Landlubbers, take heed! Pittsburgh is located at the confluence of three rivers — the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio — which means this town is overflowing with aquatic fun. From private boat rentals and modified kayaks to floating tiki bars and late-night fishing trips, here are 12 ways you can get a duck’s eye view of the ‘burgh.
Pittsburgh Pedal Boats
Burn calories as you consume them on a Pittsburgh Pedal Boat cruise. Grab a six-pack or bottle of wine or other nonalcoholic refreshments for this BYOB excursion, take a seat at one of 10 pedal stations and watch the city drift by as you sip. Don’t like to exercise? There are four non-pedal seats in the front of the vessel, so let your buddies do the legwork. Each 105-minute tour is operated by a licensed master captain and a deckhand who will get you safely back to shore. Bookings cost $36 per person for weekdays and $40 per person for weekends.
Rivers of Steel PGH 101 Cruise
All aboard a sightseeing tour with an educational component. Rivers of Steel’s Explorer vessel is a floating classroom taking guests on a 90-minute journey exploring how Pittsburgh’s industrial past helped shape its modern-day contributions to technology. You’ll learn some interesting factoids about the city and capture some great panoramic shots, too. Adults pay $23; kids 4 to 17 are $12.
Boat Pittsburgh
Ahoy, yinz guys! Ever dream of being a boat captain? Boat Pittsburgh gives you that opportunity. If you qualify, you can helm a 22-foot luxury pontoon and navigate the three rivers with a bunch of your friends. The hourly rates allow you to stay out on the water from sunrise to sunset, May through September. Get your hook and pegleg ready, Pittsburgh Pirate!
Nocturnal Addiction Bowfishing
This is Pittsburgh. Who needs the sun? Take your next fishing trip under the cover of darkness. For $300, two people can head out at dusk on a customized boat for a five-hour, guided bowfishing bash. Nocturnal Addiction provides the equipment (bows, arrows, reels, etc.) — you bring a valid PA fishing license and a cooler to transport your catch. If you don’t take it home for dinner, the crew donates all unwanted fish to local animal shelters that are nursing wild critters back to health.
Tres Rios Sports
Make your next outdoor trip “Epic.” Millvale-based Tres Rios Sports rents and sells Epic brand performance kayaks as well as Hobie kayaks and Eclipse pedalboards — billed as one of the best workouts on the water. Tres Rios is open weekends by appointment. Rentals range from $30 to $40 per hour.
Steel City Outdoor Adventures
Steel City Outdoor Adventures specializes in small group excursions that whisk you and your buddies away from the hustle and bustle of the city — from hiking and biking to whitewater rafting, which runs about $160 per person. If you’re in the mood to get out of town, the company offers sailing trips at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland. They handle the details, you just have fun. Put away your smartphone; Mother Nature is calling.
Dynamic Paddlers
