Winter is dragging, and those nice days we have here and there give us the itch to travel. But, like Pam Beesly, we try to avoid taking our vacation days too early in the year. Which is why we love a good staycation! We can get away from our normal routine and explore a different area of the city like we live there. And try a few new spots while we’re at it! Here are our tips for an awesome staycation in Lawrenceville…and, bonus, this would make an UH-MAAAAA-ZING Valentine’s Day surprise 😉
Where to Stay
TRYP Hotel is where it’s at in Lawrenceville. We did a full writeup about them when they opened (check it out here for all the details and pics) but we’ll summarize: it’s in the former Washington Education Center on 40th Street, and the design totally pays homage to the building’s roots as a school. The hotel boasts a coffee shop and two restaurants, Brick Shop and Over Eden (read our article about it here!).
If you feel like branching out from the hotel, we have a few more suggestions on where to go. Since there are so many great spots in Lawrenceville, we decided to only include those within a 5 block radius from TRYP to make it an easy walk. Because, let’s face it, who knows what the weather will be like…
Where to Get Drinks
If you want to grab a beer, we recommend you head to Eleventh Hour – and tell Archie we think he’s a good boy! More in the mood for wine or cocktails, or something a little different from your norm? Give Grapperia a try!
Where to Eat Dinner
There are so many delicious restaurants that even after narrowing our choices down to a 5-block radius, we still have trouble deciding where to go! Some of our favorite options include Round Corner Cantina, Franktuary, Smoke, Ki Ramen, and Ki Pollo. We also love Driftwood, Burgh’ers, and The Vandal (check out our writeup here!). And of course we have to mention Cinderlands, Industry Public House, and Merchant Oyster Co. Want something that’s a little more special-occasion-worthy? Make a reservation for Morcilla, Poulet Bleu, or try your luck at Piccolo Forno. And don’t forget Piccolo Forno is BYOB!
We love that there’s such a variety of cuisines in such a small area, so we can always get exactly what we want…no matter what we’re in the mood for. And, guys? That list above doesn’t even include all of the options within a 5-block radius…there are even more restaurants that we didn’t mention. So you definitely won’t go hungry!
Where to Eat Breakfast
If you’re more into a light breakfast, there are plenty of coffee shops near TRYP, like Espresso a Mano and Convive Coffee Roastery. And you can’t go wrong with Coca Cafe or Geppetto Cafe! We also love brunch at Industry, Smoke, and The Vandal.
Where to Shop
We love planning trips around where we eat, but we have to do something between restaurants until we’re hungry again, right? We have a great list of places to shop (and get some sweets) if you feel like strolling down Butler Street.
If you were planning a staycation in Lawrenceville, what would your must-do stops be? Tell us in the comments!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.