We’ve been taking advantage of the city and it’s surrounding areas lately, and have been visiting some kid friendly spots over our weekends. I put this roundup together of 5 of our favorite places we’ve gone that are perfect for kids this summer in Pittsburgh. Even if you’ve been to some of these places before, taking your child for the first time or once they are at a new developmental age is a whole new experience!
I’m going to start off by addressing that there were a lot of complaints last year about the park not being up to its usual standards after being sold to another company. Well, I’m so happy to say there were some marked improvements this year.
This really is an amazing amusement park for kids. The storybook forest, which just got a fresh paint job is adorable, and just got a brand new castle that’s almost ready to open. We met the princess for this exhibit and she was amazing with the kids. Plus there are countless kid friendly rides (my niece rode her first roller coaster!)- and if your kid loves Daniel Tiger, it’s worth the trip alone. We haven’t even ventured to the waterpark area yet and still didn’t have time to do everything.
2. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
A personal favorite and one of the most visually enchanting places to explore, this gem is right in Oakland. We visited Phipps in the spring, but if you missed that show, there is still so much to see for kids and adults. The great thing about Phipps are the changing exhibits with the seasons, so there’s always something new to explore.
Right now take in the playgardens and the butterfly forest. Don’t forget to stop by the outdoor garden exhibit where the kids can (amongst other things) build forts and go through the willow tunnel.
3. Carnegie Natural History Museum
Dinosaur lovers rejoice, another Oakland gem. This was our son’s first time seeing the scale of dinosaurs in person, and he was definitely intimidated at first, he eventually warmed up to the idea.
The ‘Dinosaurs in their Time” exhibits are my favorites, don’t forget to go up to the viewing areas for these. There’s also a great play area specifically for little kids with different interactive stations. And just a note, we may avoid the animal exhibit next time, I think it can be a little scary for the younger kids. I didn’t get any good photos this day so I just took these from some of my snapchat saves.
4. Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium
Lots and lots of talk about zoo’s lately, and rightfully so. I’m still a big fan of a family day here despite recent events, we just all need to be responsible for ourselves and not assume that barriers are impenetrable -especially with enough effort from a determined child. I think most parents have stress about their kids getting away from them at some point or another.
With that said, the Pittsburgh Zoo is such an interesting place to visit and appreciate the animals. Beat the heat in the aquarium and then grab a bite at the Jambo Grill while watching the giraffes graze. The Islands exhibit has a huge sandy area for kids to play with comfy seating for adults, along with viewing of endangered animals nearby.
5. Simmons Farm
I feel like I’m giving away a big secret with this one, but Simmons Farm deep in the South Hills is probably one of my favorite places to visit. It also happens to have (in my opinion) some of the best annual flowers. The shining star for kids here is the walk in petting zoo that is full of animals like sheep, chickens and ducks. Make sure you wear old shoes! Right now you can pick your own strawberries, we’ll definitely be stopping by for that.
Hope you all are having a great summer so far, I’ll try to make another roundup soon! 
