We are always searching for fun and unique things to do in Pittsburgh from brewery yoga and fun themed 5K runs to brunch with Punxsutawney Phil.
Amusement Parks
- The iconic, Kennywood has 6 roller coasters, water rides, thrill rides, and more than 13 dining options. Around the holiday season the park is decorated with 2,000,000 lights for Holiday Lights. Zombies, ghosts, and dark shadows take over Kennywood for Phantom Fright Night in September and October. Admission for a regular ticket is $48.99 but can be bought in advance online for $41.99.
- Sandcastle, open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, has 15 water slides throughout the 67 acre water park. General Admission is $35.99 but can be bought in advance online for $32.99.
Broadway, Theatre, and Art
- Pittsburgh Cultural Trust offers ballet theatre, CLO, opera, symphony orchestra, public theatre, and PNC Broadway shows in 6 downtown theatres. In addition to performing arts, Cabaret at Theatre Square features Tuesday Craft Beer School for $30.75 per person, Wednesday Wine Flights for $40.75 per person, and Salsa Fridays for $5 per person at the door.
- Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse features shows from 4 performance companies: The REP, Conservatory Theatre Company, Conservatory Dance Company, and Talk Back Series.
- Every quarter the Pittsburgh Cultural District organizes a Gallery Crawl. Admission is free to 14 blocks of art studios, galleries, stage, storefronts, and exhibits with live music, interactive activities, and film screenings.
Escape Rooms
In under 60 minutes we cracked the codes, solved the riddles, and saved the world in the IQ Escape Pittsburgh Contagion themed adventure. This North Hills location also offers a Stealing Mona and Time Shift themed adventure. $25 per person.
For more traditional puzzle and lock based escape rooms:
- Escape Room Pittsburgh in Greenfield and Homestead has five escape rooms: Prison Escape, Dr. Stein’s Laboratory, Tomb Explorer, Carnegie’s Millions, and Subway Escape. $27 per person.
- Escape The Room Pittsburgh in South Side has 4 escape rooms: The Dig, The Apartment, The Newsroom, and The Agency. $28 per person.
Farms and Orchards
- Soergel Orchards has a variety of events including yoga, gardening, and cookie decorating classes, in addition to a garden center, fresh produce, bakery, and deli. Arsenal Cider serves almost 10 unique hard ciders in a wooden tap room. Arrowhead wines can be purchased in the wine shop. A home accents center and gift barn offer unique gift ideas. Naturally Soergel’s offers a selection of gluten free products.
- South of Pittsburgh, Trax Farms, has a variety of events from flea markets and craft shows to wine, beer, and strawberry festivals in addition to a garden center, fresh produce, a bakery, deli, antique loft, home and gift shop, and specialty market. Arrowhead Wines can be purchased in the wine shop. Every summer visitors can pick their own strawberries and blueberries.
On our list to check out:
- Axe Throwing Pittsburgh: Gather 6-24 friends and compete for the axe throwing champion during a bracket tournament. $35 per person.
Ice Skating
We were able to participate in the Pittsburgh Penguins season ticket holders’ open skate at PPG Paints Arena and skate on the same ice as the Pens! Fans can skate where the Penguins practice during one of the public skate sessions at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
- Ice Skating is available downtown November through February at Mass Mutual Pittsburgh Ice Rink at PPG Place. Admission is $8 per adult and skate rental is $4.
- Baierl Ice Complex in Wexford offers public skating sessions, pick up hockey, stick time, and lessons. Public skate admission is $6 per adult and skate rental is $3.
Kayaking and Paddle Boarding
Venture Outdoors North Park has solo or tandem kayaks, canoes, rowboats, canoes, stand up paddle boards, and bikes available to rent. Kayak Pittsburgh also has locations in North Shore and Aspinwall Riverfront. Weekday rates for a solo kayak are $16 per hour and $19 per hour on the weekends. Stand up paddle board rates are $25 per hour weekdays and weekends.
Miniature Golf
Fun Fore All, just north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, offers bumper boats, batting cages, rock wall climbing, arcade games, go kart racing, and mini golf. A round of 18 hole mini golf on the lighthouse or cave course is $7 per adult. Across the road is Around the World Mini golf with 3 unique courses.
Some of our other favorite mini golf courses:
- Kniess Miniature Golf on Babcock Boulevard offers a unique course with a motorized feature at every hole in a addition to a traditional mini golf course. A round of 18 hole mini golf is $5.50 per adult and $4.50 for the second game on either course.
- North Park Mini Golf also has a batting range with 10 baseball and 5 softball cages. A round of 18 hole mini golf is $5.50 per adult and only $2.00 for the second game.
- Wildwood Highlands Family Fun Center offers bumper cars, water wars, laser tag, bumper boats, arcade games, go kart racing, and mini golf. A round of 18 hole mini golf is $6.95 per adult or $10.50 for two rounds on the tropical or castle course.
Museums
Founded in 1977, The Mattress Factory is a collection of contemporary art and an experimental lab. Admission is $20 for adults, but Tuesdays admission is half price.
- The Andy Warhol Museum is the largest museum dedicated to a single artist in North America. Admission is $20 for adults, but Fridays 5:00pm – 10:00pm admission is half price.
- The ToonSeum is 1 of 3 museums in the United States dedicated to cartoon art. Admission is $6 for adults.
- The largest bicycle shop and museum, Bicycle Heaven, has over 4,000 vintage bicycles and memorabilia. Bikes can also be rented for $8 an hour or $49 per day. Admission to the museum is free.
- Randyland, located in the Northside, is Pittsburgh’s most colorful display of public art. With several mirror walls, a psychedelic staircase, gallery, and several murals, most of Randy’s art is on display outside. Admission is free.
- The National Aviary offers penguin, armadillo, sloth, owl, and parrot encounters. Check the calendar for feedings, shows, and offsite events. Admission to the aviary is $15 per adult. Encounters range from $40-$150 per person.
- Adults can explore the science center while enjoying alcoholic beverages during Carnegie Science Center 21+ Night. Each night’s activities and demonstrations focus on a different theme. A cash bar is available and admission is $17 per person at the door or $15 in advance.
Get Crafty!
- Try fusing glass, embossing glass, etching glass, glass blowing, glass scaffolding, glass mosaics, and more at Pittsburgh Glass Center. Sign up for a Make-It-Now Class, Workshop, or Multi-Week class. We attended a Beer+Glasses Make-It-Now Connoisseur session for $45 per person. We each received 2 beer tickets, met with reps from Grist House Craft Brewery, munched on a spread of snacks and toured the glass museum before creating a glass blown beer glass one-on-one with an instructor.
- Create a terrarium during Plant Nite at a local bar or restaurant in the Pittsburgh area. Each event offers a different themed garden. An instructor, planter, soil, 3 succulents, rocks, and decorative pieces are provided. The average price is around $50 per person, but discounts can be found on their website or on Groupon.
- Create unique crafts at a Pop Craft event. Reclaimed wood art, block printing, mosaics, gold leaf art, beeswax candles, and weaving are a few of the workshops offered at local bars and restaurants in the Pittsburgh area. Prices vary by craft.
- Kiln-N-Time offers glass fusing, wheel throwing, and pottery or canvas painting. The cost is $30 per person to create a glass fused coaster or sun catcher. A 2 hour pottery wheel session creating a bowl, mug, vase, and plate is $90 per person including firing and glazing of 3 pieces. Canvas painting is $35 per person, wine glass or beer mug painting is $25 per per person, and pottery painting is $14.99 per adult plus the cost of pottery. The studio is BYOB. Discounted prices can often be found on Groupon.
Paint Nights
Painting with a Twist has locations in East Liberty, South Side, Wexford, and Robinson. The cost is $35 for a 2 hour painting class. The studios are BYOB.
- Paint ceramic shapes, pottery, or canvases at Color Me Mine located in Pittsburgh and the South Hills. All painted pottery and ceramics are fired before taken home.
- Paint Monkey has locations in Lawrenceville, Mt. Lebanon, and McCandless. To paint a pre-sketched canvas the cost is $45 for a 3 hour painting class or $35 for a 2 hour class. The studios are BYOB.
Runs: 5Ks, Half and Full Marathons
Every May thousands of runners gather for the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon and Half Marathon.
- Night Run Nation is the first 5K music festival with black light paint and neon lights.
- Mud and Obstacles: Gladiator Rock and Run 5K, 5K Foam Fest, Tough Mudder
- Pick your color: The Color Run 5K, Color Me Rad 5K, The Color Vibe 5K
- FlyBy 5K takes place through the airfield and taxiways at the Pittsburgh International Airport.
- Create a team and race around the city during the Challenge Nation Urban Scavenger Hunt, intended to be a 5K.
Sky Diving
An hour north of Pittsburgh, SkyDive Pennsylvania offers tandem sky diving for $239 per person and Accelerated Free Fall Programs. No experience required to tandem free fall for 45-60 seconds before a 4-5 minute ride to the ground. Discounted rates are available for groups of 5 or more and may be offered on Groupon for select dates or at http://skydivepa.com/ around the holidays.
Yoga
Create a work of art (mess free) during an hour Yoga Paint Party at Yogamotif. After the 60 minute practice, the canvases are dried and affixed with dowel rods so the masterpiece can be hung on a wall at home. Check Groupon for discounted prices of $35 for one or $57.50 for two.
Brewery Yoga:
- East End Brewery: Beer Belly Yoga includes a 45 minute yoga class, a souvenir glass to take home, and a beer of your choice for $25.
- Brew Gentlemen: Beer + Yoga includes a yoga class and 6oz. beer for $10. Tickets are available at eventbrite.
- Be sure to check events at these breweries also holding occasional yoga events: Spoonwood Brewing, Penn Brewery, and Mindful Brewing.
Every Wednesday at 5:30 Market Square offers free yoga classes during the summer.
Questions or suggestions? Let us know!
Last Updated: December 2018
The Traveling Gingerbread 
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