Insider's Guide: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden
The phrase "hidden gem" gets used pretty liberally these days and lacks the oomph it used to. However, as I ventured west outside of the city and took a gently meandering road up to Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, I realized that is the truest form of what a hidden gem is supposed to be.
Put on your walking shoes, bring your birdwatching guide and follow my Insider's Guide to this oasis of greenspace.
What to Expect
Your first question is probably very similar to mine: what exactly is Pittsburgh Botanic Garden? Despite the similar name to Phipps, these two places are entirely different experiences!
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden invites you to explore 65 acres of outdoor gardens and woodlands full of natural wildlife, art installations and surprises around every bend in the path. And, because all of the plant life is outdoors, everything you see is representative of the Pittsburgh region and something you could grow right here in this same climate, instantly connecting you to the wonder that surrounds you.
For first-time visitors, give yourself 1-2 hours to take it all in. Your journey starts small with whimsical gardens and buzzing pollinators, but quickly opens up into expansive meadows and themed woodlands with miles of trails to explore.
A Pittsburgh Comeback Story
As our wonderful tour guides walked us through the history of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, I couldn't help but draw parallels between their story and Pittsburgh's as a whole. When the Garden was founded in 1988, the land was de-forested and plagued by acid mine drainage, much like the Pittsburgh of that era recovering from the collapse of the steel industry.
These challenges didn't stop their team of expert horticulturalists from realizing their vision as they planted, filtered and grew the property over the intervening decades. Jump to 2024, and Pittsburgh Botanic Garden has evolved into a world-glass garden for all to enjoy. Meanwhile, this is just one example of Pittsburgh's green renaissance in a city where verdant parks, sustainable development and LEED-certified buildings are now the norm.
New for 2024
If you've never been to Pittsburgh Botanic Garden before, let me give you a few big reasons to visit in summer 2024. I mean gigantic, towering reasons. From June 15-Sept. 15, the Garden is welcoming David Rogers’ Big Bugs + Pollinators which places 10 massive sculptures including a praying mantis, daddy long legs, dragonfly and hummingbird throughout the Garden, all poised for one-of-a-kind photo ops!
What I love most about this exhibit is that each sculpture is thoughtfully placed at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in an area that would make sense for that creature to inhabit, like a damselfly hovering above the lotus pond! Even if you've been here before, these new sculptures will help you appreciate each area in a new light.
Kid-Friendly Fun
As a father of three, I am always looking for places that will surprise and delight my kids. Heck with the long lines at amusement parks and expensive tickets to museums: Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is the perfect place for a family excursion.
Activities geared towards children start the second you enter their Garden of the Five Senses with opportunities to dig in the sand, make music and see a kaleidoscope of color come to life at interactive stations. At the end of this experience, you'll find a garden that encourages you to water the plants and even do pop-up guided activities with a staff member at a covered pavilion.
For older kids (or kids at heart like me) the joy at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is discovery. As the gardens open up into woodlands, you'll exit paved pathways and start taking gravel and wood chip trails that wind their way through the rest of the property with something new at every turn. Your kids will hop on rocks across a lotus pond, find a mysterious Hermit Hut at the end of a European woodland and pose for photos holding eggs in the Giant Bird Nest.
Maximize Your Visit
There's so much to see at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, and I don't want you getting FOMO. In addition to the Gardens and the Woodlands I've described so far, here's some additional tips to help make your visit even better:
- Grab a drink first - The Canopy Cafe, located in the Welcome Center, offers beer, cider, kombucha, coffee, tea, matcha and more. The best part? You can take these beverages with you as you walk around the Garden!
- Check out the art exhibits - There's art to see throughout your visit to Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. Look for rotating exhibitions featuring local artists at the welcome center, see seasonal art displays in the main gardens and woodlands and venture all the way to Carbon Cycle: An Earth Art Exhibit for a stunning large-scale installation made with the intent of one day being reclaimed by the earth.
- Bring a book - The only mistake I made during my visit was not having a book on-hand to read at one of the many idyllic places I discovered during my walk. Whether it's the hot new novel or your birdwatching guide to help identify all the species you see there, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is the perfect place to curl up with a good book.
- Stay for lunch - Enjoy fresh salads, quiche and sandwiches at the Canopy Café! Kids also have their own menu of PB&J, pasta and grilled cheese crowd pleasers. The outdoor seating is serene and provides a wonderful wooded view.
- Exit through the gift shop - The Forage & Finds gift shop includes artwork, gardening accessories and more perfect for those with a green thumb in your life. But, be sure to check outside as well, that's where they sell many of the same herbs and plants you saw during your visit!
Four Seasons to Explore
We're very lucky in Pittsburgh to have four distinct seasons, which means Pittsburgh Botanic Garden has something new to show you every few months as the gardens and woodlands change and evolve with the temperatures. The meadow takes on a spectacular orange hue during the fall. The flowers and trees bud and come to life during spring. And December is one of the most popular months to visit as their Dazzling Nights holiday lights display wows visitors. So even if you've already been to the Garden this year, you're only a month or two away from a whole new experience the next time you visit.
Be Prepared + Accessibility
You can find more about tickets and admission on Pittsburgh Botanic Garden's website, but my main goal in this section is to be sure you plan for success on your trip. You're going to be out in the elements, so be sure to pack accordingly: sun screen, water bottles and comfy shoes are a must.
If you have accessibility concerns, be aware that this is an outdoor walking experience. Many paths around the Welcome Center and the Display Gardens are sloped but paved and wide, making these areas a bit easier to traverse. But the meadow and beyond are gravel or wood chipped. As always, my recommendation is to call ahead and be sure your specific needs are addressed prior to your visit.
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Pittsburgh Botanic Garden799 Pinkerton Run Rd.
Oakdale, Pennsylvania 15071