Winter is in full gear in January in Pittsburgh, which means it is time to either embrace the season or rush to a museum or favorite libation spot to stay warm inside.
No matter which you pick, there are many great things to do in Pittsburgh in January- so check out the following options to get a few ideas on where to start!
There are many reasons to love the holiday season in Pittsburgh, and perhaps one of the most amazing ones is your ability to see many beautiful Christmas lights all over the region.
From the holiday displays downtown, to the many drive-thru light shows, and more, there really is no shortage of impressive Christmas lights in Pittsburgh. So in this one, we wanted to curate all the best places where you can see holiday lights and decorations in the region!
Note: Many of the experiences below are drive-thru light displays such that you can enjoy the holiday lights and decorations from the comfort of your own car. However, we felt we would be doing you a disservice if we didn't mention a few other light viewing opportunities that take place outside of your car as well!
In Pittsburgh, the start of the holiday season is not ambiguous.
It is not after Halloween when department stores put out Christmas decorations (or do they do it before now?). It is not the day after Thanksgiving that many traditionally observe. It is also not the first snow sighting, December 1st, the fall time change, or any other arbitrary benchmark.
This one particular instance should not be up for debate, as the start of the Christmas season in Pittsburgh is Light Up Night- the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
In this guide, we want to share some of our favorite tips on how to get the most out of what is perhaps our favorite annual event in Pittsburgh!
Note: In 2025, Light Up Night will have some slightly modified event locations due to the on-going construction in Market Square. While this article is meant to be somewhat static year-to-year, we've noted some variations for 2025's festivities in this one.
November in Pittsburgh is truly a month of change. If we are lucky the start of the month still has mild temperatures and peak fall colors, and by the end of the month winter is starting to descend upon the region.
As such, while there may still be a number of outdoor activities to enjoy this month, depending on the weather forecast you may also want to start moving inside for some experiences!
So if you are looking for things to do in Pittsburgh in November, check out the following options.
Every year, we always expect the Pittsburgh Zoo to put on some spectacular shows around the holidays.
In 2025, they get into the Halloween spirit by filling the zoo up with thousands of jack o'lanterns in the aptly named Jack O'Lantern Extravaganza.
So what all can you see in this one? We went to the zoo on a chilly fall evening to find out!
Phipps Conservatory is known for being one of the largest botanical gardens in the region, and also for its seasonal flower shows that are truly events not to be missed.
For 2025's Fall Flower Show, Phipps is heading to Asia with the theme Visions of Japan. With some elegant and intentional designs, this one will delight with imagery of the fall and harvest in East Asia.
As with all of our show reviews, we're not going to share every room in the Conservatory (you'll have to visit yourself to see them all!). Instead, we're going to feature a few of our favorite rooms from the show to highlight a cross-section of the displays!
October in Pittsburgh is often when fall makes itself known. The temperatures drop rapidly, fall colors reach their peak, and the end-of-year slowdown starts becoming much more apparent.
But that doesn't mean you have to slow down in your explorations of the city, as it turns out October is another great month where you can get out and enjoy the city!
So if you are looking for things to do in Pittsburgh in October, check out the following options.
One of our favorite on-the-water activities is kayaking. But when it comes to kayaking around the Point, we could never make the logistics work. When we were free, the river would be running too fast, or it would be abysmally hot.
Then, Kayak Pittsburgh closed its rental location next to PNC Park to work on an upgraded dock near the convention center, which opened in the summer of 2025.
So we resolved to check this one as soon as it opened, and we are really glad we did- this kayaking launch site is a dream come true!
When it comes to enjoying fields of sunflowers near Pittsburgh, we have to admit that we're quite spoiled. Between the many farms open to get photos within a field and others open for pick your own bouquets, you really have a number of options to get out and see these gorgeous flowers in southwest Pennsylvania.
But there is one caveat- most of the fields require a bit of a drive outside of the city.
In this one, we wanted to share a few fields you can visit as well as give you an idea of costs and their respective opening dates as these flowers can have quite a limited blooming period!
Note: We are updating this article for 2026 dates and pricing as they become available, but note that many listings still include 2024 information. Please reconfirm at the farms directly via their respective links below as prices, dates, and times are liable to change based on bloom progress. Most of the farms below are cash only.
If there is one thing we want more of in Pittsburgh, it would be more amenities on the rivers.
Yes, we have great bike trails and numerous boating opportunities to get out on the water, but it often feels like businesses (like restaurants) and public spaces to relax along the shores are lacking at times. With three rivers, we would love waterfront amenities everywhere you look.
So when Riverlife announced that they were bringing a new concept to the Allegheny River in 2025, called Shore Thing, we were in. Not only was this one set to be a space for everyone to get out and enjoy the views of the water for free, but they went one better- it is built on the water!
We went to this one on opening day and loved it so much that we returned the next day for more. It is just that good.