About CMU and Pittsburgh

MOBILE ART && CODE takes place on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University, a mid-sized private university located in the midst of Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood -- a bustling hub of schools, museums, galleries and historical sites, ethnic restaurants and shops. The area surrounding campus is attractive, safe and pedestrian-friendly. If you're staying at one of the hotels listed below, chances are you won't need a car.

Additional information on this page:

Some hotel & housing options
Getting around by bus or cab
Food close to campus
Activities close to campus
Elsewhere around town

Here's an interactive map showing campus, hotels, nearby restaurants, bars and art galleries.

View this map larger and with lots of helpful labels!

Driving and Parking at Carnegie Mellon:
The conference will be held in Baker Hall, located on Frew Street at the rear of campus (campus map). The metered spots along Frew Street have a 2-hour time limit. The campus parking garage is free on the weekends and $10 for all-day parking on weekdays. For full details, see the driving directions and parking rates and locations on Carnegie Mellon's website.

Some Hotel & Housing Options:
Blocks of rooms have been reserved with a special conference room rate at the following hotels. Most hotels are within walking distance to Carnegie Mellon. Mention the block name: "Carnegie Mellon - Mobile Art and Code" when making your reservation.

Holiday Inn Oakland
100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Tel: 412-682-6200
Mix of double and king; nonsmoking.
Rate: $126.00, plus tax, per night.
Block Name: "Carnegie Mellon - Mobile Art and Code Workshop".
Please reserve your room by October 31, 2009 to ensure the workshop rate.

Wyndham Pittsburgh University Place
3454 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Tel: 412-683-2040
Mix of double and king; nonsmoking.
Rate: $119.00, plus tax, per night.
Block Name: "Carnegie Mellon - Mobile Art and Code Workshop".
Please reserve your room by October 30, 2009 to ensure the workshop rate.

Marriott Courtyard Pittsburgh Shadyside
5308 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224
Tel: 412-683-3113
Block details forthcoming.

Getting around by bus or cab:

From Pittsburgh Airport:: Pittsburgh's bus service runs an airport express line (the 28X) that stops directly at CMU and near many of the hotels in Oakland. It takes about 50-60 minutes. The cost is $2.60 in cash. It's a good deal -- taxis or car services will cost you $50-75. More information: http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/tabid/241/default.aspx
Here's a helpful Bus trip planner.
Yellow Cab (412) 321-8100.
Warning: There may be very long wait times for taxis.

Bars & restaurants within walking distance of Carnegie Mellon:

Ali Baba (404 S. Craig St.) - Middle Eastern food
Crepes Parisienne (207 S. Craig St.) - sweet and savory crepes
Eat Unique (305 S. Craig St.) - cafe and sandwiches
Kiva Han (420 S. Craig St. @ Forbes) - coffeehouse
Lucca Ristorante (317 S. Craig St.) - upscale Italian
Lulu's Noodles/Yum Wok (400 S. Craig St.) - pan-Asian
Maggie's Mercantile (300 S. Craig St.) - organic, vegan and raw foods cafe
Orient Express (4609 Forbes) - Metropolitan Chinese
Panther Hollow Inn (4611 Forbes) - neighborhood bar serving pizza, gyros and sandwiches (open late)
Star of India (412 S. Craig St.) - Indian
Starbucks (417 S. Craig St. @ Forbes) - coffeehouse
Union Grill (413 S. Craig St.) - casual bistro with salads, burgers, seafood, full bar (open late)

Activities and shopping within walking distance of Carnegie Mellon:

Carnegie Museum of Art - Founded in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie, the museum is renowned for its collections, including the Hall of Architecture.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History - Adjacent to the art museum, this facility is home to one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur bones, along with the dazzling Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems.
Phipps Conservatory - Located just behind campus, this stately greenhouse is home to formal gardens, exotics and rare plant species, and even a tropical rainforest. A must-see for the computational designer inspired by natural forms.
Nationality Rooms - A collection of 27 classrooms in the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning showcasing the cultures and traditions of different ethnic groups that helped build the City of Pittsburgh.
South Craig Street, two blocks from campus and across the street from the museums, has many restaurants, cafes, bookstores and specialty boutiques.

Elsewhere around town
You'll need to take a bus, cab or car to reach these destinations:

Squirrel Hill, Shadyside and the East End:
(You'll need a car to get to these destinations from CMU.)

Frick Art & Historical Center in Point Breeze features a large collection of art and vehicles, plus Clayton, a meticulously restored Victorian home that belonged to the Frick family.
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts in Shadyside hosts contemporary art exhibitions, including a current show of generative artwork by presenter Casey Reas.
The Pittsburgh Glass Center in East Liberty offers classes and exhibits of contemporary glass artists FREE Open House w/ glass blowing demos on Friday, 6-9pm
Lions, tigers, bears and a whole lot of other animals await you at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium in Highland Park
The Quiet Storm is a cozy vegetarian cafe in Friendship.
Shadyside, a popular neighborhood near campus, has many small galleries, shops and restaurants along Walnut Street and the artsier Ellsworth Avenue.

South Side:
(You'll need a car to get to these destinations from CMU.)

East Carson Street, the main drag through the South Side, has lots of bars, restaurants, cafes, antique shops and tattoo parlors.
Duquesne Incline - take a ride up Mount Washington for a spectacular view of Pittsburgh's skyline (especially after dark). Linger on one of the overlooks, restaurants or bars at the top (Grandview Avenue).
Upscale shopping and dining options abound at the SouthSide Works: stores include REI, Sur la Table, Urban Outfitters and Z Gallerie.
More shops and bars at Station Square, including the elegant Grand Concourse Restaurant

North Side, Downtown and the Strip District:
(You'll need a car to get to these destinations from CMU.)

The Andy Warhol Museum is the largest single-artist museum in the world. Seven stories recount the many varied aspects of his career.
Carnegie Science Center has an IMAX theater and lots of hands-on exhibits for children and adults.
Exhibits at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh are based on the philosophy of "Play with Real Stuff, where real things and real processes challenge children's abilities and help them understand the world we live in."
Downtown Pittsburgh is small but not without its charms. Walking tours highlight the city's stunning architecture, and contemporary art thrives in places like the Wood Street Galleries and Future Tenant.
Football fans will love touring Heinz Field, home turf of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers.
The Heinz History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum showcase the innovation and triumphs of the region.
Now through April 5 at the Mattress Factory is "PREDRIVE: After Technology", an exhibition that revels in the contradictions posed by digital art.
The National Aviary is home to over 600 exotic birds from around the world.
Vintage photo buffs will enjoy the Photo Antiquities Museum of Photographic History.
Foodies will enjoy a trip to the Strip District, where they can find the freshest produce and innovative cuisine from restaurants like Eleven, Kaya and Lidia's Italian Kitchen. And no trip to Pittsburgh is complete without a stop at Primanti Brothers, where the sandwiches are piled high with cole slaw and fries.
The PIttsburgh Design Zone runs along Penn and Butler Avenues from the Strip District through Lawrenceville. This is one of the up-and-coming areas of town, featuring many galleries, interior designers and architectural firms, vintage clothing stores and a hipster bowling alley, alongside restaurants and bars like Coca Cafe and Remedy.