Senior citizens living in or visiting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, can find a variety of activities to enjoy both inside the city limits and within 30 minutes of them. Activities include visiting local attractions, such as area casinos and museums, that offer special events or admission prices for seniors. Pittsburgh also provides educational opportunities for seniors that teach new skills, promote physical activity or give an in-depth look at topics of interest.
The Meadows Racetrack & Casino is on Racetrack Road in the community of Washington, Pennsylvania, approximately 25 miles from Pittsburgh (28 minutes by automobile). The casino offers a monthly promotion for seniors aged 55 or older who sign up for the casino's Players Club, a rewards program that is free to join. Past promotions include awarding free slot machine credits every hour. Live entertainment that appeals to seniors is typically featured as well, such as polka bands.
The Meadows Racetrack & Casino has more than 3,500 slot machines as well as 62 table games, including blackjack, poker, craps, roulette and baccarat. Live harness horseraces are held every day except Thursday during warm weather months. Simulcast-racing is hosted year-round, allowing seniors to bet on live races held elsewhere in the country. A bowling alley is also located at The Meadows. Bus shuttles depart from more than 30 locations around the Pittsburgh area on a daily, weekly or other regular schedule, making it convenient for seniors to reach the destination. The sit-down restaurants and a casual food court are located at the casino. The Meadows Racetrack & Casino operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
The Senator John Heinz History Center is on Smallman Street in Pittsburgh's strip district, just one-half mile from downtown, near the Allegheny River. Seniors aged 62 years and older enjoy daily discounted admission to this Smithsonian-affiliated Pittsburgh museum. The museum has six floors with large elevators available for seniors who may have difficulty climbing stairs. The facility includes more than 275,000 square feet of exhibit space and tells the story of 250 years of Pittsburgh history.
Inside of the museum is the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, a mini-museum with 70 displays dedicted to Pittsburgh's professional sports teams like the Steelers and Penguins as well dissolved teams like those that participated in Negro League Baseball. Two floors of the museum have displays about products or technologies that began in Pittsburgh, such as Heinz and medical breakthroughs like the first vaccine for polio.
The Senator John Heinz History Center is open daily. A pay parking lot is located across the street from the facility and public buses stop nearby.
Pittsburgh Oasis is located on the 10th floor of the Macy's building on Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh. From its handicapped-accessible location, the organization provides educational programs for seniors aged 50 or older. Seniors who wish to learn the basics of computers can find courses on sending email, using social media sites like Facebook and understanding how to work operating systems like Windows. The center also offers courses related to music, film and the arts -- such as classes on celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Bette Davis -- and movements or genres of art and film like the Bauhaus style or Bollywood Indian movies. Courses related to health and wellness like tai chi, stress management, preventing falls and choosing Medicare plans are also available.
Pittsburgh Oasis offers classes Monday through Friday with schedules changing throughout the year. Seniors can park in the pay garage at the Macy's building. Public buses stop in front of the building as well.
