Okay so let me tell you about planning my trip to see Green Day in Pittsburgh. This ain’t my first concert rodeo, but Pittsburgh always throws some curveballs, especially with parking.
First Things First: Getting the Ticket
Saw the announcement online, grabbed the ticket pronto. Green Day? In Pittsburgh? Heck yeah. Ticket secured, cool. Then reality hit: how the heck am I getting there, and more importantly, where am I crashing afterwards?
The Hotel Hunt Begins
Opened up every travel site I could think of. Typed in Pittsburgh dates. Ouch. Prices were jumping faster than Billie Joe on stage. Downtown hotels? Forget it, my wallet cried. I needed somewhere decent that wouldn’t cost a month’s rent.
Checked neighborhoods slightly out:
- Anything near the arena: pure madness price-wise.
- Looked at places across the rivers: better, but how easy is getting back?
- Finally found a decent chain spot near Robinson. Bit of a drive, but the price was way saner. Booked it. Done. Felt good.
Figuring Out How to Get There (Without Losing My Mind)
Now, how to actually get my butt to the venue? Driving from out of town. Pittsburgh driving… yeah. Maps app became my best friend.
- Entered venue address: PPG Paints Arena.
- App showed me a couple routes, mostly involving highways and that one dang tunnel that always backs up.
- Checked estimated times for concert night, knowing traffic would suck. Planned to leave way earlier than Google said.
- Jotted down major exit numbers. Screenshotted the final approach.
The Big Stress: Parking!
Parking stresses me out more than missing the opening riff. Started digging deep online.
Searched for official venue parking. Expensive. Booked a spot in advance at one of the recommended garages. Expensive, but peace of mind knowing I had a spot? Worth it.
Also checked:
- Nearby private lots: cheaper sometimes, but maybe a longer walk?
- Park & Ride options: Tricky for timing after the show.
Key tip I learned? RESERVE if you can. Street parking downtown on event night is basically unicorn hunting.
What Actually Happened (The Night Of)
Left hotel stupid early. Highway wasn’t too bad, surprisingly. Hit the usual slowdown near the exits downtown. Used my screenshots to find the garage entrance I’d booked. Smooth.
Getting out after? That was the mess I expected. Sat in the garage queue for about 30 minutes just waiting to get to the street level. Then more slow traffic getting back across the river. Took my time, cranked some Green Day on the car stereo. Got back to the hotel tired but buzzing.
The Big Takeaway
Planning the hotel, the route, and especially the parking ahead of time saved my sanity. Pittsburgh is a cool town but driving in for a big event can be rough. Getting the parking locked down early was the absolute best decision I made. Worth the extra bucks for less panic. Awesome show, made it back in one piece. Mission accomplished.