Pleasant Hills - Pittsburgh, PA

Pleasant Hills dates back to the 1700s, and it officially became a part of Allegheny County in 1788. The name came from an early farmer, who called his farm Pleasant Hill Farm. At the time, local farmers relied on converting grain to whiskey, so when the U.S. government placed a high excise tax on the product, many in the area participated in the Whiskey Rebellion. Suburban development began in 1929, and residents petitioned to become the Borough of Pleasant Hills in 1946.

Catch a movie at Pleasant Hills' Southland 9 theater, or drive into Downtown Pittsburgh for the thriving museum scene. The major neighborhood annual event, Pleasant Hills Community Day kicks off with an opening ceremony and parade on Old Clairton Road. From there, the festival continues with booths and activities featuring community groups, youth groups, local businesses, dance schools and more. The lively day concludes with a fireworks show.

Along Clairton Boulevard, a bevy of varied restaurants serve residents convenient meals. Pan Asia Chinese & Japanese Restaurant treats diners to a feast of Asian cuisine. Locals come here for the Chinese classics and the sushi. The salmon lunch box is for good value, and it comes with miso soup and salad. Try the volcano roll for sushi with a hot, spicy kick.

If you crave some enormous gyros, go to Gali's Gyro & Grill. The restaurant has plenty of tables and space, and it has a clean decor nicely decorated with Greek-inspired artwork. For under $10, you can purchase the lunch special with a gyro, a drink and your choice of soup, salad or fries.

Head to Ciccanti Italian Ristorante for old-style Italian food from a long-lasting beacon. Thinly sliced fried zucchini makes a great appetizer, and the entrées come with soup and a mixed salad big enough to be a meal by itself. You can choose to sit and eat at the bar, chowing down on pork chops Campanola-style or linguini with clam sauce while sipping on a local craft beer.

Drive or ride the bus into downtown Pittsburgh for its famous nightlife or stay in the neighborhood and attend some happening bars. The Pleasant Bar, called the P-Bar by locals, wove its way into the history of Pleasant Hills and remains the favorite neighborhood hangout spot. Mondays and Thursdays feature the unbeatable $1 burger, while special themed nights let you sing karaoke, play trivia games and more.

Pennsylvania Route 51, known locally as Clairton Boulevard, gives residents a simple route by which to drive into Downtown Pittsburgh. The road also contains a majority of the neighborhood's businesses. Smaller roads like Old Clairton Road facilitate car travel within the neighborhood. Pleasant Hills has lots of free parking in lots, driveways and on streets; the only time you can't park on streets is from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. The neighborhood has no bike lanes, but you will commonly witness residents safely walking or biking down local roads and sidewalks.

Yellow Cab and the Uber service efficiently handle all your taxi needs. Furthermore, the Port Authority of Allegheny County reaches Pleasant Hills with multiple bus routes, which you can ride to commute into Downtown Pittsburgh.

Spend a day of leisure at one of Pleasant Hills' versatile parks. At Pleasant Kingdom, you can park your car for free right next to the basketball court, baseball field, tennis courts and playground. The playground deserves particular mention, for it remains one of the largest and most inspired children's play areas in the region. A huge fortress of a play-structure inspires kids to climb and explore, while sprinklers, a concession stand and a picnic area accommodate the whole family.

You can play at the many fields and courts of Mowry Park, and you can reserve picnic shelters for private gatherings. The Pleasant Hills Arboretum has preserved its 16-acre space of lush nature since 1950. Head to the arboretum to walk along its gorgeous paths and meadows; feel free to bring your dog along on a leash. You never know what rare wildlife you'll find as you wander down the paths.

The arboretum enriches the community by hosting events throughout the year, including free bird tours and class trips through the forest. Mowry Park invites residents to stop by on cool summer nights for family-friendly outdoor movie showings.

Though Pleasant Hills has a modest cost of living, it does stand about 8 percent higher than that of the city of Pittsburgh. You can rent a one-bedroom apartment in the neighborhood for a price of $751 per month.

In Pittsburgh's public transportation zone system, Pleasant Hills' residents pay $3.75 to travel into Downtown Pittsburgh by bus. Should you choose to drive, fill up on gas at prices around 7 percent higher than the national average. You'll pay an average of $5 per beer at the neighborhood's bars.

Most of the stores in Pleasant Hills cluster on or near Clairton Boulevard, where you'll be treated to a surprisingly robust commercial district; the nearby Century III Mall lets you shop for clothing at JCPenney, Rainbow and more. Take care of all your basic needs at reliable chain stores on Clairton Boulevard, but peer a little closer for some outstanding neighborhood specialty shops.

The family-owned Edmund's Jewelers professionally fixes up your damaged items. Whether you need a complete repair or a ring resizing, the personable service and quick turnaround time will have you vowing to visit Edmund's for any future jewelry issues. They also buy and sell both gold and silver.

Quilt Your Quilt puts in the time, skill and resources needed for quilting so you don't have to. Choose your quilt pattern from over 300 digitized choices on catalog, and the employee will machine-quilt the selection. For those who enjoy quilting by hand, Quilt Your Quilt will do a machine basting, which uses a temporary stitch until the final stitch is sewn.

Residents have plenty of grocery stores in the area, including the Giant Eagle. At the Pleasant Hills Presbyterian Church on Old Clairton Road, the Pleasant Hills Farmers Market sells locally-grown produce and other fresh farm goods from May to October. The proceeds benefit the Pleasant Hills' Lions Club's projects and charities.