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City Cast Pittsburgh

🍂 It’s fall time at the farm! Here’s where to pick the perfect pumpkin around Pittsburgh.

 in Wexford drinking cider, picking pumpkins and apples, and shopping at the market; 

 opens Sept. 28 and runs seven days a week. Check out their scenic walking trail!

 in Beaver County hosts its fall festivities on weekends in October. Don’t skip the Amish donuts — and make sure to bring cash!

 in Gibsonia hosts a pick-your-own pumpkin festival on the weekends in October with hayrides, a corn maze, farm animals, craft beer, baked goods, and more.

 every weekend in October with tractor and hay rides, farm-fresh food, a pumpkin patch, and more. Get in on the autumn fun early with the 21+ 

 event on Sept. 28 where you can hunt for local beer, wine, and spirits in the corn maze.

 in Murrysville is known for its annual corn maze designs and unique challenges throughout the field. 

 on Oct. 5 with a family-friendly fall festival featuring food, crafts, games, pumpkins, and demos.

 in Monongahela is in its full fall season fun with pumpkin, apple, and flower picking, which last through October.

 in Upper Saint Clair doesn’t have a patch, but always has a selection of pumpkins from their farm in Mercer.

 in McMurray: hayrides, corn mazes, and apple and flower picking. Go for a 

 in Finleyville starts its fall festival on Sept. 28, and it runs every weekend through October. Find goods from the market, hayrides, farm animals, food trucks, a corn maze, live music, and pumpkins galore. And don’t miss 

 was always my pumpkin picking destination. Celebrate fall at 

 every weekend in October with hay rides, corn mazes, food and craft vendors, and more. Don’t forget to stop in the market to find lots of locally made goodies.

🎃 Find More Fall Festivities & Oktoberfests Here!

It’s fall time at the farm! Here’s where to pick the perfect pumpkin around Pittsburgh.

where to pick the perfect pumpkin around Pittsburgh

Where To Pick Pumpkins In Pittsburgh

Find the best of everything that Pittsburgh has to offer.

Pittsburgh’s Best

Pittsburgh's Best

! The April 8 total solar eclipse – which will send a swath of the U.S. into sudden twilight – will be the “

 a range with the best view of the eclipse stretching from southern Texas to northern Maine. But northwest Pennsylvania will be unique because the blackout will last for nearly four minutes!

 that shows where and when the total eclipse will happen in Pennsylvania.

While this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you’ve been warned: You might just want to 

 instead of hiking north. Erie could bring in 

, and a lot of hotels and campgrounds are 

. State and local officials are still figuring out how to 

And it’s totally possible that clouds could obstruct the view. 

 from last year says that Erie has about a 39.2% chance of clear skies.

 starting at 2 p.m., with the maximum eclipse view at 3:17 p.m. A partial eclipse means the sky will never fully darken. Make sure to keep your glasses on to protect your eyes!

No matter where you are, in perfect view or not, it will be a powerful moment of collective memory-making. We won’t have another viewable total eclipse from the U.S. until 

. The last total solar eclipse along the East Coast was on March 7, 1970.

Erie, Pennsylvania is in the path of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse.

Make Plans for the Solar Eclipse in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Make Plans for the Solar Eclipse in Pittsburgh

Get to know the natural side of Pittsburgh: the plants, animals, weather and more that make our city unique.

Pittsburgh Urban Almanac

Urban Almanac

It’s a good time to brush off your car and brush up on safety tips for navigating Pittsburgh’s “

 for battery health, lights, brakes, wipers, windshield fluid, and tire pressure. You might want to get winter wiper blades so they don’t streak.

, or get snow chains for your tires. Chains are permitted in Pennsylvania between Nov. 1 and 

: Put a quarter into the tread of your tire and look for George Washington’s head. If you can see any part of the top of his head, you don’t have enough tread, and you should replace those tires.

 Snow should never be shoveled onto the street. Make sure the snow isn’t piled near the oncoming direction of snow plows so that it won’t get pushed back into your driveway. And don’t forget to clear ice and snow off your car. 

 to decrease your risk of getting stranded.

 in your car with a blanket, extra warm clothes, jumper cables, flashlight and batteries, bottled water, snow shovel, ice scraper, and other supplies.

 Pittsburgh’s hills can get pretty dicey, so it’s a good idea to get familiar with multiple routes in case snow and ice send you on a detour. There’s actually an app where you can 

 and keep extra space between yourself and other cars — no matter what type of vehicle you have.

on bridges and underpasses. Those are the slippiest!

If you begin to skid, let off the accelerator and brake

, then turn your steering wheel in the direction you want to go.

 – especially with our steep and narrow streets. If you see a chair, cone, or object of any kind holding a cleared spot in the snow, be a friendly neighbor and find a different spot.

Bush off your car and brush up on safety tips for navigating Pittsburgh’s “slippy” winter streets.

Tips for Winter Driving in Pittsburgh

Tips and tricks for living your best Pittsburgh life, by locals, for locals.

Pittsburgh Life Hacks

If you’re looking for outdoorsy autumn getaways, the City Cast Pittsburgh team has you covered. Check out the team’s 

favorite trips within four hours of the ‘Burgh.

Mallory loves this park in Davis, West Virginia for the incredible fall foliage, the biking and hiking trails, and the idyllic waterfalls. After a day of exploring the park, you can treat yo’self at several breweries and distilleries in the area. Mallory also recommends taking a nine-minute drive to 

🚗 About 180 miles northeast of Pittsburgh

This park in Coudersport, PA is the ideal location for stargazers. It’s also a great place for seeing meteor showers, the Milky Way, and, if you’re lucky, the Northern Lights. Sophia especially loves Cherry Springs because it’s the only 

 in Pennsylvania. Campgrounds at the park are 

🚗 About 230 miles northeast of Pittsburgh

 canyon in Arizona get all the love — you’ve got a grand canyon in your state, too! Drive over to Tioga State Park near Wellsboro to witness this canyon that stretches 45 miles with depths of nearly 1,500 feet. Check out the Pine Creek Rail Trail, a converted railroad bed that travels along the Pine Creek Gorge.

🚗 About 300 miles southwest of Pittsburgh

Megan loves staying in the northern tip of this Finger Lake in New York state for its great restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores that make it ideal for overnight stays. The lake itself is great for water sports enthusiasts, and there are a few great bike trails for visitors who’d rather stay dry. The area is really known for its wineries; Megan recommends 

the ideal trips for Pittsburgh beer lovers.

And local haunts for the scary season 👻

If you’re looking for outdoorsy autumn getaways, the City Cast Pittsburgh team has you covered. Check out some of the team’s favorite trips within four hours of the ‘Burgh, including Pennsylvania's only dark-sky-certified park.

4 Fall Getaways Within 4 Hours of Pittsburgh

Cheers to beers and fall getaways! Trace Brewing’s Aadam Soorma 

 to share his favorite spots for craft brews near the ‘Burgh.

Drive two-and-a-half hours north to sip beer from Southern Tier's flagship location located near the beautiful Chautauqua Lake in Lakewood, N.Y. Stay a weekend to check out the Lucille Ball Memorial Statue, National Comedy Center, Celoron Lighthouse, and the 

You can fill up on so much more than beer at this Port Clinton, Ohio brewery near Lake Erie. The 60-acre farm has stone fruit orchards, home-grown produce, a wildflower garden, and a small, seasonal menu that pairs perfectly with Twin Oast’s traditional German brews. Keep an eye on their calendar for live music, game day watch parties, and five-course dinners.

If you’ve enjoyed a craft beer at the Cobblehaus Brewing Company in Coraopolis, you have to take a trip to its cliffside brewery in Mercer, Pa., located on the site of an old iron furnace. Sip on a German or Belgian beer while soaking in its seven acres of natural beauty overlooking Springfield Falls.

Can it get better than drinking beer in a converted barn in the middle of nowhere? Actually, it does: there are pigs everywhere! This Fresno, Ohio brewery practices sustainability by feeding the spent grain to wooly pigs. Head two hours west of Pittsburgh for traditional lagers, ales, and new friends with tails!

You can find this brewer-owned, family-friendly spot specializing in IPAs and lagers just 30 minutes outside of the city. They give a portion of their proceeds year-round to environmental nonprofits, and they’re close to fun seasonal activities — like a visit to the 

Head west an hour to Youngstown, Ohio for a thirst-quencher from this Black woman-owned biz. OK, so it’s not beer, but there is a brewery attached to the building and plenty more in town. It’s a great weekend trip for outdoor fun at 

Cheers to beers and fall getaways! Trace Brewing’s Aadam Soorma joined the City Cast Pittsburgh team to share his favorite spots for craft brews near the ‘Burgh.

The Best Weekend Trips for Pittsburgh Beer Lovers

 in early-to-mid October. Admire Pennsylvania's bright-colored leaves on your way to these four getaways outside of Pittsburgh.

Mallory’s favorite Ohiopyle activity is biking along the Youghiogheny River Trail — a crushed limestone trail that was once the rail bed for the Western Maryland Railroad. Get your thrills and chills this Friday at two 

 guided hikes with haunted stories. Want to 

? There are plenty of campgrounds, cottages, hotels, and resorts.

Go back in time to the 1800s with a visit to McConnells Mill State Park in Portersville. The park has a deep scenic gorge, waterfalls, and a restored watermill that was one of the first rolling mills in the country. Stop by 

 (3 minutes away) for hayrides, corn mazes, and a pumpkin patch. You can rough it at the 

We love a cool, underground destination — 

. You can explore rock formations in Farmington, Pennsylvania, home to the largest cave in Pennsylvania. 

, and don’t forget your layers! The cave is 52 degrees Fahrenheit all year round.

The quaint little town of Harmony has interesting old buildings, restaurants, and an even more fascinating history. The town was founded in 1805 by Harmonists, a group of exiled, pious Germans that followed their prophet leader to Western Pennsylvania. Their settlement was a common trust where no one individual owned anything, and in the 1800s, the society was worth $2 million. But their riches didn’t last; church leaders called for a celibate period, eventually dissolving the group after 100 years.

Check out the cemetery where they buried their dead without markers, and learn more about the bygone society at 

Fall foliage will be at its peak in early-to-mid October. Admire Pennsylvania's bright-colored leaves on your way to these four getaways outside of Pittsburgh.

Go Leaf Peeping on These 4 Fall Getaways Near Pittsburgh

If you’re looking for a day trip, head about 50 minutes south of the city to Monongahela in Washington County, the oldest settlement in the Monongahela River Valley. The town, like Pittsburgh, was developed near a confluence, and named after the nearby river that joined with Pigeon Creek. The Monongahela tribe was indigenous to the area prior to colonized settlement in 1769. Monongahela means “falling banks.”

, a boutique family winemaker founded in 1987. Look for happy hours the second Friday of every month featuring live entertainment, food trucks, antipasto trays, wine specials, and more. The next one is this week, Aug. 11, from 5-8 p.m., with made-to-order pizzas from The Wooden Peel.

Summer and fall are the perfect seasons to visit 

, a pick-your-own farm and market. Check their website for what picking produce is in season. On my latest visit, I had a blast harvesting a bushel of peaches, lavender, and a bouquet of zinnias from their fresh flower garden. If you go this weekend, you can 

pick sunflowers benefiting Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

Don’t leave Triple B Farms without getting a basket of goodies from the market: fresh produce, baked goods, jams, salsa, pickles, and more. For some secondhand shopping, check out 

If you’re looking for a day trip, head about 50 minutes south of the city to Monongahela in Washington County, the oldest settlement in the Monongahela River Valley.

Get To Know Monongahela in Washington County

Everything to know about Pittsburgh neighborhoods: Where to go, eat, shop, drink, and more.

Pittsburgh Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood Guides

When you think of peaches, your mind probably goes south to Georgia. But did you know you can get freshly-grown Chambersburg peaches right here in Pennsylvania? They’re in season right now through Labor Day, and you won’t want to miss a drop of their juicy deliciousness. The thing that makes these peaches so unique is our local soil and climate; Georgia’s peaches are grown in a much sandier soil, and terroir affects taste.

There aren’t that many Chambersburg peach growers left (

in Chambersburg is one of the few remaining growers, if you're up for a road trip) so we have to support them if we want to keep eating ‘em! Look at your local farmers market, the 

 from Driftwood Oven in Lawrenceville through the end of August.

When you think of peaches, your mind probably goes south to Georgia. But did you know that we have our own variety of Chambersburg peaches in Pennsylvania? They’re in season right now, and you won’t want to miss a drop of their juicy deliciousness.

travel

Where To Pick Pumpkins In Pittsburgh

Make Plans for the Solar Eclipse in Pittsburgh

Tips for Winter Driving in Pittsburgh

Latest articles

Where To Pick Pumpkins In Pittsburgh

Make Plans for the Solar Eclipse in Pittsburgh

Tips for Winter Driving in Pittsburgh

4 Fall Getaways Within 4 Hours of Pittsburgh

The Best Weekend Trips for Pittsburgh Beer Lovers

Go Leaf Peeping on These 4 Fall Getaways Near Pittsburgh

Get To Know Monongahela in Washington County

Latest articles

4 Fall Getaways Within 4 Hours of Pittsburgh

The Best Weekend Trips for Pittsburgh Beer Lovers

Go Leaf Peeping on These 4 Fall Getaways Near Pittsburgh

Get To Know Monongahela in Washington County

What's So Special About Chambersburg Peaches?