Canonsburg is a small, charming borough located 18 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, nestled in a lovely country village in Washington County.
This quaint borough spans 2.3 square miles and has stunning scenery comprising fascinating attractions, lovely verdant parks, and gorgeous vistas.
Colonel John Canon, an American Revolutionary soldier, judge, and businessman, laid out Canonsburg in 1789.
However, Canonsburg only became a legal entity in 1802.
Most of Canonsburg’s inhabitants worked in the nearby steel mills or coal mines because the town is near a wealthy coal district.
Moreover, the legendary crooner Perry Como was born in Canonsburg.
The town also offers many fun places to visit, retail vintage stores, exquisite restaurants and nightclubs, informative museums, and much more to keep you entertained.
Here are the best things to do in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania:
Chuck Seedfarmer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Roberts House is a historic Canonsburg home and the only remaining building from Jefferson College.
The first part of the 19th century saw the gradual construction of this lovely stone and brick home.
The brick component of the 1840 house incorporates the first section, a massive log home from 1798, while the stone extension from 1804 remains behind the house.
In 1809, the Roberts House had a second, more opulent stone section facing N. Central Street, which features tasteful Flemish bond stonework.
See this high level of design in the external woodwork, which includes stars lining the wooden cornice.
Then, see the straightforward fan-lit entryway that still features its original paneled surround and gable ledges on the southern eaves.
The Roberts House is significant for its architecture and association with the history of education in Western Pennsylvania.
Relish in the refreshing outdoor ambiance of Canonsburg Town Park if you’re searching for the calming solace of nature.
You can find Canonsburg Town Park in a breathtaking valley surrounded by lush trees, giving it a tranquil and soothing vibe perfect for a fun family adventure.
Visitors can find a skate park, a basketball court, softball fields, a vast swimming pool, a playground, and other amenities in the park.
The park also has walking trails where you can take a revitalizing walk while seeing the sights and rent a pavilion for special family occasions.
Likewise, you can celebrate different seasons in the park.
Join the Fall Bonfire, bond with your kids during the Easter Egg Hunt, or bag prizes at the winter sled riding or snowman contest.
The Canonsburg Town Park has a little bit of everything for everyone in the family to enjoy.
John McMillan’s Log School is a famous log structure that once housed John McMillan’s frontier Latin school in the 1780s.
Perched on East College Street, it represents Canonsburg and the city’s education history.
Rev. John McMillan built the log building housing the Frontier Latin School before 1780.
The school stood close to the McMillan residence before moving to the Jefferson College campus in 1875.
John McMillan’s Log School became the founding institution of Jefferson College.
Students learned Latin, Greek, mathematics, and other classical subjects at the school.
According to the Pittsburgh Press in 1930, the pioneers “viewed John McMillan’s Log School with even greater awe than Pittsburgh now views the towering Cathedral of Learning in Oakland.”
John McMillan’s Log School is also the oldest educational building west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Downtown Canonsburg has a lot of things to offer, one of which is the Perry Como Statue.
Perry Como was a singer born in Canonsburg and achieved great fame in the 1940s and 1950s.
He was known for his relaxed crooning style and television specials, which millions saw.
Larger than life and right in the center of town, the bronze statue of Perry Como is impossible to miss.
It stands in front of the Canonsburg Borough office, showing the singer holding a microphone and wearing a sweater.
Perry Como’s Statue was dedicated in 1999; however, Como could not attend due to his illness.
The Perry Como statue used to sing all the time when they first put it up, but it now only does so occasionally.
You will love Sarris Candies if you have a sweet tooth.
Sarris Candies is the definition of the American dream for more than 50 years.
The shop has earned renown for its outstanding rich taste, devotion to strict standards, and first-rate customer service.
Sarris Candies is a family-owned and operated business making chocolates, candies, and ice cream since 1960.
You can buy various chocolates, candies, and ice cream flavors that will tantalize your taste buds.
The company started as a chocolate shop in Canonsburg but has now grown into an entire city’s block factory and ice cream parlor.
It offers more than 100 yards of chocolate, ice cream, candies, and stuffed toys.
Sarris Candies Shop is also a sight to behold, as the store displays carousels with different flavors, colors, and sizes of chocolates to make your mouth water.
If you need a place to have gravity-defying fun, you should check out Sky Zone Trampoline Park.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park is a popular destination for those looking to get their adrenaline fix.
It aims to establish a place where everyone can play as much, and however they want, every day.
The trampoline park provides various programs, including Freestyle Jump, where you can enjoy endless aerial action with your friends on a sizable wall-to-wall trampoline.
Other attractions include Skyslam, where you can play basketball on a trampoline, and Ultimate Dodgeball, because regular dodgeball isn’t exciting enough.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park also organizes Glow Night, where the entire park lights up with black lights, and you can jump to your heart’s content.
You can also bring your kids to Little Leapers, where they can enjoy safe jumping fun.
If you’re looking for one-of-a-kind items, you should check out Vintage Secrets Antique Mall.
Vintage Secrets Antique Mall is a hidden gem with three floors of antique items and collectibles.
The Vintage Secrets Antique Mall has over 35 vendors selling everything from vintage clothes, furniture, glassware, china, jewelry, and books.
The Antique Shop offers various daintily designed china, such as Vintage Libbey Phalzgraff TEA ROSE Collection Tumblers.
You can also buy a hand-carved & hand-painted wood snack bowl for an affordable price.
Vintage Secrets Antique Mall has everything you need, whether you’re looking for a unique gift or something to add to your collection.
Formerly known as the Iceoplex at Southpointe, the Printscape Arena at Southpointe is a popular destination for those looking to enjoy ice skating.
Howard Baldwin, the owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, helped push the construction forward.
In 1995, the arena debuted under the name Iceoplex at Southpointe.
When the arena opened, the American figure skating champion Suzy Semanick worked as a skating coach, while David Hanson was the manager.
Likewise, the Printscape Arena at Southpoint holds numerous youth/adult and leisure programs.
Join the summer day camps, lacrosse, softball, roller hockey, indoor soccer, and basketball.
The Southpointe Fitness Center health club and Bubbas Burghers restaurant operate in the arena.
The recreational/dry arena contains a corporate meeting room and party rooms.
It has also begun renting out space for trade shows and other events in addition to recreational sports.
Lindenwood Golf Club is a premier golf club and popular public course.
People regard the course as one of the more gorgeous because of its championship-caliber greens, lush, and expertly manicured fairways.
The Lindenwood Golf Club is a desirable location to host a golf trip or celebrate special occasions because it can handle up to 180 guests.
The 27-hole golf facility at Lindenwood Golf Club also has locker rooms and a pro shop.
Lindenwood Golf Club offers personalized lessons for all levels.
Before your round, you can warm up or perfect a part of your swing using the driving range and its gorgeous putting greens.
West Pike Bowl is the perfect place to bring friends or family and have a good time.
West Pike Bowl is a 20 Lane Bowling Center equipped with a synthetic lane.
Located just outside Downtown Canonsburg, West Pike Bowl also uses the most up-to-date automatic scoring system.
The back room at West Pike Bowl has a pool table.
Likewise, it is an excellent dining or meeting place for any event.
West Pike Bowl has a complete bar and restaurant where you can order food and drinks while you try to win a game.
Rusty Gold Brewing is an 1800s-themed bar and restaurant that will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
This place is a family-friendly establishment serving delicious food and drinks in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
The menu at Rusty Gold Brewing features all your favorite pub grub, including wings, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
While watching the big game, you can also sip on a refreshing beer or one of their specialty drinks.
Rusty Gold Brewing is the perfect spot if you’re raring for a fun place to relax with friends.
Peters Lake Park is a beautiful 183-acre park spot for a stroll or picnic lunch.
Peters Township purchased Peters Lake Park in 1996, a stream valley with a sloping landscape.
See thick forests with second-generation timber, typical Western Pennsylvania terrain.
The Pennsylvania – American Water Company bought the land for the reservoir in 1931 to supply the community with clean drinking water.
The park also offers walking trails, playgrounds, pavilions, and fishing spots.
Likewise, Peters Lake Park has a kayak launch for those who love water adventure.
Chris Winters from Pittsburgh, PA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Just 25 minutes from Canonsburg, you will find the multi-use rail trail, the Montour Trail, a crushed limestone pathway.
Montour Trail is the longest suburban rail trail in the US, a non-motorized recreational corridor in Washington and Allegheny Counties.
Its main line stretches around 47 miles long, while branch routes can reach up to 60 miles long.
The Montour Trail’s half-loop is comparatively flat and runs from Coraopolis to Clairton along the Ohio River, on the Monongahela River.
daveynin from United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
You can even go to the Pittsburgh International Airport directly from a branch northwest of the Montour Trail.
The trail is perfect for walking, running, biking, and rollerblading and offers stunning countryside views.
There are also places along the trail where you can rest or do picnics.
Chris Winters from Pittsburgh, PA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you are interested in horses, you can drive ten minutes from Canonsburg to Washington, Pennsylvania.
You will arrive at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows.
Enjoy live horse racing near Pittsburgh as Hollywood Casino at the Meadows has a horse racetrack with some of the best full-field cards for horse races, including the ADIOS Race.
You can head to the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows if you want to visit a more subdued space.
The casino has opened Barstool Sportsbook to the public.
Likewise, it offers many amenities, including some enormous TV screens, beers, burgers, wagers, and much more.
Hollywood Casino at the Meadows also boasts the most vibrant and thrilling casino in the Greater Pittsburgh area.
There are over 2,500 slot machines on the casino floor, over 65 table games, and a poker room with 14 tables.
John Mueller from Shenandoah Valley of VA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum is also in Washington, Pennsylvania, a 16-minute drive from Canonsburg.
It’s the perfect place to learn about the history of trolleys in America.
The museum offers a variety of tours, including the Standard Tour, which takes you through the exhibits and lets you take a 4-mile ride on the vintage trolley.
While on the ride, you will see the scenery of Washington County.
The museum also offers the Valley Line Tour, a two-mile round-trip ride on an open-air trolley that runs through scenic valley areas.
Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The tour includes a 30 – 40 minute guided tour of the historic Wexford Trolley Station, the Trolley Display Building, exhibits, and the trolley simulator.
Then, you can see the video on the trolley era within the Visitor Center and visit the Museum Gift Shop.
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum also allows field trips and group tour reservations.
Acroterion, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you’re looking for a quiet small town to explore near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Canonsburg is worth a visit.
You’ll surely enjoy your time in this lovely little borough with plenty of things to do, exciting places to see, and delicious food options.
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