While Pittsburgh’s revitalized downtown is considered “criminally underrated,” visitors seeking more bucolic landscapes and small-town charm should head about 13 miles east of the city to the riverfront community of Oakmont. Prized for its prime location on the Allegheny River, Oakmont was first settled in the early 19th century and later became a hub for manufacturing. Its national reputation took shape in the early 20th century, when Henry Fownes, a wealthy Pittsburgh steel tycoon and avid golfer, began searching for a site to build a challenging, British-style golf course. He purchased nearly 200 acres in Oakmont to create Oakmont Country Club, which opened in 1904. Today, it is widely regarded as “the hardest golf course in America” and has hosted over 20 USGA championships.
While the prestigious club is private and accessible only to members or championship ticket holders, the borough of Oakmont brims with history and is worth a visit even if you don’t golf. Oakmont’s main thoroughfare – split between Allegheny River Boulevard and Allegheny Avenue and bisected by railroad tracks and the Arboretum Trail – is lined with restaurants, shops, the historic Oaks Theater, and Riverside Park. Throughout the borough, leafy residential streets are dotted with elegant homes, including one you can tour, as well as the quaint Oakmont Inn.
Oakmont is about a 45-minute drive from Pittsburgh International Airport, which opened a sleek new terminal in 2025. The best time to visit is June through September when temperatures hover between 75 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit.
Golfing in Oakmont
The Oakmont Country Club golf course has been ranked as one of the top 100 golf courses in the world. Between 1919 and 2025, it hosted 10 U.S. Opens and three PGA Championships. Nearly every major golf legend has played on its greens, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, and Tiger Woods. Due to its narrow fairways and fast greens, the course is challenging even for the best golfers and demands high accuracy on every shot. The course is anchored by the elegant, Tudor-style clubhouse, which overlooks the ninth hole. “Playing at this course is a once in a lifetime treat,” wrote a Google reviewer. “Immaculately maintained, incredibly challenging, and yet it never feels unfair. The clubhouse is a veritable golf museum — photos, signed memorabilia, and framed letters from many of golf’s greats.”…