27 Fun Family Friendly Things to Do in Pittsburgh with Kids
Pittsburgh, also referred to as the “City of Bridges,” is bordered by the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers.
Despite its long industrial background, the city has managed to prosper and today offers cruises, beautiful urban locations, and recurrent ranks as one of the world’s most livable cities.
This vibrant city is home to several family-friendly activities throughout the year, as well as breathtaking attractions that you shouldn’t miss.
Here are some enjoyable Pittsburgh family activities in case your upcoming family vacation is planned for this pristine and beautiful city.
- Carnegie Science Center — North Side
In Pittsburgh’s industrial heritage, Andrew Carnegie was one of the well-known entrepreneurs of steel manufacturing businesses.
He pictured a complex of arts, sciences, music, and literature that locals of all ages could appreciate.
He donated his riches after passing away in 1919, and it was then used to construct libraries and museums.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The Carnegie Science Center is arguably one of the most well-liked family destinations in Pittsburgh.
Four floors of interactive exhibits with a focus on science and technology are home to hundreds of them.
A tiny railroad village, a playground with a treehouse theme, a water table, a submarine, and planetarium performances are a few of the exhibits available.
Your kids won’t be able to get enough of the kid-friendly activities they’ll discover right here.
Recommended Ages
There is plenty to do at the Carnegie Science Center for parents of babies, toddlers, and kids up to age 4.
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History — East End
The Carnegie Museum of Natural History educates visitors of all ages about the wonders of nature and houses one of America’s largest dinosaur collections.
They opened in 1895.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The bones of prehistoric animals and dinosaur skeletons will fascinate kids.
Fossils from the Mesozoic Era, relics from ancient Egypt, minerals, gems, artifacts from Native American cultures, an exhibit on Arctic life, animals from the past and present, and numerous taxidermy dioramas are among the museum’s collections.
The Discovery Basecamp, a permanent interactive gallery where anyone can learn about the creatures on display up close, will appeal to children in particular.
Recommended Ages
His museum is devoted to all Pittsburghers of whatever age and socioeconomic standing, as Andrew Carnegie had planned.
- Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh — North Side
The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh was established in 1983 at the former Allegheny Post Office and developed from a traveling mobile museum to become the largest Silver LEED-certified museum in America in 2006.
Even now, the museum keeps adding new exhibits to broaden its selection.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh invites all children to touch its exhibits to foster creativity, whereas the majority of museum displays are only meant to be seen.
A kindness gallery, a miniature garden, live concerts, a water play area, and many more kid-friendly activities are among their entertaining interactive exhibitions.
You won’t run out of options if you are seeking toddler-friendly activities in Pittsburgh.
The MAKESHOP, where families may design and create using “actual stuff” that professionals and other creators use, is the most notable activity for kids to enjoy here.
You can get help from a knowledgeable group of educators and independent guests who may be artists or inventors.
Recommended Ages
The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh offers activities and playthings for kids of all ages, from infants to those who are 12 years old.
- Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum — East End
The other notable aspect of Pittsburgh, besides the steel sector, is sports.
The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, housed inside the Heinz History Center, aims to celebrate the Western Pennsylvania region’s outstanding sports history.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The football team’s name should be referred to as the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum honors notable local athletes with relics and engaging exhibitions.
Visitors can observe game-used uniforms and equipment from championships on display, watch previous NFL games on giant television screens, and exhibit medals, trophies, and other memorabilia.
Recommended Ages
All ages are welcome at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, but young people and teenagers who are aspiring athletes may find this to be very enjoyable.
- Frick House — East End
The Frick House, a former residence of yet another businessman, was converted into a museum in the 1930s.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Enter a Victorian-era house that looks like a real-life dollhouse.
Here you may also find a vintage vehicle and carriage collection, an art gallery, a playhouse, a greenhouse, a cafe, and several more eye-candy.
Even better, the Frick Art Museum’s permanent collection, the Car and Carriage Museum, and the Frick gardens are all free kid-friendly activities in Pittsburgh, so you can be sure to have an affordable family vacation.
For added fun, you might want to attend any of their special events.
Check their calendar because they might have anything scheduled for this weekend.
Recommended Ages
Explore the gorgeous house and picturesque grounds of Frick House with kids of all ages.
- The Andy Warhol Museum — North Side
The largest museum in America is devoted to a single artist called, Warhol’s Museum.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Despite living a contentious life, Andy Warhol is still regarded as the most important and influential artist in pop art.
This artist was born and bred in Pittsburgh, in case you didn’t know.
The Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh offers some of the most memorable family activities as well as interactive displays.
You can work out with metallic sculptures, play the lead in your short film, investigate tactile reproductions, and much more.
Every afternoon, children work on their pop art pieces in the basement studio.
Recommended Ages
Children of all ages can engage in an instructive and immersive art experience at the Andy Warhol Museum.
- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens — East End
Another steel tycoon, Henry Phipps, founded the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens as a gift to the community.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Visit the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens to explore the 19 distinct gardens, the 14-room conservatory, the art collections, the glasshouse, the cafe, and the store.
The entire site is covered in butterflies.
The majority of the exciting activities and programs are suitable for both children and adults.
Virtual story time, an art display, and a seasonal flower show are just a few of the various events available.
Recommended Ages
Children of all ages are encouraged to enjoy the landscape and activities at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
- Mattress Factory — North Side
This modern museum, which was established in 1977 in a real-life mattress factory that had been abandoned, has commissioned pieces from 750 artists.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Discover installations, movies, and performance art that are experimental and immersive.
Three structures make up the museum, which is located on Mexican War Streets.
It is important to get in touch with a tour guide in advance if you are unsure of where to start.
They have a cafe, in case you’re starving.
Visit their gift shop to purchase mementos of the event.
Recommended Ages
Check out the Mattress Factory’s website in advance to discover which temporary ongoing exhibits could interest you and your children.
- National Aviary — North Side
The National Aviary is the only nonprofit zoo in the country devoted exclusively to birds.
Why We Recommend This Activity
D your kids exhibit this strange obsession with feathered animals?
Bring them to the National Aviary, where they can view 150 different species, many of which are threatened or endangered.
Many of the species found here are not visible from any other place in the world.
You can encounter the birds closely during your stay by feeding them.
The National Aviary safeguards and provides these species with a second chance at life. This includes eagles, penguins, and flamingos.
They also have a sloth.
Recommended Ages
Kids of all ages may learn more about the majestic avian wildlife at the National Aviary.
- Senator John Heinz History Center — East End
The museum, which is officially known as the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, is dedicated to Pittsburgh-born senator Henry John Heinz III.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, the Fort Pitt Museum, Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, the Detre Library & Archives, and the new Museum Conservation Center are among the museums that make up the Senator John Heinz History Center.
The museum offers a wealth of sights and activities, including some of the top family-friendly things to do in Pittsburgh.
Kids can play with a fire engine, a Heinz ketchup delivery vehicle, and other toys in an exhibit called Kidsburgh, which is a kid-only interactive play area.
Recommended Ages
With interactive exhibits and sections for younger kids and older kids to explore, the Senator John Heinz History Center is suitable for all ages.
- Pittsburgh Zoo — East End
The Pittsburgh Zoo, which contains 475 species and is more than a century old, has made a substantial contribution to the preservation of endangered species.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Walk through the zoo’s eight distinct areas – Kingdom, Kid’s PPG Aquarium, Forest Passage, Tropical Forest, African Savanna, Bears, Water’s Edge, The Islands, and Jungle Odyssey – to spend the day interacting with animals from all over the world.
Watch an elephant paint, observe a healthy polar bear enjoy the holidays with homemade sweets, or watch cheetah cubs mark their birthdays with pinatas and birthday boxes.
You can choose between wildlife encounters and exclusive events.
Recommended Ages
At the Pittsburgh Zoo, kids of all ages will enjoy trying out the wildlife encounters and seeing species they’ve never seen before.
- Duquesne Incline — West End
To transport merchandise up and down Mount Washington, this cable car was initially opened to the public in 1877.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Ride up the Duquesne Incline for breathtaking aerial views of the City of Bridges and see why USA Today named this one of the most stunning sights in the country.
When you reach the top, you can tour the outdoor observation deck, look through telescopes, and snap pictures of the panoramic view.
The waiting room also features historical displays that you and your family can enjoy.
Recommended Ages
The Duquesne Incline’s cable car journey will be enjoyed by kids of all ages.
- Kennywood Amusement Park
The city’s Kennywood Amusement Park, which opened its doors in 1898, has long been a household favorite.
Why We Recommend This Activity
What can families do in Pittsburgh?
The Kennywood Amusement Park provides a full day of entertainment for children and adults.
It is incredible to be able to ride one of the world’s oldest roller coasters because this is already recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Young children will particularly enjoy Kiddie Land and Thomas Town, while teenagers will delight in Phantom’s Revenge or the roller coaster with a football theme.
Bumper cars, the Skycoaster, a 4D theater, and many other things that everyone will enjoy are also available.
Recommended Ages
There are rides at the Kennywood Amusement Park for people of every age and skill level.
- Milk Shake Factory — South Side
The Milk Shake Factory was founded in 1914 and is another historic site that has passed down a family’s love and expertise of chocolate from one generation to the next.
Why We Recommend This Activity
When refrigeration was a rarity and a luxury, it all began as a chocolate shop and a soda fountain.
In 2003, four generations later, the family’s present siblings decided to turn the chocolate factory into a milkshake factory that combines premium ingredients with inventiveness.
Gourmet milkshake varieties like Cookie Dough Fudge and Fried Ice Cream are now available here.
While their chocolates are still manufactured by hand in the original family chocolate factory, the ice cream is made just inside the shop.
Recommended Ages
Any of their milkshakes and chocolates are available to taste for kids of all ages.
- The Gateway Clipper — West End
John E. Connelly founded The Gateway Clipper Fleet in the 1950s and took its name from one of Pittsburgh’s earlier monikers, the Gateway to the West.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Take a trip down one of Pittsburgh’s three nearby rivers to get a comprehensive view of the city.
You may witness for yourself how vibrant and entertaining the old city is as you and your family cruise the river on the Gateway Clipper Riverboat.
You can pick from a variety of themed cruises.
It’s a wonderful place to take kids because there are cruises designed specifically for them, such as the Princess Cruise, Superhero Cruise, Galactic Battle Cruise, Wizards Cruise, and Holiday Cruise.
Recommended Ages
The Gateway Clipper is a stunning welcome or departure in the city for both young and old.
- Seesaw Center
The Seesaw Center is an indoor play space created with young children and toddlers in mind.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Bring your children to the Seesaw Center so they can have a good time and learn something in a safe space.
There are numerous toys to keep your kids occupied, a dress-up area, big blocks, miniature basketball hoops, slides, reading stations, play castles, and interesting activities to develop their social skills.
Recommended Ages
Children aged zero to kindergarten are the primary audience for the Seesaw Center.
- PNC Park
A Major League Baseball stadium with a minimum seating capacity of 38,000, PNC Park first welcomed spectators in March 2001.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Are there sports fans in your family?
Get ready to enjoy a thrilling live game at PNC Park.
Along with live performances like concerts, it provides professional and collegiate baseball games throughout the year.
The Rolling Stones, Billy Joel, and Ed Sheeran have all performed there.
Hollywood movies, including She’s Out Of My League, Abduction, and Sweet Girl, all used this renowned stadium.
Recommended Ages
Visitors of all ages are welcome at this baseball facility.
- Pinball Perfection
One of the biggest pinball museums in the region, Pinball Perfection, opened in the 1990s and has more than 300 machines.
Why We Recommend This Activity
With your family, have fun indoors playing on a variety of pinball machines at this museum and amusement park.
You can play on machines with various themes, including those from Star Wars, Superman, Jurassic Park, the Flintstones, Star Trek, Godzilla, and many more.
It also provides several other arcade classics, like Pac-Man, air hockey, slot machines, video games, and more.
Recommended Ages
All ages are invited to play the games at Pinball Perfection.
- Super Playground
The 377-acre Highland Park is home to the highly regarded Super Playground, which was built in 1991.
Why We Recommend This Activity
While your kids are occupied in the Super Playground, you may rest outside and catch up on some reading.
There are swings, slides, a jungle gym, climbing walls, and other things there.
Visit the park’s other attractions, which include sports fields, hiking trails, a swimming pool, a zoo, an aquarium, fishing ponds, and picnic sites.
Recommended Ages
The whole family can enjoy something enjoyable at this attraction.
- Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown
At the center of the downtown area is a canoe and kayak rental shop called Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown.
Why We Recommend This Activity
With the help of Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown, embark on a riverside adventure with your loved one by renting a canoe or kayak.
It provides the ideal opportunity to take in stunning views of the downtown core while floating gently on the water.
Recommended Ages
For older children, teenagers, and their parents, this seaside excursion is perfect.
- Randyland
Randyland is a 1995-launched museum with an outdoor courtyard.
One of the most well-known public art icons, it receives about 100,000 visitors yearly.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Visit Randyland for the chance to view one of the nation’s most vibrant art museums at no cost.
It has a colorful courtyard packed with imaginative artwork, a unique mirror wall, a hand-painted mural with a celebration theme, and a wall covered in artistic welcome signs in several languages.
It offers the ideal setting for taking endless entertaining photos with your loved ones to remember your Pittsburgh sightseeing tour.
Recommended Ages
You should bring your infants, toddlers, preteens, and older children to this art museum.
- Schenley Plaza
Public park Schenley Plaza provides a haven of greenery inside the metropolis.
It covers an area of about 4.5 acres.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Visit Schenley Plaza with your loved ones after some sightseeing to unwind.
This stunning park has food stands, a carousel in the Victorian style, lovely native plant beds, and a free wireless internet connection.
Several attractions, including museums, coffee shops, shops, a library, and more, are also accessible by foot.
Recommended Ages
Take your kids of any age to this park. It’s the best spot to do so.
- Sandcastle Water Park
Less than 20 minutes from Pittsburgh lies the 67-acre Sandcastle Water Park, which first opened in July 1989.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Bring your loved ones to Sandcastle Water Park to escape the heat.
This magnificent attraction has several pools, a lazy river, a splash pad, and slides of different heights.
It offers challenging rides for older children, shallow places that are safe for toddlers, lockers where you can store your belongings, a gift shop with an ATM, and numerous clean restrooms scattered throughout the area.
Recommended Ages
A great attraction for families with children of all ages is Sandcastle Water Park.
- ‘Burgh Bits and Bites
‘Burgh Bits and Bites’ is a food-tasting excursion that offers walking tours of outstanding restaurants in the city’s districts.
Why We Recommend This Activity
By scheduling a tour with “burgh Bits and Bites,” you can spend quality time with the family while sampling a variety of scrumptious delicacies.
It provides narrated tours of the neighborhood as you travel to renowned restaurants and quaint neighborhood restaurants.
Recommended Ages
Families with children of all ages are welcome, and the tour operator has no age limitations.
- Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau
Pittsburgh’s closest tourist information office is the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Go to the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau to learn more about the exciting possibilities that the whole family will love.
Here, you can chat with the helpful staff and find out which local attractions are best suited to your kids.
Recommended Ages
Children of all ages, as well as their parents, are welcome at this visitor center.
- Klavon’s
Klavon’s is a delightful, well-established ice cream parlor that opened its doors in 1923.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Enjoy a tasty treat at Klavon’s with your loved ones to restore your energy.
This landmark in the community serves kid-friendly food options, shakes, and floats with a variety of toppings.
It provides a laid-back atmosphere where you can catch up with your family and indulge in a variety of gourmet frozen delights.
Recommended Ages
The entire family can enjoy the scrumptious offerings at this restaurant.
- Go Ape
Go Ape is a company that arranges outdoor activities not far from Pittsburgh.
Why We Recommend This Activity
There are many enjoyable activities for families to enjoy in Pittsburgh, such as visiting the adjacent Allison Park for an exciting adventure through the trees.
It includes 400-foot-long ziplines, treetop ropes courses, an ax-throwing area, and STEM-related activities for your school-aged kids.
Recommended Ages
At Go Ape, there are particular height and age limits for each attraction.
For instance, your kids must be at least ten years old to ride zip lines.
