HS kids in Pittsburgh
 

I'm bringing 23 high schoolers to Pgh in June. Anything we shouldn't miss? Where should we eat?

Eileen,<BR><BR>If you can provide some more information such as how long you will be here, what kind of things in general are you looking for(museums, fun, etc.), why you are bringing 23 kids here, budget, etc., I will be able to give you plenty of ideas.<BR><BR>Jeff

Here are some initial suggestions. The best thing to do is check them out on the net and then make a decision.<BR><BR>Carnegi Science Center - http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/<BR><BR>Carnegi Museum of Natural history - www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmnh/ <BR><BR>UPMC Sports Works - http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/upmc-sportsworks/sportsworks.htm<BR><BR>The Mattress Factory – mattressfactory.org <BR><BR>Phipps Conservatory - www.phipps.conservatory.org/ <BR><BR>The National Aviary - http://www.aviary.org/<BR><BR>The Andy Warhol Museum - www.warhol.org/ <BR><BR>Ride the incline - http://www.incline.cc/ <BR><BR>Pittsburgh Zoo &amp; PPG Aquarium - http://zoo.pgh.pa.us/<BR><BR>Since you are going to be here in June, I would try to get to PNC Park and see the Pirates play. It is an awesome facility and you could probably get a group rate on tickets. - http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/pit/homepage/pit_homepage.jsp<BR><BR>Places to eat could include:<BR><BR>Dave and Buster's - www.daveandbusters.com/ <BR><BR>Damon's - www.damons.com/ <BR><BR>Station Square has many dining options - www.stationsquare.com/ <BR><BR>Hope this helps. As I said earlier, if you can post more detail, I can help better.<BR>

I forgot to mention our amusement park, Kennywood Park. It has great roller coasters.<BR><BR>www.kennywood.com/ <BR><BR>Sandcastle waterpark is also near Kennywood. -www.sandcastlewaterpark.com/ <BR><BR>On another note, if you are looking for outdoor nature type stuff, I can help with that also.

Thanks Jeff. We're doing a mission trip, staying in East Liberty Sun-Thur and have Friday 9am- 8pm as our free day. I'm planning a low-cost,full-day,get-to-know Pittsburgh adventure.Oakland for Carnegie Museums in am,(Original hot dogs for lunch?), Incline then something else? in afternoon, then cheap &amp; fun that seats 26 for supper. Timing is wrong for Pirates game,dang.

It sounds like you are off to a good start with the Carnegi in Oakland in the AM(although that may not be enough time?) and the &quot;O&quot; for hot dogs at lunch. The &quot;O&quot; is right in the heart of the University of Pittsburgh &quot;action&quot; and the kids may enjoy that.<BR><BR>If you go to the incline after lunch, you may want to make the Northside your next stop. That is where the National Aviary, the Carnegi Science Center, the UPMC Sportsworks(great for teenagers), the Mattress Factory(modern art museum), the Andy Warhol museum, PNC Park, and Heinz Field are. All of these places are in close quarters and even walkable if you just want to park once and be done with it. There are also many places to eat on the Northside.<BR><BR>As far as eating at a fun place on the cheap......that's a tough one. Damon's and Dave and Busters are fun but not exactly cheap. They aren't expensive though either. Dave and Buster's is located in an entertainment complex called the Waterfront in the Homestead area of Pittsburgh. - http://www.waterfronttowncenter.com/<BR><BR>Hopefully others will jump in with additional suggestions for you. It sounds like those kids will be worn out by the end of the day!!!<BR><BR>Let me know if you have additional questions and I will be happy to try and answer them.

<BR>eileen,<BR>Glad to see you were thinking about baseball. I suppose they still have the picnic pavillions at Kennywood? <BR>

They sure do have the picnic pavilions at Kennywood. Of course you have to pay to get into the park to use them, but they are still available.

Addendum. I just read where this is a &quot;mission&quot; trip. I assume that is religious and maybe helping in the community? I commend the kids for that but couldn't they help in Cleveland or Washington, DC or Cancun? Help is needed all over. Pittsburgh?????

Drew,<BR><BR>After all the things I just listed to do in Pittsburgh, how could you say it is boring?<BR><BR>Pittsburgh is a great town with plenty to do. You just have to get off your butt and do it.<BR><BR>....and yes, I do live in Pittsburgh. However, I also travel often and there are not many mid-size cities that have all the great attractions that Pittsburgh has. I limited my response to teenage suggestions only. Adults have even more options.<BR><BR>Are you from Cleveland Drew? Because Cleveland compares in no way to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is a much more vibrant town that is improving year after year. It hasn't been the stereotypical steel town for many, many years.

It's the Carnegie, not Carnegi museum.

eileen IS going to Pgh<BR><BR>eileen,<BR>maybe the &quot;something else&quot;, and outside, before the incline. Then dinner at Station Square. Friday, so you would be competing with the locals for tables, but you're timing would have you eating before the locals finished happy hour. Be sure to call and arrange a discount since a group of 26 would be a bonanza to a place that doesn't handle tour buses.<BR>

there is always the Nationalality Rooms in te Cathedral of Learning on the Pitt campus...kids and adults find that very interesting and is in the same place as the Carnegie...hope you have a bus or form of transportation around PGH...also I`d call the &quot;O&quot; and tell them you have a group...it`s not too big...as w/any eating place..there is the Gateway Clipper tours of the river at Station Square..and you`d get a group discount...kids and adults love that..and the Planeterium is great too on the North Side..try Pittsburgh.com for lots of info...have a great time..

Someone picked Pittsburgh over Cancun for high school kids?? Hello? Is there an explanation?? I have got to hear this!!!

Read the original post. The students are on a MISSION trip. This is their day off from work. Lighten up everyone!<BR>

Uhhh Sue? I read then reread the original post. I must have gone over it 8 times. It does not mention anything about a mission trip.<BR><BR>I think apologies are in order.<BR><BR>I will cast my vote about the trip. I think I would have more fun in Cancun than Pittsburgh and money would go further.

Thank you Jeff and Bill! Very helpful suggestions.We are way excited about an urban experience.Thank you for your help.Help from the locals makes it much easier. Drew:We're coming from Madison Wi and in past years have gone to Smokey Mtns,Lakota Rez in South Dakota and Northern Cheyenne Rez in Wyomin on mission trips.All were amazing in different ways. I took a group to Omaha Nebraska for Habitat and had a great time on the site and in the city.On my own time in the past 5 years I've been to DC,NYC,Santa Fe,San Diego,Key West, South Beach, Monterey so it's not like I don't know.This trip filled up in 2 weeks.Kids are excited<BR>General:Please don't stereotype teenagers. They are interested in all sorts of things-mostly of course, each other but you'd be amazed at what they find interesting. And these are a variety of kids but most are involved in something, be it sports, music, art,theater, job etc.<BR>I'll step off my soapbox now!

I can remember when I was a teen and I would enjoy going to Cancun more than Pittsburgh. As an adult I would also.

Eileen, you are to be commended for the double-mitzvah you are doing-the work of your mission &amp; travelling with 23 high schoolers! Jeff has made great suggestions. The Science Center is great. The O is a great place for lunch-it has a charm of its own. High schoolers might be interested in touring U of Pitt campus which surrounds the O. You might want to contact the University for help on that. The Cathedral of Learning really is different from any other college building you will see. Final suggestion for dinner Friday night-it's not glamourous or gourmet, but kids that age love buffets - maybe a Pittsburgh poster might know of a chinese buffet restaurant. Lots of food for hungry teenagers at a relatively low price. Have fun!

You've received some excellent suggestions. I think if the weather is decent, Kennywood would be the most fun for the students. If it's raining, the suggestion of the Carnegie Science Center is a good one. They have an IMAX movie theatre and next door, associated with the museum, is the UPMC Sportsworks, which offers an interactive sports experience. One suggestion for an inexpensive meal is LuLus/Yum Wok (Asian/noodle) in Oakland on Craig Street. Food is good, portions are huge, and it's inexpensive (less than $7 per entree). Don't know if you were looking for Friday evening activities as well. The CLO is performing Miss Saigon followed by Annie in June. Best of luck in your planning.