Being aboard a boat on Pittsburgh’s three rivers can be both scenic and scientific.
The Explorer riverboat’s “Uniquely Pittsburgh Sightseeing Tour” is a 90-minute excursion that offers guests views from the water while they learn the rich history of the city.
The Explorer was built as a floating classroom.
Owned by the Rivers of Steel, an organization that focuses on the city’s industrial heritage, the Explorer will be cruising once again beginning Friday.
The script for this latest tour was written with locals in mind, said Brianna Horan, Rivers of Steel’s manager of tourism and visitor experience.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, many folks are exploring places and attractions closer to home, so we crafted this experience to ensure local audiences would be just as entertained and educated as those visiting from farther away,” Horan said.
The course travels the Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny Rivers.
Proceeds from tours and charters help to underwrite Rivers of Steel’s STEM-based education programs on board the vessel for students throughout southwestern Pennsylvania.
This tour follows the organization’s “Pittsburgh 101” launched in 2018 which examined the area’s national resources, industry and technology.
“Everybody wants a friend with a boat,” said Horan. “We can be your friend with a boat. And on this boat everyone can learn something about Pittsburgh they may not have known about.”
Tours are at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday until the end of August. Passengers board near the Carnegie Science Center on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.
Prices range from $12 to $23. Advance ticket purchases are required and can be purchased here.
