Just Plain Amusement

 

Amusement Parks

Pittsburgh is famous for its hills. You'll find plenty of them at Kennywood Park, one of "America's finest traditional amusement parks." Voted the second best amusement park in the country by readers of Theme Parks magazine, Kennywood's five gravity-defying roller coasters will take your breath away. You'll get hills surrounded by water at Sandcastle Waterpark. This riverside amusement park has twisting waterslides, spacious pools, an old fashioned boardwalk with food, gift shops, an arcade and the world's biggest hot tub.

Beautiful scenery and a relaxed setting are part of the charm of Idlewild Park, nestled in the woods of the Laurel Highlands. The park's seven themed areas include rides, the wet and wild SoakZone, the original Story Book Forest, live entertainment and more. Get in touch with your wild side at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, where can you find more than 4,000 animals representing 475 species at one of only six major zoo/aquarium combinations in the country. The Zoo's Kids Kingdom is ranked as one of the nation's top three children's zoos. Opening this spring, Water's Edge is a cool ride into the world of polar bears, sea otters and walruses.

Other Entertainment Venues

Good times await everyone at Fun Fore All, one of the largest year-round family entertainment centers in Pittsburgh. There's lots to do both indoors and outdoors, including a video arcade, mini-golf, bumper boats, go-karts, batting cages, mini-tea cups and food. Have some spare time? Head to Fun Fest Entertainment Center, Pittsburgh's only bowling center with lanes available seven nights a week. There's cosmic or bumper bowling, the Laser Storm maze complete with light and sound show, a super arcade and billiards, all in one place. Grab your ice skates or rent a pair at the Ice Rink at PPG Place. Practice your figure eights or just glide amidst towering skyscrapers in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. The rink is open from mid November through mid March. Enjoy the outdoors at Schenley Plaza, the grand entrance to Schenley Park, one of Pittsburgh's largest parks located in the heart of Oakland. The park features a pool, an ice skating rink and plenty of open space to play sports.

On The Water

Pittsburgh's three rivers provide plenty of fun on the water. The Gateway Clipper Fleet riverboat excursions sail daily year-round from the dock at historic Station Square, on the southern bank of the Monongahela River in downtown Pittsburgh. Five riverboats offer a wide variety of dining, sightseeing and entertainment cruises. See Pittsburgh by land and sea on Just Ducky Tours. Enjoy a fun-filled trip through Pittsburgh in a vintage World War II amphibious vehicle. You'll learn lots of Pittsburgh history on the ride of your life.

Mt. Washington

Want to climb a mountain? Ride the Duquesne Incline, a century-old cable car that travels up a 300-foot bluff to Mt. Washington, where visitors are greeted by spectacular views of the beautiful Golden Triangle of downtown Pittsburgh. The view is ranked the "second most beautiful view in America" by USA Weekend magazine. The Incline is also a working museum featuring historic displays of the City of Pittsburgh and photos of other cable and rail cars from around the world.