Strip District: the strip district is a pretty characterful place. It has lots of small coffee shops, gift shops, bars, clubs and various restaurants. The street is of old fashion and has a very relaxing ambience to walk along during a Saturday night. The Italian soda I got there was pretty good.
Waterfront: Waterfront is about a 20-minute drive from CMU. It has a Loews Theatre, as well as a variety of restaurants and fashion shops. It is a nice place to hang out with friends. There we can have a nice dinner, watch a newly released movie, and chat around a neat fountain.Good place to go for a break at night.
Shadyside Village: this is one of the places I love most at Pittsburgh. Maybe because it is within walking distance from the place I live, I went there quite a lot. The whole street is of old European fashion, and has lots of art gelleries and antique stores. It's away from the main street and from time to time, you will find tourists walking around. The air is peaceful and filled with harmony. A big fan of tiny cakes and tarts, I enjoyed the Pranti's bakery there a lot.
Science Center: it was not far away from downtown. It has a wonderful IMAX theater and a variety of cool demos of physical phenomenon. I got a chance to go there during the July 4th holiday with a friend, and we found it pretty interesting. One of the most exciting part for me is a trip to the submarine, USS Requin SS-481. We actually got a chance to get inside, and got a close look at its huge engines. It was amazing.
Somtimes it's not where you go but with whom you go that matters.