Category: pennsylvania

Thank you to the Carnegie Science Center, the National Aviary, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Duquesne Incline, the Senator John Heinz History Center, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, The Frick Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium for providing complimentary tickets for my family and to the Drury Inn for hosting our stay.  All opinions are my own. 

Pittsburgh is known for its steel production, bridges and sports teams.  It’s only about two hours from our home in Cleveland and where my college roommate lives, so we regularly visit several times each year. In the 19th century, Andrew Carnegie became one of the richest people in the world by modernizing steel production in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, where the Monongahela River joins the Ohio River.  Now called the “Steel City,” Pittsburgh used to be known as the “Smoky City” because of so much pollution from the mills. Very little of its industrial past remains in this city now known for its hills, bridges, parks and biking and jogging trails.  In our many visits, we have found so many gems.  Here are some of the best things to do in Pittsburgh with kids:

Best Things to Do in Pittsburgh’s North Shore

Pittsburgh’s North Shore boasts picturesque views of Pittsburgh’s downtown, sports venues and world-class museums.  It’s just a short drive (or even walk) from downtown.

 

#1: Carnegie Science Center With Kids

The Carnegie Science Center is my boys’ favorite museum, and they’ve been to dozens all over the world.  While the “science” portion of the Carnegie Science Center is pretty impressive, the real draw for my kids is Highmark SportsWorks^®, which is housed in an adjacent building and uses more than 30 interactive sports exhibits to show how physics, anatomy, biology and chemistry control sports.

We visit the Carnegie Science Center several times a year and generally aim to arrive right at the 10:00 am opening and head straight to the Ropes Challenge in Highmark SportsWorks^® because the line can get quite long by mid-morning.  The Ropes Challenge consists of a series of challenges, including a rope bridge, rolling logs and a horizontal net and culminates with a zip line.  I think it’s the zip line that makes this my boys’ favorite “exhibit” ever.  The Ropes Course is for children who are at least 48 inches, but the SkyTykes Ropes Course offers younger kids an age-appropriate version that my daughter loves.  Other highlights in the sports complex include a 24-foot rock climbing wall (which even my four year old daughter tried out), a batting cage, a 10-meter dash and various challenges for endurance and balance.

Roboworld is considered the world’s largest permanent robotics exhibition and features more than 30 interactive displays.  Our favorites include a robot who shoots baskets with impressive precision and another who challenges visitors in air hockey.

The Miniature Railroad & Village is a fun but unexpected exhibit at the Science Center.  This enormous village with model trains includes scenes of western Pennsylvania from the 1880s to the 1930s and includes over 250,000 trees.  Of course, our favorite miniature was Fallingwater.

Much of the Carnegie Science Center is geared for kids age six and up, but there are many fun exhibits for toddlers and preschoolers, especially the Little Learner Clubhouse.  My daughter has visited numerous times between the ages of one and four and always has a blast with her brothers.  We recommend the Carnegie Science Center as one of the most fun things to do in Pittsburgh for kids.

Find out more about the visiting the Carnegie Science Center.

• Carnegie Science Center Facts:  The E-motion cone, which is a large inverted cone on top of the Science Center was installed in 2000.  It is lit up at night with colored lights that signal the weather forecast for the next day.  Red means warmer, blue means cooler, and green means no change.  The cone flashes when precipitation is expected, and the color yellow indicates severe weather.
• Carnegie Science Center Hours:  The Carnegie Science Center is generally open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Because of its proximity to the Steelers’ Heinz Field, the Carnegie Science Center is closed when the Steelers have home games with 1 pm or 4 pm kickoff times and may close early for evening games.
• Carnegie Science Center Admission:  General admission costs $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for seniors and $11.95 for children ages 3-12.  Children under three and ASTC members are free.
• Carnegie Science Center Parking:  Parking is available in the lot in front of the Carnegie Science Center for $5.

#2:  National Aviary With Kids

The National Aviary in Pittsburgh is home to over 500 birds from more than 150 species and a fun thing to do in Pittsburgh with kids. The National Aviary offers walk-through habitats that allowed us to see the birds up close.  My kids, who were not sure what an aviary was when I told them about our planned trip, learned so much about different bird species. I was thrilled to find two bald eagles in the first habitat.  

The African penguins were definitely a highlight of our visit. Because African penguins are used to a temperate climate, they live in their outdoor habitat all year. Visitors can view them through windows from the inside of the National Aviary. As an added bonus, kids can reach special windows to see the penguins up close by climbing through tunnels.

Each penguin has a band with his or her name. There are daily penguin presentations for visitors to learn more about these amazing birds.

My oldest son particularly enjoyed the wetland habitat. He was fascinated by how the flamingos marked their territory by spreading their wings. We also saw peacocks and other birds wandering on the pedestrian path with us.

We were excited to participate in the lorikeet feeding. We each got a dish of nectar and entered the habitat to feed. While this was something that pushed me out of my comfort zone, it was pretty amazing to hold a lorikeet on my wrist and watch it eat. I barely felt its feet on my wrist, and it quickly polished off the nectar in my bowl.  A limited number of tickets are available at each entrance for the feedings. We arrived just before the 11:30 a.m. feeding and took our place at the end of the line. We only had to wait a few minutes for our turn, but the birds were “slowing down.”  Next time, we’ll make sure to arrive at least five minutes early.

My boys each had a turn on Birdly, a full-body immersive virtual reality flying simulator that allowed them to experience flying like a bird in Manhattan for 2.5 minutes. After a quick demonstration, they learned how to maneuver up and down and turn and really felt like they were flying.  This was probably the most unique part of our visit to the aviary, and they would love more opportunities to fly.

• National Aviary Facts:  The Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone Theater was part of the National Aviary’s 2009 $17.5 million expansion project and is the world’s first only indoor theater constructed for the presentation of live, free-flight bird shows.
• National Aviary Hours:  The National Aviary is generally open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
• National Aviary Admission:  Admissions costs $17 for adults and $16 for seniors and children 2-12.  Children under 2 are free.
• National Aviary Parking:  Parking is available in the lot behind the Aviary and costs $5.  Metered parking is available in front of the National Aviary.

 

#3:  Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh With Kids

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is an interactive museum for kids that we have visited several times with kids ages 1 through 10.  It’s geared for the eight and under crowd, but my oldest enjoyed visiting the Museum with his brother and sister and creating on draw bots in the MAKESHOP®.  The project involved hot glue, tape, boxes, motors and a lot of trial and error to anchor markers to a motor and make them move on their own.  This was definitely my boys’ favorite exhibit at the Museum.  My daughter was too young to create a draw box on her own, but she enjoyed spectating and working on a draw bot with one of the Museum guides (who did most of the heavy lifting).

Other hands-on opportunities for creation are available at the Studio, which is housed in a former planetarium and is a beautiful and bright space to inspire creative juices, and smocks are available.  Many craft projects are available for kids who love art and parents who appreciate prepared projects and easy clean up.

Find out more about the visiting the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.

• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Facts:  Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood was filmed in Pittsburgh from 1968 to 2001, and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh maintains some great memorabilia.
• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Hours:  The Children’s Museum is generally open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Admission:  Admissions costs $16 for adults and $14 for children 2-18.  Children under 2 are free.
• Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh Parking:  Parking is available in the lot behind the Museum and costs $6 for non-members.

 

#4:  The Andy Warhol Museum With Kids

Our children love art museums, and we’ve visited over a dozen around the world, but none dedicated to the works of a single artist or pop art.  The Andy Warhol Museum is the largest museum in North America that is dedicated to a single artist and is one of the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.  Andy Warhol was a Pittsburgh-born pop artist who died in the 1987.  The Museum opened in 1994 in a renovated warehouse and now contains an extensive collection of paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs and films.

The Factory on the Museum’s underground level also provides kids an opportunity to try watercolor painting, blotted-line drawing, acetate collage and silkscreen printing.  There is also a children’s play area for the youngest guests to explore and create.

During our visit to The Andy Warhol Museum, we learned about the life and works of Andy Warhol.  Our children particularly enjoyed the bright colors and the portraits.  The portraits reminded me of my visit to Casa Lever, a New York restaurant that features a collection of original Warhol portraits.  A few months after our visit, my sons identified Andy Warhol in a Burger King commercial during the Super Bowl.

• Andy Warhol Museum Facts:  The Museum’s 17 galleries contain 900 paintings, almost 2,000 works on paper, more than 1,000 prints, 77 sculptures and 8,000 photographs, films and videotaped works.
• Andy Warhol Museum Hours:  The Andy Warhol Museum is generally open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 am to 10 pm on Fridays.  The Museum is closed on Mondays.
• Andy Warhol Museum Admission:  Admissions costs $20 for adults, $10 for students, children and seniors.  Children under three are free.  Admission is half price on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Andy Warhol Museum Parking:  Parking is available in the lot behind the Museum and costs $6 for non-members.

 

#5:  Water Steps With Kids With Kids

The Water Steps are a popular attraction in the North Shore Riverfront Park on the bank of the Allegheny River.  The Water Steps are a perfect location for kids to cool off during the summer months and enjoy Pittsburgh’s beautiful cityscape views.  We visited with local friends who gave us the heads ups to bring swimming attire and towels for the kids.

It was a bit of a trek along the waterfront from the Carnegie Science Center, but the kids loved splashing around with their friends in the water, which reaches about 18 inches deep in parts.

• Water Steps Facts:  Over 1,500 pieces of sandstone from a Butler County quarry were used to construct the Water Steps.
• Water Steps Admission:  There is no admission charge to visit Water Steps.
• Water Steps Parking:  We walked to the Water Steps from the Carnegie Science Center.  The best bet for parking is to find a meter nearby or use one of the lots near Heinz Field.
• Water Steps Kid Warning:  My three year old was able to easily climb up and down the stairs on her own, so I was able to watch from the side of the Steps.  However, young toddlers would probably need hovering parental presence in the water.

 

#6:  Tribute to Children With Kids

We visited Tribute to Children, including the Fred Rogers Memorial Statue, during our walk from the Water Steps to the Carnegie Science Museum.  Our kids are not really familiar with Mr. Rogers, who was a Pittsburgh native, but were intrigued by this statue of a man who was part of our childhood.  I also tried to explain the tenuous connection to Daniel Tiger, a favorite television show of my daughter’s.  This 2009 statue by Robert Burks was created after Fred Roger’s 2003 death from stomach cancer and depicts him tying his shoes.  The statue is located on the River bank in front of the arch of pier with a keyhole design.

• Tribute to Children Facts:  Tribute to Children was a gift from the people of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County honoring children and celebrating the life of children’s entertainer, Fred Rogers.
• Tribute to Children Admission:  Admission is free to visit Tribute to Children.
• Tribute to Children Parking:  We walked to Tribute to Children from the Carnegie Science Center.  The best bet for parking is to find a meter nearby or use one of the lots near Heinz Field.

 

#7:  PNC Park With Kids

PNC Park is the home stadium of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  This Major League Baseball field is located along the Allegheny River.  A baseball game is fun, family activity and great for kids of all ages.  Few baseball stadiums have a comparable cityscape view.

Photo credit:  David Mark from Pixabay

We’ve visited Pittsburgh twice on Opening Day and watched the excitement from our downtown hotel.

• PNC Park Facts:   PNC Park opened in 2001.
• PNC Park Hours and Admission:  Check out the Pittsburgh Pirates’ website for schedule and ticketing information.
• PNC Park Admission:  Tickets for the Pittsburgh Pirates
• PNC Park Parking:  Parking is available on the North Shore and downtown.

 

Things to Do in Pittsburgh’s South Shore

#8:  Duquesne Incline With Kids

The Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh is an amazing example of living history that combines a trolley ride up Mount Washington, engineering genius and an amazing city view.  The beautifully detailed original trolley cars sit on platforms that keep them level while transporting Pittsburghers and visitors up and down Mount Washington without a driver.  The 794-foot wooden track is not only an engineering masterpiece but also a work of art.

At the station at the top, there are historical exhibits that provide an overview of the history of Pittsburgh and its inclines.  The David H. Miller Working Museum offers visitors the chance to see the Incline’s hoisting machinery up close.  The Incline still uses its original hoisting equipment that features giant cogs with wooden gear teeth.

The highlight of the Incline is the magnificent view of Pittsburgh’s “Three Rivers” – the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, which together form the Ohio River and the Pittsburgh’s “Golden Triangle” central business district.  Other highlights include views of the outline of Fort Duquesne, the Steelers’ Heinz Field, the Pirates’ PNC Park, the Carnegie Science Center and many bridges (up to 18 can be visible).

For more details, check out our Spotlight feature on the visiting the Duquesne Incline.

• Duquesne Incline Facts:   USA Today recently named the Duquesne Incline as one of the 10 great streetcars, trams and funiculars.
• Duquesne Incline Hours:  The Duquesne Incline is open every day (including Thanksgiving Day when we visited).  The Incline is open on Monday through Saturday from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and on Sundays and Holidays from 7:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
• Duquesne Incline Admission:  Adults tickets cost $2.50 each way and tickets for children ages 6-11 cost $1.25 each way.  There is no charge for children under 6 and seniors over 64. The Duquesne Incline accepts only Port Authority bus tickets or cash and requires exact change.
• Duquesne Incline Parking:  There is free parking available at 1197 West Carson Street and paid parking at the Station Square lot across from the lower entrance.

#9:  Point of View Park With Kids

We somehow missed Point of View Park when we visited the Duquesne Incline.  Point of View Park is a short walk from the Duquesne Incline’s Upper Station.  It’s a favorite spot of a friend of mine who has family in Pittsburgh.  He proposed to his wife, took wedding pictures and announced his first child at this scenic overlook.  Point of View is a bronze sculpture depicting a 1770 meeting between George Washington and Seneca leader Guyasuta in which they were examining land for settlement.  We’ll definitely be making a stop here on our next trip to Pittsburgh.

Photo credit:  Bryant Eckert

• Point of View Park Facts:   The landmark public sculpture was created by James A. West
• Point of View Park Hours:  Point of View is open 24 hours.
• Point of View Park Admission:  There is no admission fee to visit Point of View Park.
• Point of View Park Parking:  There is no dedicated parking lot for Point of View Park but street parking available nearby.

 

Things to Do in Pittsburgh’s Downtown

#10:  Senator John Heinz History Center With Kids

During our August 2019 trip to Pittsburgh, we visited the Senator John Heinz History Center, which is associated with the Smithsonian Institution.  We thoroughly enjoyed our lovely morning at the Heinz History Center.  It was a quiet and somewhat dreary morning at the end of summer when we arrived at the renovated warehouse in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.  We walked from our hotel in the central business district.   We started in the Great Hall where the kids loved the Heinz Hitch, a horse drawn wagon that traveled to national events and the street car.

My daughter spotted the slide from across the Hall and found her way to the Kidsburgh exhibit in a loft overlooking the Great Hall with stairs leading up and a slide to return to the Great Hall.  She would have been content to stay in the Kidsburgh exhibit for the entire morning and rode the slide countless times before we set off to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

My boys are sports enthusiasts, but they don’t particularly follow Pittsburgh sports.  Unlike most Clevelanders, we harbor no ill will against Pittsburgh’s sports, either.  Because we have close friends from Pittsburgh, we regularly support area sports teams when they aren’t competing against Cleveland.  My boys closely examined the exhibits in the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum and gained a new respect for the Steelers, the Penguins and the Pirates.  My older son commented, “I didn’t realize how good Pittsburgh sports teams really were.”  Clevelanders may have waited for decades to win a national championship, but it happens fairly regularly for Pittsburgh, especially in football and hockey.  Without a doubt, the table hockey game was the highlight of the Sports Museum.  My boys came back for a second round at the end of our visit.

The Discovery Place offered many opportunities for hands on learning and exploring at different innovation stations.  My favorite was a pattern challenge.

We learned all about Heinz ketchup in the Heinz exhibit, which features the world’s largest collection of Heinz artifacts.  We now know the significance of the 57 and the famous ketchup is celebrating 150 years.  The 11-foot ketchup bottle created from 500 individual bottles was also memorable.

My favorite exhibit was Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.  The famous children’s show I remember from my childhood was filmed in Pittsburgh, the hometown of Fred Rogers.  This exhibit featured sets, puppets, props and other artifacts.  I felt like I was stepping back 35+ years and right into the Mister Roger’s set.  My kids are not familiar with Mr. Roger’s, but my daughter is a fan of Daniel Tiger, a 21st century spinoff of the famous children’s program.

We had a memorable visit to the Senator Heinz History Center and learned a great deal about Western Pennsylvania.

• Heinz History Center Hours:  The History Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and closed for New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas each year.
• Heinz History Center Admission:  As of August 2019, Admission for adults costs $18, for children ages 6-17 and students with a valid school identification costs $9 and for senior citizens over 61 costs $15.  There is no admission for children age five and under.
• Heinz History Center Parking:  There are several options for nearby parking with daily rates as low as $3.
• Time Spent at the Heinz History Center:  We spent about 2.5 hours, including lunch at the Cafe.

#11:  Point State Park With Kids

The Point State Park (aka the “Point”) is a state park in downtown Pittsburgh located on 36 acres at the point of the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River form the Ohio River.   The Point is the tip of Pittsburgh’s “Golden Triangle.”  We walked to the Point from our downtown hotel and also viewed the Point from along the edges of the Three Rivers, and we have spotted it from the Duquesne Incline, the Carnegie Science Center, the Fred Rogers Memorial Statue and the Water Steps.

At the Point, stones are used to depict the outline of Pittsburgh’s oldest structures, Fort Pitt and Fort Duquesne, which were used in the French and Indian War.  The fountain in Point State Park sprays water up to 150 feet during the warm weather months.  The kids enjoyed the view of the area bridges, the Duquesne Incline, the Carnegie Science Center and Heinz Field from the tip of the Point.

• Point State Park Facts:  Fort Duquesne was originally built by the French.  Its occupants burned and abandoned the Fort before the British seized it.  The British built Fort Pitt near the destroyed Fort Duquesne.
• Point State Park Kid Warning:  The Point abuts rivers on all sides without a barrier, so it’s important to keep a close eye on young children.
• Point State Park Hours:  The Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
• Point State Park Admission:  There is no admission charge to enter the Point State Park.
• Point State Park Parking:  Point State’s parking lot is located along Commonwealth Place across from the Post Gazette building.

 

Things to Do in Oakland

 

#12: Carnegie Museum of Natural History With Kids

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has a premier dinosaur collection, Dinosaurs in Their Time, which features a Diplodocus carnegii fossil discovered in 1899.  This dinosaur exhibit also includes two Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons and a triceratops skeleton and is the world’s largest collection of Jurassic dinosaurs.

During our last visit, we attended the Live Animal Encounter at the Earth Theater and enjoyed seeing live animals up close.  Another favorite is the 1,300 gemstone specimens in the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems are artistically displayed and fascinated my kids.

Find out more about visiting the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

• Carnegie Museum of Natural History Facts:  Carnegie gifted a cast of its diplodocus skeleton to England at the request of Edward VII, and “Dippy” was featured in  Hitze Hall of London’s Natural History Museum for many years before being replaced by Hope, a blue whale skeleton, in July 2017.
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History Hours:  The Museum is generally open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and from 10 am to 8 pm on Thursday.  The Museum is closed on Tuesday.
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History Admissions:  Admission for adults is $19.95, seniors 65 and over is $14.95 and children ages 3 to 18 and students is $11.95.  Children 2 and under are free.
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History Parking:   The Carnegie Museum of Natural History shares a building the with Carnegie Museum of Art, and adjacent surface-lot parking is available.  Museum weekday visitors receive a voucher to reduce the cost of parking, which is currently $7 for 2-4 hours.  Evening and weekend parking costs $7.

 

#13: Carnegie Museum of Art With Kids

The Carnegie Museum of Art was founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1895 and is housed in the same building in Oakland as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.  The most unique feature of the Carnegie Art Museum is the Hall of Architecture, which is the one of the world’s largest collection of plaster architectural casts.  Andrew Carnegie financed a tinted cast of the West Portal of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, which may be the world’s largest architectural cast.  The Hall also includes almost 140 other full-size plaster casts.  After our recent visit to Paris and Italy, we particularly enjoyed examining the plaster casts of the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and other icons that reminded us of architecture and sculptures we saw on our trip.

Like most major art museums, its impressionist gallery includes paintings by Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet.  Van Gogh’s Wheat Fields at Auvers Under Clouded Sky is one of his famous series of wheat field paintings.

Our favorite sculpture was Phyllida Barlow’s 2012 untitled:  upturnedhouse, 2.

Find out more about the Carnegie Museum of Art.

• Carnegie Museum of Art Facts:  The Hall of Architecture contains the largest collection of plaster casts of architectural masterpieces and the third largest in the world (behind the Victoria and Albert Museum and Musée national des Monuments Français).
• Carnegie Museum of Art Hours:  The Carnegie Museum of Art is generally open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday.  The Museum is closed on Tuesday.
• Carnegie Museum of Art Admissions:  Admission for adults is $19.95, seniors 65 and over is $14.95, children ages 3 to 18 and students is $11.95.  Children 2 and under are free.
• Carnegie Museum of Art Parking:   The Carnegie Museum of Art shares a building the with Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and adjacent surface-lot parking is available.  Museum weekday visitors receive a voucher to reduce the cost of parking, which is currently $7 for 2-4 hours.  Evening and weekend parking costs $7.

 

#14:  Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens With Kids

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens was an amazing gift to the city of Pittsburgh from real estate magnate Henry Phipps.  It was the perfect destination for extra doses of oxygen and vitamin D.  The pathways through the different rooms made it easy for me to keep an eye of all three kids simultaneously, and we didn’t mind making our way at my daughter’s snail’s pace. 

The kids were all awe-struck by all the beautiful gardens and truly enjoyed each and every room.  The indoor and outdoor gardens were all beautifully curated and maintained.  A few of our favorites include:  the Cuban taxi (an unexpected but joyous find at a conservatory, especially because of the sign encouraging kids to hop inside), the Butterfly Forest, the Serpentine Room and the Desert Room.

The Phipps includes several glass chandeliers by artist Dale Chihuly, whose work was featured in a special exhibit in 2007 to 2008.  The Phipps purchased several chandeliers from the exhibit for its permanent collection, including Goldenrod, Teal and Citron located in the Welcome Center and the Desert Gold Star, located in the Desert Room.  The Chihuly pieces usually located in the Palm Court had been removed during the renovation.

• Phipps Conservatory Facts:  The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens was founded in 1893 and is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.
• Phipps Conservatory Hours:  Free parking is conveniently located in the center island on Schenley Drive.
• Phipps Conservatory Admission:  Free parking is conveniently located in the center island on Schenley Drive.
• Phipps Conservatory Parking:  Free parking is conveniently located in the center island on Schenley Drive.

 

Things to Do in Point Breeze

 

#15:  The Frick Pittsburgh With Kids

The Frick Pittsburgh is an art and historical center that includes several museums and historical buildings surrounding the Frick family’s 19th century residence.  The Frick Pittsburgh includes the Frick Art Museum, the Car and Carriage Museum, the Scenic Gardens and Greenhouse and the Clayton mansion, the Frick family’s 23-room historic mansion.

The main impetus of our visit to the Frick Pittsburgh was the impressive special exhibit Van Gogh, Monet and Degas:  The Mellon Collection of French Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, but we also we also toured the permanent art collection.  Our favorite was the Bust of Henry Clay Frick.

My boys are really love cars and found the Cars & Carriages Museum very exciting.  The 1914 Ford Model T Touring was a highlight. The Frick’s car collection is so large that only about half of its cars are exhibited at any one time.

After spending the morning at the Phipps Conservatory, the kids were also excited to check out the Frick Greenhouse. This active greenhouse is a renovation and reconstruction of the greenhouse used by the Frick family from 1897 until the 1970s.

My college roommate recommends the tea at the Café at the Frick, and we’ll definitely have to try some during our next visit.  Find out more about the visiting the Frick Pittsburgh.

• Frick Pittsburgh Facts:  Industrialist Henry Clay Frick and his wife, Adelaide Howard Childs Frick lived at Clayton with their four children from 1883 to 1905.  Their daughter, Helen Clay Frick guided preservation efforts at Clayton and returned to live here shortly before her 1984 death.  The property opened to the public in 1990.
• Frick Pittsburgh Admission:  There is no admission charge to enter the Frick Art Museum, the Car and Carriage Museum or the Scenic Grounds and Greenhouse.  Tours of Clayton cost $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and students, $8 for children 16 and under.  Babies in arms are free.  Admission fees are charged for special exhibitions.  Tour and tours of Clayton.
• Frick Pittsburgh Hours:  The Frick Pittsburgh is generally open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Frick Pittsburgh Parking: Free parking is available in the adjacent lot located off of Reynolds Street.

Things to Do in Highland Park

 

#16:  Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium With Kids

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is one of the few major zoo/aquarium combinations in the U.S. and is a great place for kids to learn about mammals and aquatic life.   The Pittsburgh Zoo includes more than 10,000 animals (including 1,000 bats) and 20 threatened or endangered species.  We have visited the Pittsburgh Zoo twice – once when my boys were age two and four and a second time when our three kids were age five, nine and eleven.  The Pittsburgh Zoo is enormous, but my five year old was a real trooper and had a work out walking quite a few miles on her little legs.

The African Savanna was one of our favorite areas of the Zoo.  As always, my daughter was thrilled by the flamingos as we entered the Savanna.  We were lucky that the black rhinoceros were very active.  The black rhinos, which are actually light gray, are an endangered species, but several calves have been born in recent years in Pittsburgh.

We moved on the the African elephants, the largest mammals that live on land and the Masai giraffe, the tallest mammals living on land.  While exploring the African Savanna, we worked up enough of an appetite that we decided to take a break and eat some sundaes from Swahili Ice Cream.  It was the perfect late morning snack.

Kids Kingdom was another highlight of our visit.  My daughter could have spent hours at the Animal Connection playground and was particularly ecstatic to crawl through all the tunnels like the naked mole rats.  I could never find her when she was actually in the tunnels, but we chatted back and forth while she explored.

My kids really enjoy getting a good view of aquatic animals.  The sea lion exhibit was a highlight, and the indoor aquarium was the perfect place to end our Pittsburgh Zoo visit.  By the time we reached the PPG Aquarium, the August sun was beating down, and the air conditioning was glorious.  My kids spent a long time at the side of the touch tank.  My boys each carefully touched the sting ray several times.  My daughter desperately wanted to but always pulled her hand out of the water just when the sting ray got close enough.

The Pittsburgh Zoo was definitely a great outing with kids.

• Pittsburgh Zoo Facts:  The Zoo had a very rare elephant born in captivity (less than 20 have been born since 1995) in 2017, but the calf unfortunately died at three months.
• Pittsburgh Zoo Hours and Admission:  The Pittsburgh Zoo’s hours and admission varies by season.
• Pittsburgh Zoo Parking:  Parking is available at the Pittsburgh Zoo is free for visitors.

 

Things to Do in West Mifflin

#17:  Kennywood Park With Kids

Our family had so much fun at Kennywood Park, a traditional amusement park located about 20 minutes southeast of downtown Pittsburgh in West Mifflin.  Kennywood opened in 1899 and is one of two parks in the country that has been designated as a National Historic Landmark because it features rides and structures that are more than 100 years old. Kennywood made me nostalgic for Geauga Lake, an amusement park outside of Cleveland that I visited annually when I was young.  Our family loved our day at Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh and hopes to make this trip an annual tradition.

Our visit to Kennywood Park was a marvelous, nostalgic day spent riding rides together.  It was only about a 2.5 hour drive from Cleveland and very affordable for Ohio visitors.  A current promotion for Ohio residents offers $34.99 admission. We added visits to several area attractions during our three-day, two-night stay in the Steel City and had a lovely time.  While we did not ride the new Steel Curtain roller coaster on this visit, there were no shortage of thrill rides for our family.  Even though I get nauseous on any ride that spins or sways, but I still do love that feeling of my stomach dropping.  I particularly enjoyed the Thunderbolt, a classic wooden coaster that is almost 100 years old and last renovated over 50 years ago.  The Thunderbolt offered the perfect thrill level for my two boys and me, and we rode it twice.

With kids in all three major height categories – under 48 inches, under 54 inches and over 54 inches, we appreciate that Kennywood offers some fun rides that we can enjoy as a family, including the Merry-Go-Round and several family rides in Kiddie Land and Thomas Town.  Auto race was a particular favorite, and the five of us piled into three separate cars and rode around the track one after another.

My daughter would have been happy to spend our entire day at Kiddie Land, which featured 15 classic rides for kids under 48 inches and Thomas Town, Kennywood’s new 2018 theme area.  My daughter rode with her two arms stretched high into the sky on almost every ride.  She’s still a little nervous about kiddie coasters, though and skipped Lil’ Phantom.  Maybe next year….

• Kennywood Hours:  Kennywood hours vary by month and day, and the Kennywood calendar is available online.
• Kennywood Admission:  Kennywood gate prices range from vary for weekday and weekend visits and are available on the Kennywood website.  Kennywood discount tickets are available on the website and at Giant Eagle grocery stores.
• Time Spent at Kennywood:  We spent about 7.5 hours at Kennywood Park.  It was nonstop fun, but we were definitely exhausted at the end.
• Kennywood Height Requirements:  Each ride has its own posted height requirements.
• Kennywood Weather:  It’s always important to check the weather and be prepared before visiting Kennywood.   Don’t forget to apply and reapply sunscreen.
• Kennywood Events:  Kennywood Park offers a variety of events throughout the season.  The Fall Fantasy Parade occurred during our visit.  We caught a bit of the parade but on our way to take advantage of the short line for Thunderbolt.
• Kennywood Park Map:  Make sure to pick up a map before setting off to explore Kennywood.

Where to Stay in Pittsburgh With Kids

Drury Inn Pittsburgh Airport Settlers Ridge With Kids

When we planned a last minute trip to Pittsburgh over Thanksgiving weekend last year, we booked a night at the Drury Inn & Suites Pittsburgh Airport Settlers Ridge because we scored a great deal through Priceline.  Airport hotels are rarely memorable, and we were really just looking for a hotel with last minute availability that had a pool and didn’t break the bank.  We didn’t realize that the Drury Inn Settlers Ridge was a newly constructed hotel that had just opened in May 2018, and we were wowed when we entered the lobby that featured ultra-modern decor.  Hotel renovations are common, but with renovated hotels, there are often vestiges of dated interiors somewhere on the property.  At the Drury Inn Settlers Ridge, everything is clean and neat.  We really felt as if we were staying at a luxury hotel.

Drury Inn Guest Room

Our double queen room featured two comfortable beds, granite counter tops and modern interior.  We particularly closely examined all the framed Pittsburgh-inspired wall art.  Our room also had a refrigerator, which was perfect for our left overs.  Everything was clean and fresh, and the beds were oh so comfortable.

The bathroom featured a large granite vanity with plenty of space for everyone’s toiletries, tiled floor and enormous mirror.  There were dispensers in the shower with shower gel, shampoo and conditioner that eliminated the unnecessary waste that usually comes with those trial sized bottles.  While I’m often fumbling around in the dark trying to find the bathroom light switch without waking the rest of the family, the motion sensing light in the bathroom was the perfect solution.  Towels, tissues and a hair dryer were all easily accessible and well-organized.

 

Drury Inn Kickback

We checked in as the Kickback was beginning.  All Drury Inn properties host a nightly happy hour with free food and beverages between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.  Daily menus are available on the Drury Inn’s website.  My husband and I each received drink vouchers and drink cards to purchase additional drinks for a whopping $.75 each.

The quality and quantity of the heavy appetizers and drinks was unexpectedly good, and there was plenty of space for the crowd in the dining room.  We planned to have a quick snack before heading to the pool but ended up having seconds and thirds at our trendy circular booth.  After removing decades old wall paper in two homes, I found myself kind of coveting the printed geometric patterns and trying to figure out where I might be able to add a papered accent wall at home.  The kids were so excited about the Kickback and the indoor pool that they decided that they didn’t want to leave the hotel and convinced us to order pizza instead of going out for dinner.  For Drury Inn visitors who decide to do the same, we recommend Vocelli Pizza in Robinson.  Vocelli will deliver to the Drury Inn, but we opted for carry out.  Just remember to ask for paper plates and napkins.

 

Drury Inn Pool

After dinner, it was pool time.  Our neighborhood pool had closed for the season several months earlier, so the kids were ecstatic to get wet and dip their toes in the hot tub.  Unlike most hotel pool decks that seem to always be desperately in need of a renovation, I was happy to chaperone my kids in this new pool with beautiful tiles.

The Drury Inn keeps its popcorn, soda and coffee machines running until late in the night, and water is always available.  Drury Inns also offer all guests daily hot breakfasts.  We were truly amazed by the value that this hotel offered and have recommended it to several friends.

We were thrilled when Drury Inn offered to host our return visit to its Settlers Ridge location in August 2019.  After a long day at Kennywood Park, we missed the Kickback and were too exhausted for a swim, but we thoroughly enjoyed our double queen suite.  The bedroom area was set up virtually identically to our double queen room.  The two room suite and extra pull out couch better accommodated our family of five than the standard room.  There were also flat screen hotels in each room and a large sitting area.  We thoroughly recommend the Drury Inn Settlers Ridge and are certain to return.

 

Find Out More About Pittsburgh Family Activities

We recommend a visit to Pittsburgh with kids.  Interested in finding out more about Pittsburgh kids’ activities?  Check out our other blog posts about Pittsburgh and nearby Fallingwater.

Updated August 2019