Sara November 30, 2014

There’s no place like home for the holidays! Pittsburgh is full of festive, family-friendly fun this December that you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re entertaining kids during their holiday break, showing relatives around town while their visiting or just simply enjoying time with your family, there are plenty of opportunities for making memories this season!

1. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker

Keep kids wide-eyed with beautiful ballerinas and dancing snowflakes. Whether it’s a family tradition or a first time visit, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s performance of The Nutcracker will surely delight kids of all ages! Onstage December 5th – 28th at the Benedum Center, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre continues one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved holiday traditions with its 13th annual production of The Nutcracker. (more info)

christmas in pittsburgh
Photo courtesy of The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre

2. FREE Thursdays at the Carnegie Museum of Art & Natural History

Starting December 5th, The Hall of Architecture will be filled with several 20-foot Colorado spruce trees, each decorated with handcrafted ornaments.
Enjoy this exhibit, and all the other favorites with FREE admission on December 11th and 18th! The Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History will be offering free admission from 4-8 pm on December 11th and December 18th thanks to the generosity of the Jack Buncher Foundation and the Carnegie Museum of Art’s Women’s Committee. (more info)

3. Holiday Displays, Ice Skating and Free Carriage Rides at PPG Plaza

Whether you’re skating with Santa or enjoying a free carriage ride around downtown, there are so many things to enjoy as a family downtown. Carriage rides a FREE every Saturday through December 20th (11am-3pm & 4-8pm). The PPG Wintergarden includes displays of dozens of gingerbread houses and train displays and is open daily through January 7th. Guests can also enjoy outdoor skating at the PPG rink- open daily through March 1st. (more info)

christmas santa (2 of 15)

4. Kennywood’s Holiday Lights

Hundreds of thousands of lights will be on display from November 28th through December 21st – Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 5pm-9pm. Kennywood is transformed into Winter Wonderland as timed light shows set to holiday music. Shows begin at 5:30pm, last about 10 minutes and run every half hour. Santa will be there for meet and greets! Some rides will be open with holiday themed lights including some Kiddieland rides. Tickets are $16.99 at the gate and children 2 and under are free. Holiday Lights Tickets are also available at participating Giant Eagle location for $14.99. (more info)

5. Western PA Model Railroad Museum

The Holiday Train Display at the Western PA Model Railroad Museum is on display from November 8th through January 11th on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. On this self-guided tour, guests “travel” from Pittsburgh to MD through the 4,000 square foot display set in the 1950s. There are over 2000 cars, 350 locomotives and impressive landscapes, houses, stores, tracks, city scapes all set to an HO scale (1/87 of real life). There are child-friendly platforms for viewing throughout the upstairs display and plenty to do and see to keep them busy. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children. (more info)

western pa model railroad Museum

6. Snow Tubing at Allegheny County Parks

Get out and enjoy the great outdoors! Boyce Park is the only location for downhill skiing in the county, with ski lifts, a lodge, and all the amenities. Guests can enjoy tubing on 4-10 chutes that run length of 700 feet. They also offer snowboarding and skiing. Get warmed up inside the large ski lodge, Four Seasons, and enjoy the view through the observation windows that stretch the entire width of the second floor. Open 7 days a week December 20th through March 16th weather permitting (closed Christmas Day). (more info)

7. Saturdays at One Oxford Centre

Enjoy free Horse-drawn carriage rides, pictures with Santa, children’s activities, balloon art and caricatures, live entertainment and FREE gift wrap with any purchase from one of the shops! If you’re looking to do Christmas shopping, there are a few shops and even restaurants inside. You can enjoy direct access to to the building through three parking garages, One Oxford Centre Garage, Macy’s Garage and Allies Garage. (more inf0)

8. Santa Cruises on the Gateway Clipper

During a two hour riverboat cruise, you can enjoy holiday music from a DJ, visit with Santa, dance Holiday Fun characters and more. Plus, each child will receive a special treat from Santa! There’s an ornament making table available on the boat (additional cost). All the boats are fully heated, climate controlled and completely enclosed! Cruises available most weekends in December- tickets are $20 per person. (more inf0)

9. Noon Year’s Eve at the Pittsburgh Zoo

The Pittsburgh Zoo offers a fun way for children to participate in New Year’s fun without staying up late!
Count down to a noon ball drop, sign the New Year’s ReZOOlution banner, and dance into the new year with live entertainment. All activities are free and included with general admission. (more info)

10. First Night Pittsburgh

With 150 events and nearly 50 indoor/outdoor locations, Highmark’s First Night Pittsburgh is the largest single-day celebration in the region. It’s a family-friendly, alcohol-free, art-focused New Year’s Eve celebration in Pittsburgh’s 14-block Cultural District. Nearly 50,000 visitors attend each year! Enjoy a parade, live music, artists, magic shows, theater productions, Zambelli fireworks and more! Advanced admission is $8, $10 at the door, and children under 5 are admitted free. Wednesday, December 31st from 6pm-Midnight. (more info)