By Kayla Lubert-11th Grade, Hampton High School

Molly’s Trolleys is a way to explore Pittsburgh like you never had before. Being a Pittsburgher, I went on the trolley thinking there would be no impressing me because I have seen and known about all the places here in the city. But by the first minute, I could not take my eyes off of the sites nor my ears off of the bubbly, delightful tour guide.  I was also surprised that I didn’t want to go on my phone; I was so captivated by the city I thought I knew.

What makes a Molly’s Trolleys tour different than a regular tour around Pittsburgh? Christina, the manager of Molly’s Trolleys, explained that it, “is one of the more extensive tours in the city (two hours) and goes through downtown, the South Side, Oakland, The Strip District, the North Shore and Mt. Washington. The trip also includes a ride on the Duquesne Incline.” A selling point for me was air conditioning in the trolley. Sometimes it can be way too hot to want to do anything involving the outdoors, but being inside the trolley is comforting and welcoming. Brad, our tour guide, added “It’s also covered, so you can stay dry in the rain.” So through any kind of weather, you can see the city. The tour guides give interesting information about the city, even the history. So if you’re a newcomer, you may even know more than a Pittsburgher!

I asked a few out of state riders what their experience was like. New Yorker Diane said “We find that when we visit a new cit, the best way to see the city is to find a trolley tour, because then we get to see all the areas.” Leslie, visiting from a suburb of Detroit to visit family and see a baseball game with her husband added that taking a trolley is an easy way to see the city and enjoy “not having to drive.”

If you are still unsure if you want to go on this tour, Christina simply suggests that you do it. “Even if you think you know everything there is to know about Pittsburgh, we guarantee you’re going to learn something because things change so much year after year.” Brad adds “It’s a great way to find out, in a short amount of time, some of the things to do downtown. Because if you’re in town and don’t know what to do, it gives you some inspiration.” He goes onto explain how the tour guides are more than delighted to give recommendations on where to eat or beautiful places to see.

Molly’s Trolleys gives a memory that the family will smile back on. So get a tour, explore, and you’ll even want to come back for more. Additional information is available at mollystrolleyspittsburgh.com.

Kayla Lubert is going to be a junior at Hampton High School. She lives in Hampton; her last journalism class was at a Point Park journalism class. At her school she is in a video club, where she does what she loves and editing videos. Photography is another strong suit.