When it comes to giving and receiving gifts, experience gifts are my favorite!

I love experience gifts because they provide enriching experiences and promote quality time together. They support local businesses. And unlike toys and maybe additional items we don’t really need, they don’t contribute to clutter in the home.

In 2022, I started thinking about this post around the holidays and honestly had two ideas in mind. This post has spiraled out of control to a lot more ideas than I expected and the list also provides a nice general idea of things to do in the area. Although I’m focusing on these gifts for kids, a lot of these ideas can be given to adults too.

For the purposes of this post, I’m using the terms gift card and gift certificates interchangeably. I don’t really understand the difference and some businesses simply call them something different.

Some of this information might be out of date so your best bet is to just give the business you are interested in a call for the most up-to-date information.

And if you still are understandably interested in a physical gift, be sure to check out my favorite toys as a mom and SLP and some of my favorite gear.

Now let’s take a look a look at some local experience gift ideas.

Pools

Franklin Community Park/Pool Season Pass

Franklin Community Park/Pool is often called “Flatwoods Pool” by locals and is located in Franklin Township in Fayette County. The in-ground pool features slides, a diving board, a walk-in shallow area with spray features, and a concession stand. The park also features a playground and pavilions. Swim lessons and pavilion rentals are available.

Gift cards can be purchased by visiting the municipality’s website and downloading the Pool Season Pass Form. Mail it in or return it to the office to obtain the pass. Visit the website or give them a call with any questions and for the most up-to-date information and pricing.

Aquatic Center at Mylan Park

The Aquatic Center at Mylan Park offers a beautiful community pool featuring water slides, spray features, a six-lane lap pool, an outdoor splash pad, and more.

Gift cards are available but must be purchased onsite in person.

Greene County Pools

Greene County Parks and Recreation offers Greene County Water Park, Carmichaels Pool, and Mon View Pool. Family season passes and individual passes are available for all three pools or for each pool individually.

Punch cards and season passes are sold year-round at the parks and rec office. You can also purchase them over the phone and they will be mailed out.

Uniontown Area YMCA – Swim Lessons

Give the gift of swim lessons with a gift certificate from the Uniontown Area YMCA. Swim lessons are available to all ages from babies in parent/child swim classes to adults and are available to YMCA members and community members.

Gift certificates must be purchased in person onsite. Gift certificates can also be purchased for other programs such as gymnastics, little dribblers, instructional soccer, and more.

Museums

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

With a collection of nearly 50 cars, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum showcases antique street cars and provides education about transportation technology. Children 2 and under are free.

When I checked in last, you couldn’t purchase a gift certificate online, but I was informed the site was currently under construction and that feature was coming soon. For now, you can purchase gift cards in person at the museum or order them over the phone and they will be mailed out. Gift certificates can be used for tickets, merch, and purchases in the museum store.

Spark! Imagination and Science Center

Spark! Imagination and Science Center is a children’s museum in Morgantown, WV located in the mall. Click here for a closer look at Spark. Birthday parties are also available. Children under 12 months are free.

Gift cards and memberships can be purchased online or in person. Memberships are reciprocal with other children’s museums including the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh where admission is half off.

Carneige Science Center

There are tons of museums in Pittsburgh. Just mentioning a few here.

The Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh features tons of exhibits, shows, Highmark SportsWorks, a cafe, a store, and more. Children two and under are free.

You can purchase e-gift cards online and various memberships are also available which offer free general admission for one year to The Carnegie Museum of Art, The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, The Andy Warhol Museum, and The Carnegie Science Center (including SportsWorks) plus admission to other ASTC museums and science centers.

Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh has so many interesting permanent and temporary exhibits for children to explore and play. There’s also a play area outside and an onsite cafe. FYI there is a waterplay area so I suggest throwing in some extra clothes and considering waterproof footwear like Crocs or boots. Children 2 and under are free. There are memberships available in addition to reciprocal admissions with other participating museums such as Spark! Imagination and Science Center.

Physical and e-gift cards can be purchased online or over the phone. Gift cards can be used for admission, membership, special programs and for museum store purchases, but can not be used for the cost of parking.

Frank Lloyd Wright Homes

Fallingwater

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in Mill Run, PA is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gift cards can be purchased over the phone and mailed out with an additional fee, or they can be purchased onsite in the museum store. Kids must be 6 years old to tour the home. Kids under 6 are welcome to tour the grounds for free.

Polymath Park

Polymath Park is another Frank Lloyd Wright home located in Acme, PA.

Gift cards can be purchased online and are not sold at Polymath Park but rather onsite at Fallingwater or on the phone by calling Fallingwater. Children must be 6 to tour the home.

Kentuck Knob

Kentuck Knob is another Frank Lloyd Wright home located in Chalk Hill, PA. Children must be 6 years old to tour the home.

You can buy someone tickets, but if you want the recipient to choose the day and time of the tour, you can gift a general admission voucher. These can be purchased over the phone and are then mailed out.

Indoor Activities

Get A Hobby

Get A Hobby is a hobby store in Uniontown that sells a variety of toys, parts, and supplies for a wide range of hobbies including collector trains, remote-controlled cars, and more. The store also offers an area to rent and race remote-controlled cars. There’s also a separate party room so you can have a birthday party here while racing RC cars.

Gift cards can be purchased in the store or over the phone and can be used for racing remote-controlled cars and in-store purchases.

Launch Pad Trampoline Park

Launch Pad Trampoline Park is tons of fun. The facility features a wide trampoline jumping area, a ninja course, a foam pit, basketball hoops, an interactive rock wall, arcade games, and more. Special events and birthday parties are also available. I love that they offer certain times for Little Launchers ages 2-5 only, often before the facility is open to everyone else.

Purchase gift cards online or in person at the front desk.

Manor Lanes Bowling

Manor Lanes is a bowling alley in Hopwood. For kids, the bowling alley is smoke-free, has bumpers and ball ramps available, and offers cosmic bowling. Plus you can have a party here too.

Gift cards must be purchased in person at the bowling alley.

City Bowling

If you love a nostalgic bowling alley in an upstairs downtown building like me, then City Bowling in Connellsville is your spot. This place has been around since 1948. There is a snack bar with food, a few arcade games, and they sell gift cards in person. At this time, the facility is cash only.

Other local bowling alleys to look into include:

OMBody Massage and Wellness

OMBody Massage and Wellness is a yoga studio with massage and other services located in downtown Uniontown. As far as children, classes are ever-changing and it’s best to call and see if there are any classes available for youth. However, as long as a child can follow directions and doesn’t grossly disrupt a class, children are permitted to join regularly scheduled classes. Additionally, you can look into booking private classes for individual kids or small groups and parties are also an option.

Gift cards can be purchased online and redeemed for all services.

Spunky Monkey Fun Center and Party Place

Spunky Monkey Fun Center and Party Place features a three-level play gym, a toddler area, arcade games, and more. Birthday parties are also available.

Gift cards are not available for purchase online. But, they can be purchased onsite or you can call and place an order over the phone and the gift cards will be mailed to you. Gift cards can be used interchangeably at the sister location SeaBase Family Fun Center in Greensburg.

Outdoor Activities

Campgrounds

Yogi Bear’s Jelly Stone Park Mill Run

Yogi Bear’s Jelly Stone Park in Mill Run, PA is a campground that offers tons of family fun. You can stay the night or drop in with day passes.

Physical and e-gift cards are available online for Jellystone locations nationwide. Go to campjellystone.com and click gift cards. You can also purchase gift cards over the phone and the campground will mail them out. What they can be used for varies by the campground. But locally at Mill Run, I was told they can be used for pretty much everything including reservations for campsites and cabins, day-use pool passes (if you aren’t spending the night), restaurant purchases, campground activities, and more.

Uniontown KOA Campground

The Uniontown KOA is nestled in between the Great Allegheny Passage and Yough River and offers tons of family fun including tent, cabin, and RV sites, a pool, arcade, playground, and more.

Click here to purchase a gift card that can be used at KOA locations nationwide.

Adventure Outfitters in Ohiopyle

There are a few wonderful adventure outfitters in Ohiopyle offering gift certificates that can be redeemed for outdoor activities such as white water rafting, rock climbing, bike rentals for mountain biking and riding the Great Allegheny Passage, and more. You might want to look into age requirements for some of these activities (e.g. some rafting is age 5 and up, and some rock climbing is age 10 and up). Some of these businesses offer other amenities that gift cards can be used toward such as lodging, retail stores, and ice cream shops.

Laurel Highlands River Tours and Outdoor Center

Laurel Highlands River Tours and Outdoor Center is a local outfitter in the Ohiopyle area offering activities such as white water rafting, biking and rentals, gem mining, rock climbing, and more. Some lodging options are also available in Ohiopyle in addition to Yough Lake Campground.

You can buy gift cards online.

White Water Adventures, Inc.

White Water Adventures, Inc. in Ohiopyle is an adventure outfitter offering experiences for rafting and biking. They also offer the opportunity to rent snow tubes for Sugarloaf Sled Hill.

Gift cards can be purchased online or over the phone and can be redeemd for adventure activities in addition to room reservations at their motel in town and ice cream purchases.

Wildnerness Voyageurs

Wilderness Voyageurs is another adventure outfitter in Ohiopyle offering experiences such as white water rafting, rock climbing, biking, fly fishing, kayak instructions, snow shoe rentals, and more.

You can purchase a gift card online, in person at the store, or over the phone and a card can be mailed out. They have a great retail store where I love to locally pick up Smartwool socks.

Ohiopyle Trading Post is another local adventure outfitter that I imagine offers gift certificates for similar activities, but I haven’t been able to confirm with them yet.

Walnut Hill Miniature Golf

Walnut Miniature Golf Course 18-hole mini golf course delicious frozen custard available onsite.

Gift cards can be purchased over the phone and in person and may come in the form of passes for rounds of golf.

Bill’s Golfland

Bill’s Golfland is a facility that offers a driving range and mini golf course, dek hockey, and a restaurant with ice cream.

Gift certificates are sold in person only onsite.

Franko’s Golf

Franko’s Golf Center is open year-round and features an outdoor driving range in addition to indoor golf simulators.

Gift cards are available for purchase in person on-site. But if you lived out of the area, you might be able to call and purchase a gift card over the phone.

Topgolf Pittsburgh

Topgolf Pittsburgh is a sports entertainment complex featuring a driving range with a high-tech golf game, climate-controlled bays to hang out, with food and beverages available. Topgolf is a lot of fun for nearly all ages.

You can purchase gift cards online.

Caddie Shak Family Fun Center

Caddie Shak Family Fun Center in Donegal is open from the spring to early fall and offers three go kart tracks, two mini golf courses, a driving range, bumper boats, small amusement rides, arcade, batting cages, and a snack shak. You can also book a party here.

Purchase fun cards online redeemable for attractions offered at the outdoor park.

Laurel Caverns

Laurel Caverns is home to Pennsylvania’s largest cave and features cave tours, panning for gemstones, a gift shop, and more. Children under three are free.

Gift certificates are not available online but can be over the phone, and the certificates will be mailed to you. Laurel Caverns is open seasonally but gift certificates can be purchased year-round.

Jumonville Camp and Retreat Center

We love Jumonville Camp and Retreat Center. There is a lot to do that is free with the grounds open to the public including hiking trails, disc golf, a playground, basketball/volleyball courts, and more. But, the facility offers a variety of camps and retreats.

You can purchase a gift certificate in an amount of your choice that can contribute to the cost of a variety of camps and retreats. These can be purchased over the phone or in person.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort

While probably most known for skiing, Seven Springs Mountain Resort has tons to offer year-round.

You can gift someone a gift card but you actually need to go to buyepicgiftcards.com to buy a gift card for the resort. These gift cards are not only good for purchases towards ski passes and rentals but they can be used for anything on the resort including snow tubing, food, spa, lodging, and more. I would double check but I believe buying these gift cards also work at Hidden Valley Resort and Laurel Mountain Resort.

JTF Ice Rink

A gift certificate for ice skate admission and rentals is a nice gift to consider at JFT Ice Rink, an outdoor seasonal ice rink in Grantsville, MD.

Tracks and Yaks

Tracks and Yaks offers rail bike tours, bike shuttle services for the Great Allegheny Passage, and kayak or tube rentals for the North Branch of the Potomac River in Frostburg, Maryland.

You can purchase gift cards online.

Western Maryland Scenic Railroad

Give someone the gift of a ride on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad which runs through the Allegheny Mountains from Cumberland to Frostburg. My family really enjoyed a Polar Express ride, but other types of rides are available.

You can’t purchase a gift card, but you can buy someone tickets online. Then if the recipient needed to change the date of the ride for some reason, the tickets can be transferred to a different ride.

Zoos

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park

Living Treasures Wild Animal Park is a wild animal park with over 400 animals of 70 different species. Children ages two and under are free.

Gift cards are not available for purchase online, but can be purchased in person or over the phone and mailed out. You can load any amount you would like onto a gift certificate or purchase season passes.

Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium

Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium offers wildlife encounters, special events, and more. Of note, the zoo strives for sensory inclusivity and offers supports for those with sensory needs. Children under two are free.

You can buy tickets for someone and print at home.

Another local zoo worth looking into is Hovatter’s Wildlife Zoo in Kingwood, WV. I wasn’t able to make contact with them.

Arts and Entertainment

Main Street Theatre Company

Main Street Theatre Company is a resident theatre company at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown. MSTC’s brings 4 amazing productions throughout the year to the State Theatre and offers classes and workshops in musical theatre such as dancing and acting. Classes are open to kids ages 8-18.

Gift certificates can be used for classes and workshops. To purchase gift cards, contact MSTC through the website or email info@MSTCUniontown.org, and then gift certificates can be mailed out.  

Practice Makes Perfect Music Studio

Practice Makes Perfect Music Studio is a music studio that provides lessons for individual lessons, group classes, and coaching for all ages and skill levels. They have two locations, Connellsville and Greensburg.

E-gift cards can be purchased online and can be redeemed for lessons, sound healing, and merch purchases.

Touchstone Center For Crafts

Touchstone Center For Crafts is a craft school located in the mountains in Fayette County, PA offering workshops in blacksmithing, ceramics, metals & jewelry, glass, drawing & painting, and more. My husband and I have very much enjoyed date night workshops. There are workshops and camps offered to youth and teens.

E-gift cards can be purchased online and used toward studio fees, gallery purchases, lodging, and more.

Umbrella Arts

(Photo and Description provided by Umbrella Arts).

Give the gift of creativity! Umbrella Arts brings together exclusive art education resources under one umbrella offering classes in movement, art, theater, and specialty creative workshops. A complete schedule of classes and pricing can be found at www.umbrella-arts.com.

Umbrella Arts is pleased to offer the opportunity to purchase the explorative class experience for a young artist in your life. For more information on gifting or general inquiries, email info@umbrella-arts.com or call text 304-514-7119

The WOW! Factory

The WOW! Factory is an art studio in Morgantown offering classes such as pottery, painting, mosaics, glass fusing, and more. Walk-ins and birthday parties are also available.

Gift cards can be purchased online.

State Theatre Center for the Arts

The State Theatre Center for the Arts offers the opportunity to catch some amazing live performances and movies year-round in downtown Uniontown.

The easiest way to gift someone this experience is to buy someone tickets to a show. However, gift certificates are an option and might be considered if you want the recipient to choose an event. Or maybe tickets to an event you have in mind aren’t available yet. Gift certificates can be purchased in person at the box office or over the phone and the gift certificates can be mailed to you. In order to redeem a gift certificate, tickets must be purchased at the box office and can’t be purchased online.

I haven’t checked in with these yet, but here’s a list of other local theatres and concert venues I’d be interested in gifting tickets or a gift certificate.

Pittsburgh Amusement Parks – Idlewild, Kennywood, and Sandcastle Season Passes

Idlewild, Kennywood, and Sandcastle are tons of fun and you can gift season passes. A platinum season pass is good for admission to all three parks. Check for discounts on season passes on Black Friday!

Idlewild & SoakZone

Children under two are free at Idlewild & SoakZone

Season passes for Idlewild can be purchased online.

Kennywood

Children ages three and under are free at Kennywood.

Season passes for Kennywood can be purchased online.

Sandcastle

Children ages three and under are free at Sandcastle.

Season passes for Sandcastle can be purchased online.

Professional and College Athletics

Consider buying tickets to a local collegiate or professional sports event. Here are some ideas:

Disney on Ice

Disney on Ice tickets make great Christmas presents as shows usually roll around late winter or early spring at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.

Here are some other ideas I have in mind, but I haven’t made contact with yet.

If you have any ideas to add to this list please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. If you found this list helpful and you try an experience gift, leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @adventureswkelly. I would love to hear about or see your adventures with local experience gifts.