Once a city built on commerce and industry, Pittsburgh is no longer the steel and coal powerhouse of the past but an all seasons bustling clean city where families flock for fun and adventure! The city is defined by it’s many bridges that lead to boutiques, eateries, cultural districts, Heinz Stadium (home to the Pittsburgh Steelers) as well as numerous museums and adventures. We spent 3 days in Pittsburgh still not having enough time to “do it all” and can’t wait to plan a return trip! Below you’ll find the Top 10 Fun Things to do in Pittsburgh!
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1)National Aviary – This place is by FAR the best kept secret in Pittsburgh! It’s so much more than just a bird watchers dream, it’s interactive, it’s historical with the Living Dinosaurs exhibit, and it’s just downright fun! You can feed birds, take pictures, walk thru jungles and specialized bird habitats and gaze at the different varieties of these amazing creatures that help humans to survive on Earth! Did you know that some species of birds can eat more than 60 insects PER HOUR?
2)Carnegie Science Center – This science center has got to be in the top 10 in the country! All of the exhibits are so interactive and teach so much like measuring heart rate, how water pumps, flows, and interacts with land, and BodyWorks – teaching all about how our body pumps blood and keep us functioning! Future scientists and doctors are inspired at the Carnegie Science Center for sure! This museum also accepts traveling science exhibits (extra ticket and small additional fee required but well worth it!) The Da Vinci exhibit was in town while we were there and I hope to make it back soon to check it out! Da Vinci was beyond his years as a scientist and artist!
3)Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh – The visitors center said we would definitely want to see the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh but I was a little concerned since my youngest is now 10 (no more tots in the home) but I must admit, they did a fabulous job of having interactive exhibits for ALL age ranges including teens. We only planned 2 hours for the Children’s Museum but had to adjust our schedule because we spent more like 4-5 hours going from one exhibit to another. I was amazed at the recording studio and teen wood working shop – fabulous hands on activities kids can’t find just anywhere!
4)Monongahela Incline – So there are 2 inclines in the City of Pittsburgh. I suggest doing them both! The views are SPECTACULAR, the cost is minimal and it’s just fun. At the top there are restaurants, bars, pubs and ice cream – a favorite in our family! We rode the incline twice because we wanted to catch the city at sunset. The lights are dusk were amazing! Locals commute on the incline for work each day but tourists just ride it for fun! We had dinner at the bottom (Buca di Beppo) and ice cream at the top!
5)Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium – This is an entire days adventure, or 4-6 hours at the least. The zoo and aquarium are on the same property so it’s kind of like a 2 for 1 deal. We captured some AMAZING pictures of the animals (my daughter Samantha is an amateur photographer) and ate at the Jambo house which is sit down, cafeteria style dining, right on the property. I do not know if bringing a bagged lunch is an option but the prices were super reasonable for large portions so we were fine dining on site. We had no problems walking but for those that do you can catch the little golf cart tram to various exhibits for a couple of bucks for the entire day.
PPG Aquarium – This water adventure is right on the same property at the Pittsburgh Zoo and is really well done with various tanks and exhibits – highly interactive and fun!
6)Gateway Clipper – This tour boat has so many different options for touring the city and gives you a completely different perspective from the water as you are passing Heinz Field and even the Carnegie Science Center. We chose the sunset dinner cruise – absolutely no regrets! The food was delicious (and unlimited – we had seconds), there was a DJ with dancing right after the dinner and the photos we captured were breathtaking! Oh, and did I mention that you can talk to the captain too? The cruise lasted about 2 hours and gave us an entirely different perspective of Pittsburgh that we wouldn’t have been able to see from land. This is an excellent option for dinner and fun!
7)Point State Park – This park is right in Pittsburgh and you can just park and walk out to the point to see the fountain and catch some beautiful views of the city. It’s clearly a welcomed area for locals as we say folks dressed in business suits sitting by the water edge with a bagged lunch. You’ll also find it frequented by joggers and walkers too. This attraction is 100% free and just a great way to relax in the city at the water’s edge.
8)Pittsburgh Pirates – The Pirates are an icon for the City of Pittsburgh. People come from all over for games wearing Pirate shirts, ball caps and baseball gloves. For weekend games they close the street out front and so we were able to get some amazing photo captures right on the bridge in the middle of the street. If you can, plan your visit to catch a home game. There’s just nothing like a hot dog at the local ball park while cheering on your favorite team!
9)Patrick T, Fagan Overlook – So after you ride the Monongahela Incline you’ll find this incredible overlook just steps away. The view is spectacular! The overlook is completely free and the perfect place to capture sunset or sunrise with your camera. Consider capturing a family selfie for a holiday card to give your family and friends something to talk about!
10) Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Carnegie Museum of Art – These museums are adjacent to each other so definitely plan to hit them both while you’re in the area! The Museum of Natural History has a fabulous dinosaur exhibit (our favorite) and you’ll see famous art works at the Museum of Art as well as more modern art with bright, splashy colors so there’s a little something for everything! It’s in a fun part of Pittsburgh great for walking around and touring too (lots of pubs and food shops) so plan a little time for walking around the block while there.
If I had additional time I would have definitely liked to have spent more time in the downtown cultural district as well as some shopping. Head over to VisitPittsburgh for more fun ideas of what you can do on your Pittsburgh adventure! We LOVED Pittsburgh and would give it a 5 star rating and would definitely return!
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