Nature

7 of the Best Places to View Fall Colors in Pittsburgh

Fall is a special time in western Pennsylvania. Our normally green part of the state starts to explode with vibrant colors just about everywhere you look between early-to-mid October and the start of November. 

We'll be upfront in saying that nearly any Pittsburgh park could make for great fall color viewing during this time of the year. But when we get out to chase pretty leaves, we have to admit, we like to go to places that are large and give us a chance to truly explore in the beauty of nature.

Part of this is because color change may be gradual over the various tree types found in any given park- peak color is truly a relative term. But the other part is that when colors are at their peak, we simply want as much as we can get. So the parks we wanted to feature in this fall foliage guide are just that- big parks that tend to be color explosions in the fall!

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A Guide to the Best Pittsburgh Parks, Trails, and Spaces

Fall Run Park

When it comes to parks in Pittsburgh, hiking trails, and other green spaces, we certainly have a lot to choose from.

In fact, it seems like you can pick any direction, drive a few minutes, and find yourself surrounded by beautiful nature. So if hiking near Pittsburgh (or even in the city limits) is on your radar, you are really in luck here!

In this guide, we wanted to share some of the best Pittsburgh parks, trails, and hiking options nearby for those who want to get out and enjoy the great outdoors!

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Schwirian Farm Sunflower Festival is a Must Visit

Our visit to Schwirian Farm for their annual sunflower festival at their farm just outside of Elizabeth, PA, was a few years in the making. 

The reason for this is that prior to 2021, the annual festival was brief- just a day or so (the rest of the season the farm would be closed to the public). As such, it shouldn't be a surprise that we simply missed it by either being out of town or not being on top of tracking when that exact date would be.

But starting in 2021, the festival changed. Instead of being just a single day, it runs for a full week thanks to its incredible popularity (in 2026 the festival began on July 13th and runs until the 28th- however, check their social media for updates on the end date). Since I had this one on my calendar for a full year to ensure I didn't miss it when it came back, we made sure to go on the very first day and were very glad we did.

In this one, we wanted to share a bit more about what you can expect when visiting the Schwirian Farm Sunflower Festival!

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12 Great Bike Trails Near Pittsburgh to Go for a Ride

Although Pittsburgh and southwest Pennsylvania is quite hilly, we are fortunate enough to have a number of fairly flat trails to go biking. Many of these trails are found on former train lines (rail trails), which thanks to their restricted grade makes for prime biking conditions.

In this one, we wanted to share a few of our favorite spots to bike in and around the city. So whether you're simply wanting to take a quick ride around the North Shore River Trail, ride the GAP, or go out for a few miles on a rail trail, this one is for you!

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The Redbank Valley Trail Offers an Easy Bike Ride in Nature

We love that there are so many great rail trails in southwest Pennsylvania, and for those who like to get out and explore, you have hundreds of miles of trails to enjoy in the area.

A bit further away from Pittsburgh lies the Redbank Valley Trail, which runs approximately 42 miles from the Allegheny River near East Brady (connecting to the Armstrong Trail) all the way up to Brookville, PA, near I-80.

Naturally, we had to make the roughly 75-minute trip to a mid-point on the trail in New Bethlehem, PA, to check out the 20 miles closest to the city and wanted to share what you can expect when biking this stretch of the Redbank Valley Trail in this one!

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Scraposaurs Invade Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in 2026

The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in Oakdale is one of our favorite nature spaces in southwest Pennsylvania, and its mission to convert the former industrial site into a collection of beautiful gardens is nothing short of impressive.

One element of the gardens that we love, in addition to the nature, of course, is that they often have extra art and decorations that change throughout the years. In 2026, the Scraposaurs have invaded the garden, and these dinosaurs made out of reclaimed metal fit in just right with the reclaimed nature of the park itself!

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First Look at Arts Landing in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District

After 22 months of construction, the highly anticipated Arts Landing in downtown Pittsburgh had its ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 17th, 2026- just ahead of the NFL Draft.

As we have been eagerly looking forward to this park, I made my way down to the Cultural District to check out Arts Landing during the event and was pleasantly surprised at the space, amenities, and, of course, art!

So let's share a first look at what you can expect at Arts Landing!

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Biking from Pittsburgh to Washington DC – Everything to Know

One of our favorite activities on a nice day in Pittsburgh is hitting one of our many area bike trails.

Naturally, one trail we ride on the most is the famous Great Allegheny Passage, which spans 150-miles from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland, where it subsequently connects to the C&O Canal Towpath and continues on to Washington DC for a roughly 335-mile total ride.

For many years, we would ride the GAP in short segments, tackling 20-40 mile round-trip rides here or there. But we always wanted to do the entire bike ride from Pittsburgh to Washington DC, and finally made our dream a reality with a fun, six-day ride in September 2025.

So in this one, we wanted to go down the rabbit hole of everything you need to know when planning to bike from Pittsburgh to DC. Buckle up, because we do mean everything here!

Note: Most of the commentary in this article is based on our experience biking and staying in B&Bs along the way. While we will discuss camping options briefly, our itineraries are built around staying in dedicated accommodations every night.

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Sunset Kayak with L.L.Bean Outdoors at North Park

We love our area parks, and one of our absolute favorites is North Park in Allison Park, about 20 minutes north of the city.

One of the reasons why we love this park so much is because it has something for everyone, be it for walking, running, biking, hiking, kayaking, and so much more.

While we normally go on outings in this park on our own, we were invited by L.L.Bean to check out a sunset kayaking tour as part of their Outdoor Discovery Program to explore North Park Lake on a more intimate guided experience as the sun goes down.

For those who want to take a different look at the lake and park at large, the kayak outing is a must-experience.

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Boyce Park Ski Slopes and Snow Tubing Offer Winter Fun

Boyce Park is one of the most popular parks in Allegheny County. It offers an array of trails and outdoor activities to be enjoyed all year round, but unlike other county parks this one is perhaps best enjoyed in Pittsburgh's winters!

The reason for this is that Boyce Park is home to a modest winter resort that includes several trails, a tubing course, and many other outdoor activities scheduled throughout the season.

After having enjoyed tubing at Seven Springs, we made the trip to Boyce Park to check out their tubing slopes (plus skiing!) and had a great day out!

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