Perfect Location for a Photo Session in Pittsburgh | Hartwood Acres Mansion

Are you looking for the perfect location for a family photo session in the Pittsburgh area? As a Pittsburgh family photographer, I’ve photographed many photo sessions at the Mansion at Hartwood Acres Park near Hampton Township just North of Pittsburgh.

In this post, I will share more details about the park and share some images from my most recent family photo session there. Scroll down to the end of the post to see more photos around the mansion and the links to a few more blog posts from photo sessions at the mansion!

Although this post will only be discussing and sharing images from the mansion and the gated garden next to it, there are other great areas within the park. Scroll down to read about other features within the park!

The mansion is a great location for photo sessions all year long! Even in the late fall, winter, and early Spring when there are no flowers, greenery, or leaves on the trees, the mansion and grounds around it still make a great backdrop for photos.

Although you do not need a permit or permission to shoot here, please note that there are often weddings and other events held here at the mansion. Although it is a great spot for photos, you are not permitted on the grounds of the mansion while a wedding is taking place. Call the park office during business hours to check! (412) 767-9200

And because it is a popular spot for photo sessions, you will often encounter many other photographers and their clients here at the park. Please be kind and courteous to share the best spots and to try and stay out of each other’s photos!

In addition to other photographers, it is a popular spot for local residents to visit with their families and you will encounter a lot of dogs and their owners enjoying the park and paths around the mansion.

You can get right up next to and all around the mansion. The mansion’s large stone walls, steps, lead and stained glass windows, and wood doors all make for a great backdrop in addition to all of the beautiful plants all around the mansion.

The front of the mansion is shaded in the morning but gets full sun in the afternoon up until sunset. The rear of the mansion gets full sun in the mid-morning and until the afternoon then is shaded closer to sunset.

Adjacent to the mansion is a fenced-in garden that has flowers and plants blooming throughout the Spring and early fall. The gate is unlocked to visitors but it must be kept closed so the resident deer do not eat everything! Be sure to close the gate behind you! The garden is shaded until mid-morning and gets full sun most of the day and is perfect around the golden hour.

Check out this post from a family photo session taken in this garden when it was in full bloom!

Just below the hill behind the mansion, there is an area with tall grasses that also make a great spot for photos.

And down in front of the mansion, there is a wooded area that also makes a great location for photos.

History:

Hartwood Acres is a 629-acre park in Hampton and Indiana townships located north of Pittsburgh. It was originally designed as a country estate for an equestrian family. The 31-room stately Tudor Mansion (erected in 1929) and grounds were the former home of John and Mary Flinn Lawrence. Mary was the daughter of prominent Pittsburgh mogul and Pennsylvania Senator William Flinn.


You can find many more details about Hartwood Acres Park and the mansion here!

Location:

To get to the mansion, you will want to enter here at the gated entrance which is off of Saxonsburg Blvd.

Parking:

To park close to the mansion, use directions to this parking lot.

There is a second parking lot located on the other side of the mansion, but it is a further walk to get to the mansion. It is a great option in case the 1st lot is filled which is a possibility if there is an event or it is just a busy weekend.

Hours:

The hours of operation are:

Monday through Thursday: 7am to 8pm

Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 7am to 10pm

There are gates at the entrances that are locked nightly.

Bathrooms:

There are restrooms attached to the rear of the mansion that are open while the park is open. There is also a port-a-potty in the parking lot located next to the mansion.

Other Park Features:

• You can take a tour of the mansion. See the details here!
  
  
• There is the Hartwood Acres Amphitheater where they have free weekly concerts from June through August! Check out the 2023 schedule here.
  
  
• Not far from the Amphitheater, there’s The Meadows at Hartwood which is filled with wildflowers (black-eyed susans) in the summer. (also a great spot for photos). Even when the flowers are dead and gone in the late summer and fall, the field is still a great location for photos! (see image below)
  

• Closer to the mansion, there are the Hartwood Acres Stables. These stables were recently renovated and now can be rented out for weddings and other events! The stables is actually a series of buildings and rooms based on the old-style architecture of a Cotswolds village in England. This is also a popular area for photo sessions as long as there is not an event scheduled here.
  
  
• You can also find sculptures throughout the park as well as the Hartwood Sculpture Garden. Click here to learn about each sculpture and a map of where you can find them in the park.
  
  
• And there are miles of walking, hiking, and biking trails within the park. Check out the trail map here. Please note there are many mountain bike trails so be sure to watch for bikes!
  
  
• There is also this large pavilion just behind the mansion. This is a great spot in case it is raining!
  
  

If you’re looking for a newborn or family photographer in Pittsburgh,  please get in touch to inquire about a session! I’d love to plan a photo session for your family!

Here are some other blog posts from photo sessions at Hartwood Acres Park that you might want to check out! 

Are you on Instagram? I’d love to connect with you there!

All images by Mary Beth Miller Photography 

Mary Beth Miller Photography specializes in family and newborn photography in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and many of the surrounding areas. Mary Beth has over thirteen years of experience photographing families, newborns and babies in Pittsburgh including Hampton Township, India Township, O’Hara Township, Indianola, Dorseyville, Oakmont,  and Fox Chapel.  Her style is very relaxed and natural and your family session will feel like a stress-free Sunday afternoon with your family!