6 Great Kids Activities in Pittsburgh for a Lovely Day

Let us guess: It’s a day off for both you and your children, and you’re browsing the internet for great kids activities? Pittsburgh won’t disappoint. If the sun is out and it’s not too cold, PIttsburgh can be a delightful place for outdoor recreation. May we suggest...

1. Catch a baseball game at PNC Park if the Pirates are in town (you can grab tickets here).
2. Stop and smell the flowers—thousands of them—at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, featuring a peaceful lotus pond and an 1870s barn.
3. Cool off on a hot day at Sandcastle Water Park, where your kids can careen down 15 slides and you can relax in a cabana.
4. Teach your teenagers who’s boss by schooling them in a game of paintball—snag a deal at four local paintball fields through Paintball USA Tickets.
5. Take a Three Rivers sightseeing cruise aboard one of the Gateway Clipper riverboats.
6. Go day-tripping—head north to tiny Greenville, PA, and go tubing down the Shenango River with equipment from Carried Away Recreation.

Spotlight: PNC Park

If it’s the summer (or, ideally, the fall) and you're desperate to find kids activities, Pittsburgh Pirates baseball at PNC Park can be just what the doctor ordered. Ranking #4 on our list of the top baseball stadiums in America, PNC Park is consistently considered one of MLB’s most intimate ballparks. Read below for more info, and find Pirates tickets here.

The History: The stadium's limestone facade, numerous archways, and pilasters tiled with terracotta serve as subtle nods to Three Rivers Stadium, the team's former home.

The Team: Former 2nd-overall draft pick and stud pitcher Jameson Taillon plus two-time Gold Glover Starling Marte are well worth heading to the ball park this year.

The Views: Pittsburgh's gleaming skyline and the bright-yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge dominate perhaps the best view in baseball, making it hard to focus on the action on the field.

The Stadium Snacks: Primanti Bros. slings the city's iconic fries-slaw-meat sandwiches behind section 110. If you somehow still have room and are feeling bold, try to take down the Polish Hill dog's arsenal of pierogi, pulled pork, coleslaw, onion rings, and barbecue sauce.

Best Sporting Activities in Pittsburgh for Kids

Pittsburgh is called the “City of Champions” for its multiple championship-winning professional sports teams. That can inspire a lot of kids to try their hand at athletics, and there are tons of different opportunities for them to develop their passion. Read on for our top ideas:

• Ice Skating: Center Ice Arena in nearby Delmont offers the “Learn to Skate” program, which can help prospective figure skaters (or even hockey players) hone in their ice-cutting prowess.
• Basketball: Learn how to dribble, shoot, play defense, and even hit a free throw or two at the Basketball Stars of America.
• Archery: If your kid is more into bows, arrows, Katniss Everdeen, etc., then take The Archer’s Edge class to instill proper safety techniques.
• Tumbling or Cheerleading: Your child will benefit from the cardio exercise at Fire and Ice’s tumbling studio in Mars.
• Golf: Robert Morris University hosts one of the best mini-golf courses in the region at its University Island Sports Center.

Best Pittsburgh Kids Activities for a Rainy (or Snowy) Day

Pittsburgh weather can be unpredictable—you never know if it’s going to be 72 degrees and sunny, a torrential rainstorm, or six inches of snow. For those not-so-sunny days, it helps to have a back-up plan for what to do with your kids. Here are six great indoor options:

• Go Carpet Skating: Kids love this new form of skating at Fun Slides Carpet Skatepark & Party Center, where they’ll strap on smooth plastic boards and glide through a black-lit fun zone.
• Go Bowling: An institution in Plum for more than 65 years, Nesbit’s Lanes is a family-run bowling alley with 24 lanes. Play three games to escape an especially rainy day.
• Go Study Photographic History: The old-timey, whimsical photos at the Museum of Photographic History date back to 1839, when the medium was invented.
• Go Jump All Day: With more than 50 interconnected trampolines at Flight Trampoline Park in Bridgeville, it’s hard not to jump around until you (and your kids) are exhausted.
• Go Rock Climbing: Why climb a mountain when you can stay indoors and conquer The Climbing Wall, which offers kids classes.
• Go Shoot Lasers: Kids’ll love figuring out how to navigate the arena at Xtreme Laser Storm, which completes the scene with fog and music.