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Scranton is a city of about 76,000 people in the Lackawanna Valley of northeastern Pennsylvania. It grew in the 1800s on anthracite coal, iron and railroads, and was one of the first American cities with electric streetcars, which earned it the nickname "The Electric City." The big illuminated Electric City sign still glows over downtown.
That industrial past is the heart of a visit. The Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour takes visitors 300 feet underground in an old mine car, the Scranton Iron Furnaces preserve huge stone blast furnaces from the 1840s, and Steamtown National Historic Site displays steam locomotives in a working railroad yard. The Electric City Trolley Museum sits next door.
Downtown has a grand courthouse square, the Gothic Revival Lackawanna County Courthouse, the Scranton Cultural Center in a former Masonic temple and the Radisson hotel in the restored Lackawanna Station. Fans of the TV comedy The Office visit sites tied to the show, and Nay Aug Park, McDade Park and the nearby Pocono Mountains offer hiking and lakes.
National Park Service site in the old Delaware, Lackawanna and Western rail yard, with a working roundhouse, steam locomotives, a museum on railroad history and shop tours. Short train excursions run on select days in season. Allow half a day; entry to the museums is free.
Museum next to Steamtown showing the history of electric streetcars, with restored trolleys and hands-on exhibits. In season, trolley rides run through a long tunnel toward Montage Mountain. Check the ride schedule ahead; tickets combine the museum and the trip.
Museum of natural history, science and art founded in 1908 inside Nay Aug Park, with dinosaur fossils, a large bird collection, folk art and changing exhibits. It is a good rainy-day stop for families. Combine it with a walk in the park's gorge and the treehouse.
Small museum devoted to escape artist Harry Houdini, with posters, props and film clips, followed by a live magic show. Visits are guided and run on set days, so reservations are needed. It is fun and a little quirky; plan around 90 minutes for the tour and show.
Ride a mine car down about 300 feet into a real anthracite coal mine in McDade Park, guided by people with mining backgrounds who explain the hard life underground. It is cool inside year-round, so bring a jacket. Tours run in season, roughly April to November.
Four massive stone blast furnaces from the 1840s and 1850s, remains of the ironworks that made Scranton an industrial city and supplied rails for America's railroads. It is a state historic site with signs and a small visitor area. It is free and quick to see; allow 30 minutes.
Romanesque Revival courthouse of rough stone completed in 1884, set on Courthouse Square in the heart of downtown with monuments and shady lawns. It is a fine starting point for a downtown walk. The square hosts summer events; the building is open on weekdays.
Historic illuminated rooftop sign downtown recalling Scranton's nickname, earned when it ran one of the first electric streetcar systems in the US in 1886. It is lit at night and is a favorite city photo spot. See it after dark from the Courthouse Square area.
Grand 1930 former Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral designed by Raymond Hood, now a performing arts center hosting Broadway touring shows, concerts and events. Its ornate halls are worth seeing. Check the season calendar and ask about building tours.
Scranton's largest park, with a wooded gorge and waterfall on Roaring Brook, the accessible David Wenzel Treehouse overlooking the gorge, playgrounds, pools and the Everhart Museum. It is great for families. Paths into the gorge are rocky, so wear proper shoes.
Large county park built on reclaimed mining land, home to the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour and the Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum, plus trails, picnic areas and a summer pool. It makes a full day out with the mine tour. Parking is free near the museums.
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Pennsylvania, United States
Pennsylvania, United States
Pennsylvania, United States
Pennsylvania, United States
Pennsylvania, United States
Pennsylvania, United States
Pennsylvania, United States
Pennsylvania, United States
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