Location: McKeesport
Top Things to do in McKeesport
- 1. Kennywood Park
- 2. Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area
- 3. McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center
- 4. The Brew Gentlemen
- 5. The Waterfront
- 6. Braddock's Battlefield History Center
- 7. Century Square Luxury Cinemas
- 8. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
- 9. Renziehausen Park Rose Garden
- 10. Allegheny Flying Club
What to do and see in McKeesport, United States: The Best Places and Tips
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania; it is situated at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census. By population, it is Allegheny County's second-largest city, after Pittsburgh.
Restaurants in McKeesport
1. Kennywood Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1 reviews
Kennywood is America's Finest Traditional Amusement Park! Located just outside Pittsburgh, PA, Kennywood offers a unique mix of classic rides and modern thrills, including six roller coasters, a 14-ride Kiddieland, and several attractions that cannot be found anywhere else. Kennywood's three wooden coasters have all been designated Landmark rides by the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE). Founded as a trolley park in 1898 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1987, Kennywood guarantees unforgettable fun for all ages. The experience goes well beyond the rides, as guests enjoy homemade fudge, tasty funnel cakes, and the world-famous Potato Patch fries! And Kennywood is not just a summer attraction, either! Visit on fall weekends for Happy Hauntings, a kid-friendly daytime event, or Phantom Fright Nights, where scare-actors roam the grounds and jolts await on every thrill ride! Visit weekends from Thanksgiving to New Year's for Holiday Lights, Pittsburgh's best winter tradition!
Reviewed By mandimcm - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
We’re locals who have gone to Kennywood many times in our lives. This year they added a new Halloween event geared toward families with young children, called Happy Hauntings. As a Halloween lover with a child who’s too little for haunted houses, I was very excited for this! It didn’t disappoint! We went on a Saturday, it was my husband, me, our 13-year-old son, and our 8-year-old son. We got there right when they opened and I was surprised at how many people were in line to get in! But the line moved fast. (We used a coupon from the Halloween store for discounted tickets.)
Once inside the park, we were greeted by Kenny Kangaroo in his Halloween costume! The Kennywood Arrow was also there and dressed up, and some other characters who they put out just for the event. (A scarecrow with an adorable crow puppet, etc) We started with some trick-or-Treating in the Kennyville cemetery. (No ghouls, just staff handing out treats.) The kids were each provided with a bag and they got about 10 pieces of candy if I remember correctly. It was a festive start to the day! We then got some delicious popcorn by the Old Mill and walked over to Parkside Cafe to take a hayride around the park. The hayride was narrated and we went past inflatable Halloween decorations while she made jokes (“Dracula’s favorite holiday isn’t Halloween, it’s Fangsgiving”) and it was really cute. Next up was the train ride, decorated with adorable skeleton scenes (the bird skeletons being fed by a skeleton on a park bench was a highlight). Then my husband and teenager went to ride the Jack Rabbit while the little guy and I headed over to the Auto Race and Kiddieland. I assume the Racer will be open for this event in the future, but it was undergoing off-season maintenance this time. When it was time to meet up for food, husband and teen excitedly told us that the Jack Rabbit was a “walk on” today and they had ridden it over and over. Seems like most of the crowd had very young children and spent most of their time in kiddie land. So we ate at the Snackasaurus (awesome sandwiches) and got some fun seasonal coffees in Halloween souvenir to-go cups. Then we all headed over to the Jack Rabbit so the little guy could ride too. We rode it a few times and even bought a souvenir pic because why not, it was a fun memory!
We rounded out our visit with a trip through the little hay maze (for kids) with an awesome Jack-o-lantern archway over the entrance, another ride on the train, some carousel rides, and one more Auto Race. Then the kids stopped by this cool witch/wizard themed shop by the Jack Rabbit and made slime to take home. (I think it was $6.) Took pics with a big Jack-o-lantern by the lagoon. On the way out we refilled our popcorn by the Old Mill. The event only lasted until 4:00, giving the little guy plenty of time to safely leave the park before Phantom Fright Nights started. We all enjoyed it very much and have plans to hit this event again this year!
Some suggestions for Kennywood:
It would have been fun to ride Ghostwood Estate during this event! Also we wished that the Kangaroo had been open to ride. I would have loved some pumpkin foods! Pumpkin funnel cake or something like that. Or maybe a super chocolatey candy covered funnel cake, like Reese’s or something. Maybe some pumpkin soft serve. Halloween foods on sticks...anything festive like that. Looking forward to seeing how this event grows in the future!
2. Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area
Overall Ratings
5 based on 50 reviews
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area conserves, interprets and develops historical, cultural and recreational resources throughout western Pennsylvania. Destinations include the Carrie Blast Furnaces Nos. 6 and 7, Pinkerton's Landing, the Pump House at the Site of the former United States Steel Homestead Works, The Bost Building, and the W.A. Young Foundry and Machine Shop at Rices Landing. Rivers of Steel offers a variety of tours and events to share the region's evolution from colonial settlement to "Big Steel" to the modern era.
Reviewed By Marguerite S
We were recently in PA near Pittsburgh and wanted to visit Rivers of Steel. I knew that the blast furnace tours are very limited and must be booked in advance, and the Bost Building - which seems to be the heart of this complex from the website - is only open a few hours on M, W, and F. Further reading online informed me that the Bost Building is closed this summer. So we went as close to the site as we could, luckily met several police officers nearby yet none of them really knew about it, though one said the red building did seem to attract tours.
So Rivers of Steel seems to be a private organization, given tours during only very limited times. Why anyone would basically close shop during the summer vacation season by closing the main building for working being done isn't at all clear; I would think the work being done could be done at another time of the year.
So please be advised about the limited availability of the site to the public, similar to a Frank Lloyd Wright designed home rather than a public park. I find it odd that none of the reviewers have really pointed this out. I might try it again, as the reviews are otherwise great.
3. McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center
Overall Ratings
5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By fjkjr123 - White Oak, Pennsylvania
This gem is a hidden treasure in the former industrial hub of McKeesport. I would recommend anyone who is interested in southwestern-Pennsylvania history specifically, or industrial history in general, to plan a trip here. To peruse their museum displays, you could probably do it within 45 minutes - 1 hour. However, if you're a true history buff, you could also scroll through their microfilmed-U.S. Census records or their microfilmed-collection of the McKeesport Daily News (going back nearly to the newspaper's inception over 100 years ago!)
4. The Brew Gentlemen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 29 reviews
Reviewed By Linda B
Had three different types of beer and they all tasted the same. Maybe my taste buds but the three of us had the same thought. But it's always nice to support a local business!
5. The Waterfront
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 62 reviews
Reviewed By Samuel A - Valley Grove, West Virginia
Plenty of shops, restaurants and fun places. There is something for the whole family. Dave and busters for the kids and an improv comedy theater for dad and mom.
6. Braddock's Battlefield History Center
Overall Ratings
5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Ralph_MB - Manhattan Beach, California
This is a very small museum located at the sight of Braddock's defeat, a key battle in the French and Indian War (Seven Years War between France and England). It was also an important battle in the life of George Washington and had an influence in the American Revolution. There is a very knowledgeable guide that explains the history and the artifacts. If you are interested in history, this is worth about a one hour stop. I think that it is important to call ahead to make sure that the guide is giving tours. Even though the exhibits are labeled I don't think that this museum would be worthwhile without the guide. Note that the museum is located at the battle sight which is now a run down suburb of Pittsburgh, not in a nice park-like atmosphere like Ft Pitt, Ft Necessity, or Gettysburg. Even though this is only a brief stop in very unlikely place, I found it educational.
7. Century Square Luxury Cinemas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13 reviews
Reviewed By AuntKeek - Elizabeth, Pennsylvania
We visited this theater to see the movie Wonder Woman. The picture and sound quality were great. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The restrooms were clean, clean clean as was the entire theater. The seating was exceptional. The seats are very comfortable and there is plenty of room between the rows that allows people to get by during the movie without your having to get out of your seat. The prices are a little higher but I really enjoyed my visit to this theater and is wroth the extra cost. It is definitely on our list of theaters to frequent in the future.
8. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Overall Ratings
5 based on 2 reviews
A green oasis in the middle of Pittsburgh’s vibrant Oakland neighborhood, Phipps has provided a world-class garden experience to its visitors since 1893. Visit to discover breathtaking seasonal flower shows and special exhibits, a nationally-recognized orchid collection, butterflies, botanical gardens, fun family activities, and much more.
Reviewed By mjpk25 - Parkersburg, West Virginia
wow!...the smell of springtime is amazing and phipps captured it in lovely themed rooms...benches were everywhere to take a break and really experience the beauty...the chihuly sculptures were artistically placed thru out the conservatory...stunning!...gift shop was large, but as with most gift shops in this setting, a bit overpriced...our only beef was the parking...instead of allowing guests to have prime parking, they have staff w/prime parking...walking is not an issue for us, per say but we did see several people exhausted from the long walk from parking...maybe offer an open air shuttle or better yet, have your staff park far away from the building instead of you patrons...
9. Renziehausen Park Rose Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By etltr - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
This was such a great reprieve from a normal day...your senses are inundated with the scent and visually with the bright spectrum of a broad array of roses as well as other flowers...many fixed pieces of carved cement/wood decorated the garden. many benches as well as decorative furnishings...there is also a water garden so your sense of hearing is also stimulated as well...very tranquil..
10. Allegheny Flying Club
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Takeoff with one our FAA Certified Flight Instructor and discover the excitement of flying as being the Pilot or being a spectator over our beautiful city of Pittsburgh, PA.
Reviewed By qutrina - Pittsburgh
The staff was very friendly and professional. The city is beautiful. It looks like a perfect picture. I kept saying to myself, I can't believe that this is my city. I am going up again to try the night flight. I am sure that it will look great! Too bad I forgot my camera, but next time I will not forget. Overall, it was a fun and exciting event.
If you do not want to fly, don't worry you do not have to. However, I had to try just for a few seconds ... while it became a few minutes. It was like driving a car ... almost too easy.
Those pilots are so lucky. It is the only way to travel. No traffic and great view.
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