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DAY TRIPS WESTERN PA

Exploring Western PA can be exciting and fun! See amazing day trips in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. Find fun walking tours, driving tours, guided tours, attractions and much more. Find dozens of great Western Pennsylvania day trips ideas!

Carnegie Museum of Natural History

One of the Most Fascinating Day Trips in Western Pennsylvania!

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh is a haven for specimens and artifacts that will better educate you on the history of life on earth.  Regarded as one of the best natural history museums in America, this top Western PA day trip has many mesmerizing exhibits to explore.

 

One of those exhibits is the Hall of North American Wildlife, featuring some of the country's most amazing animals.  Alcoa Foundation Hall of American Indians gives insight into Native American cultures and their relationships with the natural world.  Journey back into the pre-historic era with Dinosaurs in their Time, one of the world's largest dinosaur displays!

Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

Best Western PA Day Trip for Children!

 Are you looking for the perfect museum to take your little ones?  The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh will inspire joy, creativity, and curiosity in children of all ages.  It offers the highest quality exhibits and programs, allowing your kids to learn and play simultaneously.  

 

During your great Western PA day trip, you can watch your children build boats, play in the mud, hammer a nail, change tires on a car, build a monster, or build a fountain.  Each exhibit includes an area specifically designed for toddlers and infants.  In 2011, Parents Magazine voted the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh as one of the Top 10 Children's Museums in the Country!      

Fallingwater

One of the Great Western Pennsylvania Day Trips!

Visit the exceptional home built by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright in 1934.  Positioned in a wooded rural setting over a rushing stream, Fallingwater must be seen to be believed.  As you explore the rooms of the Fallingwater estate, you will marvel at the extraordinary detail put into the furniture, shelving, fireplace, windows, and other items in the house. 

 

The house is surrounded by the breathtaking Western PA countryside.  Professional guides conduct daily tours from March through November, with limited guide tours available in December.  A Western PA day trip is not complete without witnessing this treasure of American architecture.

Idlewild and Soakzone

One of the Best Family Day Trips in Western PA!

Idlewild Amusement Park was voted the Best Kids' Park in the World by Amusement Today.  If you're looking for summer fun, Idlewild and Soakzone are the places to go.  Cool off at the Wowabunga Family Wave Pool, and experience 280,600 gallons of fun!  There's also a surrounding "beach" area, containing chaise lounges and Cabanas to escape the hot summer sun. 

 

Take advantage of many kid-friendly rides and attractions, including Olde Idlewild, Story Book Forest, Raccoon Lagoon, and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood of Make Believe.  With Idlewild and Soakzone, you get two parks in one!  Family day trips in Western PA don't get much better than this! 

Kennywood Park

One of the Most Popular Western PA Day Trips!

Founded in 1898, Kennywood Amusement Park has been delighting visitors for over 110 years and remains a top Western PA day trip!  Whether you're young or old, this park will put a smile on your face.  Because of its booming popularity, Kennywood was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. 

 

Whether you ride the carousel or one of the exhilarating roller coaster rides, fun and excitement are guaranteed.  "Lost Kennywood" contains turn-of-the-century architecture and houses some of the best amusement park rides you'll ever find!  Kennywood also has more than a dozen great dining areas that can't be found at any other amusement park.

Laurel Caverns

One of the Best Day Trips in Western Pennsylvania!

Situated under a 435-acre geological park, Laurel Caverns is PA's largest cave.  Take the 1-hour guided tour, and explore the beauty and wonder of this magnificent attraction.

 

Laurel Caverns is also home to an 18-hole miniature golf course called Kavernputt.  The gift shop contains a wide array of items, including fossils and bags of gemstones.  The caverns are open 7 days a week during May through October.  In April and November, they're open Saturdays and Sundays by special arrangements for groups.

Ohiopyle State Park

A Beautiful Day Trip in Western PA!

Marvel at the scenic Ohiopyle State Park, which encompasses about 20,500 acres of rugged natural beauty. The waters of the Youghiogheny River Gorge serve as the centerpiece of the park, with some of the best whitewater boating in the Eastern U.S.!

 

Visitors can also enjoy fishing, hiking, kayaking, biking, rock climbing, and horseback riding.  Take the family to the natural water slides in Meadow Run.  Though Ohiopyle State Park is a great day trip in Western PA, you can make a night of it at the Kentuck Campground (open March through December).

Presque Isle State Park

One of the Top Day Trips in Western PA!

A national landmark and ecological gem, Presque Isle State Park offers an eclectic mix of nature and recreation.  Within Presque Isle, you will find over 7 miles of pristine beaches, over 320 bird species, and a War of 1812 historic site.

 

The park is home to the Karl Boyes National Recreation Trail, providing nearly 14 miles of paved pathways for walkers, joggers, bicyclists, and in-line skaters.  The clear waters of Lake Erie are perfect for swimming, boating, fishing, water-skiing, and scuba-diving.  If you're a nature lover, you'll be pleased to know that Presque Isle State Park is one of the best bird-watching spots in the country!

The Jimmy Stewart Museum

One of the Best Western PA Day Trip Ideas!

Are you a fan of classic films?  Visit the Jimmy Stewart Museum, situated in the classic film actor's birthplace of Indiana, PA.  Throughout Jimmy Stewart's vast film career, he has entertained and inspired moviegoers everywhere.  The museum highlights Stewart's accomplishments on the silver screen, as well as on TV and radio. 

 

View film clips and retrospectives in the 1930's vintage movie theater, now containing state-of-the-art sound and projection technology.  From the museum's windows, view the famous bronze statue that was dedicated to Stewart on his 75th birthday.  The list of special museum features includes a performance by famed Jimmy Stewart impersonator Chris Collins.          

Waldameer & Water World

One of the Best Free Admission Day Trips in Western PA!

Visit Waldameer & Water World and take advantage of the best free admission attraction that PA has to offer!  Enjoy over 75 rides, slides, and attractions!  You can also enjoy a great variety of free music and dance shows that occur throughout the day.  The mouth-watering foods at the park include tasty goodies like French waffles, candy apples, funnel cakes, cookies, and take home fudge.

After you enjoy the many great attractions at Waldameer, get wet and wild at Water World.  The top-quality PA waterpark contains a unique array of slides and attractions for all ages, including 16 slides of varying thrill levels.  There's also a kiddie pool area for your little ones to enjoy.