Just west of the city, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden has been growing a forest back to life. Across 65 acres of reclaimed land in Oakdale and North Fayette, this young nonprofit garden (opened in phases since 2015) now offers families miles of woodland trails, a serene lotus pond, a dogwood meadow and garden rooms that change with every season.
Kids make a beeline for the play-friendly corners — the garden’s nature-based discovery areas, the bird-filled woodlands (this is a top local birding spot) and the seasonal exhibitions of outdoor art. The garden’s Canopy Café and its calendar of family programs, from story walks to fall festivals, make repeat visits easy.
The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is at 799 Pinkerton Run Road in Oakdale, open daily (closed Mondays in some seasons). Tickets and hours at pittsburghbotanicgarden.org — fall color season is its finest hour.
