Welcome to Pittsburgh...I hope it's not as cold as you were expecting! We may not try to keep things as weird as Austin, but it's a city where one can still have a lot of fun cheering their team . Consol Energy Center opened in 2010 and offers all the amenities you would expect from a modern world-class arena.

Airport Transportation

Pittsburgh International Airport is the primary local. Southwest is the most popular airline here, so getting here from Texas should be easy. The airport is a little out of town, and we don't make it easy to get in, but I hope this helps.

The Pittsburgh Port Authority (PAT) runs the 28X line out to the Airport. The schedule is at http://www.portauthority.org/paac/SchedulesMaps/AirportService.aspx It's $3.75 one way from the Airport to Downtown. Unfortunately, finding a taxi in Pittsburgh is like finding a unicorn, but if you want to give it a try, Yellow Cab Pittsburgh's number is (412) 321-8100. Uber and Lyft are available in Pittsburgh, but at the time of this writing I can't guarantee their availability at the airport. In the end, your best bet may just well be to rent a car.

Accomdations

Well, you've made it into the city. Given how hard it was to get a ride here, that's an accomplishment! So, where do you stay? The Mariott City Center [(412) 471-4000], Cambria Suites [(412) 381-6687] and Omni William Penn [(412) 281-7100] are just a few of the hotels in sight of CEC. My personal recommendation is the Holiday Inn Express at 20 South 10th Street [(412) 488-1130]. Less than a mile from the arena, it offers easy access to the fun in Pittsburgh that I know you're looking for. Station Square is pretty close, has plenty of hotels, and still plenty of fun. If you like to drink, stay as close to Carson Street as you can...it will be worth it.

Part 2 will be attractions, food, and bars...the stuff I'm much more qualified to write on, I promise!