WE ARE LUCKY TO LIVE IN A CITY WITH SO MUCH TO DO AND SO MUCH TO EXPLORE!
AND THE PARKS ARE A BIG PART OF IT.
The past few months have been unlike anything we have experienced. Even as the Governor and federal government lift restrictions to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, life has been reimagined. Summer has often been a time for travel to fun and faraway places. You don’t have to travel from Pittsburgh to have the time of your life!
We are lucky to live in a city with so much to do and so much to explore! And the parks are a big part of it.
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has identified resources and ways to have memorable experiences exploring all that Pittsburgh and its parks and green spaces have to offer! So, get ready to have the adventure of a lifetime, without traveling to a distant land…
LET'S GET STARTED
Step 1: Plan ahead. It's important to have your activities and adventures planned out for the week.
Step 2: Decide if you want to set a daily schedule as part of your summer staycation. Even with a daily schedule you can still take a day and go with the flow. It’s your staycation, you make the rules!
Step 3: Decide if you're going to enjoy your staycation alone, or if you're going to invite others along on the journey! If you invite others, you can plan the staycation together!
ACTIVITIES and ADVENTURES
SET YOUR SIGHTS
- Visit one of Pittsburgh's 165 parks that you haven't already visited
- Hike a new trail in your favorite park
- Take a walk along the riverfront and focus on your environment
- Discover Pittsburgh's historic landmarks, both within parks and around the city
- Venture to the Allegheny Observatory in Riverview Park
- Volunteer at a park event
- Grab your bike and explore You can see a lot more of our parks on two wheels.
- Relive your childhood and ride the PNC Carousel in Schenley Plaza! Don't forget to enjoy lunch at one of the restaurants nearby
- Enjoy the research lab in Schenley Park
- See the Westinghouse Memorial, originally funded by the spare change from Westinghouse employees
- Take a trip to August Wilson Park and marvel at its views of the Pittsburgh skyline
- Explore one of the greenest buildings in the world - the Frick Environmental Center
- Take a yoga class in a park or enjoy a yoga class from the comfort of your home
- Sit quietly in a park and listen to the birds' chirp
- Discover six underrated city parks courtesy of The City Paper
- Play golf or frisbee golf in Schenley Park
- Rainy day? Visit Parks on the Go to bring the parks into your home!
- Pick up a Frick Park coffee blend from Commonplace Coffee and then head for a walk in Frick Park (or any park!)
GO CAMPING (outside or indoors - it's your choice!)
Step 1: Decide if you'd like to camp in your backyard or if you'd like to transform your bedroom into your very own Bed and Breakfast! Don’t have an outdoor tent? Click here to learn how to make one out of common household items.
Step 2: Clean your room, enjoy fresh cut flowers, and place a piece of chocolate on your pillow.
Step 3: Have a picnic or cook outside, try a new recipe, or take-out from a new local restaurant. Have a fire-pit? Enjoy s'mores for dessert!
Step 4: Go stargazing in your backyard! Have a sleeping bag? Sleep under the stars on a beautiful summer evening.
PLAY GAMES OUTDOORS
- Your closest friends or family, the outdoors, and a pack of cards is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!
- Not all games can be found on your phone. Remember Risk? Monopoly? Clue? Get the family together and play a game the old-fashioned way.
- Build a tic-tac-toe board out of sticks and rocks
- Create a scavenger hunt to enjoy at your home or in your park
- Find a natural obstacle course in the parks and see how fast you can complete it
- Play catch, throw a Frisbee, toss a football or kick a soccer ball in the park
- Fly a kite! All you need is paper, tape, string, ribbon, and a stick. Click here to make your very own kite! P.S. Schenley Oval is a great spot for kite flying!
TAKE TIME TO RELAX
- Open the windows wide, turn off the lights, and enjoy an outdoor film festival. Some ideas can be found here.
- Practice Yoga, Tai Chi, or Qigong in your neighborhood park or backyard
- Meditate to the sounds of nature
- Spend a day in the parks and write your experiences down in your journal
- Take part in cloud watching from the comfort of your home or in your park - it's simple and fun
- Put blankets down and simply enjoy the outdoors with your friends and family - tell stories, sing songs, or listen to your favorite music
- Read a book while enjoying the warm summer sun
- Make giant bubbles - see below for simple instructions!
- BUY THESE!
- 12 cups of distilled water
- 2 cups (1 bottle) corn syrup
- 2 2/3 cups dawn ultra
- DO THIS!
- Mix water and corn syrup together first (do this in a separate container if you’re adding it to an existing bubble bucket)
- Gently stir in the soap. If it gets foamy, you’ll need to start over.
