With kids · Pittsburgh · United States
Pittsburgh with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Pittsburgh is a good-value family destination, with the inclines, dinosaurs at the Carnegie, the Science Center's submarine, the National Aviary and Kennywood. Many family attractions cluster on the North Shore, within walking distance of each other. Top picks: Duquesne Incline, Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art and Carnegie Science Center. Families usually base themselves in North Shore.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 6
- Best area for families
- North Shore
- Rainy-day options
- 5
Best things to do with kids
Experience · Mount Washington
1.Duquesne Incline
Opened in 1877 to carry workers up Mount Washington, this funicular still runs in its original wooden cars, climbing about 120 metres from West Carson Street to Grandview Avenue. The upper station has a small museum of the incline's machinery and history and an observation deck over the three rivers.
Ride up just before sunset and stay until the city lights come on; look through the window into the old winding machinery at the top.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
- After dark
Museum · Oakland
2.Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art
Andrew Carnegie's twin museums share a building and a ticket. The natural history side is famous for its Jurassic dinosaur skeletons, including the original Diplodocus carnegii, and the Hillman Hall of Minerals and Gems; the art museum has Impressionist paintings, contemporary galleries and the Hall of Architecture's huge plaster casts of European monuments.
Start in Dinosaurs in Their Time, then cross to the Hall of Architecture; allow a full afternoon for both.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · North Shore
3.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.
Allow time for the Requin tour and the Miniature Railroad and Village, and check planetarium show times on arrival.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Zoo · North Side
4.National Aviary
In Allegheny Commons Park, the National Aviary houses hundreds of birds, many in free-flight rooms where you walk among them, including a tropical rainforest, a wetlands room and an outdoor area for Andean condors. Penguins, sloths and lorikeet feedings are popular with children.
Ask about scheduled feedings and encounters on arrival; feeding the lorikeets is a highlight for kids.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
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Theme park · West Mifflin
5.Kennywood
Founded in 1898, this traditional amusement park about 15 km southeast of downtown is a National Historic Landmark with classic wooden coasters such as the Thunderbolt, Jack Rabbit and Racer alongside modern rides like the Phantom's Revenge. Its Potato Patch fries are a local institution.
Kennywood is seasonal, with holiday lights events in winter; check the calendar and buy tickets online for lower prices.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Active
- History
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Landmark · North Shore
6.PNC Park
The Pittsburgh Pirates' ballpark, opened in 2001, is often rated among the best in baseball for its view across the Allegheny to the downtown skyline and the yellow Roberto Clemente Bridge, which closes to cars on game days so fans can walk over. Mid-game races between giant costumed pierogies are a local tradition.
Walk across the Roberto Clemente Bridge from downtown before the game, and pick seats on the third-base side for the skyline view.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- Kids
- After dark
Rainy-day ideas
- Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art — Start in Dinosaurs in Their Time, then cross to the Hall of Architecture; allow a full afternoon for both.
- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens — Visit during the winter holiday show or the spring flower show for the most impressive displays; on cold days the warm rooms are a welcome break.
- Senator John Heinz History Center — Families should head straight for the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood display, including King Friday XIII's castle.
- Carnegie Science Center — Allow time for the Requin tour and the Miniature Railroad and Village, and check planetarium show times on arrival.
- National Aviary — Ask about scheduled feedings and encounters on arrival; feeding the lorikeets is a highlight for kids.
Where families should stay
$$$ · Best for families, first-timers and culture
North Shore
Across the bridges from downtown, the North Shore holds PNC Park, Acrisure Stadium, the Carnegie Science Center and the Andy Warhol Museum, linked by a riverfront trail. Hotels here are a short walk from the T stations, and the Mexican War Streets and Mattress Factory are just inland.
- Good
- Walk to the stadiums and museums; River views of downtown; Light rail connection
- Watch out
- Very busy and pricier on game days; Limited dining beyond sports bars
- Nearby
- PNC Park, Andy Warhol Museum, Carnegie Science Center, National Aviary
Family travel tips
- Base yourselves on the North Shore to walk to the Science Center, the Aviary, the Children's Museum and the ballpark.
- The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, a few minutes' walk from the National Aviary, is aimed at younger children.
- Strollers are hard work on Pittsburgh's hills and steps; a baby carrier helps on Mount Washington and in older neighbourhoods.
- The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium in Highland Park makes a good half-day for animal-loving kids.
- Kennywood is seasonal; check the calendar before promising it.
Day trips for families
- 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.
- Ligonier (About 1 hour) — A small Laurel Highlands town with a traditional town square, shops and Fort Ligonier, a reconstruction of a 1758 British fort.
- Presque Isle State Park, Erie (About 2 hours) — A sandy peninsula curving into Lake Erie, Presque Isle has swimming beaches, lagoons for kayaking, a lighthouse and a paved loop trail for cycling.
When to go with children
The best months overall are May–June and September–October. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Pittsburgh good for kids?
Pittsburgh is a good-value family destination, with the inclines, dinosaurs at the Carnegie, the Science Center's submarine, the National Aviary and Kennywood. Many family attractions cluster on the North Shore, within walking distance of each other.
+What can kids do in Pittsburgh?
Duquesne Incline, Carnegie Museums of Natural History and Art, Carnegie Science Center, National Aviary and Kennywood.
+Where should families stay in Pittsburgh?
North Shore: Stadiums, the Warhol and riverfront parks across the Allegheny.