Pittsburgh is KidsBURGH®

Throughout Pittsburgh’s evolution from a steel-producing town to a hub for tech innovation, leaders have prioritized creating and providing opportunities for new generations.

Fred Rogers modeled kindness and emphasized emotional health while producing his children’s television program in the city. Andrew Carnegie, a steel industry titan, left much of the wealth he amassed in the Steel City to provide open access to knowledge through public libraries. Environmentalist Rachel Carson worked to preserve the environment by teaching young people why they should love and care for nature.

Pittsburgh’s cultural evolution has always included children, so the city proudly maintains the moniker “Kidsburgh.” Here, we provide families with a place to escape from the hustle and bustle and reconnect, while ensuring the kiddos have plenty of opportunities to learn, create and imagine. While you’ll find familiar spaces like parks and playgrounds while visiting the city, Pittsburgh boasts a family-friendly line up of events and festivals and some of the most innovative and interactive spaces for kids to make any family’s trip to Pittsburgh complete.

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Outside

The city’s Northside neighborhood offers many options for those traveling with children. Take your sports-obsessed kids to see the home of the Pirates at PNC Park or the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium.

Push a stroller along the riverwalk, where you can pay homage to the statue of Mister Rogers. Take your shoes off in warmer months and jump in the water steps along the same path. Then, walk over the pedestrian bridge to Point State Park and admire the fountain that marks the spot where our famed three rivers meet.

If your children want an up-close look at the water, ride on the Gateway Clipper that launches from the Southside’s Station Square and tours the city’s rivers. Soccer fans can also take in a Riverhounds game at nearby Highmark Stadium. For a unique Pittsburgh experience, take the kids on a short ride on one of the two funiculars, better known as inclines. The trolleys travel up to Mount Washington for a beautiful view of the city’s skyline.

The city maintains several beautiful parks popular with children of all ages, including Schenley Park in Oakland, with several large playgrounds, and Frick Park in Squirrel Hill, with numerous trails and open spaces for kids to run around. There, older kids who are fans of the late Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller can also take in the famous Blue Slide Park.

The city's East End is also home to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. While the zoo animals are more active in the warmer months, the indoor aquarium is perfect for all weather conditions.

Gateway Clipper outside of Acrisure Stadium

Inside

If your family is looking for some time indoors, check out any of the Carnegie Libraries of Pittsburgh. Many of the libraries offer family-friendly events such as story time. The main branch in Oakland offers children and teen spaces where kids can play and flip through books.

The Carnegie Museums are nearby in the Oakland neighborhood, great options for all ages looking for indoor exploration. Dinosaur-loving kids will appreciate the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, where they can get an up-close look at the fossils, take a trip to the Arctic and marvel at the gemstone exhibit. Then, stop next door to appreciate the revolving exhibits of the Carnegie Museum of Art.

The young naturalist would enjoy a walk through the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens which houses and maintains both exotic and native plants. School-aged children will also appreciate exploring a “living building” in the Frick Environmental Center, where they can learn about the environment through experiential, hands-on programs.

While on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus in Oakland, older kids can explore cultural traditions through the various Nationality Rooms in the historic and iconic Cathedral of Learning. Then, stroll the beautiful campus grounds of neighboring colleges, including Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow University and Chatham University.

A quick drive to the Strip District will take you back in time through the Heinz History Center. Learn about the city’s contributions to society’s past. Daniel Tiger fans will appreciate learning where he came from while visiting the Neighborhood of Make-Believe in the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood exhibit.

The Northside offers many options, such as the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Pack a swimsuit for the room dedicated to water play—a toddler favorite. Older kids love the hands-on art room and the indoor slide area, where they can also explore building race tracks for toy cars.

Nearby is the National Aviary, a perfect spot for families with children in strollers and older animal-curious kids. Be sure to spot the sloth!

Another Northside destination popular with kids of all ages is the Carnegie Science Center. Toddlers love the model train display featuring several Pittsburgh landmarks and attractions. School-aged kids enjoy exploring a real Cold War-era submarine, the USS Requin, which is docked in the Monongahela River. Sports enthusiasts can also experience the laws of science through physical activity in the Highmark SportsWorks complex.

Science enthusiasts don’t have to travel far to experience space in the nearby Moonshot Museum, where young people can watch the assembly of a lunar spacecraft and go on a lunar mission.

If you want to explore pop art and Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol, check out the Andy Warhol Museum, which features interactive exhibits and collections of work on the Northside. Curl up on the couch on the first floor to recreate the iconic image of Warhol hanging behind it.

National Aviary

Seasonal

While Pittsburgh’s theme park, Kennywood, offers events year-round, the summer months are best forthrill seekers looking to ride the coasters. Walk through a favorite local attraction, Noah’s Ark, and enjoy fresh-cut french fries at the Potato Patch stand for the full experience.

Ride the lazy river at nearby Sandcastle Water Park, where the kids can splash in wave pools and rush down its many water slides.

And just like the city’s many attractions, there’s a park just for kids. Idlewild & Soak Zone offers a children’s amusement park and water rides.

No matter when you’re visiting, your kids will love exploring, learning and having fun in the Steel City!

Kennywood

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Sarah S.

Author

Sarah S.

Education Reporter at 90.5 WESA

I'm a journalist based in Pittsburgh, Pa., covering all things education for the local NPR station, WESA. Raised and educated in the flat land of Illinois, I came to the city of bridges (and hills) for an internship, which led to an Americorps fellowship. I stayed to tell stories about a city I fell in love with. Follow what I've been up to at @sarahschni.

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