It may be the day after Thanksgiving, but chances are, you still have a fridge full of food and a home full of houseguests! So, what will you do with all those antsy out of towners? Why not show them the very best the ‘burgh has to offer? These crowd-pleasing Pittsburgh activities should keep friends and family members of all ages entertained all holiday-weekend-long.
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1. Try Small Mall Instead
If you must hit up a mall this Black Friday, make it Small Mall in Lawrenceville! Cool, colorful Small Mall is one part shop, one part art gallery. Browse or buy designs from must-know regional makers, including painters, illustrators, jewelers, ceramicists, and more. Are your guests staying through Saturday? Stop by the first of Small Mall’s Celebrity Wrapping Saturdays to have noted local artist Seth LeDonne do your holiday wrapping for you!
2. Glide Over to MassMutual Pittsburgh Ice Rink at PPG Place
Did you know this Downtown destination is even bigger than the iconic rink at Rockefeller Center? Plus, Pittsburgh’s version has the added bonus of being surrounded by the magical mirrored buildings of PPG Plaza. Talk about an Instagrammable afternoon! Rental skates are available for kids and grown-ups (or you can bring your own). And when you’re ready for a break, you can nab cocoa, snacks, and more in nearby Market Square.
3. Get Back to Nature at Frick Park
What better way to work off all that turkey than with a family stroll through Pittsburgh’s biggest park? Trails covered in vibrant autumn leaves, misty clearings, fresh woodsy air—a hike in Frick Park is like walking into a postcard. Dog lovers can let their pups run free at the park’s off-leash areas, and kiddos can get their energy out on one of the park’s playgrounds (including Pittsburgh’s famous Blue Slide Park). Explore on your own, or sign up for one of the naturalist-guided tours offered over Thanksgiving weekend.
4. Wigle Whiskey Tours
Does your family still treat you like you’re sitting at the kid’s table? Show them just how grown-up you are with a Thanksgiving-weekend tour through one of Pittsburgh’s most distinguished distilleries! Wigle’s tours feature samplings of their award-winning recipes, a behind-the-scenes look at their process, and a history lesson on Pittsburgh’s role in the Whiskey Rebellion. Cheers to adulthood!
5. Kubrick Week at Row House Cinema
Thanksgiving weekend kicks off holiday movie season. But if feel-good blockbusters aren’t your guests’ bag, try Row House, one of the city’s favorite second-run movie theaters. Starting on the 23rd, this cozy theater will be showing some of Stanley Kubrick’s greatest films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Paths of Glory, and The Shining. Grab dinner at one of the numerous restaurants on Butler Street, nab a beer next door before the show, and experience one of these stunning films on the big screen.
6. Extended Hours at the Children’s Museum
Claim your title as best aunt/uncle/parent ever by treating the family to a day at the Children’s Museum! This Northside institution is extending its hours on Black Friday (they’ll be open 9am to 5pm), so your little ones can burn off ALL of the sugar from the pie they ate the day before. The hands-on exhibits and craft opportunities will keep kids busy for hours—busy enough that they won’t even notice you tearing up at the Mr. Rogers puppets. (You’ll find everyone from Daniel Tiger to Lady Elaine on display near the Nursery exhibit. Bring tissues.)
7. Climbing and Yoga at Ascend
Wanna shake the post-Thanksgiving slump? Spend the day at Ascend! A day pass gets you unlimited climbing on Ascend’s rainbow-colored boulders, access to their fitness equipment, PLUS a class of your choice! Working off those mashed potatoes is a lot more fun when exercise feels like play—exploring the climbing walls will challenge experienced climbers and have newbies feeling like a kid again. End your adventure with yoga (they offer everything from vinyasa to acro), and gab about the day at one of numerous Carson Street eateries. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving reset.
8. Ring in the Holidays at Miracle on Liberty
Thanksgiving? As Ariana puts it, “Thank U, Next”! With Turkey Day behind you, it’s time to go hard into the holidays, and there’s no better place to celebrate than Miracle on Liberty. Every inch of this pop-up bar twinkles, shimmers, and glows with terrifically tacky levels of holiday decor. And the menu of specialty cocktails? These wintry cocktails are worth the wait. Whether you’ve been hunting deals since dawn or entertaining the fam all around town, there’s no better way to end the day—especially since Miracle will be raising money for 412 Food Rescue and Action Against Hunger!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.