Pittsburgh is a great city for families, and its many parks make it even better. If you have children, Pittsburgh has great family parks full of playgrounds, green space, pools, trails and more where you can all get outside together. Use the list below to discover the best parks for families in Pittsburgh when you want to escape the city without ever leaving it.
Point State Park
Point State Park is located at the tip of Pittsburgh’s “golden triangle” downtown. This 36-acre waterfront park boasts walking, biking and inline skating trails, connecting the North Shore Trail, South Side Trail and Eliza Furnace Trail which run throughout the city. This park commemorates the historical significance of the area in the French and Indian War and is the site for the Fort Pitt Museum. Throughout the park are native plants and animals, providing a respite from city life, and at the tip of the park is a magnificent 100-foot fountain. Families can picnic, fly a kite, play games, and bike or walk together throughout this beautiful park. Restrooms and vending machines can also be found around the park, making it great for families with young children.
Riverview Park
Riverview Park is an urban public park nestled between several neighborhoods, just north of downtown Pittsburgh. This 251-acre park contains extensive native woodlands, at least 39 different species of animals and birds and more miles of hiking trails than any other Pittsburgh park. The Allegheny Observatory is located in the park, and outside is a fantastic space-themed playground that kids love. There are four major picnic areas in the park as well as restrooms, so families can enjoy spending a day there. Riverview Park also has a swimming pool, playgrounds, tennis courts, a ball field, an equestrian trail, and other multi-purpose trails. Families who want to picnic, play, swim and more will have a great time at this Pittsburgh park.
Schenley Park
Schenley Park is Pittsburgh’s true civic park and has a lot to offer families with young children. This public city park has a visitor’s center and café, as well as 456 acres of trails, woodlands and open spaces to play. For those who enjoy sports, Schenley Park has a swimming pool in the summer and an ice skating rink in winter which hosts several family-friendly events like “Skate With Santa.” But perhaps the best spot for kids in Schenley Park is Anderson Playground. This is one of several playgrounds, but it’s the most elaborate and fun. It’s a medieval castle-like playground that includes ladders, turrets and slides that’s surrounded by a landscaped moat of uneven timber rounds, evergreens, and perennials. Brontosaurus paw prints cast from the fossil collection of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History help lead children from one play area to the next. This park is a great place for families to play and explore.
Mellon Park
Mellon Park is not a traditional family park with picnic tables and playgrounds. Focused on art, history and the beautiful restoration of its walled gardens, this park is nonetheless a lovely place to relax with your family in Pittsburgh. The park and its gardens have undergone extensive renovations, and the result is breathtaking. Children’s imaginations will run wild in this park; they’ll feel like they’ve literally stepped into a fairy tale. Stone pathways, walls, sculptures and ornate landscaping make this park quite unique. There’s even an art installation depicting the night sky in the walled garden; at night, the lights come on, each representing a specific star and together forming constellations. If you’re looking for a Pittsburgh park in which to relax, rejuvenate, and be completely enchanted, than Mellon Park is the right spot.
Highland Park
Highland Park was originally created in the late 1800s with a reservoir to provide drinking water to the city of Pittsburgh. The green space around it was so beautiful that people started using it as a park and the city soon made it official. Today, the historic reservoir is the focal point of Highland Park, and residents walk and jog the loop surrounding it. Highland Park is adjacent to the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, so it’s the perfect spot for families to hang out before or after either attraction. This park also features a long-course swimming pool, a cycling track, sand volleyball courts, multi-purpose trails, picnic shelters, and tennis courts. Perhaps the best feature for children, however, is the Super Playground that boasts a trolley ride, catwalks, tire netting for climbing, swings, slides, and a play phone system using underground tubes. Families will have a great day at Highland Park, even if they choose not to visit the zoo or aquarium.
