Stay tuned for more information coming in the future weeks!

Procrastinators beware: you’re in danger of missing your last chance to kayak this year! Kayak Pittsburgh will only be open Saturdays and Sundays during the month of October, and will close for the season on Sunday, October 31st.

Take advantage of the mild weather and get out on the water while you can. If you have passes, it’s time to use them. This could be your last chance to kayak until May 2012 and nobody want’s to wait that long.

Kayak Pittsburgh will be open from 10:00 am to dusk Saturdays and Sundays in October.

Labor Day often marks the end of the summer season, and for us it also marks the end of the kayaking season at Lake Elizabeth and North Park. If you’ve been procrastinating don’t wait much longer! Our Lake Elizabeth and North Park locations will open at Noon instead of 4:00 PM on Monday, September 5th for anyone who wants to sneak in one last (or even first) kayaking adventure of the season.

Labor Day Hours of Operation:

Downtown: 11:00 AM – Dusk
North Park: Noon – 7:00 PM
Lake Elizabeth: Noon – 7:00 PM

Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown will be open daily through September 30th and will be open only Saturdays and Sundays during October.

Take a break during the first few weeks of class and visit Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown. Kayaking is an easy and unique way to enjoy the great outdoors without leaving the city.

Our annual College Week is the last week in September. College students with a valid Student ID can kayak for free Monday, September 26th through Friday, September 30th!

Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown is conveniently located along the North Shore right next to PNC Park. From Oakland it’s a short bus ride downtown and then a quick walk over the 6th Street Bridge. Once next to PNC Park take the stairs down towards the river and then turn left. Kayak Pittsburgh is under the 6th Street bridge.

Venture Outdoors and Highmark are hosting three family festivals throughout the city this summer, and Allegheny Commons is the third and final destination.

Each Highmark Family Outdoor Festival features beginner-friendly outdoor recreation designed with children in mind as well as music, crafts, educational activities provided by local partners and refreshments, all for FREE!

During the festival participants can search for hidden treasures while geocaching, paddle a kayak on the shallow waters of Lake Elizabeth, scale Venture Outdoors’ beginner-friendly climbing wall, take a relaxed bike ride around the park and test their skills on the bicycle rodeo.

Also on Saturday, August 27th:

• The Children’s Museum and Mattress Factory Art Museum will provide crafts activities
• In the story telling area author Michael Scotto will tell captivating tales of outdoors adventures
• Children of all ages can play wood smoke bean toss and reverse hangman with GASP (Group Against Smog and Pollution)
• Outfitter Wilderness Voyagers will be on hand

Click here for a full list of details!

This festival is sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Non-profit employees should present a current business card at Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown to receive $5.00 off their first hour of kayaking. Then leave a business card with us and you’ll be entered to win a booklet of 5 free kayaking passes at the end of the month!

This promotion is valid for Venture Outdoors Members too, VO Members who are also non-profit employees and can present a business card will get $10.00 off their first hour.

This is our way of saying thanks to our fellow non-profits, partners and funders in the community. We enjoy working with you to make Pittsburgh a better place, now… let’s go kayaking!

Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown is open weekdays from 11:00 AM to Dusk, and weekends 10:00 AM to Dusk. The non-profit discount is available on weekdays only.

Click here for hours, rates and directions to Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown.

Hours

Kayak Pittsburgh North Park will operate under normal business hours beginning Monday, August 1st!

Monday – Friday: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Rental Rates

Solo Kayaks:
$15 per hour
$10 per hour for Venture Outdoors Members
$8 additional half hour

Tandem Kayaks:
$20 per hour
$15 per hour for Venture Outdoors Members
$10 additional half hour

Rowboats:
$20 per hour
$15 per hour for Venture Outdoors Members
$10 additional half hour

Canoes:
$20 per hour
$15 per hour for Venture Outdoors Members
$10 additional half hour

Directions

Kayak Pittsburgh – North Park can be found at the North Park Boathouse along North Park Lake, which is about 14 miles from Pittsburgh. Head north on Route 19 from Pittsburgh, turn right/East onto Ingomar Road/Yellow Belt, left at Babcock Boulevard, and left at Pierce Mill Road. The Boat House is an elegant stone building you can’t miss!

Sunday July 17th is Venture Outdoors annual Summer Members Day celebration, a free event for all Venture Outdoors Members. This year Summer Members Day is a 10th Anniversary party!

Venture Outdoors is celebrating our 10th Anniversary and 10 years of outdoor recreation in Southwestern PA with a FREE day of activities, food and music at Kayak Pittsburgh Downtown and the adjacent city park, Allegheny Landing from 12:00-4:00 PM.

FREE kayaking, bicycling, and fishing will be provided throughout the afternoon. Plus Members can enjoy free food, bluegrass music and crafts from some of our favorite partners! We’ll keep the grill hot and the burgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers flippin’. Please bring a favorite picnic dish (side or dessert) to share. This will be a picnic style day so please bring a blanket or camp chairs to spread out on the lawn to relax in the sunshine.

There is free street meter parking on Sundays around PNC Park on the North Shore and there is no Pirates game.

This event is free for Venture Outdoors Members Days, but please pre-register so we can plan accordingly.

Not a Venture Outdoors Member?

Consider joining! Members enjoy discounts up to 50% of Venture Outdoors activities as well a discount on every visit to Kayak Pittsburgh. Membership starts at just $15. Sign up for a Venture Outdoors Membership at Kayak Pittsburgh, you get your first hour FREE!

After 4:00 PM regular hours and rates will take effect for the rest of the day. Kayak Pittsburgh is owned and operated by Venture Outdoors.

2011 Kayak Pittsburgh Season Passes and Coupon Books are now available!

What better way to take in the natural beauty of our region than in a kayak. Purchase a 2011 Kayak Pittsburgh Season Pass or Coupon Book today!

Season pass holders enjoy unlimited kayaking in our fleet of kayaks at all locations of Kayak Pittsburgh from May through October. We’ll provide basic instruction, suit you up, and send you out. Leave the boat storage and maintenance to us. Season Passes are $150 for members or $200 for non-members of Venture Outdoors.

For $40, purchase a 5-coupon Kayak Pittsburgh Coupon Book. Coupons are redeemable for a one-hour rental in a solo or tandem kayak.

Order yours today! Passes may not be used toward Venture Outdoors programs.

Passes and Coupon Books are available online inside the Venture Outdoors Gear Store or by calling 412.255.0564 ext 230.

For more information of the Three Rivers Regatta visit www.threeriversregatta.net/.

If you want to get out on the water this weekend, join the Venture Outdoors Fourth of July Fireworks Paddle on Monday evening. This guided group paddle is open to the public and offers attendees a front row seat to Pittsburgh’s biggest fireworks display of the season!

For more information visit: www.ventureoutdoors.org or call 412.255.0564 ext 0.