Winter is here once again! And between the snow and below-freezing temperatures that we often experience here in the Pittsburgh area, it can become hard to resist the urge to stay home and binge-watch Netflix all day. But, regardless of the weather, it is still important to keep busy with enjoyable activities that can be done with your loved ones.
Now I know that you are probably thinking that there cannot possibly be that many activities to do during winter time that are actually fun, but, I think I can change your mind about that!
Listed below are some fun and family-friendly outdoor and indoor activities located within the Pittsburgh area that can easily be done during the winter months. Also, there are some fun at-home activities listed for the days when you do not quite feel like bundling up and leaving your warm homes. This year, enjoy all that winter has to offer while spending quality time with your families!
Outdoor activities:
- Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and snow tubing (or relaxing in the lodge and drinking hot cocoa) at:
- Boyce Park (located in Plum, PA)
- Seven Springs Mountain Resort (located in Champion, PA)
- Hidden Valley Resort (located in Somerset, PA)
- Laurel Mountain Ski Resort (located in Boswell, PA)
- Ice skating at:
- Schenley Park Ice Skating Rink
- The Rink at PPG Place
- North Park
- South Park
- Enjoy beautiful holiday lights at:
- Kennywood Park
- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
- North Park’s Drive-in Laser Light Show
- Sled riding! Some great sledding hills can be found in:
- Dormont Park
- Highland Park
- Flagstaff hill at Schenley Park
- Mellon Park
- Blue Slide Park at Frick Park
- Boyce Park
- Go on an Owl Prowl or Nature Hike at one of the many parks in Allegheny County.
- Information and registration can be found here: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/alleghenyparks/activity/search?
- Or on the Audubon Society of Western Pa’s Events page: http://aswp.org/events
- Other free and low-cost outdoor activities can be found throughout the area:
https://www.ventureoutdoors.org/
https://pittsburghparks.org/park-activity-sheets/
Indoor activities:
Stay warm inside of one of Pittsburgh’s many beautiful museums, these are some of our favorites:
- The Andy Warhol Museum
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History or Art
- Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
- Mattress Factory
- Carnegie Science Center & Highmark Sportsworks
- The Frick Pittsburgh
- August Wilson African American Cultural Center
(If you are an ACCESS card holder, remember to check out the discounts available to you at many of the Pittsburgh museums listed above!) - Ice skating at an indoor rink:
- Palmer Imaging Arena
- Ice Castle Arena
- Alpha Ice Complex
- Mt. Lebanon Ice Center
- Pittsburgh Ice Arena
- Enjoy the beautiful flowers and lights at Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
- Includes both indoor and outdoor exhibits
- Visit the National Aviary and spend time with their various species of birds
- You can also book an animal encounter and spend one-on-one time with a bird, sloth, or even a penguin!
- Check out the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library: https://www.pghtoys.org/
At-home activities:
- Build a Snowman
- Make snow angels
- Make and drink lots of hot chocolate
- Make paper snowflakes and decorate your home
- Pack up and donate old winter coats, gloves, and hats to a nearby shelter or food pantry
- Build a fort and have a movie marathon (fort is optional!)
- Admire the holiday decorations and lights in your own neighborhood or a surrounding neighborhood
- Bake and decorate holiday cookies or any of your other favorite treats
- Bundle up and go on a winter hike – you might just end up with some beautiful snowy pictures!
- Play your favorite board games or try out some new ones!
- Make homemade bird feeders
- Make some snacks and have a football (or hockey or soccer…the World Cup starts in Nov!) party.
- Invite some friends to have a chili cookoff
- Disconnect and have a family campout or picnic in the living room
