Mars
Mars is a town in Pennsylvania. Yes, you read that right. It is one of the most quirky places you can find in Pennsylvania. The main reason to visit us to enjoy the signage that makes use of the town's name, and to see the flying saucer, if it's there.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]
While not having any airports in its own right, there are multiple airports nearby the small town. For example, Pittsburgh International Airport is a nearby airport you can take to get in the small town. There is also the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, which is a viable place to land if you can, being non-commercial and all. The pro to this airport is that it is closer, however it is a private and business airport. This makes it hard to use as a normal person. This means, despite being farther, PIT is probably your best bet to get in the general North Pittsburgh Region area as it is a more accessible, commercial airport.
By car
[edit]There are multiple ways to get in the small town of Mars by car. It is easy to get in from Pittsburgh, as it is easily serviced by the multiple highways. From Pittsburgh, get onto I-279 and travel down that road until you reach I-79, which you merge onto. Then you drive on that until Cranberry township, where you turn onto route 228. Then, continue until Mars. From Butler (North), go on Route 8, then turn onto route 228 until you reach mars. With these directions you can get here from anywhere along these routes as long as you are close to along them.
Get around
[edit]
Mars is a compact little town with ample parking for those with cars, but the town is also easy to get around on foot. There are multiple easily accessible sidewalks for people of all ages, and there are also clearly marked crosswalks. These sidewalks stop at the city limits, however. So after that to avoid jaywalking, it is highly recommended you get into a car.
See
[edit]
- 1 Spaceship Statue (Flying Saucer), Pittsburgh St and Grand Ave (from Mars-Valencia road, continue going straight), ☏ +1 724-625-1858. 8AM-4PM. This flying saucer represents this small town of the name of Mars. It is an extremely great photo spot for tourists and residents alike. Sometimes it disappears to make it seem like an alien flew it away so it could get to its home planet. Free.
Do
[edit]- 1 Mars Area History and Landmarks Society (Mars History), 1 Brickyard Rd (last thing on brickyard road before Mars-Valencia road), ☏ +1 724-272-9588, marshistory@gmail.com. Fridays 10AM-2PM. This small local museum has a few exhibits preserving Mars's history for today. It is a great place to go if you want to learn about the history of this small town. There is also a gift shop that contains some things to buy before you leave the museum.
- 2 Mars Area Public Library (Mars Area Library), 107 Grand Ave (from Mars-Valencia road, continue going straight until you see a sign that says Mars Area Public Library), ☏ +1 724-625-9048, cboland@marslibrary.org. varies. The Mars Area Library has a great selection of books for all ages and all genres. From Monday to Thursday, it is open from 10AM-7PM; on Friday it is open from 10AM-3PM; and on Saturdays, it is open from 9AM-4PM, unless it is in the summer in which case it is open from 10AM-2PM. The library also has multiple events for all ages, like Storytime for young children and art showings from adults! Free.
- 3 Marburger Football and Baseball Field (Mars Athletic Field), 450- S1- B67-0000 (from Mars-Valencia road, continue going straight until Duncan alley, which you turn onto; then, proceed to go straight onto arch St where you drive on until Shallotte Ave, which you turn right on; then, turn onto West Arch St, and continue until you see the field). Always open. This field is a nice place to get some exercise in while you are in Mars. While it seems like it is for baseball and football, with the right equipment you can play anything. Free.
- 4 Garfield Avenue Park (Garfield Park), 450- S2- M11-0000 (from Mars-Valencia road, turn onto SR 3015 and then turn left onto Pittsburgh St, then turn onto N Garfield Ave, it will be to your left). Always Open. This is a more general park for exercise. Instead of a football and baseball field, it was a basketball court and playground. It is better for less sporty kids who want to go outside nonetheless. Free.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Mars Farmer's Market, 225 Crowe Ave (from Mars-Valencia road, continue going straight until Clark St; then turn left onto Clark St), ☏ +1 724 201-9748. 9AM-noon. This farmers market has plenty of local vendors to buy from! Every Saturday from 9 to Noon, May to October, you can fruits, vegetables, and more from this farmers market! There is a lot of good stuff you can get for cheap at this farmers market, as it comes straight from the source!
- 2 Salvaged PGH, 201 Grand Ave (from Mars-Valencia road, continue going straight until Duncan alley), ☏ +1 724 687-7899, info@SalvagedPGH.com. Tu Sa Su 10AM-4PM, W-F 10AM-6PM. This store contains multiple types of unique doors, windows, and other things. These usually come from discarded stuff that would have gone to waste if not for them! They will also pick up stuff if you want to give them something. They even offer barn deconstructions so the wood can be used for other things!
- 3 nosh&curd, 113 Grand Ave (from Mars-Valencia road, continue going straight until Clark St. The destination will be on your right), ☏ +1 724 759-3020. Sunday 11AM-3PM, all other days 11AM-6PM.. High quality cheeses and specialty meats can be found here. While it is not cheap, you definitely get what you pay for as everything there is high quality and delicious. It has been received with great praise and a perfect 5-star review.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Mars Pizza, 509 Pittsburgh St (from Mars-Valencia road, turn onto SR 3015 and then turn left onto Pittsburgh St, it will be right next to Planet Mart), ☏ +1 724-625-1616. 11AM-8PM. Mars pizza is a small local pizzeria with diehard loyal fans on their Facebook page. The prices range from 1 dollar for a canned beverage to a 30 dollar "the works" Sicilian pizza. It has an extremely large menu with multiple foods to choose from. Most days it is open from 11AM to 8PM, however it is open until 9PM on Fridays, 4PM-8PM on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays. If you like supporting small businesses while also enjoying some good food, Mars pizza is right for you!
- 2 Mars Brew House, 502 Pittsburgh St (from Mars-Valencia road continue going straight until Pittsburgh St, which you turn left onto; it will be right past the flying saucer), ☏ +1 724-625-2555, marsbrewhouse@gmail.com. Closed on Sundays, open 8AM-3PM Wednesdays and Thursdays, open 8AM-5PM all other days.. This small coffee shop has a wide variety of food and beverages. It is loved by many people and is a very nice local place if you want to get a good coffee in the morning with some good local charm.
- 3 Jimmy Strip District Grille (Jimmy's Grille), 220 Mars Valencia Rd (From Mars Valencia Road, turn around. The destination will be on your right.), ☏ +1 724 625-5550. Closed Mondays, Open Tuesdays-Friday 8AM-2PM, Open Saturdays-Sundays 7AM-2PM. This place has extremely good food for an extremely good price. They also have a large variety of option to choose from. For example, they have Belgian Waffles, Country Omelets, Pumpkin Pancakes, and a whole lot more. The vibe is also really nice, it just screams small town local restaurant. Once you take one bite, you will love the place!
Drink
[edit]- 1 Stick City Brewing Company (Stick City Beer), 109 Irvine St (before the saucer but after the Mars historical society), ☏ +1 724-687-7849, info@stickcitybeer.com. 4-10PM. This is a lively place with a great selection of beers to choose from. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday, it is open from 4-10PM on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, it is open from noon-10PM on Saturday, and is open from noon-7PM on Sunday. If you like alcohol this is the place to go!
Sleep
[edit]A constellation of Martian hotels is located outside of the town center, by the highway junction of I-79 and I-76 in Cranberry Township. This place also has some chain restaurants for those looking for more familiar options. However, there are no hotels in the town itself. There are also some airbnbs in the area for those looking for something closer. They are a bit more expensive, but also pretty nice. Once again, these cannot be found in the town itself.
- Super 8 Motel, 929 Sheraton Dr, ☏ +1 724-776-9700, toll-free: +1-800-800-8000, fax: +1 724 776-4522, super8@zoominternet.net. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. A particularly nice Super 8, which has been singled out for awards by Super 8. $60–100.
Go next
[edit]| Routes through Mars |
Ends at  ← Cranberry ← |
W  E |
→ Jct N  S → Jct  |