Attractions

The Maridon Museum in Butler Showcases East Asian Art

The Maridon Museum is a bit of a surprising find in Butler, as it focuses on stunning art from East Asia- particularly China and Japan (amongst others).

You may ask, “why is Butler of all places home to such a stellar collection?” and the answer is because local resident Mary Hulton Phillips began collecting Asian antiquities, all without actually traveling to Asia, and the collection became so vast that a museum was born in 2004 (a few years before her death in 2009).

Now, guests can visit the Maridon Museum to learn about Mary Hulton Phillips and see her stunning collection located just a block or so off of Main Street- for a very modest entry price as well!

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Phipps Conservatory for the Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show

The Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show, aptly themed “A Moment of Beauty” for 2025, brings these two beautiful plants (both favorites of ours) to the forefront of the Conservatory while highlighting how some of the flowers with special art, lighting, and more.

The theme here invites you to take a few extra moments in each room to really stop and appreciate selected flowers, and we really appreciate the notion as you really do see more when you stop and reflect.

As always with our show features, we wanted to share a few of our favorite rooms from this show and hope you'll make it out to visit for yourselves!

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The Pittsburgh Glass Center is a Hub for All Things Glass

The Pittsburgh Glass Center has been a hub for all things glass art and glassmaking in Friendship for several decades now, and in 2024 the facility recently upgraded its facilities in a beautiful expansion.

While you may be familiar with this one for its numerous glassmaking classes on offer, this one has come together to be a facility that is three spaces in one. One part museum, one part artist space, and, of course, one part for glass classes for the public!

So be sure to plan an afternoon visiting this one to check out their museum-caliber exhibits, tour the facility, and take a class!

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Wild Illuminations Brings Holiday Lanterns to the Pittsburgh Zoo

In recent years, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium was known for hosting the Asian Lantern Festival for a night-time walkthrough amongst beautiful, massive lanterns.

In 2024, this changed as the zoo did not bring the show back for another year. Instead, the zoo announced a new show for the holidays, known as Wild Illuminations, that would be a similar experience to the lantern fest- with a holiday twist.

Naturally, as fans of the Asian Lantern Festival we had to visit this one on opening weekend to see what it is like!

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West Overton Village Dives into Whiskey Distilling History

As you likely know, southwest Pennsylvania has a rich heritage in the whiskey industry, with the production of the acclaimed Monongahela Rye, the Whiskey Rebellion taking place nearby, and more.

This history can be seen all over the region, and perhaps one place that shows it off the best is none other than West Overton Village in Scottdale- just a few minutes off the turnpike in the Laurel Highlands.

This museum does an excellent job at showcasing village life in the 1800s, highlighting the growing whiskey trade around the Old Overholt brand, and even has a connection to the steel magnate Henry Clay Frick, too!

So head down to the Laurel Highlands during their seasonal operating hours to check out this gem of a museum.

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Butler Ballooning Takes Flight North of Pittsburgh

We've been fortunate enough to take a hot air balloon ride in Tanzania, and we always wondered what a flight in the Pittsburgh region would be like.

In 2024, we got to find out that Butler Ballooning opened up just north of the city to provide sunrise hot air balloon rides high above Butler County.

We were guests of Butler Ballooning to check out what a flight is like shortly after this one opened, and we have to admit, this one is quite the experience well worth getting up early for!

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Pittsburgh Pinball Dojo Offers All-You-Can-Play Fun

As budding pinball fans, we decided to start checking out places to play pinball in Pittsburgh. Over time, one spot came recommended to us again and again- the Pittsburgh Pinball Dojo in Bellevue.

This modest pinball hall features two rooms loaded with roughly 50 machines, all set to free play mode after your initial ticket fee, and, best of all, is BYOB and BYOB friendly!

So on one rainy Friday night we made our way over to the dojo to check out a free play night and we have to say, we can understand why this one is so popular.

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Latin American Cultural Center Showcases a Vast History

The Latin American Cultural Center is part of an outreach initiative put on by the Latin American Studies Association that has called Pittsburgh home since the 1980s.

The group's headquarters can be found in a beautiful and historic building right in the heart of Oakland, and features a modest exhibition space sharing the history and culture of Latin America, a theater space for performances, periodic temporary exhibitions, and more!

So while a visit to this one can be quite brief, if you are looking for a unique museum right in the heart of the city, don't overlook this one!

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5 Great Mini Golf Courses Near Pittsburgh for a Competition

When it comes to playing mini golf in Pittsburgh, there is no shortage of options in the region. From the historic courses that have been around for years to modern designs with every bell and whistle and some that are just plain unique, we have just about everything here.

So check out a few of our favorite mini golf courses we've tried in southwest PA in this one!

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Puttshack Brings Novel Tech to the Mini Golf Experience

We are big fans of all things mini golf in Pittsburgh, and always get excited when more courses open in the city.

The Strip District is becoming a hub for modern mini golf, with two companies offering unique, themed experiences indoors right in the heart of the city.

Puttshack inside The Terminal building is one such golf company, and this one introduced some fun and smart technology into the mini golf experience to really make for a unique round. We were invited by Puttshack to check out their facility for their anniversary party, and we wanted to share more in this review!

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