PITTSBURGH HAS LANDED ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC’S BEST PLACES TO TRAVEL TO IN 2026 | PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO
Last year, Lonely Planet selected Pittsburgh among its top 10 “must-visit” places in the world for 2025 — the only U.S. city on the list.
Now, the Steel City has just made the list of top 25 “Best Places in the World to Travel to in 2026” by National Geographic. Once again it’s the only U.S. city on the list, rubbing shoulders with such iconic destinations as Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Manila and Vancouver, B.C.
Other locations in the U.S. on the National Geographic list include the Badlands in North Dakota, Route 66 in Oklahoma (as the famed highway celebrates its 100th anniversary) and the Hawaiian island Maui.
National Geographic said the cities and regions were “hand-picked” by National Geographic’s global community of explorers, photographers and editors.
Why go to Pittsburgh? The magazine describes Pittsburgh as “a postindustrial city with a thriving cultural scene — and a head of steam.”
But instead of focusing on the city’s conversion from steel to tech or its powerful sports community, the magazine highlights Pittsburgh’s robust cultural scene and vibrant neighborhoods.
“Steel mills once shaped outsiders’ whole impressions of Pittsburgh, but today the city increasingly defines itself by embracing the venerable cultural institutions that industrial prosperity helped build. At the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, it’s easy to spend a day admiring just the marquee collections of Impressionist works and dinosaur fossils (though there’s plenty more to see). Next year’s Carnegie International, held every four years, is one of the contemporary art world’s most talked-about exhibitions.”
THE ENTRANCE SPACE OF THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM | PHOTO BY DEAN KAUFMAN
It goes on to praise The Andy Warhol Museum’s $60 million expansion bringing a new performing arts venue to the Pop District on the North Side and the National Aviary, “where visitors can stand in free-flight habitats amid hundreds of soaring, squawking birds.of soaring, squawking birds.”
It mentions all the construction underway to get Downtown ready for the NFL Draft and encourages visitors to ride the Duquesne Incline from Mount Washington to get the best view of the Golden Triangle.
“It’s an incredible honor for Pittsburgh to be included among National Geographic’s Best of the World 2026,” Jerad Bachar, president & CEO of VisitPITTSBURGH, said in a statement. “This designation is a testament to our ongoing efforts to tell the story of Pittsburgh and reach travelers worldwide. It’s a reflection of our region’s continuing evolution —f rom industrial town to cultural innovator—and how that story resonates on a global scale.”
Anne Ryan, deputy secretary of tourism for Pennsylvania, echoed his praise
“National Geographic’s recognition of Pittsburgh as a Best of the World destination is a game-changer for Pennsylvania tourism,” she said in a statement. “When one of the world’s most trusted travel authorities puts Pittsburgh on the same list as the planet’s most extraordinary destinations, travelers take notice. This is the kind of global spotlight that turns curiosity into bookings — and we’re ready to welcome the world to experience Pittsburgh.”