Pittsburgh is regularly named one of America’s most livable cities. In 2025, it was included in Livability.com’s list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in the United States, and it was ranked No. 14 out of 149 metro areas in a list of the most livable cities for 2026 put out by RentCafe. Affordability is a big part of this. Pittsburgh’s overall cost of living is 8.2% lower than the national average, and it’s an especially affordable place to buy a home, with an average home sale price almost 40% below the U.S. average. And while the typical tourist might not care about the cost of real estate, it’s an equally affordable destination for visitors, with a whole slew of activities you can enjoy without paying a dime.
Summer is an especially great time to find free things to do in the criminally underrated one-time steel capital of Pittsburgh. This is when you can check out free festivals like downtown’s Three Rivers Arts Festival (in June) and Picklesburgh (in July), or neighborhood festivals like August’s Little Italy Days in Bloomfield, a historically Italian community that’s become a vibrant cultural hub. There are also lots of free recurring activities in the summer, like Open Streets events, and free live music series like Music on the Lawn at Southside Works.
The truth is, though, you can find plenty of budget-friendly entertainment in Pittsburgh no matter when you visit. We rounded up some quintessential Pittsburgh sites and attractions, each showcasing the city’s rich culture and history, and narrowed down five of the best free ways to enjoy the Steel City during any season.
Visit the Frick Museums & Gardens
Pittsburgh has several world-class museums, like the Heinz History Center (ranked America’s best history museum in 2025) and the Carnegie Museum of Art, whose diverse collection makes it the “crown jewel” of Pittsburgh’s museum scene. But the Frick Pittsburgh Museums & Gardens stands out as the most extensive museum complex in Pittsburgh that is free to visit…