10 Fun Things To Do In Pittsburgh With Kids
Our suggestions for top 10 fun things to do in Pittsburgh with kids. From sloth encounters to rock climbing, Pittsburgh has it all!
Fun Things To Do In Pittsburgh With Kids
Known as the “Steel City,” Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania might not be the first city you think of when trying to find a family friendly destination. However, we’re here to tell you that there are a ton of fun things to do in Pittsburgh with kids! Actually, most of the top Pittsburgh attractions are kid friendly and a lot of fun. Below are our top 10 choices for kid friendly places to visit in Pittsburgh…
Just Ducky Tours
There are few things as thrilling as watching your tour vehicle drive straight into the water! Kids, and adults, always hold their breathe in anticipation as the water gets closer and there is always laughing and clapping once the vehicle is in and floating along. There will be smiles all around, which is why we think this is one of the best Pittsburgh kids activities.
We also recommend this tour because it’s a great way to get your bearings if this is your first time in the city. We enjoyed this tour because we got a good idea of the history and layout of the city and it made finding and choosing which Pittsburgh attractions we wanted to see next that much easier. The tour guides were also hilarious and kept the crowd engaged; especially the kiddos.
Duquesne Incline
The Duquesne Incline is part of the Pittsburgh transportation system and technically isn’t considered an “attraction” but it’s one of the top things to do in Pittsburgh! You can ride up and down on the wooden cable-car that has been around since 1877 and see spectacular views of Pittsburgh. Of course, fighting over who gets to sit closest to the front may be an issue. 😉
The cost of a ride is $2.50 in cash each way (children under 5 ride free). There is a parking lot on the lower lever, or you can find street parking near the upper level. We recommend lingering at the upper level as there is a small museum with photos and the history of the cable car and there is also an outside observation area. You’ll be at an elevation of 400 feet, so get your cameras ready!
Pro Tip: Use restrooms before heading to the incline as there are none on site.
Heinz History Center
The Heinz History Center is a pretty fascinating museum; it’s an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania. There are 6 floors full of interesting and interactive exhibits. Guests will learn about the history of Western Pennsylvania as well as the city of Pittsburgh and many of it’s proudest achievements. The museum has many rotating collections, so we suggest visiting their website to see what is currently on exhibit.
Fun Fact: Lewis and Clark began their infamous expedition from Pittsburgh, considered the “Gateway to the West.”
Children’s Museum Of Pittsburgh
Of course, one of the most fun things to do in Pittsburgh with kids is visit the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. It has won many awards and has been voted the 5th Best Museum for Families in the US by USA Today. The really great thing about this museum is how incredibly hands-on all of the exhibits are. No child could possibly be bored here!
Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
We personally love when zoos and aquariums are combined, and Pittsburgh is 1 of only 6 places in the US that has that combination. Inside, kids will enjoy seeing the large variety animals. Make sure to see the schedule for feedings and talks with animal keepers. For an additional cost, guests also can zipline or have a close up animal encounter. How fun does that sound?
Carnegie Science Center
Another one of the fun things to do with kids in Pittsburgh is visit the Carnegie Science Center. This is also a very interactive museum with exhibits like Roboworld, a planetarium, and even a sports-related area called Highmark Sports Works where kids learn about science through physical activities. There’s even a rope challenge course and rock climbing wall!
National Aviary
At the National Aviary, visitors get to see birds up close and personal and even have opportunities to feed many of them. The National Aviary has over 500 birds representing over 150 species from around the world; in fact, it’s the only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds in the US!
And they also have a baby sloth. Enough said.
Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History
We’re listing these two museums together because they are in the same building and one ticket covers admission to both.
The Carnegie Museum of Art may be a bit better for older kids, but we think even the young ones can be impressed by some of the pieces in the museum. Our favorite parts were the Hall of Architecture and Hall of Sculpture where they had recreations of famous building facades and sculptures. We also really enjoyed the Miniatures Gallery that reminded us of The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City.
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History is very impressive and is considered one of the top natural history museums in the US. The kiddos will love the hall of minerals and gems, walking among giant dinosaur bones, and getting hands-on in the museum’s newest permanent exhibit Discovery Basecamp.
Pro Tip:Â Visit during the week; admission prices are half off after 3pm.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Well this place is just gorgeous! The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has been wowing visitors since 1893 and now has 15 acres including a 14-room glasshouse and 23 distinct gardens. It’s considered one of the best botanical gardens on the east coast. There are beautiful flowers, fun musical fountains, and even a butterfly forest. We could have walked around the gardens for hours!
Final Thoughts On Pittsburgh With Kids
We think the kiddos will have a lot of fun on a trip to Pittsburgh. We loved how interactive and hands-on all of the museums were and felt they all did a really good job of making learning fun. Even the attractions that weren’t specifically for children made a great effort to keep kids engaged. So if you’re looking for a kid-friendly city for your next family getaway, we highly recommend Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Click below to see the items we recommend for your visit to Pittsburgh | ||
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**A big thank you to Visit Pittsburgh! Although they provided us with complimentary passes to most attractions we visited, as always, all opinions are our own.**
I’ve never been to Pittsburgh, but I certainly never thought there would be so many unique things to do with kids. Even without kids, I’d like the cable car and the Heinz Museum.
B and V; the duck tours look cool. I became familiar with the idea during a recent New Zealand trip. Gotta love those boats. I did visit this city some 30 years ago. Maybe time for a return visit. So much fun going to a Pirates game, meeting the Pirate Parrot. Pinned and Tweeted.
Ryan
We recently visited Philadelphia but Pittsburgh was also on our list to consider. So now I have a reason to target Pittsburgh next time. We have seen duck tours all around the world but not tried one. Maybe Pittsburgh would be the first. We do love to see a city from the water. Glad to see there were lots of museum options. Always want a backup plan in case of rain. Hubby would want to visit the aviary! Thanks for providing a view into what we can do on a visit to Pittsburgh!
Ahh that’s so cool, we also had a “duck bus” similar to the Just Ducky tours here in San Francisco – I loved going on it when I was little 🙂
Also, the Botanical Gardens look beautiful – I could easily spend a whole day walking around and gawking at the flowers (and butterflies)!
The view from the cable car looks amazing! I’m not sure if I would trust it, I’m a bit scared of these things sometimes haha 😉
Although I do not have kids, the Just Ducky Tour sounds so cool!! 😀 The cable car view is insane (in a good way) and in general, Pittsburg looks like lots of fun! I’ll be sure to visit one day when I have kiddies 😉
The science centre and the ducky tour both caught my eye. What kids enjoy, adult can enjoy equally 🙂 Pittsburgh looks like a fun place. Any recommended food options?
Wow, there is no shortage of things to do in Pittsburgh! We don’t have kids, but I think the activities you highlighted also work for the young at heart 🙂 Top of my list would be to ride on the Duquesne Incline for that spectacular view at the top. Being a history buff, I can also see myself spending hours at the Heinz History Center. I see that they have an Apollo 11 exhibit coming next month, I’d love to plan a trip to see that! Thanks for all the tips and tricks, Pittsburgh is now on the travel radar.
Making sure you have enough activities for the whole family is really important. This is a great list of activities to keep the kids occupied. I love the look of the National Aviary – and the baby sloth sure helps! I would definitely visit the botanical gardens – I remember fondly visits to gardens as a child, so this would be nice to pass on!
Zoo and aquarium are always the great places to visit and spend times with kids. I would like to visit the science center too when I go to Pittsburgh.
Great post!! I have two kids and would love to bring them in Pittburgh!! Also the wooden cable car is a nice catch!! Have you got a photo of it?
I have never been to Pittsburgh, but this post makes me want to go there. All of these places would be great to take my son, but admittedly I would want to go to them for myself as well. Thanks for sharing!
I am from Pittsburgh but I haven’t tried some of the activities listed here. This is a great post that I can share with my kids. Maybe they would like to try some fun activities. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Emilia, I’m so happy you enjoyed the post! I’d love to hear about your experiences once you try some of these with your kids. Hope you have a great time! 🙂