The Yummiest Parks in Pittsburgh

Settlers Cabin Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (31)

"I just love this park and that the township takes care of it. We went today and the grass was freshly cut. Also, I noticed they cut back some of the red trail that was growing in. Beautiful fall day!"

Robin Hill Park

★★★★☆ 4.2 (6)

"A nice 200 acre park that features hiking trails, streams and wildlife.I've been to several weddings here, as it is highly prized as a wedding venue. Part of the attraction is a nice backup location in the mansion in the event of bad weather.There are about 2 miles of trails of varying difficulty. The trail map could be a lot easier to find, not sure why it is not featured more prominently on their website.Mary Nimick, an avid nature lover, donated her family's estate house along with 53 acres when she died in 1971. The house hosts the offices of the Hollow Oak Land Trust, an organization that manages the nearby nature preserve.In summary, a small but well maintained park and wedding venue with beautiful trails."

Morrow Park

★★★☆☆ 3 (4)

"I agree with previous reviews that this park is small and not well kept up. On the other hand, being close to Shadyside hospital it can serve as a repose for those visiting or accompanying family there. It has the potential for being more than it is if we'll kept. The many benches and sign welcoming to Bloomfield, cry for better care."

Penn Hills Community Park

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"First visit because of someone posting on social media about the wildflower habitat along Plum Creek in the park. It is a 3 year project to remove invasive Japanese knotwork along the river Bank with native plants/flowers by the Penn Hills Shafe Tree Commission and Penn Hills Parks and Recreation. Lovely, very lovely, and hard work by all involved. Thank you!The park Pavillion looks nice, too. A pretty Sunday with families picnicking and playing. There is a small playground, too."

Aspinwall Riverfront Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (8)

"A relatively new community park with a lot to offer. A new fishing dock was donated with generous gifts from the Estate of William M. Cadwallade and the Hillman Foundation. There's a new free Summer concert series called Rock the River. Part of the fun is a nice kayak rental facility.hosted.by Kayak Pittsburgh. A new event space is available for rental, it's a rather large pavilion. Bathrooms are quite modern, a step up from what I see at most parks. Then there's some comfortable Adirondack with a gorgeous view of the Allegheny. Certainly something for those who would like to relax or also enjoy a more active life."

Raccoon Creek State Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (29)

"Cozy lake about 40 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, PA. Before this pandemic I had no idea so many beautiful places like this existed in the Western PA region. The man made lake is nestled in between the mountains. The beach was small, but the water was very clean. Children and adults were able to ride boats, swim, paddle, kayak. Whatever activity that could clear their mind from the monotony of the day to day. The only negative I have is some interactions with some of the fellow beach goers. No need to get into specifics, but if you're a minority just remember it's a little far from the city. Some might be less welcoming than others."

Highland Park

★★★★★ 4.8 (40)

"Beautiful day this past Sunday for an afternoon walk. When we arrived there was a Park's Department person re-directing traffic to park outside of the park as there was some sort of event going on later that evening. We quickly found parking and joined the throngs of people 'social distance' walking there way around the park loop. Given Coronavirus, all the the sports equipment and pavilions were closed off, but that didn't stop us from getting a little exercise while we enjoyed the blooms and springtime scenery. The Reservoir is closed off due to long-term construction, but benches and main fountain/square were still open and accessible. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and hope to come back when more of the amenities are open and available for use."

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden

★★★★☆ 4.1 (49)

"I was having a hard day when I visited Pittsburgh Botanic Garden which was dressed up for a holiday exhibition, the Dazzling Holidays ( Dates: November 24, 2023 - January 1, 2024) & that all eased with this magical experience set in nature. This experience taught me that taking time to enjoy the holiday lights can truly be nourishing. The bright lights & colors create Chromotherapy (color therapy) which triggers happy hormones & boosts energy levels.Then there's the nostalgia of it all. The memories, magic & joy this time of year brings can literally lift spirits. Festive warm drinks were available from PGH mobile bars I recommend the gingerbread hot chocolate!"

Hampton Community Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (4)

"Fun park to take a walk or bring your kids to play on one of the multiple jungle gyms."

Chartiers Park

★★★★☆ 4 (1)

"This is a nice little park maintained by the Borough of Bridgeville. The park borders Chartiers Creek. Amenities at this park include two baseball fields, a soccer field, some pavilions that are available to rent, restrooms, and playground equipment. There is also a concession stand that is open during ball games. Cheers!"

The Backyard

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"I love this outdoor space. They have been holding weekend concerts there. I have had the opportunity to hear some great musicians. This space has plenty of seating available near the stage and around the entire space. They offer a bar and there are occasional food trucks. I have noticed adults, families and even pets enjoying it. It is conveniently located in downtown Pittsburgh, in the cultural district. I love stopping down after work. I would recommend checking it out if you get the opportunity."

Barking Slopes Conservation Area

★★★★★ 4.5 (2)

"A wonderful place to see wildflowers and birds. There are some species of birds that you won't find anywhere else.The conservation area is managed by the Allegheny Land Trust. The one side of the park is a difficult climb, the trail goes up a very steep hill, but the views are nice."

Economy Municipal Park

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"Great little park tucked away just off Conway-Wallrose Road behind all the municipal buildings. There is a great playground and swing set for families, a shelter for picnics, baseball diamond, basketball court/pickleball court and a walking trail around the baseball diamond. Never terribly busy in the mornings when I come, but lots of friendly walkers and a nice way to unwind and spend time outdoors. There used to be tennis courts as well but I understand they removed them in favor of the playground which is too bad as there aren't any other courts within 10 minutes or so."

Thomas Lynch Field

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"Thomas Lynch Field, often referred to as simply Lynch Field, is truly a unique place to have in ones back yard.Visitors from near and far come here to enjoy the outdoor pool, walking and running track, baseball and soccer fields, playground and picnic pavilions. Kirk Nevin Ice Arena, and The Aerobic Center, is also located here. Lynch Field is the location for the annually held Greensburg Community Days and the weekly Farmer's Market."

White Oak Park

★★★★★ 5 (5)

"Neighboring communities should come a see the White Oak DOG PARK. None in the area come close.It's a huge fenced in area, with a separate access and yard for the littles. There is a cemented pavilion with picnic tables for the humans, a supplied hand sanitizer dispenser, water access in the warm months, poop bags and well-maintained garbage cans.Our dog loves this park and so do we - we have to travel 25 minutes to get here, but it is totally worth the travel.A+++ Way to go WHITE OAK!"

Sewickley Heights Borough Park

★★★★★ 5 (5)

"A beautiful park with great trails, birds and diverse vegetation. Some of the trails are frequented by horses, so stay alert on the trails. A park map is available on the website. The waterfall trail is one of my favorites, although be prepared for some mud."

Reservoir of Jazz

★★★★★ 4.5 (2) • $

"This is is a free Jazz concert in the park and I attend every year. Kenia often performs her Brazilian Jazz here, but whatever the performers, it's always a good show. You should plan on arriving early, it's well attended, so think about bringing chairs or a blanket and picking a good spot in advance. The sound is very good. The musicians play in the Cityparks portable stage. We sometimes hike around the Reservoir afterwards or enjoy the line dancing that happens afterwards at the fountain."

Fairview Park

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"This centerpiece to Bridgeville in South Fayette Township is a beautiful community treasure! The playgrounds and ball fields are well-kept and usually busy. Families of all sizes and ages can find festivals and annual events that satisfy them - from drive thru Christmas light displays to Friday night movies."

Moraine State Park

★★★★★ 4.6 (40)

"Moraine State Park has so much to offer their visitors all year round. Whether it be hiking, picnicking, swimming, boating, fishing, or overnight camping, it's the perfect setting for fun and relaxation. Good for solo or group activities. Our group thoroughly enjoyed our time on the water and the freedom to explore the lake and everything surrounding us."

Allegheny Commons Park

★★★★★ 4.6 (14)

"A really lovely park with huge old oak trees, a small lake, and convenient park benches. There are historical sculptures, and a large fountain which they recently restored.This is a relaxing greenspace for taking a walk or having a conversation. The park has a surprising number of birds, and for example, this is one of the best places to find night hawks.The park hosts one of Pittsburgh's finest traditions, Gus and Ya Ya's Itallian Shaved Ice Stand."

Irwin Park

★★★★☆ 4 (4)

"Pros: It's a nice place to walk, by myself or with a friend. There is a big track (although rather narrow) around the park...two laps is just under one mile. There is - for lack of a better word - a "smaller track" you can utilize as well. Which is really just an extra trail in the middle of the track. So, if you wanted to do shorter laps, you could. There is a basketball court, baseball field, pavilion, and playground. There are also two open fields which can be used for almost anything and an amphitheater. Throughout the summer, Irwin has live bands come and play...admission is free to the public, which is awesome. You are permitted to bring lawn chairs, blankets, food, etc. Examples of Bands: Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, The Clarks, Jimmy Beaumont & the Skyliners, The Marcels. There are also several tribute bands. Cons: There used to be an additional bigger playground for kids, but it was shut down. I can't say for sure, but I believe it was due to structural damage or vandalism, which is a shame either way. It has been an ongoing issue about re-opening that play area back up. Also, since teenagers seem to have nowhere to go these days, there is usually a bunch just hanging out around the pavilion area, smoking and what not. It doesn't bother me (hey I was super cool once too, brah). But obviously, this can be a deterrent for families with young kids. Also, people tend to flock to the outdoors as soon as the weather warms up, so the parking lot can get rather crowded."

Crafton Park

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (4)

"Crafton park is a very small park located near the Crafton Ingram shopping center. The park has a bandstand for concerts in the summer. It also has a couple of picnic shelters, a relatively new playground, a miniature golf course, and a swimming pool. The mini golf course is open seasonally and costs only $2.00 to play a round. The pool is home to the "Crafton crocodiles" which is a local swim team. The pool is family oriented and there is a separate pool for children. The pool has lifeguards and normally throughout the day they will allow on occasion a small frame of time for what they call an adult swim.Pool passes are available or you can pay as you enter. Certain aspects of the park are rent-able for private use. Contact the borough office for more details.The highlight they host every year is a 5 day event called "Crafton celebrates." This event usually starts 5 days before July 4th with a parade including fire trucks from the neighboring communities to delight the kiddies. Inside are games, local crafts for sale, concerts, picnicking, along with advertisers. The event concludes the evening of the 4th with a dazzling array of fireworks which you can either view there or if you are nearby can get a glimpse of the higher spectacle.Since I live nearby it makes a nice welcome walk in the cool of the summer nights. It enables me to remember what childhood was like and to embrace all the hard work the community puts into making this small park so enjoyable."

Point State Park

★★★★★ 4.6 (125)

"This park is one of my favorite parks ever. It's a gem and I have to bring everyone who visits here. You get such a beautiful view of pittsburgh and it's always so chill here next to the rivers. The fountain is on most of the year and is beautiful too. I love that you can walk along the triangle and end up next to the bridges. Definitely recommend this spot if you're looking for a nice day out or if you're visiting town and trying to see what pittsburgh is all about."

Hillman State Park

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"We came here specifically for the Lyle Covered Bridge. To get here from Hanover Community Park, we drove on a gravel road through Hillman Park. There is probably a way to get here on paved roads but I just took the shortest distance from google maps. It is on a public road but while we were there no cars past. It is very close to McClurg bridge so we drove over to check it out."

Canonsburg

★★★★★ 4.5 (4)

"Reasonable priced. The water seemed clean. Adequate amount of life guards. Kiddie pool separate from the main pool. Beach chairs provided, if available. Concession stand if hungry. Family friendly environment."

Friendship Park

★★★★☆ 3.7 (6)

"Friendship Park is less of a park and more like a glorified roundabout with a larger than usual green space in the middle, however it holds a special place in my heart. I've been on a terrible date that ended here, (I was new to the city, don't judge) run laps on the path during the winter when it's been too snowy to run other places, and now live at one end of it. I guess it was meant to be ;) In all seriousness Friendship Park is small and pretty noisy, but it is a nice place to lay out and catch some sun on weekend afternoons when the traffic slows down. I've seen people picnicking as well. I would never seek it out if coming from somewhere else in the city, but it serves as a nice little intersection of my neighborhood for the time being."

Twin Lakes Park

★★★★☆ 4.3 (23)

"This review is limited to the annual Westmoreland County Arts and Heritage festival held yearly in July. Twin Lakes park is a beautiful park with paddle-boating. I got to see a lot of that on the lake the event surrounded. I learned they also have fishing here. Please note there are two regular restrooms in this area. One is by the boathouse and the other closer to the boardwalk. All throughout the park were port a johns to accommodate the crowds. Due to the size of the area we were only able to see one of the lakes.This annual event is well organized with low cost shuttle buses taking you from various points in Greensburg. If you prefer to park onsite then it is best to come early and you will end up paying $5.00 or $10.00 depending where you enter. You'll end up on the grass with a host of small harmless flies surrounding you as you exit.We decided to park on site and from there worked our way into the park. All along we saw various crafts, strolling entertainment, live concerts at various venues and interspersed-plenty of food to eat. They even have a games area for children as well as face painting and other kids activities. As we walked and looked at the various vendors we kept getting lost because no one had a map to give us. We were told to get it at the entrance. We finally did luck out towards the festival headquarters in the center of the park we found an information booth and got the map we needed along with directions.Decision time where to eat-Finally settled one the "awarding winning" Maryland authentic crab cake and shrimp spot with one of those lines that give you numbers before you get your food. When it was our turn I was debating between the whole fried crab itself or the crab cake sandwich. With their recommendation I took the latter but should have had the former. The crab cake sandwich was okay however, we ordered a side of shrimp tater tots on a skewer. They were served hot and literally to die for! Full sized shrimp breaded and very crunchy! The place sets up a lot of picnic tables in the shade so you can eat in comfort.After we ate we took a walk up the boardwalk to a beautiful gazebo that sits near the middle of the lake. On the other side they were having a civil war reenactment but we just enjoyed soaking in the beauty of the lake and being able to look right down into the water from the middle of the gazebo. We loved looking at the interesting crafts-a few of the vendors have been to the Pittsburgh Arts Festival so we glanced at them and headed on. I was very touched by a local artist who makes coloring books for elderly people but found folks were buying them for children since it told 1900 history in an easy to understand format. I got one of those books for myself and picked up a book for my husband on the Ligonier Valley.Now for dessert-I had my eye on Sand Hill berries raspberries since I had past it so that was the place we went to. They were homemade desserts fresh from their farm. I ordered a raspberry filled shortcake with a soft crust and whipped cream. My husband had blackberry pie. Both of these desserts were reasonable and believe me these were outstanding. This place alone is worthy of 5 stars so I hope I come across it again in my future visits to this area.This event gets packed fairly quickly and as a result you lose signal reception strength and are not able to use your phone as you would like. I have had this same problem in other areas jammed with people especially concerts. We weren't able to see all of it because there is extensive walking but what we did see made for an enjoyable day. Being near the lake, having misting stations, and getting a map finally to help us made it a day just to get out and have fun. Twin Lakes is located in Westmoreland County not far from Greensburg, PA. If going to the festival it is usually held the 1st weekend in July but could vary."

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

★★★★★ 4.7 (545)

"Phipps is a timeless visit for plant lovers and non-plant lovers alike! There's a little something for everyone. I've been here for just simple visits, but I've also visited for special events. I recommend both! One of my favorite things is being able to take a break from the Pittsburgh cold to the warmer climates inside. It gives you a boost for the day!"

Brookline Memorial Park & Recreation Center

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"Man, did I spend a lot of time down here during my youth. I practically lived down at the pool over many summers. We'd swim from 11AM until about 4PM. Then we'd come back from 6-9PM for "night swimming." The pool's been closed for a few years though. I also come here to vote. At night you can sneak over here with yer honey and....*ahem*Just at night. Ok? Daytime's risky.I kid, I kid. Halfways. There's always something going on down here during the spring and summer; ball games (the Danny McGibbeny Memorial field), movies in the park, indoor and outdoor basketball games, yoga classes, boxing and martial arts training, etc.About 7-8 years ago, I was waiting for a bus to head to work verrry early one morning while it was still dark. I could see figures moving around in the pool area. I thought perhaps my eyes were playing tricks on me. They appeared to be...nude?Then I heard a female scream "Woooohooo!" Then there was a splash. I had no binoculars, and my bus was due. Apparently there has been skinnydippin' goin' on here also! The center itself is a nice building. They even have a weight room. Obviously there's a playground as well. So THIS is what was goin' on down there the other day...http://www.brooklineconnection.com/history/Schools/FunDay10/FunDay10.htmlIt was like a kiddie Ozzfest from what I could see en route to work! They never had stuff like that for us back in the day! Damn!I remember me and my pals coming down here to get free lunches during the summer. The food was awful, but it was free! Little moochers we were. Ah the memories. I'm glad that's it's still here and that it's well kept. This is but one reason why Brookline rules the roost when it comes to Pittsburgh neighborhoods."

Renziehausen Park Rose Garden and Arboretum

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"Love the walking trails in this park! They offer pavilions, a pond, arboretum, community events, walking trails, play area and much more!"

Bradys Run Park

★★★★☆ 4.4 (34)

"Came here on a Saturday late morning/early afternoon to get a quick hike in before a wedding. The park was mostly empty with a few people walking the mile loop around the park. It was a wet day, but luckily it wasn't raining. We came to do Brady's Run Trail.Once we found the entrance, it was pretty straightforward. The trail splits in a few places so make sure to remember your route. It was the perfect time of year with the leaves changing and it wasn't too hot or cold.There were a decent amount of leaves on the ground, so be careful cause it was slippery. Also make sure you're wearing hiking boots; I slipped coming back down the big hill at the beginning of the trail.Overall really enjoyed the trail and it was a nice break from urban life (we're from Chicago and we're just visiting). We got almost 4 miles in and will definitely come back if we're ever in the area again!"

North Park

★★★★★ 5 (6)

"This is a well maintained, rather large, county park. There are lots of recreational activities, including kayaking, biking, pickleball, and hiking. The hiking trails are extraordinary, featuring many species of unusual birds. For example, the Veery nests in North Park, but nowhere else in the County."