Season guide · Pittsburgh · United States
Pittsburgh in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Joshua Peacock jcpeacock, CC0
.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Warm to hot and humid, with thunderstorms, free festivals downtown and the busiest time on the rivers. Expect highs up to 29°C (84°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F), with about 35 rainy days across June–August. June is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 15°C (59°F) to 29°C (84°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 35
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 27°C (81°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 13 | 15 h | 4/5 |
| July | 29°C (84°F) | 18°C (64°F) | 12 | 14.8 h | 4/5 |
| August | 28°C (82°F) | 17°C (63°F) | 10 | 13.8 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 28°C (82°F) against a yearly 16°C (61°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 152 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Three Rivers Arts Festival — free art and music downtown (usually early June)
- June: Pittsburgh Pride (usually June)
- July: Picklesburgh — pickle-themed food festival (usually July)
- July: Fourth of July fireworks over the rivers
- August: Little Italy Days in Bloomfield (usually August)
Good choices for summer
Architecture · Oakland
Cathedral of Learning
Check the Nationality Rooms tour schedule; some rooms can only be seen with a guide, and December brings holiday decorations.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Garden · Oakland
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
A Victorian glasshouse opened in 1893 at the edge of Schenley Park, Phipps has more than a dozen rooms of palms, orchids, desert plants and a tropical forest, with seasonal flower shows and Chihuly glass.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Couples
- Kids
- Photo spot
Museum · Strip District
Senator John Heinz History Center
Families should head straight for the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood display, including King Friday XIII's castle.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · North Shore
Carnegie Science Center
On the Ohio River next to Acrisure Stadium, this hands-on science museum has a planetarium, a robotics hall, a big miniature railroad and village, and the USS Requin, a Second World War submarine moored outside that you can walk through.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Point Breeze
The Frick Pittsburgh
Book a guided tour of Clayton, the only way to see the house interior, and leave time for the car collection.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in summer
- Ohiopyle State Park (About 1.5 hours) — 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.
- Flight 93 National Memorial (About 1.5 hours) — Near Shanksville, the memorial marks the field where United Flight 93 crashed on 11 September 2001.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Pittsburgh?
Yes: June is among the best months. Warm to hot and humid, with thunderstorms, free festivals downtown and the busiest time on the rivers.
+What is the weather like in Pittsburgh in summer?
Highs of up to 29°C (84°F) and lows around 15°C (59°F), with about 35 rainy days over the season.