PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK

‘Tis the season to be nebby! With the holiday season in full swing, a number of tours featuring some of Pittsburgh’s most richly decorated homes are taking place across the region. From Shadyside to Zelienople, here’s your chance to go inside some of Pittsburgh’s one-of-a-kind homes. 

Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour 

Themed “Christmas on Broadway,” the Symphony Splendor Holiday House Tour in Shadyside, presented by the Pittsburgh Symphony Association, takes place Friday, Nov. 22 through Sunday, Nov. 24 and again Friday, Nov. 29 through Sunday, Dec. 1. Adding to the holiday mood will be more than 30 Pittsburgh Symphony members, Mendelssohn Choir singers and other musicians on hand to entertain Christmas lovers. Tickets for the daytime tours are $40 in advance or $50 at the door. Tickets for the candlelight tours are $50 in advance and $60 at the door. Shuttle buses to and from the free parking lot at The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh (located at the corner of Northumberland Street and Shady Avenue) are available for an additional cost of $10 per rider. All proceeds from the event benefit the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 

Oakmont Christmas Home Tour

Explore the charming riverside town of Oakmont on the self-guided Oakmont Christmas Home Tour. Sponsored by the Oakmont Chamber of Commerce, the tour kicks off at noon on Sunday, Dec. 1 at the Oakmont Carnegie Library, where participants will receive a program, map and starting house assignment. Tickets are $25 each. Also worth noting, due to one of the stops on the tour, participants are asked not to wear jeans. 

Old Allegheny Victorian Christmas House Tour

Experience a bygone era with the popular Old Allegheny Victorian Christmas House Tour in the Allegheny West neighborhood on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Taking Place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 7, the event features a half-dozen restored Victorian homes — all decorated to celebrate a 19th century Christmas — as well as the historical Calvary United Methodist Church, which is renowned for its Louis Tiffany stained-glass windows. The event is hosted by tour guides who will explain Victorian holiday traditions, provide a history of Allegheny West (including some of its more famous residents) and give the background behind the different homes on the tour. Tickets are $45 each. For an extra cost at the end of the tour, participants may visit one of the world’s largest toy train museums. The private collection has hundreds of colorful train sets from the early 20th century, many of which roll through enchanting miniature villages.

Lawrenceville Cookie Tour

Explore the many locally owned retail shops and restaurants along Butler Street and Penn Avenue, all while munching on a sweet, with the annual Lawrenceville Cookie Tour taking place from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15. Businesses offering handmade goodies will have a gingerbread man displayed at the entrance. There also will be “Take a Break” stops, signified by a gingerbread man with a stop sign, where participants can rest up from the free walking tour by enjoying a beer or coffee. 

Zelienople Annual House Tour

Come hungry to the Zelienople Annual House Tour beginning at noon on Saturday, Dec. 14. Besides a tour of decorated homes across the town in Butler County, which was founded in 1802 by German diplomat Dettmar Basse, the $25 ticket includes a luncheon sponsored by the Zelienople Historical Society. 

Christmas in Crafton House Tour

Organized by the Crafton Recreation Board, in partnership with Crafton Heritage, the Christmas in Crafton House Tour takes place from 1 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15. Tickets are $20 when purchased in advance and $25 on the day of the event. All proceeds from the event support future community programs in Crafton. 

Holiday Home Tour of Beaver 

Elaborately decorated mantels, towering Christmas trees, holly and mistletoe on stairs and chandeliers are all promised on the Holiday Home Tour of Beaver, which is filled with homes more than a century old. Taking place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15, the tour kicks off at a 119-year-old home located across the way from Wayne Park. Tickets are $25 each. All proceeds benefit Saints Peter & Paul Catholic School.