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Scranton
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Scranton, Pennsylvania, pairs coal-mining heritage, railway history, museums, neighbourhood culture and nearby Pocono landscapes for memorable American sightseeing.

A Northeastern Pennsylvania City

Scranton lies in the Lackawanna River valley of northeastern Pennsylvania, around two hours from New York City and Philadelphia by road. Its identity was shaped by anthracite coal, immigrant communities and the railways that carried fuel and passengers through the valley. Today, the former industrial centre combines working-city character with museums, historic architecture, neighbourhood restaurants and green spaces.
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Industrial Memory and Civic Architecture

The city’s most distinctive visitor experiences explore its industrial past. At Steamtown National Historic Site, restored locomotives and railway buildings explain how rail transport connected Scranton with the wider American economy, while the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour descends into a former underground mine in nearby McDade Park. Downtown, the Scranton Cultural Center occupies the highly decorated former Masonic Temple, and Courthouse Square is framed by substantial civic and ecclesiastical buildings dating from the city’s prosperous early twentieth century.

Museums, Parks and Neighbourhood Life

The Electric City Trolley Museum recalls the local streetcar network that earned Scranton its famous nickname, while the Everhart Museum in Nay Aug Park covers natural history, science and art. Nay Aug itself provides wooded paths, gardens, a gorge and family attractions within the city. Beyond the central district, West Side and South Side neighbourhoods reflect the city’s layered ethnic history through churches, small businesses and regional food traditions, including the distinctive coal-region fondness for pierogies and Old Forge-style pizza from the nearby borough of Old Forge.

When is the best time to visit Scranton?

Best: June, August–September · 22–27°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January154
February248
March872
April1587
May20107
June (best)25115
July28119
August (best)27113
September (best)22102
October1688
November976
December265

Getting to and around Scranton

How to get there

The principal commercial gateway is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca, about 10 miles south-east of central Scranton; it serves the wider metropolitan area rather than lying within the city. Road access is straightforward via Interstate 81, Interstate 84, Interstate 380 and US Route 6. Long-distance bus services may connect Scranton with other Pennsylvania and New York destinations, although routes and operators can change. Scranton has an important railway heritage but no regular intercity passenger rail service comparable to Amtrak’s main corridors; trains associated with Steamtown are heritage operations rather than a normal way to arrive.

Transportation

Central Scranton is reasonably manageable on foot, particularly around Courthouse Square, the Cultural Center and Steamtown, but attractions are spread across the valley and a car is often the most practical option. The County of Lackawanna Transit System, known as COLTS, operates local bus routes, with the central bus terminal serving as a useful interchange. Taxis and app-based ride services may be available, though coverage can be less predictable outside the urban core. Traffic and winter weather can affect driving, and visitors should check parking arrangements at museums, parks and outlying sites individually.

Best attractions in Scranton

Scranton’s principal attractions trace the forces that built the city. Steamtown National Historic Site occupies the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad yards, where locomotives, workshops and exhibits explain the practical workings of American steam railroading. Nearby, the Electric City Trolley Museum explores the streetcar system that gave Scranton its nickname, with historic vehicles and transport displays. At Nay Aug Park, the Everhart Museum combines natural history, science and art with wooded paths, gardens and a river gorge. The Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour, at McDade Park outside the central district, offers an underground interpretation of anthracite mining in a former mine. Downtown’s Scranton Cultural Center adds ornate interiors and a programme of performance and community events, while the Lackawanna County Courthouse and surrounding civic buildings provide a readable introduction to the city’s industrial-era growth.

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Best landmarks in Scranton

Scranton’s landmarks embody the prosperity and civic ambition of its coal-and-rail era. The Lackawanna County Courthouse, facing Courthouse Square, is a substantial early twentieth-century civic building whose setting also includes the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. St Peter’s Cathedral, with its prominent twin towers and Gothic Revival character, reflects the importance of Catholic immigrant communities in the industrial city. The Scranton Cultural Center, formerly the Masonic Temple, is notable for its richly ornamented interior and large performance spaces. At the railway complex, Steamtown’s roundhouse and yards preserve the physical infrastructure of steam-era transport, while the Electric City Trolley Museum represents the electric streetcar system that shaped local expansion. Together these buildings and sites connect municipal government, religion, fraternal life and transport with Scranton’s urban development.

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Explore Scranton on the map

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Best restaurants in Scranton

Scranton’s dining culture reflects the immigrant communities and coalfield economy that shaped northeastern Pennsylvania. Pierogies, stuffed pasta associated with eastern European migration, are a familiar regional presence, while Italian-American cooking, hoagies, cheesesteaks and long-established family restaurants form part of the everyday food landscape. Old Forge-style pizza, distinguished by its rectangular form and distinctive cheese and sauce arrangements, belongs specifically to nearby Old Forge rather than Scranton, but it is closely associated with the wider Lackawanna Valley. Downtown and neighbourhood commercial strips offer cafés, bakeries, taverns and contemporary restaurants alongside traditional establishments, and seafood restaurants such as Cooper’s Seafood House have become part of the local dining identity. Regional diners and casual eateries are useful places to encounter the unpretentious, community-oriented character of Scranton’s food culture.

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Best bars in Scranton

Scranton’s evening scene is concentrated around downtown and nearby commercial districts, with neighbourhood taverns, casual bars, breweries and venues hosting live music rather than a large-scale nightclub culture. The area around Courthouse Square and the central business district is convenient for combining drinks with theatre, concerts or seasonal events, while younger crowds also use bars and restaurants beyond the historic core. The Scranton Cultural Center presents touring performances, local productions and other programmed entertainment in an ornate former Masonic Temple, and smaller venues contribute music and comedy to the city’s social calendar. Some evenings are shaped more by college events, community festivals and performances than by clubbing, so the current programme is more useful than assuming a fixed nightlife pattern.

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Best nightclubs in Scranton

Scranton’s evening scene is concentrated around downtown and nearby commercial districts, with neighbourhood taverns, casual bars, breweries and venues hosting live music rather than a large-scale nightclub culture. The area around Courthouse Square and the central business district is convenient for combining drinks with theatre, concerts or seasonal events, while younger crowds also use bars and restaurants beyond the historic core. The Scranton Cultural Center presents touring performances, local productions and other programmed entertainment in an ornate former Masonic Temple, and smaller venues contribute music and comedy to the city’s social calendar. Some evenings are shaped more by college events, community festivals and performances than by clubbing, so the current programme is more useful than assuming a fixed nightlife pattern.

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Best shops in Scranton

Shopping in Scranton combines practical neighbourhood retail with a modest downtown offering and larger commercial areas beyond the historic core. The Marketplace at Steamtown, a former downtown shopping centre, is closely tied to the city’s regeneration story, while independent businesses and cafés around central streets provide a more local-scale experience. Visitors seeking gifts can look for Pennsylvania food products, regional craftwork, railway-themed souvenirs and items connected with the city’s coal-mining heritage. Antique and second-hand shops appear in the wider Lackawanna Valley, reflecting the area’s long-established households and industrial past. For a broader range of national retailers, visitors generally travel to suburban shopping corridors, whereas downtown is better suited to combining small purchases with museums, civic architecture and cultural venues rather than treating it as a major luxury-shopping district.

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Scranton essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the United States dollar (USD). Credit and debit cards are widely used in hotels, museums, shops, restaurants and transport-related businesses, and contactless payment is increasingly common, though smaller establishments may still prefer a physical card or cash. ATMs are available in central commercial areas, banks and many convenience stores; overseas cards may incur fees from the card issuer or machine operator. Keep some small notes for tips, minor purchases and businesses with limited card facilities, and remember that displayed American prices generally exclude sales tax.
Safety
Scranton is a working regional city with quieter residential areas and busier downtown streets rather than a single continuous tourist district. Use ordinary urban precautions: keep valuables out of sight, remain aware around transport stops and crowded events, and use well-lit routes after dark. A car should be locked and possessions removed from view, particularly when parked at trailheads or less busy locations. Weather can change quickly in the hills, with snow and ice possible in winter. Visitors exploring former industrial or wooded areas should stay on marked paths and respect barriers around mine-related features.
Emergency Situations
Dial 911 for police, fire or urgent medical assistance anywhere in Scranton and the wider United States. Give the dispatcher the exact location, explain the nature of the emergency and follow instructions; operators can usually connect callers with the appropriate service. For non-urgent police matters, use the local police department’s published contact channels rather than 911. Emergency departments serve the city and region, including Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton, but visitors should use 911 for life-threatening situations. Travel insurance and a record of prescription medicines are sensible precautions for international visitors.
Do's and Don'ts
Tip restaurant servers, bartenders, taxi drivers and other service workers according to customary United States practice, unless a service charge is clearly included. Queue politely, respect private property and follow posted rules at museums, parks, mine sites and railway exhibits. At religious buildings, dress and behave respectfully, particularly during services. Do not enter abandoned industrial structures, mine workings or restricted railway areas, as they may be unstable or dangerous. Americans generally appreciate direct but courteous communication, and visitors should avoid treating working-class neighbourhoods or industrial heritage sites as theatrical backdrops.
Local Tips
Plan attractions by area: combine Steamtown and the Electric City Trolley Museum downtown, then pair the Everhart Museum with Nay Aug Park. Downtown’s courthouse and religious architecture reward a slower walk between museum visits. For coal history, allow travel time to McDade Park for the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour rather than assuming it is beside the railway museums. The Lackawanna River Heritage Trail offers a different view of the valley, with sections suitable for walking or cycling. Local calendars are worth checking for ethnic festivals, theatre, concerts and events at the Scranton Cultural Center.
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From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHowdy[haw-dee]
GoodbyeSee ya[see yah]
YesYup[yuhp]
NoNah[nuh]
Please/You're welcomePlease/No problem[pleez/no prob-lem]
Thank youThanks a bunch[thaynks uh bunch]
Excuse me/SorryPardon me/My bad[par-dn me/my bad]
How are you?How you doin'?[how yuh doin]
Fine. And you?Good. You?[good. yuh?]
Do you speak English?Ya speak English?[yah speak ing-glish]
I don't understandI don't get it[i don't get it]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I see the menu?[can eye see the menu]
I don't eat meatI'm vegetarian[eye-m veg-e-tair-ee-an]
Cheers!Cheers![cheers]
I would like to pay, pleaseCheck please[chek pleez]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Help![help]
Go away!Get lost![get lost]
Call the Police!Call the cops![call the cops]
Call a doctor!Get a doc![get a doc]
I'm lostI'm lost[i'm lost]
I'm illI'm sick[i'm sik]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I wanna buy...[i wanna buy]
I'm just lookingJust browsing[just brow-zing]
How much is it?How much?[how much]
That's too expensiveToo pricey[too prahy-see]
Can you lower the price?Can you do better?[can you do bet-ter]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time is it?[what time is it]
It's one o'clockIt's one[it's one]
Half past (10)Ten thirty[ten thur-tee]
MorningMorning[mor-ning]
AfternoonAfternoon[after-noon]
EveningEvening[ee-ven-ing]
YesterdayYesterday[yes-ter-day]
TodayToday[to-day]
TomorrowTomorrow[to-mor-row]
1One[wun]
2Two[too]
3Three[three]
4Four[four]
5Five[five]
6Six[six]
7Seven[seven]
8Eight[ate]
9Nine[nine]
10Ten[ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's the...?[where's the]
What's the address?What's the address?[what's the address]
Can you show me (on the map)?Can you show me?[can you show me]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next (bus)?[when's the next bus]
A ticket (to ....)One ticket (to ...)[wun ticket (to)]

History of Scranton

Lenape Lands and Early Settlement

Before European settlement, the Lackawanna Valley was inhabited by Indigenous peoples, including communities associated with the Lenape. European farmers and traders entered the region during the eighteenth century, and a settlement developed around the Lackawanna River. The area later became known as Slocum Hollow, after Isaac Tripp and other early settlers established farms and mills. Its location at the meeting point of valley routes gave the community agricultural and commercial potential, although the transformation into an industrial city depended on the discovery and exploitation of anthracite coal.

Coal and the Founding of Scranton

The Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company, led by William Henry, Selden T. Scranton and George W. Scranton, established major ironworks at Slocum Hollow in the 1840s. The enterprise used locally mined anthracite to fuel iron production and brought workers, investment and transport links to the valley. The settlement was renamed Scrantonia in 1851 and incorporated as Scranton in 1856. Although the iron industry later declined, coal mining became the city’s central economic force, drawing labour from Ireland, Wales, eastern and southern Europe and other parts of the United States.

Railways and the Electric City

Railway expansion in the second half of the nineteenth century connected Scranton’s mines and factories with markets across the eastern United States. The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad made the city an important freight and passenger centre, while rail yards, workshops and company buildings reshaped the urban landscape. Scranton also became known as the Electric City after the Scranton Electric Company introduced electric streetcars in 1886, among the earliest successful systems of their kind in the United States. The trolley network stimulated suburban growth and helped knit together the expanding industrial city.

Immigration, Labour and Urban Growth

Coal and rail employment attracted large immigrant communities, including people from Ireland, Wales, Italy, eastern Europe and the Balkans. They established churches, mutual-aid societies, shops and neighbourhood institutions that still influence Scranton’s cultural landscape. Industrial growth produced imposing civic buildings and commercial blocks downtown, but it was accompanied by dangerous working conditions and labour conflict. The city participated in the wider labour movements of the coalfields, including disputes over wages, hours and union recognition. Ethnic festivals, religious traditions and regional foodways grew from this period of migration and remain part of local identity.

Decline of Anthracite Industry

Scranton’s coal economy weakened during the twentieth century as rail passenger travel declined, other fuels displaced anthracite and mines became less profitable. Collieries and industrial works closed, bringing unemployment and population loss, while abandoned workings left a complicated environmental legacy. The city nevertheless retained important civic and cultural institutions, and historic railway and mining sites later became central to heritage interpretation. Steamtown National Historic Site, created from a preserved collection of steam locomotives and railway equipment, reflects a broader effort to explain the technological and social history of the Lackawanna Valley.

A Heritage City in the Present

Modern Scranton remains the seat of Lackawanna County and a regional centre for education, healthcare, government and the arts. Downtown revitalisation has placed restored buildings, museums and performance venues alongside newer businesses, while neighbourhood churches and long-established family enterprises preserve the city’s immigrant-era character. Scranton’s portrayal as Dunder Mifflin’s fictional home in the television series The Office has added a contemporary layer to its public image, but the city’s visitor identity rests more deeply on the physical evidence of coal, railways, religious communities and working-class urban development.

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Welcome to Scranton, Pennsylvania, a city rich with history and vibrant culture. With Evendo, your trip to Scranton becomes an immersive and organized experience. Whether you're eager to visit the iconic Steamtown National Historic Site or explore the Electric City Trolley Museum, Evendo has you covered. Our detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities ensures that you have everything you need right at your fingertips.

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