Day trips · Pittsburgh · United States
6 best day trips from Pittsburgh
Where to go when you want a day away from Pittsburgh, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Popscreenshot, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Pittsburgh is Fallingwater (About 1.5 hours). The closest option is Old Economy Village, about 30 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Old Economy Village (30 km)
- Most popular
- Fallingwater
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallingwater | 115 km | About 1.5 hours | Car | Culture, Couples, First-timers |
| Ohiopyle State Park | 105 km | About 1.5 hours | Car | Families, Couples |
| Flight 93 National Memorial | 130 km | About 1.5 hours | Car | Culture, Quiet stays |
| Ligonier | 80 km | About 1 hour | Car | Families, Quiet stays, Culture |
| Presque Isle State Park, Erie | 210 km | About 2 hours | Car | Families, Couples |
| Old Economy Village | 30 km | About 35 minutes | Car | Culture, Quiet stays |
The day trips
115 km · About 1.5 hours
1.Fallingwater
Frank Lloyd Wright's 1930s house cantilevered over a waterfall on Bear Run in the Laurel Highlands is one of the most famous buildings in America. Guided tours show the interiors and original furnishings, and Wright's Kentuck Knob house is about 20 minutes away.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Culture, Couples, First-timers
105 km · About 1.5 hours
2.Ohiopyle State Park
The Youghiogheny River gorge is a centre for whitewater rafting, with Ohiopyle Falls, the natural water slides at Meadow Run and the Great Allegheny Passage bike trail passing through the small town. It combines easily with Fallingwater.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Couples
130 km · About 1.5 hours
3.Flight 93 National Memorial
Near Shanksville, the memorial marks the field where United Flight 93 crashed on 11 September 2001. A visitor centre, the Wall of Names and the Tower of Voices with 40 wind chimes form a quiet, moving landscape.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
80 km · About 1 hour
4.Ligonier
A small Laurel Highlands town with a traditional town square, shops and Fort Ligonier, a reconstruction of a 1758 British fort. Nearby Idlewild and SoakZone, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, is aimed at younger children.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Quiet stays, Culture
210 km · About 2 hours
5.Presque Isle State Park, Erie
A sandy peninsula curving into Lake Erie, Presque Isle has swimming beaches, lagoons for kayaking, a lighthouse and a paved loop trail for cycling. It is Pennsylvania's main beach destination.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Families, Couples
30 km · About 35 minutes
6.Old Economy Village
In Ambridge on the Ohio River, the preserved settlement of the Harmony Society, a 19th-century religious commune, has original homes, gardens, a granary and the society's meeting hall.
- Getting there
- Car
- Best for
- Culture, Quiet stays
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit buses are the main public transport, with frequent routes from downtown to Oakland, Shadyside and Lawrenceville, plus dedicated busways.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Pittsburgh?
Fallingwater. Frank Lloyd Wright's 1930s house cantilevered over a waterfall on Bear Run in the Laurel Highlands is one of the most famous buildings in America.
+How long does it take to get from Pittsburgh to Fallingwater?
About 1.5 hours — Car, about 115 km.
+How long does it take to get from Pittsburgh to Ohiopyle State Park?
About 1.5 hours — Car, about 105 km.