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.

A delightful place to walk and enjoy the plants and birds. More than 119 species of birds have been…read moreidentified on the grounds. They have had several special exhibits in recent years. Their membership plan is worth looking into.

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.

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.

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.

Our kids love this park. From the multiple play places to the magically large sand box filled with…read moretrucks, they enjoy every visit. There are play places for different ages, the soft bouncy ground around the play places, and benches around the sandbox and nearby for parents to sit close while letting the kids independently play. In terms of potties, there's a porta potty nearby but this is probably the big thing that's lacking at this park. There are other fields, courts, and hiking paths at this part too. Given it's so close to our home it really does have it all. They also regularly host Franklin Park Borough events here, which is really fun! Check out Blueberry Hill next time you're looking for a park outing!

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.

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

I have not done the wave pool, but my son has and he loves it. I have done hiking with my sister…read moreand her dog and it was so beautiful. We went to the waterfall and then it started to rain and it was like being in a secret garden. I just love when everything is so lush and green and picturesque. It was like being in a fairytale.

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.

Very nice park and community center at the old Nike Site military base. You can barely even tell…read morethat this used to be the Nike Missile Command center during the Cold War. Now it has fields, playground equipment, pavilions, deck hockey, courts, and a large Community Center. They even have an area for exchanging internet transactions / purchases. There are two little libraries ... very nice park, and well maintained... Cheers!

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.

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.

A very large park on Western Pennsylvania with numerous trails, camps and unique destinations. The…read moreonly negative I've encountered in this park is an angry, abrasive and unprofessional park ranger. I've been visiting this place for years and had met many kind, friendly and helpful fellow visitors. I cannot say the same for that ranger - I hope y'all never come across her in your effort to find clarity on directions. My favorite areas of Raccoon Creek are the beach and the mineral springs. When the area water levels aren't low, you'll also see a beautiful 10 foot waterfall adjacent to Frankfort Mineral Springs. The beach is lovely in all seasons, but if you can catch it during the peak of Fall foliage. The many colors of the trees reflecting from the lake surface is quite the sight! There's a boat rental and the rates are very reasonable. There's also a very large picnic area with dozens of tables, plenty of parking and restrooms.