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Day Trips
Get wet and wild with these 6 water adventures in and around the city.
There are 38.3 miles of shoreline to explore in Downtown Pittsburgh, the city of rivers, but when it comes to getting wet and wild, this is just the beginning. Southwestern Pennsylvania is full of H2O adventures:
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The Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela
Rivers right in the heart of Pittsburgh provide an endless array
of freshwater adventures. You can canoe to and camp on the string
of islands on the Allegheny River, learn to sea kayak on the tranquil
waters, and even go snorkeling with the polka-dot rainbow trout and
smallmouth bass in the crystal-clear trout streams. A great resource
for information on these and other river activities is Venture Outdoors,
412-255-0564. |
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Riverfront trails criss-cross the
region, perfect for scenic hiking, backpacking, biking or in-line
skating. They range from the Three Rivers Heritage Trail System in
and around Pittsburgh to the 70-mile Youghiogheny River Trail, called
"one of the world's best walks" by Travel and Leisure Magazine. For
more information on hiking and biking in the area, contact the Friends
of the Riverfront at 1-866-3KEEPER, Venture Outdoors at 412-255-0564
or Golden Triangle Bike Rentals LLC at 412-600-0675. |
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Anglers of all experiences flock to the
region's fantastic fishing waters. An hour north of Pittsburgh,
Moraine State Park's 3,225 acre Lake Arthur is home to large numbers
of northern pike, largemouth bass, muskellunge, and channel catfish,
and premier trout streams throughout the area like Spruce Creek, Oil
Creek, Slippery Rock Creek lure expert fly fisherman. To try your
hand at angling a beauty, call South Hills Rod and Reel at 412-344-8888
or International Angler at 412-782-2222. |
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Ohiopyle State Park's Youghiogheny River
Gorge, hailed "the birthplace of whitewater rafting," is located
just two hours southeast of Pittsburgh. Here rafters brave churning
Class III and IV rapids like Dimple Rock, Double Hydraulic and River's
End, and milder Class I and II whitewater like Ramcat, Flipper and
Fast & Clean. The park also offers mountain biking, equestrian trails,
natural waterslides and campgrounds. For more information call 724-329-8591. |
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For manmade fun in the sun, there's Sandcastle
Waterpark along the boardwalk in Homestead, east of downtown Pittsburgh.
This water playground features a 300,000-gallon wave pool, 15 waterslides,
and the Lazy River, where you can float the afternoon away in an inner
tube. Every Thursday night in the summer the park becomes a huge pool
and dance party for the under-21 crowd. For more information call
412-462-0827. |
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Don't forget to explore Fallingwater, Frank
Lloyd Wright's architectural masterpiece, located just two hours
southeast of Pittsburgh. Named the "Building of the Century" by the
American Institute of Architects, the house features dramatically
cantilevered floors built over a natural waterfall. Reservations are
recommended - call 724-329-8501. |
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To find out about other great
water or other outdoor activities check out Venture Outdoors at www.ventureoutdoors.org. |
