The Laurel Highlands region is home to four houses that were designed by architectural genius Frank Lloyd Wright. The most well-known house, Fallingwater, is a bucket list item for many and lives up to the hype. Fallingwater is inscribed as one of 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites in the U.S. and is listed alongside attractions including the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal.
First things first: if you're interested in touring Fallingwater, advance ticket purchase is necessary. To keep tours organized and optimal, you must call ahead at 724-329-8501 or go online to reserve your spot. Tours run from March 11 through November 26, 2023 except Wednesdays, Easter Sunday morning and Thanksgiving.
If you don't know which tour to take, here is a quick rundown of the most common tours and a list of specialty tours:
Guided Architectural Tour
On this hour-long tour, you will be led by a knowledgeable, friendly Fallingwater tour guide. This option is most common for first-time visitors. You will walk through all of the main rooms in the house, step out onto the terraces and get to take a look at the guest house. Along the way, you will learn about the history as well as both small and big details of the house. Photography is permitted on the first floor of the house. At the end of your tour, you are free to roam to the "iconic spot" to get a picture of the famous view. Guided house tours are $35 per person and available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except Wednesdays, Easter Sunday morning and Thanksgiving.
In-Depth Guided Tour
This in-depth tour is very similar to the guided house tour, but is an hour and a half instead of one hour. During the in-depth tour, your expert educator guide will share extensive details about the history and architectural design of the house, the landscape, and the art that will help you to better understand the harmony of the landscape and house. Another bonus is that you will get exclusive access to spaces not shown on the guided architectural tour! It includes the self-guided exterior experience and provides full access to the grounds.
Specialty Tours
New for this year is the Guided Grounds Walking Tour, which offers exterior access led by a Fallingwater educator that provides insights into the Bear Run landscape that inspired Wright.
If you're bringing children, Fallingwater offers private one-hour Family Field Trip tours on Tuesdays and Thursdays where children younger than 6 are admitted free. While this $28 tour is exterior-only, it's still a fun yet educational outing for the whole family.
The Forest-to-Table dinner experience provides after-hours interior access and a seasonal culinary experience on April 21, 22; July 14, 15; and Oct. 6,7 for $425 per person.
Focus tours feature exclusive access to the house interior and grounds with a meal on the pottery terrace for $1,800.
Grounds Pass
This is a perfect option if you're on a tight schedule, interior tours are booked, or you just want to explore the beautiful grounds around the home. If you need suggestions for walking routes or places to explore, download Fallingwater's visitor guide and print a copy to bring on your adventure.
The Day of Your Fallingwater Tour
Once you've picked your preferred tour and time and purchased your ticket, make sure you arrive about a half hour before your tour time. Not because there will be traffic or you'll get lost, but because there is so much to do before your tour. After parking in the lot, walk to the visitors center and check in at the desk in the center and take note of your group number.
While you're waiting to hear your group number to be called over the loudspeaker, explore the Visitors Center. Fun fact: Construction of the Visitors Center was overseen by Edgar Kaufmann Jr.'s life partner, Paul Mayén. It was the Kaufmanns' intention to let the public enjoy the house, so what you see and experience at Fallingwater today was influenced by the family.
The Fallingwater Café serves breakfast items, coffee, snacks and drinks as well as delicious, healthy lunch entrées including wraps, salads and sandwiches that are all made in-house with locally sourced ingredients. Fallingwater Café also offers bagged lunches and group lunches in the Meadow if you give them a 48-hour heads up!
Take a stroll through the Speyer Gallery, featuring two special exhibitions in 2022. "Sacred Spaces: Frank Lloyd Wright and Andrew Pielage,” features photographs captured by Pielage over his decade-long project to document Wright’s work. His work juxtaposes traditional places of worship with iconic Wright houses, museums and civic spaces. a collection of historic photos, materials and film footage of Fallingwater will be on display from April 15 through September 30. The second exhibition, “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Southwestern Pennsylvania: The Fallingwater Projects,” runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 31 and will feature unbuilt projects Wright designed for the Kaufmann family at Fallingwater, including a chapel, a gate house, and a farmer’s cottage. These unrealized designs will be brought to life as virtual animations and will be exhibited alongside Wright’s architectural drawings.
Be sure to browse the Museum Store for a unique Fallingwater or Frank Lloyd Wright souvenir and other treasures. Lastly, take advantage of the restrooms located at the Visitors Center before your tour starts. There are no public restrooms once you leave the Visitors Center. Once your group number is called, you will gather on the ramp leading to the house and you're off!
A few quick tips:
- If you're visiting during July, August or October, be sure to buy your tickets well in advance. Peak season books fast!
- Allow an extra 15 minutes for driving time if you're not used to rural roads. You can find driving directions and a map on Fallingwater's website.
- Please keep in mind that pets are not allowed on the grounds or at the Visitors Center, but service animals are welcome to join you on your tour.
- Make sure you snag a photo or selfie at the famous spot! You know the one. Just follow the arrows on the signage that point toward "View."
- Help the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy keep Fallingwater beautiful and clean. Please take your trash with you.
- To prevent anything from being bumped into and knocked over, only small wallets and handheld cameras are allowed inside the house.
- Dress for the weather and always bring a light jacket. Not only can western Pennsylvania weather change in a matter of minutes, but it's also usually about 10 degrees colder on the mountain.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes. There is a quarter-mile walk from the visitors center to the house, and there is a lot of exploring to do on the grounds after your tour.
COVID Policy
At this time, masking is optional but always welcome. Fallingwater encourages visitors to check the COVID-19 Community Level for Fayette County, Pennsylvania, on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for additional recommendations. For more information on Fallingwater’s health and safety guidelines regarding COVID-19, visit Fallingwater.org/visit/covid-19-policies/.
Keep in mind that three other Frank Lloyd Wright houses are located near Fallingwater and are worth the detour. Frank Lloyd Wright at Polymath Park, an architectural park that is home to Frank Lloyd Wright's Mäntylä and Duncan House, is only 23 miles away and Frank Lloyd Wright's Kentuck Knob is less than seven miles down the road from Fallingwater. Even though they were all designed by Wright, they have unique features and different origin stories. Why tour only one when you can see all four!?
In addition to Frank Lloyd Wright homes, the Laurel Highlands offers outdoor recreation, family fun, expansive wineries, historic sites, and more. Start planning your Laurel Highlands getaway today!
