fries and coleslaw between the bread alongside the meat and cheese. It's a mess, I'll admit it, but a tasty mess made all the more fun with someone to laugh with.
Later, we walked to Heinz Hall to hear the symphony. Inside a hall adorned with creamy Italian marble and gold leaf, we settled in our red velvet seats, scarcely able to focus on the opening strains of a Beethoven symphony thanks to the distraction of glittering crystal chandeliers overhead.
After, it was back to the Renaissance. We could still see Heinz Hall from our room, and there wasn't a single smokestack to cloud the view.
RENAISSANCE PITTSBURGH HOTEL, 107 Sixth St., 800-468-3571; Station Square, 125 W. Station Square Drive, 800-859-8959, stationsquare.com; HEINZ HALL, 600 Penn Ave. # 1, 412-392-4900, pittsburghsymphony.org; PRIMANTI BROTHERS, 46 18th St., 412-263-2142, primantibros.com
Romance Road
Interstate 77 South leads to lake-view balconies, rustic retreats and wild sanctuaries, where couples can relax and perhaps get a little wild themselves.
Soaking in the view from a private balcony is a perfect way to start winding down during a stay at Whispering Pines. The bed and breakfast overlooking Atwood Lake knows how to cater to couples, with tubs for two, massages and romance packages year-round. While there, walk among spring wildflowers, take a guided horseback ride or cozy up by the fire pit. 1268 Magnolia Road, Dellroy, Ohio, 330-735-2824, atwoodlake.com; $190-$250
Pine Lakes Lodge has options for wandering hearts, with rooms in the two-story bed and breakfast lodge or secluded cabin rentals. Spend alone time in the hot tub or your private Jacuzzi, and have staff prepare you a candle-lit dinner or a picnic basket for a walk in the hills of Amish country. The property's smaller cabins include a rustic option or a small house on a pond. 61680 Buskirk Lane, Salesville, Ohio, 740-679-3617, pinelakeslodge.com; lodge $150-$295, cabins $200-$250
In 2009, The Wilds animal preserve opened Nomad Ridge with two-person yurt accommodations. Inside the luxurious tentlike structures with private bathrooms, the bamboo floors and simple decor transport you to Asia, while the included safari and the observation deck take you to Africa. Nomad Ridge doesn't open until May, but it's wise to book now, especially for the Grand yurt with a king size bed (Woodland yurts have queens). 1400 International Road, Cumberland, Ohio, 740-638-5030, thewilds.org; $325-$425 |
