sonya

We're visiting relatives in Pennsylvania the last week in March. They live near Meadeville, PA. We are taking the kids ages 7 & 10. Does anybody know of any kid friendly activities within a short drive of this area? Parks, factory tours, museums, theme parks, ummm, whatever might be fun for the kids.

Thanks for any and all input on this!

mo

Allegheny college is beautiful and worth a few hours visit for a tour. Check their calendar for performances and exhibitions. I think there was an amusement area on conneaut lake, but i am pretty sure that only gets going in the summer. Also, check presque isle in erie for some sight seeing. If I think of anything else, i'll write more.

jvc

You HAVE to take them to the Spillway in Linesville http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/PALINcarp.html Make sure you bring lots of cheap white bread! Absolutely crazy my three sons love it and anyone we bring are dumbfounded. Further along there is a small wildlife museum and further still is a fish hatchery. If you like to shop there as an awesome outlet mall just south of I-80 off I-79, Grove City Factory shops, best od all PA has no sales tax on clothes.

mo

I forgot about the spillway!!! wall to wall carp! what a hoot. I loved going there.

x

jump on I-79 and take them to Pttsburgh....a gang of things to do...do a search for Pittsburgh and you`ll see all kinds of things..March isn`t good time for things to do...if your interested I`ll post PGH things..such as the Carnegie Museum.Science Center.Planeterium.Aviary,etc

jvc

Also in Meadville is a fairly new Restaurant, Pete's Hotdogs. My boys love this one too, right next to the Red slobster. Hotdogs any way they want them (pickles, cheese and peppers etc.). HE has a free Skeeball machine which the kids love and the food is Cheap. Pittsburgh is 1 1/2 hrs south and we know where there are fun things for kids, as well as on the way stops like the Appalacian Rock Shop

sonya

Wow! I thought it was a long shot that anybody would have info on Meadville! Thanks guys!

We did the lake with the carp last time we were there and that is a definite do again....I thought it was called Pmatumey lake or something. There's also an animal farm there that we will do again. We did the hatchery last time too but probably won't do that again.

Is Pittsburgh pretty close? Could we go for the day and come home the same day? What are a couple of fun things there that stand out in your mind to do?

Last time we did some kind of Titusville or Oil City train ride too. The kids thought that was just ok, probably won't do that again.

Anymore advice? Keep it coming!

rachel

I've read that a new, indoor water park is openning in Erie, Pa, (within 30 minutes of Meadville) this winter. I dont know the name but I'm sure it's well publicized in that neck of the woods. I spent a lot of time in Erie as a kid (relatives) and they had a cute zoo. You can bet it will be too cold for presque isle (beach) and any amusement parks. You might also consider driving to Ellicottville, NY (about 1-11/2 hrs north) to do skiing, snowboarding, etc. and enjoy a lively llittle ski town. Pittsburgh is also a great suggestion-great science musuem there.

Jeff

Pittsburgh is your best bet, no question about it. It is only 1 1/2 hours from Meadville and a very easy drive. You simply jump on 79 South and head to the Burgh.

Pittsburgh Children's Museum
Carnegi Science Center - great for kids
Carnegi Museum of Natural history, awesome dinosaur exhibit!
UPMC Sports Works - also great for kids
The Mattress Factory
Phipps Conservatory - flowers
The National Aviary - very cool place!
The Andy Warhol Museum
Ride the incline - the kids will love it!

Do some research and you will find that there are many family oriented activities in Pittsburgh in the winter.

namesisfortombstones

The name of the lake is Pymatuning. I went to the spillway as a kid. I'm now 41, and just last year went there. Still the same fun as it was then. My favorite thing to do is dump an entire loaf at one time into the spillway, and watch the feeding frenzy!

rachel

One more thought-if you feel like driving around 2 hours you can head north to Niagara Falls.

sonya

Jeff-What is "the incline"? Also, I don't know if we want to do museums and such as last summer we did 2 weeks of museums, etc in Washington DC. I guess I am looking for "fun" stuff. You guys are great!

Also, anyone know about any cool stuff in Erie, PA? It seems that would be much closer.

Thanks again and keep it coming!

cap

The Incline is an old-fashioned funicular railway (sp?) that goes right up the hill. The bottom has a nice upscale indoor mall
(Station Square), the top has incredible views.

In warmer weather, you should take the kids to Kennywood, an amusement park with some of the best roller coasters in the country. Just outside of Pgh on the west side.

Jeff

Sonya,

Cap gave a bacic description of the incline. Here's a link to it:

http://www.incline.cc/

and another link here

http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Pittsburgh/Inclines/

I wouldn't classify the Carnegi Science Center as a museum. It's more of a hands on type of thing. Here's a link:

http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/

If your children are even remotely interested in sports the Sportsworks is a fun place. Here's a link:

http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/upmc-sportsworks/sportsworks.htm

The National Aviary also resides in Pittsburgh and is one of the best in the United States.

http://www.aviary.org/

I forgot to mention the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium in my first post.

http://zoo.pgh.pa.us/

I went the museum type route in my first post because there is not much else to do for kids in the Pittsburgh area in the winter. It will most likely be cold and snowy the last week of March in Pittsburgh and Meadeville.

Pittsburgh also has a great theater district if your are into shows.

The Penquin season will still be going on at the end of March if you like ice hockey.

Does your family ski? We have several ski resorts in the area as well.

What else did you have in mind? I can give you some options if you tell us what you are looking for.

On another note. The extra time to Pittsburgh is much better then going to Erie. You may be disappointed if you head North rather then South to the Burgh. The drive is very, very easy from Meadville to Pittsburgh. You get on the interstate in Meadville and get off the same interstate in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh will offer you many more options then Pittsburgh, especially in March.

Jeff

The indoor water park in Erie opens in February.

Here's the link:

http://www.splashlagoon.com/index2.html

It does look like fun!

Jeff

Another link and great guide to Pittsburgh.

http://pittsburgh.citysearch.com/best/results/7715

x

the best thing is the Science Center/Sportsworks and Aviary are on the same side of town..North Side---withn blocks of each other ---get off the East Street exit of 279(off of 79 proper...and the Planeterium is there too..also Andy Warhol and the Matress Factory..a that time of the year it`s too cold for other things..it`s worth a day trip to Pittsburgh...

sonya

thank you all so much!

This info is great! I will look into some of these things and ask the inlaws for their input as well. We'll spend some time hanging around their place and want to spend 1 or 2 days doing stuff the kids would enjoy in Pittsburgh, Erie, or anywhere else that's nearby enough to Meadville for a day trip.

I really appreciate the info and will keep researching and let you know what else sounds good to get input.

Oh, one more thing....Jeff, you mentioned theatre...we love to see live shows (we used to see a Broadway show at least once a year when we were traveling regularly to Manhattan)..are there any shows in Pittsburgh that are kid friendly? We're going to see "The Lion King" on tour here in Florida next week.

x

go to pittsburgh.com---there is info on the Theaters:Heinz Hall,etc and PGH Theater...rest. and all kinds of info

Jeff

Sonya,

There are not many permanent shows in Pittsburgh. The shows are rotated and you would have to check the schedule to see what shows will be playing at what theaters while you are in town. It will be hit or miss as far as whether a children’s type show will be playing. As x said in the last post www.pittsburgh.com is a good resource for Pittsburgh info. You will most definitely be able to find theater schedules there.