Fire in the Valley- Carnegie Steel and the Town That Built America
4.5
Fire in the Valley- Carnegie Steel and the Town That Built America
By DeBolt Unlimited Travel
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
from per group (up to 4)
£97.35
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-120
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Certified guide
- Private transportation
- Extraordinary extensive personal narration the length of the Experience
What's not included- Gratuities
- Landing and facility fees
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
- Option 1Duquesne Incline, 1197 W Carson St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USAWe can meet you in the parking lot for the Duquesne Incline between West Carson Street and West Station Square Drive next to the River.
- Option 2Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pittsburgh West - Green Tree, an IHG Hotel, 875 Greentree Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15220, USAWe can meet you at the front entrance to the Hotel.
- Option 3Panera Bread, 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USAWe can meet you at the entrance to the restaurant.
Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Pushchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 12953P3- Most travellers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 12953P3
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- HoneyGirl880 contributionsGeorge is one of a kind!George took us to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, and were happily educated and entertained for 8 hours! At first, we were a bit unsure of what to make of this gregarious older gentleman with an aging vehicle and worn binders full of pictures and information. But the bottom line is: George is a wonderful storyteller who deeply loves Pittsburgh and Frank Lloyd Wright and you'll learn more than you ever imagined. His enthusiasm is truly infectious. During the 90-minute drive to Fallingwater, we scarcely had a moment to look outside because George had us looking at maps and flipping pages of a binder as he regaled us with the story of Wright and the Kaufmanns and the genesis of Fallingwater. George also happens to know every single person who works at Fallingwater (and which chocolate bar they like best!) which absolutely benefitted us. My traveling companion had decided to join me in Pittsburgh at the last minute, and all Fallingwater tickets online were sold out. But George was able to speak to the front desk person and voila! Fortuitously, there was a cancellation and a ticket was found for my friend. I have no doubt that the staff made a special effort just for sweet George. The drive back to the city was just as fun and interactive and informative, except it was all about Pittsburgh, history to modern day. (George is also a great driver, and I felt safe the whole time.) Thanks for an unforgettable day, George!Written 9 September 2024
- clusk11620 contributionsFallingwaterThe house was amazing, Tour guide was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend this tour if you are a fan of FL Wright. Definitely wear walking shoes as lots of gravel paths to the house and lots of stairs up and down. Wouldn't do tour if in wheelchair or not an avid walker.Written 5 September 2024
- DylanGrears960 contributionsTop notch & educational tour!Great 3-hour long educational tour round Pittsburgh, we initially struggled with my 7 year old son not adjusting to the break system on the bike. This was not too much hassle for the Burgh team who were quickly able to amend the situation and give us a double bike which was controlled by myself, this meant my son could continue on the tour & that the other guests experience was not comprised, an example of fantastic customer service where the team went above and beyond for the tour. We saw some great sites and learned a bit of history about each place we stopped, the pace was gentle and relaxed and the tour guide Dan was a bubbly character with had a great personality and insight to the history, and architecture of Pittsburgh including further recommendations for us to try after the tour. We also each received vouchers to use at seperate places where we were given items at a reduced price including a sweet treat after a hot summers ride! Highly recommend - Dan, you really are the man!! Great afternoon 😊.Written 31 August 2024
- streetlightOwen0 contributions5 Star Private Pittsburgh Tour!!I cannot say enough about this tour of Pittsburgh it was absolutely fantastic! So private so personal and the host was the best I've ever had! He was so funny and informative and educational and you can feel his love of Pittsburgh shine! Highly recommend this tour if you want to learn all about Pittsburgh in a short amount of time in a private vehicle.Written 27 August 2024
- Stephen T0 contributionsGeorge's tour is fantastic! It's one of a kind!George was amazing! He shared so much history and stories about Pittsburgh. He clearly loves his city and he made us appreciate it as well. Pittsburgh really is a cool place! George drove us all around Pittsburgh pointing out sites and history along the way. He was funny and clever and everywhere we went, people greeted him. His history of the incline and of Pittsburgh made the tour really interesting. I highly recommend George's tour!Written 18 August 2024
- GamecockFirefly0 contributionsTour cancelled last minute by ProviderBooked trip through Trip Advisor. Booking was not honored, and I got an email (no phone call, etc) a few hours before our scheduled tour saying that I had to cancel the booking. Very disappointed. Hope I don’t get ripped off for something else, since I had to provide credit card info for the original booking. Don’t bother booking.Written 16 August 2024
- Stay292444909280 contributionsTour didn't take placeI booked the Pittsburgh tour through Tripadvisor. George from the tour company called soon after the booking to say that he will confirm the tour but the confirmation never occurred. Around 3 days later Tripadvisor sent an email that said the tour was not confirmed and was declined. Don't know what happened as there was no further communication from the tour company.Written 15 August 2024
- debbiemF8052KV0 contributionsNo tour.Our group had HOPED to do this in August. The tour DID NOT take place. Listed on both TripAdvisor and Viator, we attempted to book through both and were told by both that the booking could not be confirmed. Not sure why dates/times/rates were listed on both sites if not available. Not to mention, even though I received two emails saying not confirmed, I've received multiple follow up emails -- including this one to write a review -- about an experience that never happened.Written 15 August 2024
- Brian G0 contributionsGreat guide! Even if you thought you knew the burgh!George was the best!!! An experience we won’t forget!. We truly enjoyed it and George is an amazing guide and person! We learned alot and laughed even more!Written 17 July 2024
- Cruiser6981990 contributionsFallingwater and Kentuck Knob VisitWe went to Fallingwater first. We took the extended tour and had made reservations three months prior. The visitor's center has a restaurant, shop and restrooms. It was beautiful and we were told it was designed by the son's partner. Make sure you take the path down to the lower viewing site to see the waterfall and house from down below. The second day we went to Kentuck Knob. The house is just as interesting as Fallingwater and the view from the grassy area is amazing. Take the path back from the house through the trees to see all of their art installations on the grounds. The visitor center has a shop, ice cream shop (owners ice cream business), and restrooms.Written 7 July 2024
- smelanie900 contributionsPersonal tourGeorge is personable, friendly and a sweet man who takes you around many significant sites of Pittsburgh. He has worked hard over the years to give his personal touch to this tour. I’ve never been on a tour that is so one on one which will give us memories for years. He really knows his Pittsburgh facts.Written 3 July 2024
- matthewlP3966FM0 contributionsAwesome experience!George did an amazing job of providing us a well rounded tour of the city. He is very passionate and his enthusiasm for Pittsburgh and its history is incredible!Written 2 July 2024
- MarkWilkerson0 contributionsGreat experience!Great, informative experience. The guide was entertaining and gifted. We recommend! We did t have kids with us but could tell he would be excellent with them.Written 30 June 2024
- Road562960244250 contributionsSimply the best!Our tour guide, George, is a native to Pittsburgh. You can tell he loves his city. He has a wealth of knowledge and an eagerness to share it. By the end of the tour, my daughter and I loved Pittsburgh, too! You will be surprised to learn so many things about the history of Pittsburgh and how it was a crucial part of developing our country. The tour was fun and educational!Written 26 June 2024
- Josieg6240 contributionsWonderful as expectedWonderful place, great guided tour, book in advance as they fill up and have limited guided tours. We had a morning tour. Fallingwater was a bucket list item for me and it did not disappoint. Loved it so much and would love to return in the Autumn, the landscape must be stunning just like this home. Staff at the check in was great, nice open air check in/gift shop/snack shop/exhibit. Tip: be sure and use restroom before the tour.Written 18 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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4.5
58 reviews
Excellent
48
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4
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3
Excursion199577
New York City, NY1 contribution
Jul 2022
George was very enthusiastic, clearly he LOVES Pittsburgh. He was very accommodating to pick us up at the airport and the car was large enough for all our luggage. However, the tour that he took us on did not match the itinerary listed in this description. He had notebooks full of photographs and printed handouts of the steelmaking process for us to look at as we drove along and listened to his commentary. But there were only two stops, one at the one of the Incline railways to look over the city skyline, one at a statue of St. Joseph the Steelworker at a church. The rest of the tour consisted of driving along the highway, barely glimpsing a few buildings that used to be part of the steel industry. He didn't take us to any of the stops listed in the itinerary.
Written 15 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michelle J
Murrysville6 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
My aunt and I thought this would be fun for my 12 and 13 year old since they watched The Men Who Built America for school last year. George even suggested we re-watch Season 1 Episode 4 (The Battle of Homestead) the night before because we would be seeing it on our tour. Except we didn't. We didn't go to the last 3 stops on the itinerary and had to specifically ask about the battle on our way back. We did learn a lot so I would have given a higher rating if we'd visited the stops expected and the transportation was better. George was 10 minutes late to our meeting spot, was not organized (pulling binders and wrinkled papers with footprints on them out of his trunk), and his vehicle was not at all what I would have expected for a private tour. It was very crammed and uncomfortable for 4 people, especially shuffling around binders, maps and papers. I was so distracted by the dust and noise from the car that it was difficult to truly enjoy the experience.
Written 18 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SDScottYbo
San Diego, United States29 contributions
May 2022
We were in town to see the Padres play the Pirates and wanted to learn more about a city that helped build America. The Fire in the Valley Tour was much different and much more than we could have expected. George gives you the history of Pittsburgh with personal stories he learned from his family. You will see and learn things no other tour could provide.
George himself made the tour. He makes it interactive, humorous and extremely interesting. We learned so much about the history and a lot of tidbits about modern-day Pittsburgh.
He is an excellent tour guide and an extremely nice man. My wife lost her phone on the tour and he was getting ready to backtrack the route after his last tour, before I contacted him and told him we located it.
George thank you! The tour was the highlight of our trip and we will definitely be back to your beautiful city.
George himself made the tour. He makes it interactive, humorous and extremely interesting. We learned so much about the history and a lot of tidbits about modern-day Pittsburgh.
He is an excellent tour guide and an extremely nice man. My wife lost her phone on the tour and he was getting ready to backtrack the route after his last tour, before I contacted him and told him we located it.
George thank you! The tour was the highlight of our trip and we will definitely be back to your beautiful city.
Written 3 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review Scott. It was my pleasure. Your compliments slightly assuage the sting of the Padres winning two out of three at home. And St. Joseph told me he was going to call about the phone but his battery was low. Looking forward to your return.
Written 4 May 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tianna H
Pittsburgh, PA12 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
We’ve been living in Pittsburgh for 15 years or so and we were really surprised how much we learned about the city in the tour! It was fascinating to hear how this (relatively small) city has been so pivotal in expansion, industry, technology. George was a wonderful and friendly tour guide and had great photographs we could look at while we were exploring the city to enhance the storytelling. It was nice to hear the oral history stories from his family as well. Who knew steelworkers had their own patron saint commissioned by the pope? Just one of the many gems you’ll discover on the tour!
Written 22 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Curiosity29529827137
Springfield, IL1 contribution
George is so knowledgeable and gregarious! He tailored the tour to our interests and had engaging stories and an interactive approach. This is no "rote memorized lecture" tour- he has binders of historical maps and pictures and he asks and answers questions freely and thoroughly. It's like having a distant relative who is a history buff take you on a tour of their favorite city. Highly recommend!
Written 18 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the review and for letting me serve as your "distant relative" for the day. YOUR engagemnt and interaction made my job not only a breeze but delightful as well. Thank you for sharing your appreciation of my service. Warm regards to the rest of our "family".
Written 19 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ronald M
3 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
If you are visiting Pittsburgh for your first time, this is the excursion you need to take. George, an amazing tour guide, will take you up Mt. Washington to give you an overview of the city and explain so much of the history upon which Pittsburgh is founded. He will teach you about rivers, tunnels, industry, steel, glass, aluminum, iron, immigrants, etc. etc. You won't have a dull moment, as George uses every moment of his excellent tour to speak in a voice, audible for all in your group, that describes events and facts about Pittsburgh in a very interesting way. We were impressed by his knowledge about Pittsburgh, as well as his interest in all four of us in the group. As George explained historical people and facts, he zeroed in on each tour participant's specific knowledge and interests, making all that he taught us so relevant to understanding Pittsburgh's great part in building the U.S. George was never a history teacher; what a shame! Thousands of students would have been enthralled with his lessons.
Written 30 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew B
2 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
George is the greatest ambassador for Pittsburgh! You will never meet a person who knows the history of his hometown. He expresses it with so much passion and enthusiasm, that by the end of the tour he makes you wish Pittsburgh was your hometown too.
Written 23 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally J
5 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
Four of us came for a baseball game & decided at the last minute to take this tour. We had SO much fun. George is a wealth of knowledge, entertaining and made sure we came away with a thirst to learn more. His historic roots & love for Pittsburgh was infectious. Take the tour, you won’t be sorry. Oh, and do your best to stump him 😁 … we love you George!
Written 11 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Molly S
Girard, OH129 contributions
Dec 2020
If you are interested in industrial history, local history, and origins of the Steel Valley--take this tour! George knows his material. My husband and I booked the tour on New Years Eve. It was just the three of us. We had a great time visiting local sites of former mills and Pittsburgh's steel industry. The hi-light was the old Homestead Mill site and Homestead Strike. George provides a positive image of the industry and working class history. The emphasis on minorities and culture was especially appreciated. Very insightful
Written 3 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taking someone with your background in History really set a high bar for me Molly. I'm glad (and relieved) I was able to add to your knowledge of American History. Showing you the Steel Valley on the last day of the year was a highlight of 2020. Thank you for the review and for your interest and appreciation of our story..
Written 4 January 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
loren h
Wisconsin307 contributions
Aug 2023
Operator would not answer to make a time, until I said 9am or I cancel, then they had time to answer.
We were picked up late from our hotel, I had to call them, and of course no answer.Tthey advertise accessible, but the very old clunker small car was very tough to get in and out of, even with only 2 people. If they showed a photo of the car, I never would have booked this.
Car windows were small, it was very hard to see much of anything.
The driver drove like the devil was chasing him, with his clunker. Not a comfortable trip at all.
As far as content, there really was only one building from the steel days left, so this was a used to be tour of mostly empty fields and weeds.
Do yourself a favor, and do not book this or the other Pittsburg clunker car tour.
We were picked up late from our hotel, I had to call them, and of course no answer.Tthey advertise accessible, but the very old clunker small car was very tough to get in and out of, even with only 2 people. If they showed a photo of the car, I never would have booked this.
Car windows were small, it was very hard to see much of anything.
The driver drove like the devil was chasing him, with his clunker. Not a comfortable trip at all.
As far as content, there really was only one building from the steel days left, so this was a used to be tour of mostly empty fields and weeds.
Do yourself a favor, and do not book this or the other Pittsburg clunker car tour.
Written 17 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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