Pittsburgh, PA

PNC Park
DESCRIPTION: Opened 2001 in the tradition of neo-classic baseball parks having the best of retro features; home of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, the ballpark sparkles as much as the seating views; it seats 38,000 fans in a pure baseball park configuration with a center field that opens to a dramatic view of the Pittsburgh skyline; going to the park will always be as much fun as watching the game

ADMISSION: seat price matrix at the Pirates website

ADDRESS: 115 Federal Street  MAP

PARKING: paid on premises

PHONE: 412-323-5000

WEBSITE: http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com

Heinz Field
DESCRIPTION: Opened in 2001, this venue still dazzles as home to the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh football teams; vastly improving on the old Three Rivers Stadium which it replaced, Heinz Field has 32 concession stands, 7 team stores, 25 rest rooms for men and 25 rest rooms for women; the southern end of the stadiums opens to fantastic views of Point State Park; seats 64,500 plus 127 luxury suites

ADMISSION: seat price matrix at the Steelers website

ADDRESS: 100 Art Rooney Ave  MAP

PARKING: paid on premises

PHONE: box office 412-323-1200

WEBSITE: http://media3.steelers.com/heinzfield

Carnegie Science Center
DESCRIPTION: Managed by the Carnegie Museums, this venue is home to over 250 scientific exhibits, including a World War II submarine and a four-story, domed OMNIMAX theater that features a variety of films and laser shows; visit distant galaxies in one of the nation’s best planetariums and let he kids tour the Miniature Railroad & Village; drop in the UPMC SportsWorks to test your athletic ability on real and virtual sports via 70 interactive exhibits

ADMISSION: $14 Adults, $10 ages 3-12 and 62+, age 2 and under enter Free ; add $6 (kids) - $8 (adults) for OMNIMAX Theater option 

DAYS & HOURS: Sun-Fri 10a-5p, Sat 10a-7p

ADDRESS: One Allegheny Ave  MAP

PARKING: paid on premises

PHONE: 412-237-3400

WEBSITE: http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org

Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
DESCRIPTION: Occupies the former post office of Allegheny City, once its own municipality before annexation by Pittsburgh in 1907; housed in a granite structure with a central dome (formerly called "Buhl Planetarium") to provide developmentally appropriate exhibits, programs and opportunities for play both inside and outside the museum

ADMISSION: $11 Adults, Ages 2-18 and 65+ $10, age 2 and under enter Free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Sat 10a-5p, Sun Noon-5p

ADDRESS: 10 Children’s Way in Allegheny Square  MAP

PARKING: paid on premises

PHONE: 412-322-5058

WEBSITE: http://www.pittsburghkids.org

National Aviary
DESCRIPTION: Marvel at hummingbirds the size of a thumb or Andean Condors with giant 10-foot wingspans at the, a veritable indoor jungle of the world’s most incredible birds, including many endangered species. The National Aviary features more than 600 exotic birds in natural habitats; celebrating 50+ years of birds

ADMISSION: $10 Adults, $9 Seniors, $8.50 Ages 2-18, kids under 2 enter Free

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Sat 10a-5p, Sun Noon-5p

ADDRESS: Allegheny Commons West  MAP

PARKING: limited on premises; metered street parking

PHONE: 412-323-7235

WEBSITE: http://www.aviary.org

 

The Rink at PPG Place
DESCRIPTION: 9,600 square feet ice surface, during the winter holiday season, the rink includes a 60-foot tree, a fountain replaces the ice in the spring; skate rentals, lockers and other amenities are available from November to March

ADMISSION: Adults $7, Children $6 plus skate rental fees

DAYS & HOURS: Mon-Thu 11a-10p, Fri 11a-11p, Sat 11a-11p,
 Sun Noon-8p

ADDRESS: 4 PPG Place  MAP

PARKING: garages nearby

PHONE: 412-394-3641

WEBSITE: http://www.ppgplace.com/rink

 

Consol Energy Center

DESCRIPTION: Opened in 2010 and obtusely shaped from as seen from the street, this LEED certified+ADA compatible venue is home of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team; fortunately, there are 4 main entrances, 12 escalators, 800 HDTVs in the concession areas so you never miss any action, plenty of gender & family restrooms to prevent long lines, four sports bars & restaurants, a food court on the main concourse and Penguins team store; most of all, sightlines are great and all seats are wide; speaking of seat, there's alot more than obsolete Mellon Arena across the street; seats 18,087 for hockey, 19,100 for basketball, 20,000 for concerts, plus 1,950 club seats, 236 Loge luxury seats

ADMISSION: seat price matrix on website

ADDRESS: 1001 Fifth Ave  MAP

PARKING: paid on lot across Centre Avenue

PHONE: box office 412-642-1800

WEBSITE: http://www.consolenergycenter.com

Carnegie Museum of Natural History
DESCRIPTION: Built in 1907 and undergoing a $35-million expansion of Dinosaur Hall while portions remain open; home to one of the finest dinosaur collections in the world; the Egyptian artifacts are also one of the best in America; the Hall of American Indians features one of the largest contemporary exhibits on American Indians in America, brought to life through dioramas, storytelling, artifacts, and interactive videos; more than 103,000 specimens are showcased in the massive fossil vertebrates collection

ADMISSION: $15 Adults, $12 Age 65+, $11 Ages 3–18 and Students w/ID, ages 2 and under enter Free

DAYS & HOURS: Tue-Wed, Fri-Sat 10a–5p, Thu 10a–8p, Sun Noon–5p

ADDRESS: 4400 Forbes Avenue  MAP

PARKING: paid on premises and nearby lot

PHONE: 412-622-3131

WEBSITE: http://www.carnegiemnh.org

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
DESCRIPTION: Opened in 1898 and considered one of America’s finest Children’s Zoos, this 77-acre facility is home to more than 2,000 animals in natural settings, from tigers to tarantulas, gorillas to baby elephants; Kids Kingdom and Discovery Pavilion are special attractions the kids should not miss; the zoo is involved in the survival plans of 25 animal species

ADMISSION: $12 Adult, $11 Age 60+, $10 Ages 2-13, Age 2 and under enter FREE

DAYS & HOURS: daily 9a-5p, last entry at 4p

ADDRESS: One Wild Place (7340 Butler Street)  MAP

PARKING: Free on premises

PHONE: 412-665-3640

WEBSITE: http://zoo.pgh.pa.us

Pittsburgh Glass Center
DESCRIPTION: Public school, gallery and state-of-the-art glass studio dedicated to teaching, creating and promoting glass art; world-renowned glass artists come here to make studio glass art; the center is a Green Building with state-of-the-art ventilation in all shops and heat recovery from the furnaces

ADMISSION: artists in residence, so donations requested

DAYS & HOURS: Tue–Thu 10a-7p, Fri–Sun 10a-4p

ADDRESS: 5472 Penn Avenue  MAP

PARKING: on street

PHONE: 412-365-2145

WEBSITE: http://www.pittsburghglasscenter.org

Homestead, PA

Sandcastle Waterpark
DESCRIPTION: Take the plunge on 15 of the wacky waterslides or enjoy a slow ride on the Lazy River; the less adventurous can shop on the boardwalk or take a dip in the Moonlight Bay pool or the Tad Pool, complete with mini slides created just for little tykes; don’t miss the wave pool and go-karts

ADMISSION: $30 or buy a Sandcastle + Kennywood Same day combo pass at the park

DAYS & HOURS: daily, June to mid-September 11a- 6p

ADDRESS: 1000 Sandcastle Drive  MAP

PARKING: $6 per vehicle on premises

PHONE: 412-462-6666

WEBSITE: http://www.sandcastlewaterpark.com

West Mifflin, PA

Kennywood Park
DESCRIPTION: A national historic landmark and family tradition since 1898, this park hosts the world’s best wooden rollercoaster, the century-old Thunderbolt; also ride the Jack Rabbit another classic wooden coaster, or test your courage on the Exterminator indoor rollercoaster, the Phantom’s Revenge, a modern steel coaster; for the little ones, the park includes a dozen Kiddieland rides; save room for the best curly fries around;you will get wet on water rides, so dress accordingly; you can bring picnic baskets for your immediate family

ADMISSION: Aduts $36, Kids $23, Seniors $18, age 2 and under ente Free; Skycoaster rides and Paddle boats have a separate fee

DAYS & HOURS: daily 11a rides open with varying closing times depending on weather and crowd conditions, but generally 10p

ADDRESS: 4800 Kennywood Blvd  MAP

PARKING: $6 per vehicle on premises

PHONE: 412-461-0500

WEBSITE: http://www.kennywood.com