7 great weekend road trip ideas for Pittsburgh-area families

Pittsburgh is the perfect place to be if you love family road trips. Because of our location, we’re just a short drive to a multitude of great cities and places to enjoy activities with your family.

It won’t be long until weekends get a bit warmer and families are ready to hit the road for overnight adventures. To help kick-start all this family fun, Kidsburgh has gathered together our guides to a wide range of places you can go in just a few short hours with your family; some on only one tank of gas!

Check out a few of the guides below, which give you information on places like Buffalo, N.Y., which is just a few short hours away and is filled with attractions like their children’s museum, aquarium, and of course world famous Niagara Falls!

And if Buffalo is a little too far for your family, check out some of our closer options like Laurel Highlands or Erie.

Happy traveling!

Buffalo/Niagara Falls, N.Y.: Just a three-hour drive away, families can discover remarkable Niagara Falls, plus a great children’s museum and aquarium, boat and catamaran rides, and more.  Check out all the details here.

Cleveland, Ohio: Barely over the Pennsylvania/Ohio border, Cleveland has a fantastic Music and food scene, including the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame! Check out our story on the city here.

Columbus, Ohio: Just a little bit further than Cleveland, Columbus has a beautiful botanical garden and a fantastic museum. Read about it here.

Erie, Pa.:  If you or your kids love water parks and wish you could visit them year-round, then check out Erie’s indoor waterpark! Open through the fall and winter, you can get your water park fix just north of Pittsburgh. Check it out here.

Harrisburg/Hershey, Pa.: Just a little bit to the east, have a historical trip to our state’s capital, and while you’re there check out the famous Hershey Park! Read more here.

Laurel Highlands, Pa.: If your family loves the outdoors, be sure the check out the Laurel Highlands. Located just an hour outside of the city, Laurel Highlands has some of the most beautiful outdoor attractions in the area. Check it out here. 

Washington, D.C.: Just a few hours drive away, our nation’s capital city is filled with historic, educational, and fun activities and attractions. Read about it here. 

Don’t miss our guide to great podcasts for the whole family to listen to on the road. And if you’d like to see guides to cities we don’t have listed here, drop us a note and let us know. We’ll create one!