Summer Stock: Now's the time to make the most of the final days of the season

As Labor Day looms, it’s time to take stock of summer.

Beyond the big-ticket activities — like trips south to the Outer Banks, Gulf Coast or Disney — are staples of the season that fill the memories of Pittsburghers.

They’re things as simple (and sumptuously satisfying) as hot Potato Patch fries with cheese and Heinz ketchup at Kennywood, a hand-crafted flavored ice ball from Gus & Yiayia’s cart on Pittsburgh’s North Side or a South Side shake from Page’s Dairy Mart (if you know, you know).

The clock is ticking to do these things as Labor Day heralds autumn and a whole new set of seasonal sacraments that we’ll leave unmentioned. (Hold the pumpkin spice until the last cookout’s over.)

Here are a few things to do soon or else miss out until next year. This is by no means a comprehensive list and preferences can be as varied as the city’s 90 neighborhoods, North Hills, South Hills, East and West End suburbs.

(Cases in point: For cold treats, Westmoreland Countians are more likely to prefer Tastyland on Business Route 66 in Hempfield, while folks who live in the Alle-Kiski Valley might argue for Del’s or Sweetie’s or Glen’s or Cindy’s.)

Those debates are part of the fun.

Beyond this list, the clock is ticking for those who want to take in a Bucs game for a rare win or yet another loss, visit Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle, peer at the menagerie at the Pittsburgh Zoo or cruise the rivers on the Gateway Clipper or a tiki boat.

Keep it simple

Tucked along the Allegheny River between PNC Park and the Fort Duquesne Bridge, the Water Steps fountain at North Shore Riverfront Park is easy to miss. But once young toes hit the water, it’s tough to persuade them to leave.

It’s a cool way to spend a summer afternoon or evening and can easily be paired with other activities like a visit to Randyland, the sui generis North Side public art display, or Point State Park at the tip of the Golden Triangle. Note: the fountain is not running this summer.

Ride, if you’re inclined

Pittsburgh’s two remaining funiculars are relics of the days when they were modern marvels and used among the simplest of machines, the inclined plane, to make the trip from Carson Street on the South Side to Grandview Boulevard 365 feet above on Mt. Washington.

The Duquesne Incline is privately owned and maintained, while the Monongahela Incline is part of Pittsburgh Regional Transit.

Being that they are relics of the 19th century, they are subject to breakdowns, but were both operational as of Wednesday.

Those looking for an even more dramatic funicular can travel east to Johnstown next year, when renovations to its inclined plane, which can transport a vehicle, are complete.

For more on the inclines, check out this 2024 TribLive story: “Pittsburgh is the king of inclines.”

Slip slidin’ away

You’re never too old to visit the Blue Slide Playground at Frick Park, at 2005 Beechwood Boulevard in Squirrel Hill. The slide and the Frick Park Market on Reynolds Street nearby are immortalized in Mac Miller’s sly rhymes. That section of the park is a great spot for simple summer fun with the focus on the blue slide. (By this time in the season, the paint has been burnished to more of a gray.) There’s usually plenty of cardboard at the bottom of the slide for riders to pick up and glide down on. For those who want a metaphysical experience, bring the smooth-coated box that a 12-pack of Blue Moon comes in and slide carefully.

The adjacent playground has plenty to do for all ages. There are also courts for tennis, pickleball and basketball, plus a baseball field.

Outside the city limits, larger thrills abound in Westmoreland County at Mammoth Park, 171 County Park Road, in Mt. Pleasant. The Giant Slide complex comes with rules and warnings because more than a handful of people have sued the county after suffering minor injuries while taking a plunge.

On a clear day in Mt. Pleasant, you can also see forever (or at least the 58 miles to Downtown Pittsburgh) atop Three Mile Hill on Route 31. While in the neighborhood, check it out.

Pump Iron in East Deer

People stuck in traffic on Route 28 headed toward the city from Tarentum can marvel at the view of the Allegheny River winding its way west with Pittsburgh Brewing Co.’s Creighton Complex, 150 Ferry St., East Deer, in the foreground.

It’s where the Burgh’s iconic brews, Iron City and its less-filling sibling IC Light, are made and spirits are distilled.

The complex is fast becoming a tourist attraction for the 21+ crowd with concerts and other events filling the calendar and increasing traffic on Freeport Road in East Deer’s Creighton neighborhood.

For nebby yinzers, it’s also something worth touring in its own right. Samples are part of the experience.

Ohiopyle State Park

A freak storm Aug. 17 closed Cucumber Falls and Great Gorge Trail at Ohiopyle, but other parts of the natural treasure nestled in nearby Fayette County are open and are among the easiest on visitors’ wallets, according to HomeToGo.

Hiking, biking, rafting and gawking at the beauty of it all are readily available at the park and its environs. It’s also a stop on the 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage trail between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Md., and a trailhead of the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail for those who want to take a longer constitutional to get away from toxic politics and screentime.