<p>Our son’s first visit was during his spring break so classes were in session - he set up a morning meeting with the SCS admin, had a tour of the CS department buildings, met with one professor, and sat in on a programming class. If your son has specific departments in which he’s interested, I highly recommend seeing what they might be able to arrange in the summer.</p>
<p>In terms of campus, definitely explore the entire University Center. Students can easily be there several times a day for various activities and meetings (including movies and student performances), to eat, to get their mail (all students are assigned a PO box in the UC for all time at school), and to meet friends and hang out. Go upstairs and downstairs; in addition to what KrazyKow mentioned there are several dining places plus gym facilities. If at all possible try to eat at least once on campus; food is one of the major complaints from some students and freshmen have to go on a meal plan.</p>
<p>Tours don’t include going into the dorms but try to walk around those areas, both on the Hill and across Forbes Ave on Morewood (see campus map). You can then get a sense of what they’re like and how close most of them actually are to the classrooms. It’s a compact campus compared to most.</p>
<p>If the Waterfront in Homestead is on your route, I suggest stopping by and driving around to see what’s there. Students can take the bus from campus (I think it takes less than half an hour to get there) and it’s a major shopping destination (the Target is totally geared to students in the fall).</p>
<p>My son goes to Squirrel Hill by bus (5 minute drive by car up Forbes) both for weekend breakfast (at either Pamela’s or the Bagel Factory) and to shop at the Giant Eagle on Murray. It’s the closest grocery store off campus (the GE in Shadyside is much bigger but slightly more complicated to get to). There’s also a good deli in Squirrel Hill.</p>
<p>We’ve stayed at various places in downtown Pittsburgh but near campus only at the Hampton Inn University Place (check for a student rate) - they offer a free shuttle to campus every hour and from campus when you call.</p>