Things to Do in Carnot-Moon

Use the riding lesson at Caustelot Farms for an introduction or refresher aboard the second-oldest form of transport, the first being logs with saddles. Those opting for the private session receive 30 minutes of one-on-one attention, while the longer small-group session puts cowpersons atop temporary animal companions for an hour of dusty trail hitting and hoof trotting. The small class sizes allow both beginners and experienced horse masters alike to receive the personalized attention necessary to truly learn the secrets of horse whispering.

Museums typically showcase art in carefully curated rooms. At Mattress Factory, however, the room itself is the art. Since 1977, the museum's two buildings have housed a permanent collection of contemporary installation art—room-sized works that engulf the entire space. In Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Dots Mirrored Room, mirrored ceilings and walls infinitely reflect a trio of fluorescent dots painted on a white formica floor. In Greer Lankton's It's all about ME, Not You, astroturf lines a floor covered in artful arrangements of grotesque dolls that form shrines to artists such as Patti Smith and Candy Darling.

To further immerse guests, Mattress Factory's exhibitions are paired with educational programs that range from lectures to hands-on art projects. Along with stimulating the public, the museum stimulates the growth of artists through its residency program, which invites participants to create installations while living near the museum, a much more practical alternative to hiding a secret cot in the coatroom.

Adrenaline flows freely inside Laser Storm Pittsburgh's laser-tag battleground as teams of players wage infrared war over objectives and bases. In addition to hosting laser battles, Laser Storm offers an arcade filled with skee-ball, virtual games, and other ticket-spewing machines. Any tickets won in the arcade can be used to purchase prizes from a well-stocked booth or attached to a fishing line to lure laser-tag enemies out of their hiding spots.

The New Hazlett Theater, built in 1889 as the Carnegie Musical Hall, pays more of a resemblance to a cathedral than a concert space, from its austere stone walls to its soaring bell tower. In fact, the hall would serve as a religious retreat through the early 1900s. Saved from demolition in 1967 and renamed the Hazlett Theater in 1980, the venue would serve as the home of the Pittsburgh Public Theater for 24 seasons, followed by a brief stint as the summer home of a Pirates-obsessed vampire.

Guests feast their eyes on the impressive athleticism on display at the Consol Energy Center, home to the NHL's Penguins, arena football's Power, and countless other events. Two LED rings circumscribe the seating bowl, and 800 high-definition televisions of varying sizes pepper the building, ensuring attendees don't miss a single slam-dunk, slap shot, or black eye. Comfy seating cushions rapt fans, boasting widths of up to 24 inches to accommodate wild, celebratory gyrations and pockets filled with packing peanuts.

Now in its 11th year, the Pittsburgh Wine Festival gathers more than 165 vendors who pour more than 500 diverse wines inside the Heinz Field East and West Club Lounges. Though many of the featured wines hail from countries such as France, Germany, Portugal, Argentina, and New Zealand, others call California, Pennsylvania, and the Pacific Northwest their home. As attendees wander between sips of reds, whites, and rosés, they sample food pairings and watch live entertainment.

Winery representatives and winemakers pour their diverse libations during the annual Grand Tasting, but also uncork specialty reserve wines at a VIP tasting. Here, smaller crowds grant visitors more time to speak with the vendors, and ask questions about fermentation or how to determine whether a wine will get along with their other bottles. Outside the main events, industry leaders also hold seminars on how to taste wine like a sommelier or pair wines to specific occasions. Additionally, private wine dinners raise funds for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.