5 Things to do at Kennywood Park when it Rains

5 Things to Do at Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh, Pennylsvania when it Rains (and why you definitely shouldn’t leave!)

So, I’m rebelling today.
We were supposed to get dumped on with about 17 feet of snow today. Okay, not really 17 feet, but they were predicting 8-12 inches. In fact, across the state of Pennsylvania, businesses & schools put out their closed signs yesterday in preparation for today’s nor’easter. That’s how convincing the weathermen were that we were going to really get it.

I can’t say that I wasn’t excited. In fact, I was totally pumped! A foot of snow?! Yes!! We have had hardly any snow at all this winter, so I was ready for one last big snowfall to put the finale on this winter season. The snow was supposed to roll in early this morning & continue all throughout the day.

So, with great anticipation, I woke up this morning & looked out the window .. and .. nothing? We didn’t even have a dusting? Where did the nor’easter go?!

In a nutshell, I guess a “bubble” of dry air formed around the city of Pittsburgh and south-western Pennsylvania and kept us from getting hardly any snow at all, while the rest of the state is getting hammered (my in-laws have about a foot and other friends of mine who live at a bit higher elevation already have 22 inches & counting!)

SO, my winter wonderland dreams crushed, I’m back to dreaming of spring & summer! And what better way to dream of summer than to think about riding roller coasters with my roller coaster crazy husband. We’ve had this post in the works for a while now, but as disappointing as today has been with the snow, it seemed like the perfect “pick-me-up” post!

Kennywood Park is our home park.

We live about 30 minutes away, and a yearly trip to Kennywood Park is a summer tradition for my family. I remember the summer I was finally tall enough to ride all of the coasters – it was the last summer that the Steel Phantom was running. Because of the restraints, they advised those riding to remove their earrings before riding. My ears hadn’t been pierced for very long, and I had the original 14k gold balls in my little earlobes. Excited, but shaking, I went to take them out while we were standing in line, and I dropped one. If you’ve ever ridden the Steel Phantom (what’s now the Phantom’s Revenge), you’ll know that the line is elevated, especially as you get close to the station. Of course, when I took my earrings out and dropped one, it was at that elevated part of the line and it fell to it’s “death” into the foliage below. There was no way I was ever getting it back. So, that’s my Steel Phantom story. Anyways, back to Kennywood being our home park..

We’re weirdos and try to go on a day when a little rain is predicted.

A little rain in the forecast doesn’t bother us one little bit at Kennywood. In fact, that’s how we prefer it! The lines are considerably shorter, the heat isn’t as unbearable, and the crowd doesn’t press – it’s wonderful! And, over the years, we’ve found some fun things to do while we wait out a rain storm (and while everyone leaves!)

Here are our favorite things to do when it rains at Kennywood Park:

1. Eat! It goes without saying, but eating is one of the best things to do at Kennywood Park! There are Potato Patch French Fries, ice cream, the Park Side Cafe, and Johnny Rockets! A lot of the restaurants offer indoor or covered seating, so you’re good to go. Enjoy!
2. Shop! Touring all of the little gift shops (and fudge shop) isn’t always at the top of our to-do list when the park is dry, but when it’s raining out, it’s a fun activity! We love looking thru the clearance racks & finding good deals – something that the rain gives you permission to do!
3. 4-D Show! You might not even know this, but Kennywood has a 4-D Theater & this coming season (2017) they are introducing a new show! The Ice Age Adventure is going away & a new Lego Movie Adventure is coming! It’s a lot of fun and I’m convinced that half the people who come to Kennywood don’t even realize that the 4-D Theater is even there (it’s across from the Pirate Ship and around the corner from the Phantom’s Revenge entrance)
4. Ride! Yes! Even when it’s raining, there are certain rides that will still be running! Kennywood has a lot of indoor or covered rides, so even when the big coasters shut down because of lightning in the area or a hard rain – don’t miss the Exterminator, the Bumper Cars, Ghostwood Estates, the Carousel, and so many more!
5. Rest! What? No seriously, hear me out! When the weather is gorgeous, we always tend to run, run, run at amusement parks. We’re always standing in line, running to the next attraction, barely even sitting down to eat! What’s more fun than sitting down for a few minutes and doing a little people watching? You’ll see kids out playing in the rain and people making a run for it trying to dodge the rain drops – it makes for great entertainment!

The best part of a little rain shower at Kennywood Park ..

When it first starts raining, everyone will run for the nearest cover. If you’re lucky, and it keeps on raining for at least 10 minutes, you’ll start to see people leaving. If you’re really lucky, and it’s a good summer rain, half the people who originally run to cover with you will leave! Whatever you do, don’t leave! Hang out, rest, eat, enjoy yourself! When the park opens back up (like it typically & inevitably will) the big rides will be walk-ons and you can enjoy the rest of your day riding to your heart’s content!

The opinions stated in this post belong solely to the author. This post was not sponsored or commissioned by Kennywood Park.