As Covid-19 causes more problems with day to day life, I had a recent run in with the disease that led to a great trip. We were supposed to go to Cape Cod and hang out in Provincetown, but the word "epicenter" was used. Needless to say, we had to rethink things. So, I turned on a dime and changed everything and paid all the penalties involved to move our entire trip to Scranton, Pennsylvania.
I know what you must be thinking. Wow, what a change. And, why Scranton, PA? Well, to be perfectly honest, Ithaca, NY and the White Mountains were completely booked, because it's the middle of summer. Then, at the last piece of the end of my rope, I remembered Scranton. Years ago, I took my son there to look at waterfalls. While we were there, we discovered an amazing place. So, since my husband hadn't been there, because that was a mommy and son trip; I hurriedly booked us a place to stay in Scranton, PA.
Scranton, and the entire Wyoming Valley are a hidden gem, and a great place to spend some time. There are tons of things to do, amazing things to see, and a history that leaves one's mind bent.
The entire Wyoming Valley is a seat of industry dating way back. Famous for Anthracite Coal and the mining that brought it to the surface, it is an area of reimagination these days. Back in the day, the coal mines were king and the people who owned them were their royalty. Along came unionization via some fairly notable battles between laborers and management, and Scranton became the center of worker's rights. Now, You can take a tour of the Lackawanna Coal Mine and visit the Anthracite Museum and learn all about that part of the valley's history.
The Lackawanna folks are also in charge of the historic site where the Scranton Furnaces were. In the summer, this gorgeous park has live plays on the weekends, many of which are Shakespeare. It's a beautiful spot to hang out right in the middle of town, and a must see.
The furnaces are just a stone's throw from the main section of downtown and all that goes with that. One of my favorite stops was at Coney Island Texas Weiners. This subterranean wonder diner is in a half exposed cellar that resembles a subway station in NYC, and it's been there since 1923. The food is wonderful, and the walls are covered with art work.
I had to ask the current owner about the portraits all over the walls. He tells me that they are simply regular customers from over the years. He chooses one every once in a while and has an artist he knows make the sketches. It's a one of a kind atmosphere, and I highly recommend this stop while in town.
Downtown has a lot to offer in Scranton. Of course, there's Steamtown National Historic Site. Scranton was an enormous hub for train routes in the day, and there is nothing like taking a look at the history of that at Steamtown. The roundhouse still works. During regular times there are train rides. There's a movie to watch about the history. There's a museum, and a whole bunch of trains. It's a great way to spend some time and see some amazing things. Also at the site is the Trolley Museum, which may not sound like a big deal, but Scranton was dubbed "The Electric City" because of their trolley system, which was the first complete trolley system in the country.
Attached by walkway to Steamtown is the Scranton Marketplace Mall. There are many shops in the mall and a food court. If you aren't exhausted after Steamtown and the Trolley Museum, the marketplace is the home of Scranton's Aquarium. Just another great thing to do while downtown.
What I didn't know, and frankly didn't expect was the architecture of the area. I took a walk around the main square downtown and was astounded. In the late 1800's and early 1900's Scranton was at its peak in the train and coal business. As a result, a lot of the downtown buildings were designed by famous architects from around the area and beyond. Everywhere you look is a beautiful building that's one of a kind. The municipal building and courthouse are stone wonders. The buildings of Lackawanna College are works of art, and still designate boys and girls on some of the entrances. The Masonic Temple is amazing. It goes on and on, including the post office and the churches.
I have to stop here and talk about the churches of the valley. I've never seen anything like it. During the height of the coal and trains, many immigrants came to Scranton. Most of them were Italian, Russian, German, and Polish. With them, came their religions along with the other European groups that were already there. The churches in the Wyoming Valley are largely works of art. You can spit from one to another, there are so many. I have never seen a bigger collection of amazing churches anywhere. And they are all denominations. They are modern and antiquated. They are from virtually all religions. I've never seen anything like it, and it is worth it to take a look around. The architecture is extraordinary.
But, with the old comes the new. Scranton is also known for those colleges and universities. With them come new age art and a sense of modernity. Downtown amongst the old architecture you will find modern murals and street art. You will find new age shops and restaurants, even though most food is deli or pizza. Didn't find much else there.
Up the hill from all of that and Scranton University is Nay Aug Park, which is known as a riverside park. It is also home to the Everheart Museum of art and culture.
I found it unusual to go up a hill to a riverside park until I realized that it is a gorge park. There is a place called the tree house where you can overlook the gorge and see Route I-81 on the other side. There are also trails along the river down in the gorge with fabulous views and waterfalls. It's a great place in the middle of town to spend some time in the wilderness.
There are tons of things to see and do in Scranton and the valley. Indian Motorcycles are made and sold there, and they have a great showroom to check out. The Harrison Street Bridge is a great bridge with a great view and a fascinating history. There are neighborhoods to check out with their own personalities, and many other cities in the valley. Dickson City is the shopping Mecca and Wilkes Barre is home of Pocono Downs and Mohegan Sun Pocono Casino. There's regular horse racing at the race track and a plethora of restaurants at the casino if you have trouble finding something other than pizza in the area. Note; finding a restaurant may take some patience and perseverance. The ones that you find are worth the research. The food in the area is outstanding.
There are also a lot of activities in the area. There are several fun parks with mini golf and go karts. There are several parks with various activities. Montage Mountain has a waterpark in the summer time and of course skiing in the winter. There's farm league and college baseball to watch too. There are a lot of activities in the area.
Of course, I'm always attracted to waterfalls, and this trip was no different. We ran across a place called Seven Buckets State Park in Pinchot State Forest. That's right, seven waterfalls in a flume like situation. It had a nice trail, a cute bridge, and waterfalls all down the hill. It's in a town called Bear Creek.
What we didn't expect was a puzzle. We hiked to the top of the trail and found an arched tunnel entry. We looked around and discovered that it was a tunnel under the railroad from the 1800's sometime. What we didn't expect was that the tracks were still in use. Wow.
We went back to the parking area and walked down what appeared to be a service road and discovered another puzzle. The stream disappeared and reappeared. We stood on a bridge some distance down the road and tried to figure it out, but had to come back another day to investigate further, because it was getting dark.
Visit number two led us to a second tunnel. This tunnel was at least 100 feet long and ran directly under the road. I'm still looking for the explanation and will post about it if we figure it out. So, two visits to this park. It's an interesting place and worth the trip.
And last, but not least, the wonder that first attracted me to the area. Way out on Route 118 west of everything is Ricketts Glen State Park, also part of Pinchot State Forest.
I'm a waterfall hunter and the reason that I first came to the area was to hike to the 22 waterfalls that call this park home. There is one main trail that goes to what is called "Water's Meet" and then there are two trails up the mountain from there. There is a connecting trail across the top that also connects to a lake area. There are waterfalls all along the three main trails. To hike the entire waterfall area is a little over seven miles and makes for a grueling day. But, the view is outstanding and the waterfalls are unbelievable. The highest falls is 94 feet high. It is one of the highest concentrations of waterfalls I've ever seen.
Note to the hikers of waterfalls. Be sure you bring water and shoes with good grip. There are stone stairs, wet areas, loose stone in places, and crowds of people to navigate. These trails realistically go straight up and down a mountain and are not for the feint of heart. Make sure you are in shape for the hike. I saw a lot of people on that trail that didn't belong there, and they were really struggling. This is also a hike not to take alone. Make sure someone is with you. Have your phone for emergencies; you do have service there. You might even want to bring a snack bar or something. The hike takes at least four hours.
That being said, it's one of the greatest hikes in the Eastern part of the country.
So, as we navigate the ups and downs of the pandemic, try not to sweat the small stuff like having to change your vacation on a dime. I'm glad I made the change. Sure, I missed out on some sailing and a drag show, but I got to spend some quality time exploring a true hidden gem.
I have no regrets about changing my plans. I loved spending time in Scranton/Wilkes Barre and the Wyoming Valley. I learned a lot, I saw a lot, God knows I ate a lot. I walked a lot, I shopped a bit. I had a great time, and I would gladly visit again. So remember, take time to enjoy the places that you can and spend some time in a place like Scranton and enjoy!
