Kidsylvania: Pittsburgh

At Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, the philosophy is simple - play with real stuff. The museum is a great big world of activities that challenge children's abilities. Get excited, a day of fun awaits. 

In the MAKESHOP, kids and parents can build, tinker and do-it-themselves with a variety of cutting-edge tools and media including electronics, sewing machines, animation stations, woodworking and much more to create their own unique pieces to take home. Feel like being even more creative? The Studio is ready to rock. Grab a smock and start painting, or go green and create a sculpture. Kids will have a blast creating original works of art out of boxes, egg cartons and other recycled materials.

Speaking of going green, be sure to step outside to the Backyard for some fun in the sun. The interactive "clubhouse" offers kids their own little getaway with a periscope to see what's going on below. And as for what's going on below? Just a huge sand box with shovels, buckets and trucks that kids will love to dig in to. 

Inside and out, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh has plenty of fun for even the biggest kids. We're looking at you, mom and dad. 

Just across the Roberto Clemente Bridge, your next stop is Station Square. Hop out of the car and onto a carriage for a tour of the restaurants and shops. Or jump on a Segway if you're feeling futuristic. After taking in the festive sights, prepare to be dazzled by the state-of-the-art Fountain at Bessemer Court, featuring hundreds of multi-colored water jets that soar through the air as they dance to music. The fountain performs more than a dozen different shows, including classics by Paul Simon and the Beach Boys. Oh, and be sure to stick around for the Disney Magic Show and enjoy the impromptu sing along with your kids.

After you've had your fill of the water and light show, you might think it would be tough to find a better view. Turns out, you just need to scale nearby Mt. Washington. The Incline will take you 800 feet up the side of the mountain, complete with a spectacular view of downtown Pittsburgh, the Point and the majestic bridges. Be sure to take a guided tour of the Upper Station to see just how the Incline works. And while you should be sure to stop by the Incline giftshop for some keepsakes, also take a moment to walk down Pittsburgh's memory lane, as historical pictures of its industry, venues and natural disasters line the Station walls.

No trip to Pittsburgh is complete without a duck boat adventure. Gather up the kids and tour Pittsburgh's streets and waterways without ever leaving your seat. The duck boats offer parents a look at Pittsburgh's historic and cultural districts, and offer kids the chance to marvel at skyscrapers that are larger than life. Starting at historic Station Square, the tour winds its way through the business district and the Cultural District. Just past Heinz Field, you'll run out of road. That's when the duck boat waddles into the river to offer a picture-perfect view of the skyline. Cool, huh? 

Just a few minutes down the road is the perfect place to stop and smell the roses - and everything else featured in the gardens at Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Garden. Kids can get a hands-on look at the Discovery Table exhibits housed in the Conservatory and let their imagination run wild as they make their way through the more than 17 botanical gardens and the upcoming summer flower show. At the Phipps, there's no shortage of sights, sounds and smells to be enjoyed here, all set in peaceful Schenley Park.

A short distance away from the Phipps, you'll be transported back in time. Take a ride on the PNC Carousel, a Victorian-style carousel modeled after the original Schenley Park Carousel built in 1913. Kids of all ages - that's you, mom and dad - will crack a smile during the ride, with its lively colors and old-fashioned pipe music.

Open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium are one of only six major zoo and aquarium combinations in the country. A 77-acre facility with thousands of animals, including elephants, lions, primates and rare species, as well as 22 threatened or endangered species, the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is the place to be for animal lovers of all ages.

At Kid's Kingdom, your kids can get up close and personal with animals at the petting zoo. They can see and learn about species that call Pennsylvania home like the white-tailed deer, wild turkey and American beaver, and crawl through the Meerkat exhibit to give them a unique look into the life of burrowing animals. With its abundance of educational programs and conservation projects, the Pittsburgh Zoo strives to make sure every creature can continue to call Earth home.

And for those who dream of a life under the sea, the PPG Aquarium has just what you're looking for. Your kids will gaze in wonder at the rare and mysterious creatures of the deep, including the Blacktip Reef Shark and Giant Pacific Octopus, and you'll be hard-pressed not to join them as they imitate the walk of one of the aquarium's King Penguins. It's a place where your kids can go wild. Even more than usual, we man.