Photo: Christopher Seliga, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Scranton is a fantastic city located in northeast Pennsylvania. This city is home to museums, outstanding parks, trails, and markets. During your visit, you can slip and slide at the Montage Mountain Ski Resort during any time of the year and have some quality time as a family. Additionally, you can visit the Steamtown National Historic Site and learn about steam trains. You can visit the Everhart Museum and view the over one million years of exhibits. You can visit the Lackawanna heritage valley to learn about this city’s past.
Further, you can visit the farmer’s markets located in Scranton’s various areas to interact with the residents, buy local produce, and learn more about the culture of the people living there. A visit to the wineries and vineyards located in Scranton will allow you to learn about the wines and taste the different types of wines. When visiting with kids, you can stop at the Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den and view the sea creatures. You can also visit the various trails in the city to stretch your muscles by walking or cycling. Scranton covers an estimated area of 66.14 square kilometers, and it has a population of 77,054 as per the census of 2019. The elevation of Scranton is 227m, and the area code is 570. Scranton has multiple places and various things you can do during your visit to make your trip memorable and worthwhile.
Here are the best ten things to do in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
# 10 – Everhart Museum
Everhart is one of the oldest museums in Pennsylvania, and it was named after Scranton’s prominent physician Dr. Isaiah Fawkes Everhart, who gifted it to the city in 1907. This over 100-year-old museum features art, science, and natural history. Additionally, inside this museum, there are fantastic and unique paintings, fossils that date back millions of years, and illuminating rocks and minerals. Everhart museum is one of the best places you can visit with a kid while touring Scranton, Pennsylvania. Besides, this museum also features 2,500 taxidermized bird’s collection, and it is the home to the most extensive collection of paintings of John Willard Raught, a local artist. During September, Everhart museum hosts the annual Farm to Table Meal which features locally grown fresh ingredients.
Further, this museum holds summer camps, special hands-on education for K-12 students, and adult education classes. The admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, and for children between six to 12, it is $3. There is free admission for active military members. Everhart museum is located at 1901 Mulberry St., in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
# 9 – Farmer’s Markets
Are you interested in meeting the natives of Scranton, understanding the culture of the people living in Scranton, tasting and buying their local products and meals? Well, a visit to the farmer’s markets located in various places around the city will give you the opportunity. Some of the farmer’s markets found in Scranton, Pennsylvania, include Co-Op Farmer’s market, South Side farmers market, Hanna’s farm market, and Wayne County Farmer’s market. Meats, bread, fresh vegetables, maple syrup, fruits are among the products sold in various farmers’ markets in Scranton, Pennsylvania. There are restaurants located within the markets that you can visit and have a taste of the local dishes. Finally, the Scranton markets are open during various times of the week or month.
# 8 – Lackawanna River Heritage Trail
Suppose you want to stretch your muscles and have some quality time outdoors while in Scranton, Pennsylvania, then Lackawanna River Heritage Trail is the place to be. Lackawanna River Heritage Trail is 70-mile long, and it goes through rural and urban areas. The Lackawanna River Heritage Trail is divided into sections of varying lengths. The 70-mile trail is mainly paved, making it a perfect place to go walking, running, or cycling while in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Lackawanna River Heritage Trail features beautiful and peaceful forest and mighty river. You can also visit this trail to have some quiet time away from the noisy and busy city life.
# 7 – Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum
A visit to Anthracite Heritage Museum will give you the chance to learn about the history of the anthracite coal fields of Northeastern Pennsylvania, learn about the history of the area and the life of the workers in the mines, the culture of the region. You will also get a chance to know how coal mines helped shape migration in the Scranton region plus the city’s daily life. Some of the exhibits in this museum include a replica of a typical coal miner’s home, a replica salon, and multiple photographs of coal miner workers and their families.
During your visit to Anthracite Heritage Museum, you will get a chance to see a nearby exhibit featuring four iron furnaces used in smelting the iron produced by the Lackawanna Iron and Steel Company. The museum opens from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, while on Sundays it opens from 12 p. m. to 5 p.m. The general admission is $7 while those above 65 years is $6, and persons between the ages of 3 and 11 are $5. Active military personnel and their immediate family have free admission. Anthracite Heritage Museum is located at 22 Bald Mountain Rd in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
# 6 – Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den
Suppose you are traveling with little ones to Scranton, Pennsylvania, and wondering where to visit and have a memorable experience as a family. In that case, Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den is your destination. Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den is located at 300 Lackawanna Ave., in Scranton. Some of the aquatic life on display in Electric City Aquarium & Reptile Den includes stingrays, sharks, fish species, and octopus. While at the reptile den, you will see amphibians and reptiles like lizards, snakes, and tortoises, among others. The facility opens from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, while on Sundays, it opens between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. The admission is $18.95 for adults, $15.95 for children between the ages of 2 to 12. College students, seniors, military personnel, and first responders pay $16.95.
# 5 – Archbald Pothole State Park
Are you interested in geology or prehistory? Well, if you do, there is a place for you in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where you can visit. Archbald Pothole State Park has the biggest and the enormous glacial pothole in the world. A visit to this park will give you the chance to see and learn about this unique geological feature. Archbald Pothole State Park is located at 960 Scranton Carbondale Hwy.
# 4 – Lake Scranton Walking Path
Located at Route 307, Scranton, Pennsylvania, is a 16,000-acre reservoir called Lake Scranton. Lake Scranton serves as a water supply for this beautiful city. This 16,000-acre reservoir is surrounded by a 3.5-mile walking path that you can use to walk or jog while having stunning views of the lake and the mountain nearby.
# 3 – Wineries and vineyards
Pennsylvania is one of the wines producing states in the United States of America. Scranton has also not been left behind. This city has some for-wine lovers. If you are a wine lover and, in the region, you should never fail to visit Scranton’s winery and vineyards. Some of the wineries include Lucchi Family wine Cellars and Ferrone Family Winery. There are over 28 wines that you will get a chance to taste during your visit. A visit to the wineries and vineyards while in Scranton will give you the perfect opportunity to taste wines and learn more details about various types of wines and how the wines are made.
# 2 – Navy Aug Park
If you are an outdoor enthusiast and you want to have some fun outdoors, then 500 Arthur Ave. in Scranton is your destination. At this destination, Navy Aug Park, which is the biggest and the largest park in Scranton. Inside Navy Aug Park, there are beautifully landscaped walking trails, picnic areas, and a playground for kids. The trail in this park passes through rocky gorges, streams, and waterfalls. Additionally, Navy Aug Park also features mammoth waterslides and a giant treehouse. During the summer, you can visit Navy Aug Park to swim. The little ones can play in the two playgrounds located in the park. Navy Aug Park is open daily between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
# 1 – Montage Mountain
Scranton is home to the fun. There are multiple things that do in Scranton during various seasons, and Montage Mountain is one of the places to visit. This is a perfect place to visit with your family if you want to spend time outdoors, either during the summer or winter. Some of the activities available in Montage Mountain during the winter include skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing. Ski lessons are also offered in Montage Mountain for both adults and kids. During the summer, Montage Mountain offers a canal for floating, zipline rides, a large waterpark with slides, and poolside cabanas. Montage Mountain features a lazy river, wave pool, and water slides. Dry attractions in Montage Mountain include batting cages, beach volleyball, and mini-golf for individuals of all ages. Montage Mountain is located at 1000 Montage Mountain Rd, Scranton. The facility opens daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
