Fun night on the water! Finding the Venture Outdoor downtown boat launch was easy with their…read moredirections (below the Convention Center). Note: there is no restroom on site. Our guides Matt and Sophie were wonderful. They reviewed the mechanics of kayaking including posture of straight torso with loss hips. They gave a safety briefing and made sure our life jackets were properly secured. And then we hit the water in time to enjoy the sunset. Their rental equipment (kayak boats, paddles, and life jackets) is in great condition. And for the night paddle, the kayaks were outfitted with glow stick lights (in addition to the required standard boat green/red lights). There was other River traffic but there was only one wake encountered during the whole two hours. I'm a beginner level kayaker and it was an easy paddle for just the right duration. Tip: if there are two of you together, I advise getting your own kayak so see more of each other and don't have to coordinate your strokes). There was a Pirates baseball game that night and it was cool to hear the roar of the crowd. The route that night also included The Point waterfall and the Science Center submarine. The only thing that could have made this outing better is if the Pirates had won and we could have watched the celebration fireworks from the water.

Review 200! Yeah! I was reserving this milestone review for somewhere special. I recently had a…read morepretty rocking birthday weekend full of wonderful places to fill this slot but I had to go with one that truly embodies my physical lifestyle, so naturally I had to choose Kayak Pittsburgh. Being a newbie I wasn't sure what to expect, other than I was pretty sure it was going to be awesome. The prices to rent are very affordable and definitely worth the experience. We didn't spend as much time on the river as we would have liked to, do to some upcoming reservations later in the day, but now that I have gotten a taste of it I am dead set on going back as much as I can. We started by heading up the river, but there are much more scenic views down river. Cruising down past the stadiums than over to the point to get a victorious picture of me hoisting my oar in front of the fountain. Such a wonderful way to see the city. Since we were on a tight schedule there wasn't much time for relaxing so it was basically nonstop paddling. This is a serious upper body workout. Heading back up the river was challenging at times, but still so much fun and a great workout! Can't wait to go back.

Close to I-70 but without the noise, brings you close to Mother Nature with many walking &…read morebicycling paths

Very nice, clean park. I was here for an event in a pavilion with a park right there which was…read morenice. Pavilion was clean and seems to be nicely upkept.

Beautiful park with a great amphitheatre for outdoor concerts in the summer. Some benches are…read moreprovided but you can bring your own chairs or a blanket. Restrooms are clean although there are only 2 stalls in the Ladies Room which leads to long lines.

I recently visited Twin Lakes Park for a Saturday morning walk. I've been to Twin Lakes in the past…read moreand it's always been a peaceful park to visit. The pathways are clean and the park itself is spaced out well. I believe the distance around each of the lakes is at least one mile. They also have pavilions, some wooded areas, jungle gyms, and a skate park. Their restrooms are also always clean. This is definitely a nice park to check out for walking or a family reunion and anything in between!

This lovely conservation area is 450 acres of beautiful forest with lots to see and a very shadowy…read morepast. The ruins of an old pipe factory are very visible and there are informative signs that tell the story. These occurrences took place in the 1800's. There is history of criminals murdered, accidental death(pipe factory), a hanging, an explosion, a drowning, a giant snake sighting, all taking place in the park. For this reason many people think that the sight is haunted by the people who met their fate here. I hate to burst the excitement, but I have never experienced ghosts, or any other paranormal activity while spending time there. In fact, despite it's dark past Dead Man's Hollow is a very tranquil place. If you have been there during May when Spring season really kicks off you will see tons of wildflowers that are spectacular. The pipe factory had a fire and the ground was burned. This happens to be very good for re-growth and as a result we get to experience a lot of beautiful flora. Also, the old pipe factory remains are covered with cool graffiti. The trails are at times narrow, but they are very clean. You are at some point going to climb up and down hills, so it is a very good workout. I would say that the hiking is a bit more challenging. To find it I would suggest searching via a trailhead name and not just the park name. One example would be "cat fish pond trail." There is a nice parking area near that trailhead. There is also another parking area on the other side of the park(more on that later). This other side is closer to the ruins.

We checked out the catfish pond today. It looked promising at first but soon discovered that there…read moreis very little accessibility to fish there. The spots that are open are at an incline sloped towards the pond and are very slippery and hazardous. I do not recommend taking young kids there. My daughter and I fished for an hour or so and only saw bluegill in the 3-4" range and smaller minnows. We used lures and worms and had many bites but the fish were too small to get hooked. We did see many water turtles and even a few babies whose shell was about 2-3" in diameter. We also saw one large snapping turtle appear for a few seconds. There are also a bunch of bullfrog minnows whose bodies were the size of golf balls (early June). It's a cool place to see but we won't be returning to fish.

This is an excellent park for seeing birds. It's clean and well maintained…read more They have shelters for rent at reasonable prices. When you enter the park, you will see a small pond complete with ducks and geese. There are some great hiking trails.

This park is fantastic! Plenty of animals to see and interact with. Also they have some great…read moretrails to go hiking on. The trails were clearly marked making it easy to follow. I loved exploring this place and will definitely be back.

Small gym but great options. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Prices are inexpensive and Groupons…read moreare typically available. It is important to know that there are not any auto-belays - so it may be tough for a child or first-time climber.

Great gym. Friendly staff, reasonable rates (or good rates if you get the monthly thing),…read morechallenging routes, good variation. The biggest downside to Climb North is that the routes are usually harder than they are marked. On the upside, that means that if I can do a V2 at CN, I might be able to get a V4 or V5 at most other walls. Unfortunately it's a sharp starting curve if you're just beginning, but I understand they're working on that. Other than that, the wall is mostly centered around bouldering instead of top-roping, which is great if you're not looking to invest a lot into equipment and just want to get started! The staff is stellar. They won't get in your way, but they do let someone know if they're being unsafe. If you ask for tips or suggestions, they'll give only as much as is requested, and let you figure out a given problem on your own. The place is friendly to kids, adults, and students. They do sell some climbing gear which is reasonably priced, and seems to be a good way to support the gym. If I weren't leaving Pittsburgh, I'd be climbing at Climb North every week.

Clean park, the trails overall could be in better condition, I had to jump over a fallen tree to…read morecontinue, also the rocks on the trail are washed away

Duff Park is a wonderful park for hiking. Since we started incorporating hiking into our weekly…read moreworkout regime, we have found that Duff Park offers a lot of challenging hiking trails and some flatter biking trails. I suggest if you are new to the park to grab a map located at the main parking area off School Road South in Murrysville. I am not sure if this park offers a playground or picnic area as I have never seen it, but I am fine with that since we come specifically for the hike. There are plenty of trails to navigate through and some are very steep and narrow. Specifically one section of Forbes is reminiscent of being in the jungle. The vegetation is up past your shoulders, overgrown and covers the trail. You somewhat just follow the stamped down path that is rather unnerving if you do not like not being able to see where you are stepping. There are also many benches to rest on as you walk the trails as well as informative plaques posted on the trails detailing different trees and vegetation. You can definitely get a good workout in if you navigate several different trails. Though not all the trails are good for kids I would say there are plenty that you can take grade school kids on without any major issues so it can be a nice family workout as well.

Visit Aspinwall Riverfront Park and you'll find a great spot to rent a kayak! This rental booth is…read moreoperated by Kayak Pittsburgh, a specific project that's part of the Venture Outdoors nonprofit group. Aspinwall is their 3rd Kayak Pittsburgh location in the area (with other locations on the North Shore and in North Park). With plenty of free parking available at this little park, you normally just have to show up and pay for your kayak. (Note that during 2020, an online reservation is required due to the popularity of their kayaks and because they need to control the number of people in the area at a time.) You'll be provided with a life vest and paddle after checking in. The staff will also answer your questions and provide tips on kayaking if you need them. They'll then help you get your boat into the water, where you can paddle at your own pace and enjoy the scenery. I do want to mention that because this is a river location, you'll want to keep the strength of the current and any wind in mind as you paddle along the Allegheny. You may find yourself working harder in one direction or another depending on what the current and wind does during your visit. So give yourself plenty of time to get back to the launch point, and be careful about overexerting yourself early on. Other tips from this regular kayaker are: bring PLENTY of water; don't forget your sunscreen and a hat; bring a waterproof bag for your valuables; and consider investing in some sports gloves so that your hands don't get too sore or blistered paddling. Do those things, and you're sure to have a blast during your time on the water!