As the city of bridges gets decked out in lights, you’ll want to explore all of the holiday activities Pittsburgh has to offer. Make Pitt feel even more like home by filling up your Winter calendar with these festive seasonal outings.

Phipps Conservatory “Holiday Magic!”

1 Schenley Dr.

Head over to Phipps Conservatory for a festive holiday spectacular right in Pitt’s backyard. The beautiful greenery will be decked out in sparkling lights and over 2,000 poinsettias this holiday season. Bundle up and head to the outdoor portion of Phipps to see their Winter Flower Show and Light Garden, complete with a tunnel of lights designed to look like a winter sky. This is the perfect setting to bring visiting family members or to take photos with friends.  Earn free admission by showing your Pitt ID.

Schenley Park Ice Rink

10341 Overlook Glen Dr

Another close-by activity for Pitt students, ice-skating in Schenley Park works for a college-student budget– only $5 for adults, with $3 skate rentals. This rink also has themed nights like Mascot Skate on January 6th, and Valentines On Ice on February 14th. If you’re in the mood to get away from campus, take the bus (free with your student ID) down to the PPG skate rink downtown.  

Kennywood Holiday Lights

4800 Kennywood Blvd.

Kennywood seems to have an activity for every season, and the Holiday Lights display is not one to miss. The light show on the lagoon is timed along with favorite Holiday songs– just make sure to bundle up, the entire show is outdoors. Tickets are $18.99 at the gate, but discounted if you purchase in advance, and even less if you head over with a group of 12 or more friends.

Pitt Ballet Club’s The Nutcracker

315 S Bellefield Ave.

Every year, the Pitt Ballet Club puts on a stunning and entirely student-run performance of The Nutcracker in the Bellefield Hall Auditorium. Join your classmates on December 3rd at either 1pm or 5pm for this holiday classic, admission is free.

Hot Chocolate at Zeke’s coffee

6015 Penn Ave

In the search for the perfect warm beverage for those frigid Pittsburgh winters, Zeke’s hot chocolate beats the rest. Stay on the lookout for their pink hot chocolate featured last winter– will it make a return this year? If you’d rather try a different spot, head over to one of the Crazy Mocha locations, where they serve up tons of different chocolate-y coffee drinks.