Planning your family vacation to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

In full disclosure, we were provided with accommodations, meals, and activities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as well as suggestions on locations to visit to make this post possible. We appreciate the support of the merchants in supporting Jersey Family Fun to find fun family travel locations. As always, opinions are my own.

SURPRISE! Pittsburgh is Kidsburgh!

A few months ago if you would have asked me about Pittsburgh and if it had family friendly attractions I would have honestly said I don’t know. I had only visited Pittsburgh one other time in my twenties. I didn’t remember much beyond lots of hills and curvy roads. I wouldn’t have known what a family vacation to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania could entail.

This past July, that all changed. We were invited by Visit Pittsburgh for a FAM trip for family travel bloggers. It took a little reworking of our summer plans, but we made it work to give Pittsburgh a visit.

I’m so glad we did!

Pittsburgh had so many family attractions it had me wishing I was able to bring all three of my sons (two had soccer games/practices). And I wish I would have had more time to explore all the things there is to do in Pittsburgh with families. Take a look at how my 8 year old and I had a blast on our own Pittsburgh family vacation and why you should consider it for your own family vacation.

Stay at the Homewood Suites Pittsburgh Downtown for your family vacation to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania!

Homewood Suites Pittsburgh Downtown proved to be a great home away from home for my son and me. The staff made sure our stay was pleasant and the hotel offered many of the conveniences of home. Click over to Homewood Suites Pittsburgh by Hilton – Family Friendly Hotel Review to read about our stay.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania restaurants

You can certainly make a meal in your inroom kitchen at the Homewood Suites Downtown Pittsburgh or take advantage of their complimentary foods. But we also encourage you to get out and explore Pittsburgh’s restaurants for families. We’re highlighting two of our favorite below. However you can get more local dining ideas from the Visit Pittsburgh site listing of local Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania restaurants.

Kelly O’s Diner

On our first morning in Pittsburgh we had the pleasure of being treated to breakfast at the legendary Kelly O’s Diner. If you recognize the name it’s because this diner has been featured on the Food Network’s Diner’s, Drive-Ins, & Dives with Guy Fieri! The great service, fun atmosphere and yummy breakfast options made this a popular choice for us and the locals.

As you can see the blogger kids had a great time being silly while they waited for their pancakes and eggs. I enjoyed one of their very generous omelets. Make sure you bring your appetite, because Kelly O’s is ready to fill all of your bellies. You can learn more about Kelly O’s Diner at their website.

Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh

Our second night in Pittsburgh ended with dinner at Pennsylvania’s first authentic Hofbräuhaus. My husband (the German) would have been so jealous to see me and his little guy eating in this Pittsburgh restaurant modeled after the legendary 400+ year-old Hofbräuhaus in Munich, Germany. The German decor, the on-site brewery, scrumptious German entrees and desserts, and authentic looking waitstaff may have you wondering if you just stepped in to Germany.

If your kids aren’t ready to try authentic German foods, no worries. Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh’s kids menu offers lots of regulars they are probably used to. Enjoy the indoor German decor or sit on an outside porch overlooking the water, you can’t go wrong with dinner at the Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh. Learn more about Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh at their website.

Have some family fun exploring these Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania family attractions

We experienced so many great Pittsburgh attractions for families. Take a look at some of our stories we’ve written so far. It’s quite possible we’ll add to this series as the kids get back to school.

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

I don’t think I’ve ever visited a museum quite like The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. If you do nothing else, make sure you visit this museum! Get the details in One of the Best Children’s Museums, The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh about the fun we had.

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium

The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium also proved to be a unique family attraction in Pittsburgh. With one location that offers a zoo and aquarium as well as free parking you are going to want to read our details in Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium’s 9 Unique Activities for Kids.

Pittsburgh Pirates

We spent our opening night in Pittsburgh enjoying a baseball game of the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Milwaukee Brewers. The intimate design of the PNC Park, where the highest seat is just 88 feet from the field, makes every seat a great one. With an all you can eat section that overlooks the Allegheny River, it’s the perfect Pittsburgh activity to end a family night. For more information, check out the Pittsburgh Pirates website.

The view from our seats at the Pittsburgh Pirates game at the PNC Bank Park.

Just Ducky Tours

Part land, part water Just Ducky Tours is a great way to tour Pittsburgh. Some of the blogger kids, even took a turn behind the wheel steering our boat over the water. My own son wasn’t up for that but did enjoy the experience. For more information, check out the Just Ducky Tours website.

Kennywood Amusement Park

Kennywood Park is Pittsburgh’s amusement park! As my 8 year old says, “Everyone should go on all the rides!” He almost did before we ran out of time.

YES! We rode the Pittsburg Plunge to get soaked and then stood on the deck to get soaked again.

Kennywood, founded in 1898, is one of the oldest and most beloved amusement parks in America. With areas like Noah’s Ark an animal-themed fun house, a classic train ride, and epic rides, we can see why. Kennywood was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. WOW! How cool is that to get a little history with your thrilling rides?! You can learn more about Kennywood and the area while riding the Kennywood train.

This fun amusement park even lets you bring in your own food and snacks. For more information, check out the Kennywood Park website. You can also see our Kennywood Park photos on Facebook.

Make a visit to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania your family’s next vacation.

For more photos from our visit to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, see our Facebook Albums.

Click over to see the rest of our Family Travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania series for help in planning your family vacation to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

To arrange a feature on your location contact Jennifer Auer, Jersey Family Fun publisher.

In full disclosure, we were provided with meals, accommodations, and activities in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as well as suggestions on locations to visit to make this post possible. As always, opinions are my own.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Jason

Tuesday 30th of August 2016

I was just in Pittsburgh last week with my son (8 yrs old) on a mini-vacation. We did go to Kennywood and the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. We also went the Carnegie Science Center and had a blast there. I would recommend this place to those with slightly older children as my 8 yr old tired of the Children's museum quickly because it seemed geared to younger kids. We have a membership to a local museum that gave us free access to the Pittsburgh Children's Museum and the Carnegie Science Center. (Parking was not free.) A list of museums included can be found at http://www.astc.org/passport/ I agree there is a lot for kids to do in Pittsburgh.

Jennifer A.

Thanks for your thoughts Jason. My 8 year old LOVED the Children's Museum. We also heard great things about the Carnegie Science Center but did not have a chance to visit there. - Jenn