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| - The weather has been so beautiful--finally, summer!--in recent weeks, and one Friday last month my husband and I decided to spend a sunny day wisely by redeeming our Groupons for Gateway Clipper's 1-hour sightseeing tour. It was so much fun, and overall the experience was quite a bit better than the previous sightseeing cruise we did a few years back.
The Groupons, weather, and our narrator/tour guide were the main reasons for the great experience. The guide spoke nearly the entire time and was charismatic and entertaining, which wasn't surprising being that he's a local actor who is also involved in the Good Ship Lollipop's pirate show. In addition, during this particular cruise a lot more information was provided and a lot more buildings and landmarks were pointed out than I recall for past cruises. Really good info for locals and visitors alike.
Other considerations and FYI:
* Gateway Clipper has been running a Groupon special for months, for the sightseeing cruise and the Good Ship Lollipop cruise.
* I adore Gandy Dancer's weekday Happy Hour, which offers a nice selection of food and drinks at reasonable prices in an intimate, old school bar atmosphere. If that's up your alley, then do like we did and pick a mid-afternoon cruise time so that afterwards you can walk to the other end of Station Square to enjoy Gandy Dancer's Happy hour offerings. There are loads of places to eat in Station Square, but Gandy Dancer's the only one I'm crazy about.
* Want to do something else while you're in Station Square? Ride the Monongahela Incline up Mount Washington to take in beautiful city views, ideally on a clear day. Another great activity for locals and visitors alike. Exact change required, and the last time I checked the round-trip fare per adult was in the $5 range.
* Station Square parking rates are reasonable, and there are several options including parking garages and uncovered parking.
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