Itinerary

Where to Stay:

Ready yourself for a weekend of activities by checking in to the Holiday Inn Express, located at 20 S 10^th Street on the cusp of Pittsburgh's historic South Side. Amenities include a heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi rooms and complimentary breakfast, plus it is within walking distance of over 200 eclectic shops, restaurants and nightlife.

Website: www.hiexpress.com

Phone: 412.488.1130.

Tucked away in the heart of the South Side is Morning Glory Inn, located at 2119 Sarah Street, an acclaimed bed and breakfast in an 1862 Italianate style Victorian townhouse. For business travelers, Morning Glory is one of the Pittsburgh's finest B & B's and offers wireless internet and SMART Board-equipped meeting facilities. Morning Glory's inviting New Orleans-style courtyard provides a fresh environment for "breakout" business planning meetings or people just wishing to enjoy a lovely retreat.

Website: www.gloryinn.com

Phone: 412.431.1707.

And only a mile away you will find Sheraton Station Square Hotel, located at 300 West Station Square Drive alongside The Shops at Station Square where you can also find shopping, fine dining and nighttime activities.

Website:www.pittsburghhamptoninn.com

Phone: 412.681.1000

While Black Sheep Puppet Festival has its own enormous itinerary that can keep you enjoying puppetry all weekend, we know you might want to see some of the city while you're here, so we've come up with a few great ideas for you!

Friday Evening (7pm to 2am):

After checking into your hotel, head over to Club Cafe (www.clubcafelive.com) or Diesel (www.liveatdiesel.com) for live music and drinks. If theater's more your speed, check out City Theatre (www.citytheatrecompany.org) to see what exciting and adventurous production is playing that night. You can also do a great bar crawl along East Carson Street, where you'll find 42 beers on tap at Fathead's (www.fatheads.com), Pittsburgh's favorite hookah bar, The HKAN Hookah Bar and Grill (www.thehkan.com), incredible martini selections at Z Lounge (www.zloungepgh.com) and blocks full of other bars and clubs to entertain you late into the evening.

Saturday Morning (9am to 1pm):

Head out to see East Carson Street by daylight, where you'll find a great selection of shops and galleries, like Dave's Music Mine (www.davesmusicmine.com), where you can spend some time browsing, buying, selling or trading new and used CDs and vinyl . Love the musty dust of old bookstores? The district offers City Books or Eljay's Used Books (eljaysbooks.com). Whether you're an aspiring photographer or just enjoy looking at great pictures, Silver Eye Center for Photography (www.silvereye.org) is a great gallery to pop into. Whether you want to poke through a vintage clothing store or enjoy a good cigar, you won't be disappointed! For more information on the many South Side shops, dining and more, visit www.southsidepgh.com.

Saturday Lunch (1pm to 2pm):

• Kassab's serves up great Middle Eastern cuisine, including the best hummus and falafel wraps in the city!

• Bruschetta's (www.bruschettas.com) offers a variety of traditional upscale American food from basic pastas to grande entrees.

• Nakama Steakhouse & Sushi Bar (www.eatatnakama.com) is the best place to watch your own knife-wielding chef cook up delicious Japanese.

• Tom's Diner (www.eatattomsdiner.com) keeps things simple with a huge menu of classic dishes.

Saturday Afternoon (2pm to 5pm):

Just down Carson Street you'll find the Duquesne Incline (http://incline.pghfree.net/), where you can take a ride up Mt. Washington to see the best view of Pittsburgh and one of the best views in the country. Take a stroll along Grandview Ave and Shiloh St to find restaurants and shops. Stop in for ice cream at Difiore's Ice Cream Delite, or stop in at the Grand Brew, a European-style cafe, for coffee, fudge and pastries.

Saturday Evening (7pm to ?):

Come to the Brew House for the Black Sheep Puppet Festival Main Event and After Party!

Sunday Morning (10am to 2pm):

After checking out of your hotel, head over to the North Shore to spend a relaxing morning and afternoon browsing art before heading out of the 'Burgh. Two of Pittsbugh's most well known museums, The Andy Warhol Museum (www.warhol.org) and the Mattress Factory (www.mattress.org) are within easy walking distance of each other. At The Warhol, you'll find more than 12,000 works by this Pittsburgh native in this 7-story warehouse. You can also check out the aptly named Weekend Factory, where you can spend time in a studio making your own art and exploring Warhol's techniques. But if you really want to immerse yourself, step into the room-sized installation pieces at the Mattress Factory. You can also pick up lunch before you go at the Boxspring Cafe in the Mattress Factory.