What to Do At Kennywood Park with Kids? EVERYTHING!

I don’t know if you’ve heard but Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is not only home to the Steelers but is home to the one and only Kennywood Park! Nestled in a small town in West Mifflin, it’s one of the oldest parks in the state. But I’ve got to say, for a park that’s been around for 120 years, it was more than just a carousel and swings. No trip to Pittsburgh would be complete without a day at Kennywood!

Getting There

Don’t be alarmed when your GPS has you going though back roads to get to the park. Strangely enough, Kennywood sits right outside of houses and a small shopping center. But not to worry, it’s safe.

Parking

There are two options, FREE Parking  or Preferred Parking. We took the preferred parking at $7 and it put us right at the front gate. For those that choose free parking, it’s a little further from the gate but not that bad of a hike. Unlike other parks, you won’t be walking 5 miles to the entrance. I was amused by the ski lifts running across the parking lot; not sure if they work but it was a sight to see.

Attractions

The attractions at Kennywood are both classic and modern, providing families with rides and games that can be enjoyed for people of all ages. Aside from coasters and thrill rides, there are paddle boats, live shows, reasonably priced carnival styled games and a large arcade. We hurried to the rides of course and rated each one at the end. There were smiles from ear to ear so it was hard trying to identify our favorites but we finally figured it out.

 

Phantom’s Revenge – Without a doubt Phantom’s Revenge was the best ride in the park. Everyone knows that we’re thrill seekers so when we found that the Littles could ride, it was on! This coaster was EVERYTHING. Since the kids made the height requirements, I didn’t think it was going to be too much of a thrill for me but I WAS WRONG. My recommendation is to sit back and try to hold tight. I know my daughter and I lifted up out of our seats at least twice. Yes, we were strapped in and locked down but it was definitely a ride that had our hearts in our stomachs. She had such a great time that she wanted to ride again. Actually, the entire family wanted to ride again.

4D Theater – The Lego Movie is now playing and we snagged seats in the first row. In this show, we had to defeat the bad guys before they turned us into Lego Robots. We weren’t going to have that so the audience worked together and saved the day of course. Children 3 and up would love it.

The Racer – On this wooden coaster, two teams go head to head racing to see who will cross the finish line first. It’s the only single-continuous track coaster in the U.S. where riders that begin on the right of the station finish on the left. I don’t know how we did it, but we were on the winning team yet again!

Raging Rapids – Expect to get soaked! Some of us decided to wear ponchos on the ride while others did not. For those who didn’t, lets just say we were soaked on at least one side of our bodies. As the only water ride, you may find yourself in the line more than once on a hot day. There are also great views of Thomas Town on the bridge.

Noah’s Ark – Take a trip back in time to the day the earth was flooded when you step on this moving boat. There are animals, fun house mirrors, things popping out around corners, moving floors and so much more. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into but boy was it fun. It’s a must do with the kids for sure.

Thomas Town

All aboard the trains at Thomas Town™, Kennywood’s newest attraction! The wait is finally over and families can explore 5 new rides based on characters from the show, including a life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine™. There are live shows daily featuring Sir Topham Hatt and a few friends. Thomas Town™ at Kennywood is the second-largest permanent Thomas & Friends™ attraction in North America. Since Thomas Town just opened up, I would recommend visiting in the morning when the park first opens or late in the evening when many guest are heading out.

When the kids are ready to hop on the train with our favorite steam engine, get in line to Journey with Thomas.  Kids take a ride around the Monongahela River and the Edgar Thomson Works, the oldest steel mill in the Steel City for an unforgettable experience. In Flynn’s Fire Training, junior firefighters shoot water to extinguish flames. How cool is this? For those kids that want to run and play, Kennywood brings us Thomas & Friends Big Adventures Play Zone. It’s a play area where the kids construct test tracks for the Steam Team, and relive some of the characters’ favorite moments. If you’ve ever wanted to have a Thomas party, contact Kennywood about the Birthday Party packages, yes it’s a real thing.

New Roller Coaster Debuting in 2019

There’s a new roller coaster coming to town representing the Pittsburgh Steelers in Black and Yellow style called The Steel Curtain! Look forward to 4,000 feet of track traveling at 75 miles per hour while navigating 9 inversions, including the world’s tallest inversion at 197 feet above the ground. Be of the first to ride The Undisputed Champion of Roller Coasters when it opens next year.

Restaurants & Treats– We all agreed that Kennywood had some of the best park food and included favorites like Johnny Rockets, Chick-fil-a, The Potato Patch and Rita’s. We like to food crawl so we typically try to get something from any place that has tasty food in the window. We especially enjoyed the ice cream cones and root beer floats from the Golden Nugget. Our daughter, on the other hand, had a messy good time with the funnel cake from Lucky’s!

Get Park Tickets

Kennywood offers a variety of ticket options, all affordable (might I add) starting at $34.99. From Aug 4 – Aug 21, you can get into the park after 5pm for only $22.99. You can also purchase tickets from Giant Eagle and Local Hotels.

Learn more about the park including full schedule, calendar of events, and special ticket promotions at Kennywoodpark.com.

 

**GIVEAWAY DETAILS**

One Lucky Family Will Win 4 Tickets to visit Kennywood Park any day during the 2018 or 2019 Season

  Two Ways to Enter the Giveaway

1.) Leave a comment on this post telling me why you want to visit Kennywood

2.) Leave a comment on the Kennywood Post on Facebook 

 This giveaway is only available to families to local families in Maryland or DC. The contest will run until Thursday, Aug 9th at 11:59pm.  The winner will be notified by Friday, Aug 10th.

Disclaimer: Our time at Kennywood was hosted, however, all thoughts and opinions are our own.