The three rivers of Pittsburgh are the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio. The Allegheny and the Monongahela meet at the Point downtown to form the Ohio, and the best scenic spots in the city line their banks: the Point State Park fountain, Mount Washington, the North Shore stadiums, the yellow bridges and quiet islands just outside downtown.
Some of these views look even better from the water than from land. Below are our top 10 scenic spots you can see from a boat, grouped by river so you can plan a route. Our pontoon boat rental in Pittsburgh leaves from Vic's Boat Park in McKees Rocks, on the Ohio River just minutes from downtown, so every spot on this list is within reach of a single rental.
Before you plan a route, it helps to know how the rivers fit together. Think of downtown as a triangle with the Point at its tip.
Because our dock is on the Ohio, the Point is the natural first stop on almost any trip. From there you choose: up the Allegheny, up the Mon, or a little of both.
This is the spot every visitor wants to see. Point State Park sits at the tip of downtown, right where the Allegheny and Monongahela meet to form the Ohio. Its fountain shoots high above the water and frames the skyline behind it.
From a boat you get the full picture: the fountain, the downtown towers, Mount Washington across the Mon and bridges in every direction. It is a favorite place to slow down for photos, especially in the evening when the light turns warm. Expect more boat traffic here on summer weekends, so keep a good lookout and an easy speed.
Most people see Pittsburgh from the top of Mount Washington. From the river, you get the reverse view: the steep green hillside rising above the Mon and the Ohio, with the red cars of the Duquesne Incline climbing the slope.
The best angle is from just below the Point, looking south across the water. On a clear day, the overlooks along Grandview Avenue are easy to pick out at the top of the hill. Kids love spotting the incline cars as they move up and down.
Head back down the Ohio from the Point and look to the north bank. Acrisure Stadium, home of the Steelers, sits right on the water, with the Carnegie Science Center just downstream.
This stretch is one of the best places on the rivers to watch the sun go down. The Ohio runs west from the Point, so the sky behind the stadium lights up at the end of the day. Our rentals run until 9 PM, so a late afternoon or evening booking puts you on the water for the best of the color. If you plan to stay out near dark, give yourself time to get back to the dock.
North Shore Riverfront Park runs along the north bank between the stadiums, part of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail system that follows the water through the city. From the river you see walkers, runners and cyclists on the riverwalk, the stadiums behind them and the downtown skyline across the water.
This is a busy stretch on game days and summer weekends. Pennsylvania law limits boats to slow, no wake speed within 100 feet of docks, the shoreline and people in the water, so keep it slow along the walls and enjoy the scenery.
Turn up the Allegheny from the Point and you pass under a row of yellow suspension bridges, with PNC Park on the north bank. The ballpark faces the river and the skyline, which is why its view is famous.
The yellow bridges are some of the most photographed sights in the city. From the water, the bridge closest to PNC Park, the Roberto Clemente Bridge, lines up with the skyline for a classic Pittsburgh shot.
Keep going up the Allegheny past the bridges and the riverbank shifts from stadiums to the Strip District and the neighborhoods beyond. This stretch gives you a long, wide look back at the downtown skyline, and it is usually calmer than the water right at the Point.
It is a good place to slow down, put on some music and let the city slide by. Our pontoons with a Bluetooth capable stereo make this an easy, relaxed cruise.
Farther up the Allegheny, Washington's Landing, once known as Herrs Island, sits in the middle of the river. Its tree lined banks and quieter water feel a world away from the busy Point, even though downtown is only a short run back.
Washington's Landing is a longer trip from our dock, so it fits best on an 8 hour rental where you are not watching the clock. Pair it with a slow cruise back past PNC Park for the full Allegheny experience.
Turn up the Monongahela from the Point and you will pass Station Square on the south bank, at the foot of Mount Washington. The Smithfield Street Bridge, with its distinctive lens shaped trusses, crosses here and is one of the oldest bridges in the city.
The view back toward downtown from the Mon is different from the Allegheny side. You see the skyline from the south, with Mount Washington towering right above your boat.
Continue up the Mon past the South Side and you reach the Hot Metal Bridge, a reminder of the steel mills that once lined these banks. The South Side Riverfront Park and its trails sit along the shore here.
This is a good turnaround point on a 4 hour rental that heads up the Mon. You get the city's industrial past, the riverfront parks and the skyline all in one stretch.
Some of the best scenery is close to our dock. Heading upstream on the Ohio from McKees Rocks, you pass Brunot Island and then go under the big yellow arch of the West End Bridge, with the downtown skyline opening up ahead.
That moment when the arch passes overhead and the city appears is one of our favorite views on the rivers. It is the first scenic spot on almost every trip and the last one on the way home. Bring the camera out early, because this is where the skyline photos start.
You can't see everything in one trip, so pick a route that fits your rental. Our rentals run in 4 hour and 8 hour blocks between 9 AM and 9 PM.
Want more route ideas? Read our guide to the top routes for sightseeing by boat, or explore the hidden islands you can reach by boat.
The full rules are in the Fish and Boat Commission regulations recap. For help choosing a day, see our guide to the best time to rent a boat on the Allegheny, Ohio and Monongahela rivers.
Pittsburgh's three rivers are the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio. The Allegheny flows in from the northeast and the Monongahela from the south. They meet at Point State Park, at the tip of downtown, and join to form the Ohio River, which flows west out of the city.
Downtown Pittsburgh sits on a point of land where two rivers, the Allegheny and the Monongahela, come together and become a third, the Ohio. With all three rivers meeting in the middle of the city, the nickname stuck. Many local places and events use the Three Rivers name.
The Point is where the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River meet to form the Ohio River. Point State Park covers the tip of land at that spot, and its fountain is one of the most famous views in the city, especially from a boat on the water.
Allegheny is said AL uh GAY nee. Monongahela is said muh NON guh HEE luh, and most locals simply call it the Mon. Ohio is said the usual way, oh HI oh. If you want to sound like a local on the boat, call the Monongahela the Mon.
Yes. Our dock in McKees Rocks is on the Ohio River, minutes from the Point, where all three rivers meet. A 4 hour rental easily covers the Point and one other river. An 8 hour rental gives you time to cruise the Ohio, the Allegheny and the Monongahela at a relaxed pace.
Ready to see the three rivers from the water? Book your pontoon rental or compare our boats and plan your route.
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