Day 1   /   Day 2  /  Day 3

Summary:

Tell your kids that this year’s vacation will include a little education…and watch their eyes glaze over. But adventures in Pittsburgh neighborhoods make learning come alive, with family-friendly destinations that showcase our city’s history, arts, food, and wonders of nature and science.

Day 1: Morning

Start your expedition on the North Side, the neighborhood where you’ll find the home fields of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Beyond the stadiums, there lies a historic neighborhood with lots of kid-friendly places. At The Pittsburgh Children’s Museum (1), you’ll find exhibits that will excite kids from toddlers to tweens. Kids can express their creativity in the Museum’s art studio. The Waterplay exhibit teaches everyone a thing or two about the rivers, locks, and dams that have been vital to Pittsburgh’s growth. And you’ll get an inside peek behind the Neighborhood of Make-Believe at the Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood exhibit, which celebrates one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved neighbors.

From the Children’s Museum, it’s just a short walk to another great spot for family fun: the National Aviary (2). The Aviary is home to more than 600 exotic and endangered birds of more than 200 species, from snowy owls to tropical pink flamingos. The Aviary’s bird shows, feeding demonstrations, and interactive exhibits give family members of all ages an up-close-and-personal look at the world of birds.

If you’re visiting in the summer, it’s worth a 5-minute walk on Ridge Avenue past the Aviary to the West Park tennis courts for a treat from Gus and Yia-Yia. This family has been serving up snacks (and smiles!) from an old-fashioned wagon since the 1930’s. Everyone will enjoy shaved ice balls in a rainbow of flavors and fresh popcorn.

Day 1: Afternoon

Next stop: a museum where the art is both sophisticated and fun, dedicated to the work one of Pittsburgh’s most famous natives. At The Andy Warhol Museum (3), kids will especially enjoy the light-hearted atmosphere of the Silver Clouds balloon exhibit and the bold colors of Andy’s Pop Art, featuring vivid screen prints of cows, Mickey Mouse, Campbell’s Soup cans, and more. During a weekend visit, families with children over the age of 5 can take part in the Weekend Factory, an art studio where you’ll learn about Andy Warhol’s work and create a piece of your own art to take home. You can also learn about Andy’s life as a kid growing up in Pittsburgh.

If you’re ready for lunch, the Café at the Warhol serves up family-friendly sandwiches, salads, and snacks.

Andy Warhol’s images redefined the world of modern art. At our next stop, you’ll learn how photographic images help us understand our history. Photo Antiquities Museum of Photographic History (4) takes you on a journey into the past, with exhibits of old-fashioned cameras and photographs from days gone by. For kids, it’s a great way to see the faces and places that shaped our city’s history—viewing pictures of children who lived in Pittsburgh in an earlier century can spark their imagination about days gone by.

Day 2: Morning

Today, we start in the Strip District, a neighborhood that is best known as Pittsburgh’s historic market district. Here, you can taste your way through a lesson in world cultures and history.

Your first stop is the Senator John Heinz History Center and Western Pennsylvanian Sports Museum (5). This building was once an ice factory; now it is home to exhibits that teach us about the people and events that shaped Pittsburgh’s heritage, including interactive exhibits for kids. At Discovery Place and Kidsburgh, children can learn what it was like to be a kid living in Pittsburgh from the 1800s through the 1940s. At the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, interactive exhibits “get you into the game” while teaching you about the sports legends that gave Pittsburgh its name of the “City of Champions.”

Day 2: Afternoon

For lunch, take a trip back in time at Klavon’s (6), an authentic 1920s ice cream parlor. (Don’t worry – they serve sandwiches and soup, too!) This business was opened as a drugstore and “soda fountain” by the Klavon family in 1923; today, it’s run by Ray Klavon, the grandson of the original owner. As you slide into the wooden booths or take a spin on a counter seat, you’ll see signs, woodwork and photos from the Klavon family history. Ray and his family are happy to tell you about the history and their childhood memories of this Strip District tradition. Be sure to ask about the St. Patrick’s Day flood of 1936, when the Allegheny River rose to the ceiling—you can see the watermarks on the wall!

Down the street in the heart of the Strip District, you’ll find specialty grocery stores featuring foods from around the world. The Strip is nothing like your everyday supermarket—it’s like a circus of food and fun! Visiting these shops is a great way for kids to gain an understanding of their own heritage or other cultures.

Besides the ethnic groceries, there are other stops on Penn Avenue for family fun. Mon Aimee Chocolat (7) is a global excursion into the world of chocolate, with treats from more than 25 countries and a delicious “hot chocolate bar" or stop in at Fudgie Wudgie (8) for "the Fudge that Makes You Smile". At Mike Feinberg’s (9) kids can stock up on inexpensive souvenirs from their Pittsburgh visit. Warning: this place is so packed with fun stuff…it might take a while for kids to choose their favorites!

Day 3: Morning

Today we start in Oakland, at the Carnegie Museums of Art and National History (10). The big bones of the Dinosaur Hall are a favorite for children of all ages, and the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems exhibit gives an illuminating lesson in earth science. Next door at the Museum of Art, you’ll find an ongoing schedule of museum programs gives families interactive opportunities to learn about the world of art.

If the kids need to release some energy after a morning in the exhibit halls, let them run free or take a whirl on the carousel at nearby Schenley Plaza, or head to Schenley Park (11) for playground equipment and open fields. Near the park’s entry, you can visit Phipps Conservatory (12), where kid-friendly exhibits in The Discovery Garden shed light on the fascinating world of plants, flowers, and trees.

Day 3: Afternoon

Cross the Monongahela River to the South Side. In the historic buildings of the Carson Street business district, you’ll find shops that give kids a fun glimpse into the past.

Get started at Groovy Pop Culture Emporium (13), a trip that’s as much fun for parents as it is for the kids. Here you’ll find an enormous collection of toys from the 1950s through 90s. From Pez dispensers to Matchbox cars, and TV-inspired board games and lunchboxes, Groovy is a fun way to introduce kids to the pop culture trends that shaped your childhood. (Good luck explaining Farrah Fawcett!)

Further down on Carson Street are two side-by-side buildings that demonstrate the value of saving old places. Take a look at the restored façades of The Bead Mine and Chocolate Celebrations, and you’ll see buildings that have had many uses since they were built in the late 1800s. At one time the building that houses The Bead Mine (14) was a shoe store. Today, you’ll find thousands of beads to create your wearable art as a souvenir of your visit to the South Side. Next door, it may seem hard to believe that Chocolate Celebrations (15) was once a meat market. We think you’ll agree that the homemade chocolates and milkshakes that they serve today are a tastier treat. The recipes used here are tried-and-true favorites; they’ve been in the family business since 1914.

Day 3: Evening

There’s no experience like a ride on the inclines of Mt. Washington, the neighborhood that sits high on the hill above the city skyline. Park in the free lot near Station Square and board the Duquesne Incline (16), bright red cable cars that carefully carry you to the top of the 400-foot mountainside. At the ticket station at the top, you’ll find exhibits that introduce you to the history of the inclines and the neighborhood, which was once known as “Coal Hill.”

As you ride up the incline, take a look at the steep hillside beside you. At one time, there were was a wooden staircase near here called the Indian Trail Steps. Pittsburghers who didn’t want to pay to ride the incline would instead climb more than 700 steps to get to the top of the hill!

When you step outside the station, visit the observation deck for fantastic views of the sunset and the city skyline. Don’t forget your camera! This vantage point is the picture-perfect spot to capture your family gathering on film (or digital) for a lifetime of memories of your Pittsburgh visit.

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