While it doesn’t hold a candle to fall in my book, spring in Pittsburgh has its own magic. You pass neighbors you may not have seen in a while and everyone seems a little friendlier. Perhaps Pittsburgh’s collective seasonal depression is lifting.
Today is the first day of spring, which means I’m here to share my quarterly Pittsburgh bucket list. For each season, I make a list filled with fun things to do around the area. In addition to sharing my personal to-do’s, this time I’m going to highlight “quintessential Pittsburgh spring” activities that you should do at least once.
Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, but everyone knows that another cold front could be lurking around the corner for at least another month. Here’s hoping that he was right.
Quintessential Pittsburgh spring
See a Flower show (at Phipps or Pittsburgh Botanic Garden)
Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking, I know. Truly though, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Spring Flower Show will make you appreciate the changing seasons. It runs only through April 14, so be careful not to miss it. Make a day of it and lounge in the sun in Oakland afterward if the weather permits. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in Oakdale also has cherry blossoms and other seasonal plants on display. Even better – dogs are welcome there!
Cherry Blossom bike ride
We may not have as many cherry blossoms as Washington, D.C., but springtime in Pittsburgh is still filled with beautiful pink blooms. Head to the North Shore and bike along the water to see them. Peak time for cherry blossoms is now through the first week of April. Why not stop for an outdoor lunch before heading home? There are plenty of great places to eat.
Ride the Incline
Honestly, I could include this in every one of my seasonal lists because the view from Pittsburgh’s two inclines changes with each season. I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve ridden each incline only once or twice. Do as I say, not as I do.
Hit a Friday fish fry
Now this I’ve done many times. I’m sure you’re no stranger to Friday Lenten fish fries in the Pittsburgh area – here are some of NEXTpittsburgh’s favorites. Is there a better way to celebrate Easter and spring than a fried fish sandwich and haluski? I don’t think so.
Catch a Pirates game
You knew I had to include this one. The Pirates play the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 5 for the home opener this year. I know next to nothing about baseball, but watching the game with peanuts and Cracker Jack (or whatever delicious snack you’re looking for) is always a good time.
What I’m doing this spring
Picnic at Allegheny RiverTrail Park
Have you been to Allegheny RiverTrail Park lately? The renovations at the public park in Aspinwall are finished, and the space is more peaceful than ever. There’s a fenced-in dog park, biking and walking trails and plenty of chairs and tables set up along the water and in the shade. The Front Yard project has expanded the park by 6 acres – it now includes new spaces for food truck parking, hammocks and additional children’s play areas. The beloved eatery Farmer X Baker (home to one of our favorite sandwiches) is now open for brunch there on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The park also offers weekend yoga classes on the dock beginning in May, plus theater and musical performances.
Work remotely from a restaurant or cafe patio
This one is weirdly specific, I know. But there is something motivating about working outside in the sunshine when the weather is just right. I’m going to take it one step further and factor snacks into the mix – which is my secret weapon when I need to get something done. I’ll grab my laptop and head to somewhere like The Abbey on Butler Street in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania Market in the Strip or anywhere else with plentiful outdoor seating, and set up shop for a few hours.
Take a bookstore tour through Bloomfield
Aside from going to trivia at Two Frays Brewery or visiting Spak Brothers for pizza, I don’t go to Bloomfield often enough. I’m going to change that soon. Recently while I was searching for bookstores in the city, I realized that there are three bookstores within walking distance to one another in Bloomfield: The White Whale Bookstore, Big Idea Bookstore & Cafe and Few of a Kind.
They’re all located along Liberty Avenue and are surrounded by places to eat and grab coffee or tea. I’ll start with breakfast or lunch somewhere in the area – maybe at nearby Geppetto Cafe & Pastry or Jak’s Bakery. Then I’ll browse the shelves to my heart’s content.
Attend 3 Rivers Comic Con
This is likely sacrilege to those who frequent comic conventions, but I am an on-screen-only comic fan. I’ve read a few comics and graphic novels, but I primarily get my comic content from Disney. That said, I’ve still always wanted to go to a comic con. Why not start on my home turf? This year’s 3 Rivers Comic Con is June 1-2 (still technically springtime) at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 3RC, which hosts the convention, has already announced a long list of exhibitors for this year’s convention including Dan Gorman, Mark Morales and Sandy Plunkett. You won’t catch me in cosplay, but I may wait in line for a celebrity photo if Daredevil shows up.
Spend a rainy day at Zone 28 or Urban Air Adventure Park
It might snow in the spring, but it will definitely rain, and probably a lot. I love a chill rainy day at home most of the time, but sometimes you need a little excitement in the form of an indoor obstacle course or a round of Skee Ball. Zone 28 in Harmar is a bowling alley meets laser tag arena meets arcade, plus there’s a full-service restaurant and bar. There are also two escape rooms, “Hidden Below” and “Room 113,” if you’re into that kind of thing.
I’ve also been meaning to try out the new Urban Air Adventure Park location in North Huntingdon – a kid’s Heaven-on-Earth that kids at heart will also love. There are bumper cars, a VR experience, obstacle and ropes courses and more. Urban Air has a few Pittsburgh-area locations, but the newly open Westmoreland County location is supposed to be the biggest and best in the region.
