What to Do: Winter Activities Near USC

Christmas might have come and gone, but that’s no reason to give up the spirit of the season! 

Here is a roundup of local winter activities to help you and your family stay in the spirit and enjoy the winter holiday:

• Go ice skating at South Park Ice Rink. The rink is open from noon to 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, as well as regular hours on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day. The rink is closed on Christmas Day, and will be closed Jan. 9 and 10 due to PIHL hockey games. For hours of operation, see the Allegheny County Parks Department website. For additional available hours, call the rink at 412-833-1499.

• Check out the gingerbread house and electric train displays at the PPG Wintergarden. The display will be up until Jan. 7. You can visit Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The display is open Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day during the same hours. For more information and additional activities, see the PPG Place website.

• The Carnegie Museum of Art is hosting a number of events. The Neapolitan Presepio, or Nativity scene, will be on display through Jan. 6 in the Hall of Architecture, as will the museum’s seven Christmas trees. The museum also holds ARTventures for kids on Saturdays and Sundays. For schedules and pricing, see the Carnegie Museum of Art website.

• Speaking of museums, there’s always something interesting at The Andy Warhol Museum, and if it’s science you prefer, you might want to check out one of the exhibits or Omnimax shows at Carnegie Science Center.

• The Upper St. Clair Library has a variety of activities planned for January, including crafts, winter reading programs, chess and book clubs. Click here for the schedule.

What are we missing? Add your ideas in the comments section.