The waterfall is small but it's pretty and a nice hike to get to it. Our dog loved playing in the…read morewater

How have I never reviewed this fine establishment located just outside of Pittsburgh? It's actually…read morein Oakdale, PA about 15 miles from downtown Pittsburgh and worth the drive. I have attended a couple of events here (wedding, birthday) as well as regular visits. With over 65 acres, it was first established in 1988 and has certainly grown in leaps and bounds. It's a wonderfully peaceful and lovely garden that boasts walking paths, light shows (spectacular winter holiday displays), various exhibits, and more. So many plants and flowers to look at and smell. Everything you would expect a botanic garden to be. The last time I went home to Pittsburgh for a visit we took our dog with us and that was amazing. He loved it and I love that he was permitted to visit without issue at all. Everyone who works there is there for a reason, the love of nature and ensuring longevity.

One of our local favorites! From the gardens to the cafe and the special events throughout the…read moreyear. Staff is always friendly at the door when you walk in and at the cafe. I sometimes go to the cafe to work - although not really set up for this (make sure your computer is charged). I love browsing the gift shop. There is always something there to gift or that I want (but don't need) for myself. I usually end up leaving with a new book for my daughter. Great spot for some holiday shopping for your nature loving friends and family or a gift exchange. Good in the cafe is usually fresh and tastes great. I've enjoyed their salads, kids menu options and baked goods. The gardens are a wonderful place to plan a picnic or just walk around and take in all the hard work that goes into maintaining the grounds. They have a few areas geared towards kids and a lovely pond to sit and relax by. We especially love to admire the local art exhibits that routinely change.

Wonderful park for children. There are a multitude of playgrounds, a splash park, lots of sports…read morefacilities and fields, and many hiking trails. In a strange but interesting turn of events, my children and I witnessed a squirrel in labor on one of the trails. A most unusual and unexpected sight I can promise you! I have to admit we got a bit more nature than we bargained for that day! Lol. My few qualms are these, it tends to be a very crowded place and the trail maps are not the clearest/ most accurate. A big improvement would be better trail maps (particularly with a "you are here" marker) and better signage throughout the trails. Overall though, it's a wonderful place for the community.

Lots of playgrounds! We were driving through town and it was a nice day so we were looking for a…read moreplace to have a picnic and let the kids get some energy out. They have several playground sections that the kids were able to choose from. They checked out 4 of them and played for about 15 minutes on each. Biggest complaint is there are no bathrooms open during a nice day in March. They only had port o potties which are not ideal for children. I understand that they can't heat them all during the winter but you think one or them would be available under the office or the main park area especially with sports season starting.

Definitely a nice park, needs updated a little, like the little sand pit, my kids had a good time,…read morewe would definitely go again

What a great park. There were two playgrounds and a sandpit. One of the playgrounds was very very…read moreunique. The trail was very lovely as well.

I've lived in the area for a while now but have never made it to this lake before. Today was the…read moreperfect weather for a walk so I finally made it here. The park is on the smaller side but does have plenty of parking spaces. The trail is paved and clearly marked. I was expecting it to loop all the way around the lake but it didn't seem to. There were a few trails off of the paved path that I didn't explore. The views of the lake are very nice and there are a few benches to stop and enjoy it. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice this place was and also how busy it was. I arrived just before 10am and the place was buzzing with people enjoying the lake.

This park is very well paved for parents that want to walk with a stroller. It's quite beautiful…read moreand relatively quiet.

Very nice park that I randomly found off of Steen Road. They have a field, basketball court,…read moreplayground, and pavilion. It appeared well maintained ... Cheers!

If you grew up anywhere near Robinson, Settlers Cabin is basically the summer spot to be…read more I've been hitting up that wave pool since I was a teenager. And honestly, you can't talk about Settlers Cabin without mentioning the picnic groves. I swear, half of my summer weekends over the decades have been spent at a cookout, grad party, or other gatherings with friends at one of those pavilions, eating hot dogs and hamburgers. When my daughter was little I brought her there through her teenage years with her friends. Always a good spot to spend a hot summer day in Pittsburgh.

Wave popl The life guards don't do anything there was a kid…read morethat wouldn't pull up his pants his parents did nothing the life guards talk and nothing else they don't save people

While working in Beaver County I have passed this sign to Buttermilk Falls countless times, but…read morenever had occasion to stop until yesterday. It was a gorgeous, sunny, unseasonably warm March day & I was the first car in the tiny dirt parking area on the left as soon as you turn in. The Falls is now directly across from the new entrance to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. There is a big stone covered with graffiti on the right. After you park, you just hop out and hit the path and follow the sound of gushing water. it is a short distance to the Falls, but it is uphill and it is steep and rocky and this is not a suitable path for anybody with physical limitations of any sort. It can also be dangerous for young children. It's very beautiful and it is worth the hike up. If you're sturdy footed (muddy & rocky), you can walk right behind the falls and it's quite beautiful. Highly recommended for a sightseeing but I'm sure it gets crowded and warmer weather.

The hiking trail we went on was not to long and had nice scenery. Parking was easy to find. The…read morewaterfall is definitely worth the hike there. You can go under it, go above it, and go behind it! Also lots of smooth rocks to set up towel and sit in the sun.

We're in the area to visit Ohiopyle and were looking for some places close by to take our golden…read moreretriever swimming and while eating breakfast this morning at Yum Yums one of the owners recommended this place. After hubby and I toured Kentuck Knob we stopped by our hotel to get our golden and headed straight here. I was worried that being Father's Day that the place would be insanely crowded but there weren't many people there and since there are so many areas to park everyone that was there was pretty well spaced out. We stopped at the boat ramp area so our golden could jump off the 2 floating docks and he absolutely loved it. The water is really clean and hubby even saw a huge fish jump out of the water while our dog was retrieving his ball. This area has benches and a walkway around the lake and there are also bathrooms, pavilions and picnic tables and seems to be quite popular with the local fisherman plus it was so clean and pristine, my only regret is that we didn't find this place sooner because we would have been bringing our pup here every morning and evening. Great place for fishing, family get togethers or for a nice walk around the lake, we're actually getting ready to head back up there now.

I've been coming to Raccoon Creek State Park for over 50 years now, and it's one of those rare…read moreplaces that has somehow kept its magic across generations. My earliest memories from the 1970s are filled with the smell of charcoal smoke at the picnic groves and the freezing shock of jumping into the lake on hot summer afternoons. As a kid, that beach felt massive, and a simple day trip with packed lunches (the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches melted to goodness from the sun) and blankets spread out on the grass was the best part of summer with my sisters and mom. As I grew into adulthood, the way I used the park changed, but I never stopped going. I didn't always go swimming but instead would explore the miles of hiking trails. The best part, though, was getting to experience it all over again through my daughter's eyes. Taking her there when she was little and watching her hit the water and run around the playground were special times indeed. Raccoon Creek isn't just a park to me; it's a constant in my life. Over five decades later, facilities might get updated here and there, but the familiar feeling of the place hasn't changed a bit. It's serene, nostalgic, and always feels like coming home.

Raccoon Creek is a short drive from the city and an amazing escape into nature! I've camped here a…read morefew times and love how easy and accessible it is for so many reasons. The bathrooms are close by the camp sites and clean! Plus they have hot water for showering. The water pump for drinking water is fresh and better than my tap at home. The lake is so nice and the ice cream stand is the best (bring cash). Definitely recommend booking the camp sites closest to the trail that takes you to the beach. It's about a 15 minute hike, but so much nicer than driving 15 minutes to the beach.