• Where: Schenley Park Visitor Center, 101 Panther Hollow Road, across the street from Phipps.

• How far: About 3 miles from Downtown.

• What to do: It's been nearly seven years since the Pittsburgh Parks Conservatory refurbished this 1903 building on the edge of Schenley Park for $2.1 million and opened it as a park oasis in November 2001. Now open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. year-round, it offers a coffee bar, light lunch, nature-related gifts, trail maps and clean restrooms. Its beautiful setting, with a tented balcony that overlooks Panther Hollow, offers a pleasant alternative to fast-food restaurants. Among the many lunch offerings: cranberry and walnut apple salad ($5.50); brie and orange marmalade sandwich ($5.95); soups ($3.45); and quiche ($4.25). Plus, what's touted as the "best hot chocolate on the planet" ($2.35). There also is a freezer case of ice cream selections and a corner with children's toys. Concerts in the summer every Sunday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Check schedule at www.pittsburghparks.org/_88.php.

• Fun factor: 6, if you like quiet beauty.

-- Virginia Linn