Travel, Hotels & Things to Do in Pittsburgh

ART && CODE 3D takes place on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University, a mid-sized private university located in the midst of Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood – a bustling hub of schools, museums, galleries and historical sites, ethnic restaurants and shops. The area surrounding campus is attractive, relatively safe and pedestrian-friendly. If you’re staying at one of the hotels listed below, chances are you won’t need a car.

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Additional information on this page:

Google map showing campus, hotels, nearby restaurants, bars and art galleries.

Getting to campus from Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)

  • Cabs cost $50 or more. The ride is about 20-40 minutes, depending on traffic.
  • Supershuttle costs $27.35 one-way and will take you directly to your hotel.
  • Pittsburgh’s city bus service runs an airport express line (the 28X “airport flyer” route) that stops directly at CMU and near many of the hotels in CMU’s neighborhood, Oakland. The 28X bus takes about 50-60 minutes and costs $3.25 (cash only); CMU is the last stop. Here’s the 28X schedule (PDF).

Taking a bus to Pittsburgh from out-of-town

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to flying, Megabus has service to Pittsburgh from several cities in New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as Washington DC and Toronto. The buses have power outlets and free wi-fi.

Driving and parking at Carnegie Mellon

The conference will be held in Baker Hall and the College of Fine Arts building (CFA) located on Frew Street at the rear of campus (here’s a campus map). The metered parking spots along Frew Street are expensive — we suggest parking in the East Campus Garage instead. The garage is free on the weekends and cost $10 for all-day parking on weekdays. For full details, see the driving directions and parking rates and locations on Carnegie Mellon’s website.

Hotels

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Oakland (University of Pittsburgh), 100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Reserve your room on their website or by calling 1-800-864-8287 — and be sure to tell them you’re coming for Art && Code in order to secure our special room rate of $149.34 (including tax) at this hotel (for online reservations, use the 3-letter code ART).

Here are some additional hotels within walking distance of Carnegie Mellon:

Wyndham Pittsburgh University Place
3454 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Tel: 412-683-2040

Quality Inn University Center
3401 Blvd of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Tel: (412) 683-6100

Hampton Inn Pittsburgh – University Center
3315 Hamlet St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Tel: (412) 681-1000

Marriott Courtyard Pittsburgh Shadyside
5308 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Tel: 412-683-3113

If you are interested in sharing a room, please contact Conference Manager Drue Miller: drue [at] drue [dot] com.

Getting around by bus or cab

  • Carnegie Mellon is on several major bus routes. Fares range from $2.25 to $3.25. Here’s a bus trip planner.
  • Cabs are easily sourced at the airport, but we don’t recommend them for getting around the city otherwise. Call in advance and be prepared to wait, and wait, and wait. Oh, and by the way, Pittsburgh taxis suuuuck. Still interested? Here’s the number for Yellow Cab: (412) 321-8100.

Bars and restaurants near campus

Tasty lunches will be served (on Saturday and Sunday of ART && CODE) to participants who have reserved a lunch ticket in advance. Vegetarian meals are available; please request this when you register. But hey, if you’re still looking for other eats in the area, we recommend:

  • Ali Baba (404 S. Craig St.) – Middle Eastern food
  • Chipotle (3619 Forbes) – burritos
  • Crepes Parisienne (207 S. Craig St.) – sweet and/or savory crepes
  • Eat Unique (305 S. Craig St.) – cafe and sandwiches
  • Kiva Han (420 S. Craig St. @ Forbes) – coffeehouse
  • Lucca Ristorante (317 S. Craig St.) – upscale Italian
  • Lulu’s Noodles/Yum Wok (400 S. Craig St.) – pan-Asian
  • Orient Express (4609 Forbes) – Metropolitan Chinese
  • Panther Hollow Inn (4611 Forbes) – neighborhood bar serving pizza, gyros and sandwiches (open late)
  • Primanti Bros. (3803 Forbes) – “Pittsburgh-style” sandwiches with fries and coleslaw on the inside (open late)
  • Star of India (412 S. Craig St.) – Indian
  • Starbucks (417 S. Craig St. @ Forbes) – coffeehouse
  • Union Grill (413 S. Craig St.) – casual bistro with salads, burgers, seafood, full bar (open late)

Activities and shopping within walking distance of campus

  • Carnegie Museum of Art – Founded in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie, the museum is renowned for its collections, including the Hall of Architecture.
  • Carnegie Museum of Natural History – Adjacent to the art museum, this facility is home to one of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur bones, along with the dazzling Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems.
  • Phipps Conservatory – Located just behind campus, this stately greenhouse is home to formal gardens, exotics and rare plant species, and even a tropical rainforest. A must-see for the computational designer inspired by natural forms.
  • South Craig Street, two blocks from campus and across the street from the museums, has many restaurants, cafes, bookstores and specialty boutiques.

Find more restaurants, bars, hotels and attractions on the official Art && Code 3D Google Map

 


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