Pennsylvania Travel Info, Recommendations, and Links

Pennsylvania

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Wilkes-Barre - This is Shay's hometown, and we visit the Wilkes-Barre area several times a year to visit with her family. Wilkes-Barre is not often thought of as a tourist destination, but there is really quite a lot to do and see in the area. We've included our favorite local haunts below. (Wilkes-Barre also happens to be a good base for exploring other areas of Pennsylvania; see the Day Trips section for suggestions.)

Tourist Info:

ExperiencePA.com - This site contains travel and tourism information covering the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. You'll find sections on Nature & Outdoors, Arts & Entertainment, Historic Places, Accommodations & Dining, and Kids, as well as an event calendar and other useful information. You can even order a free travel planner online.

Luzerne County Convention & Visitors Bureau - Visit this helpful web site for information on local attractions, accommodations, dining, events, and more. You can request an information packet containing local maps, brochures, and other info by sending an email to tournepa@tournepa.com. (If you plan to explore beyond Wilkes-Barre and Luzerne County, check out the Northeast Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau.)

Local Newspapers - For news and other information, check out these web sites:

	Times Leader - local and national news (see the Weekender for entertainment info)
	Citizens' Voice - local and national news
	Electric City - entertainment and event guide for the Wilkes-Barre area

Online Guide Books - For hotels, restaurants, nightlife, local events, and more, check out Citysearch Wilkes-Barre and DigitalCity Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Local Transportation:

	Luzerne County Transportation Authority - The LCTA runs bus service throughout Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding areas. This unofficial web site will give you some idea of route coverage, schedules, and fares. However, the site does not appear to have been updated in a few years, so some of the information may be outdated. For current information, please contact the LCTA at (570) 287-8463.
	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) - Located in Avoca, this is the closest "major" airport to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton area..

Attractions:

Sordoni Art Gallery - Wilkes University, 150 South River Street, Wilkes-Barre - This gallery displays traditional and contemporary artwork by local, regional, national, and international artists, with a permanent collection that focuses on 19th and 20th century American painting. The gallery also offers an ambitious schedule of exhibitions, lectures, and related programs, all of which are available to the public without charge. Visit the web site for the university's exhibition and performance schedule.

Luzerne County Museum - 69 South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre - This free museum features several permanent exhibits as well as a variety of rotating exhibits. The exhibit on the Native American inhabitants of the area features local artifacts ranging from stone implements of the Archaic period to the archeological evidence of European influence. A timbered coal mine gangway and its mine railway car on the lower level are part of the permanent exhibit on anthracite mining, the industry which once dominated Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Visit the web site for hours, map, and current exhibit information.

Swetland Homestead - 885 Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming - The Swetland Homestead contains the original cabin built on this site in 1803 as well as several additions made as the Swetland family grew and prospered. Period-furnished rooms, from the summer kitchen to the Victorian parlor of the 1860s, illustrate changes in living spaces and household objects as America and the Wyoming Valley passed from an agrarian economy to an industrialized society. The homestead, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is open year round. Visit the web site for hours, admission, and directions.

Nathan Denison House - 35 Denison Street, Forty Fort - Built in 1790 as the home of a Connecticut settler, this house is considered to be the oldest frame dwelling in the Wyoming Valley. It is furnished with antiques and period pieces that reflect American lifestyles, furniture, and architecture in the 18th and 19th centuries. Costumed interpreters are available Sunday afternoons, May through September. The Nathan Denison House does not have a web page; call for information and hours: 570-288-5531.

Everhart Museum - 1901 Mulberry Street, Scranton - The diverse exhibits of this museum offer something for everyone. The Paleontologial Collection consists of coal fossils, while the Natural History Collections feature some 20,000 specimens of mammals, birds, butterflies, insects, marine life, seashells, fossils, and dinosaurs, as well as an herbarium. The large art department includes a variety of collections: Art of the Ancient World, Ethnographic Arts and Artifacts, Folk Art, 19th & 20th Century American Art, Regional Art, Decorative Arts, European Art, and Asian Art. Visit the web site for directions, collection information, museum history, and more.

Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour and Anthracite Heritage Museum - McDade Park, Bald Mountain Road, Scranton - Step into a mine car and descend 300 feet below the earth, where you'll explore an old anthracite coal mine that originally opened in 1860. Your tour guide will lead you through winding underground passageways and rock tunnels as he explains the history of coal mining in the local area. After your tour, stop by the adjacent Anthracite Heritage Museum, where you'll learn more about the people who came to this region of Pennsylvania to work in the mines, mills, and factories. The museum's diverse regional collections represent all facets of the work, life, and values of the area's ethnic communities. Visit the web sites for hours, admission fees, directions, and other details.

Eckley Miners' Village - Route 2 (off of Route 940), Weatherly - Eckley was founded in 1854 as a company-owned and -built anthracite-mining community. It remained that way for 115 years, and very little changed in the village during that time. When Paramount was looking for a location to shoot The Molly Maguires (starring Sean Connery and Richard Harris), they settled on Eckley. The village became a museum in 1971, and is the site is now open to visitors. Today, Eckley Miners' Village comprises over 150 buildings, including Catholic and Protestant churches, a doctor's office, company store, breaker, summer kitchen, and workers' dwellings from the 1880s, 1900s, and 1940s. Guided tours are available seasonally, and self-guided tours are available throughout the year. Visit the web site for details, including hours, admission, and directions.

Electric City Trolley Museum - 300 Cliff Street, Scranton - Did you know that the first commercially-viable, all-electric street car system in American was introduced in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1886? We didn't either, until we read about Scranton's Trolley Museum. The museum collection provides an overview of the electric railway history of eastern Pennsylvania, from the Philadelphia region to Northeast Pennsylvania. You'll find vintage trolleys, interactive displays, even a small theatre on site. From spring through late fall, you can even take a short trolley excursion along a scenic route that follows a portion of the former Laurel Line electric interurban railroad.

Steamtown National Historic Site - Cliff Avenue, Scranton - Steamtown is part of the National Parks Service, and it is the only site within the park system that tells the story of steam railroading and the people who made it possible. Steamtown features living history and interpretive programs, a working locomotive shop and roundhouse, educational outreach programs, seasonal short tours of the yard by train, seasonal excursions, and occasional special excursions. Visit the web sites for more information, including hours and directions, facilities, admission fees, tour schedule, excursion schedule, special events, and more.

The Houdini Museum - 1433 North Main Street, Scranton - Reportedly the only museum in the world devoted entirely to Harry Houdini. Visit the web site to get a peek at the museum's interior and learn more.

Wyoming Valley Mall - Business Route 309, Wilkes-Barre - The mall features a wide range of shops, a food court, and a movie theatre, as well as several restaurants located outside the main building. Visit the web site for directions, events, and other information.

Day Trips - There are lots of tourist attractions within a two-hour drive of Wilkes-Barre:

	Claws 'n' Paws - Ledgedale Road, Lake Ariel - A surprisingly well-populated zoo in the middle of the Pennsylvania woods, featuring such exotic animals as a white tiger, lion, giraffe, camel, and more. In addition to animals large and small, you'll also see birds of prey, brightly-colored parrots and macaws, and a variety of snakes and reptiles. Visit the web site for hours and admission, directions, animal list, shows and features, and more.
	Gettysburg - Gettysburg has always been a popular tourist destination for Civil War buffs, and with good reason...you can view Civil War reenactments and visit many historic sites here, including the Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg National Cemetery, Lincoln Room Museum, and General Lee's Headquarters Museum. But the area also features other attractions, such as a winery, a scenic railway, and a children's museum. Visit the web site of the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, where you'll find information on attractions, hotels, B&Bs, dining, and more. And be sure to order your free Visitors Guide before you go. *Tip 1:* The best way to see all of the main Civil War sites (at your own pace) is to rent or purchase an audiocassette and take the battlefield driving tour (see also CC Inc. Auto Tape Tours and Gettysburg Battlefield Tape Tour). *Tip 2:* For great accommodations at a reasonable price, try the Quality Inn Larson's, which is on the same property as General Lee's Headquarters and includes free admission to the museum (as well as a complimentary continental breakfast). We recommend splurging on the townhouse-style General Buford Suite, with full kitchen, living room, bath with jacuzzi, and bedroom with a large balcony overlooking Seminary Ridge.
	Hersheypark - 100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey - Love chocolate? Enjoy thrill rides? Boy, have we got a park for you! Hersheypark has all the attractions of a major amusement park - including exciting roller coasters, drenching water rides, even an on-site zoo! - as well as scrumptious Hershey's products everywhere you turn. Learn all about how these delectable treats are made via a simulated factory tour ride in Hershey's Chocolate World Visitor Center. And be sure to read the history of Milton S. Hershey in the exhibits leading up to the ride...he was a pretty remarkable man. Visit the park's web site for hours, admission plans, and more. While you're there, you may want to stop by the nearby Hershey Gardens, which was recommended by a visitor to our site (Violet Stailey). She noted that the Butterfly House and the new Children's Garden are not to be missed!
	Pennsylvania Dutch Country - Curiosity about the quaint Amish lifestyle draws countless visitors to Lancaster County each year. Visit the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau web site to learn more about all there is to see and do here, from Amish attractions to amusement parks, from museums and historic sites to breweries and wineries. While you're at the site, don't forget to order your free map and visitors guide. For additional information, visit the Pennsylvania Dutch Country Welcome Center web site.
	Philadelphia - The "Birthplace of American Independence" and "City of Brotherly Love", Philly offers plenty of historical and cultural sights for visitors: the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (both part of Independence National Historical Park), The Franklin Institute Science Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Zoo, Longwood Gardens, and many other great attractions. Visit the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing web site for all the details and to order your free Trip Planner Vacation Guide. And check out the Frommer's and Fodor's online guide books for additional information.
	Pocono Mountains - The Poconos are popular among vacationers who are interested in outdoor recreational activities, winter sports, and romantic getaways. The Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau web site includes lots of information on things to do, places to stay, eateries to explore, events to enjoy, and more. You can even take a virtual tour online. Be sure to order a free Visitors Guide and print out money-saving coupons online.
	Reading Outlets - A serious shopping mecca for the die-hard bargain-hunter. You can easily spend an entire day at the Vanity Fair Outlets alone (great prices on Lee and Wrangler jeans, Jantzen swimwear and sportswear, Jansport backpacks, Vanity Fair intimates, and tons more). But if you have the time, don't miss the Reading Outlet Center, Hiesters Lane Outlets, and others. For more information on things to do and see in the local area, visit the Reading and Berks County Visitors Bureau web site and request their free Visitors Guide.

Restaurants:

	Arcaro & Genell - 443 South Main Street, Old Forge - We weren't overly impressed by our first taste of Old-Forge-style pizza at Revello's, but we were told that their competitor across the street - Arcaro & Genell - is considered by many to have the best pizza in Old Forge. We didn't get a chance to try it out during our last visit, but we plan to try it out the next time we're in the area. Visit the restaurant's web site for a menu, directions, and more.
	Grotto Pizza - 337 Wyoming Valley Mall, Wilkes-Barre - One of the best pizzerias in the country! (And no, we're not exaggerating.) Sadly, we haven't found a single pizzeria in the Boston area that can compare with Grotto's. Locals used to drive all the way out to Harvey's Lake for this legendary pizza, but it's now more easily accessible since they added a restaurant outside the Wyoming Valley Mall. Visit the web site for additional locations (in Pennsylvania and Delaware), news, and more.
	Hops & Barleys - 131 Main Street, Luzerne - As you can probably guess by the name, this restaurant features a well-stocked bar. They serve a wide variety of tasty food, including a fried ravioli appetizer, cheesy nachos, and a bountiful basket of raw veggies with a creamy ranch dip. The kitchen is open until 1 a.m., so this is the perfect place for a late-night meal.
	Revello's - 502 South Main Street, Old Forge - Although Shay grew up just a few miles from the self-proclaimed pizza capital of the world, Old Forge, she never actually tried Old-Forge-style pizza until our recent visit to the area in December 2004. Shay thought the pizza was fairly good and somewhat addictive, but didn't find anything particularly special about it that would merit all of the hype. (Mike, on the other hand, proclaimed the pizza "not good" - he ate a few cuts, but wasn't impressed.) But if you've never had Old-Forge-style pizza, it's worth a try so you can make up your own mind as to whether it really is among the "best pizza in the world." The web site lists the address, phone number, directions, and little else.
	Sabatini's - 1925 Wyoming Avenue, Exeter - Another of the country's best pizzerias. Sab's has been a local landmark since 1958; the menu may be limited, but the pizza is divine! Fortunately for us, Sabatini's sells their classic pizzas frozen...which means we're able to bring some home to Boston with us! Visit the web site for Sab's menu, directions, history, and more. *Note:* Sabatini's has a second location in Chinchilla (Scranton/Clarks Summit).

Clubs & Bars:

	Pick up free copies of the Times Leader Weekender and Electric City (available in hotels, restaurants, bars, and stores) to find out what's going on around town. You can also visit NEPA Rocks for a list of local bars and clubs that host live music...the site lists contact info for each bar, so you can call ahead to find out who's playing that evening.
	Coopers Waterfront - 304 Kennedy Boulevard, Pittston - Coopers is primarily known for its seafood, but it also has an impressively stocked bar - check out the lengthy beer menu and sample draft list online. The web site also includes additional information, food menus, directions, and more.
	Elmer Sudds - 475 East Northampton Street, Wilkes-Barre - THE best bar in all of Northeast Pennsylvania! Always has interesting beers on tap, plus a seemingly-endless menu of bottled beers (including Belgian lambics!) and some awesome specialty drinks (try the "Nightmare on Elmer Street" or the "Daffy Suck"). The bar's web site features a fun article, which happens to have been written by a fellow Massachusetts resident from Worcester. And be sure to check out Elmer's impressive bar menu (we recreated this HTML version from a hard-copy menu we picked up the last time we were in town).
	Murray's Inn - 290 South Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilkes-Barre - A nice pub with good drinks and live entertainment. There is also a large outdoor courtyard area that's fun to hang out in when the weather is nice. Check out Murray's upcoming live shows at JamBase, and view their drink specials, menu, and directions online.
	Hops & Barleys - 131 Main Street, Luzerne - A well-stocked bar and delicious food mean plenty of happy patrons at this hopping joint. We were pleasantly surprised by the low drink prices during our recent visit in December 2004; Shay's apple martinis were only $3.50 a pop!
	5-Day at The Woodlands - 1073 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre - Every Friday, The Woodlands Inn & Resort hosts its 5-day happy hour(s). One low cover charge will get your free beer and well drinks, appetizers, and live entertainment (karaoke and/or a band). Plus, you'll also get free admission to the Evolution nightclub, so you can make a night of it. 5-Day generally runs from 5:30-8:30pm; check the events schedule for details or call (570) 824-9831.

Accommodations:

	Genetti's Best Western - 77 East Market Street, Wilkes-Barre - This hotel is right in the heart of Wilkes-Barre's "downtown", within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and bars (and even Shay's old high school)! The guest rooms are clean and comfortable, and there is a good restaurant (Legends) on site. The hotel is located around the corner from Public Square and the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, and it's a short (5 minutes or so) drive from our favorite local bar: Elmer Sudds. Visit the web site for directions and more.
	Holiday Inn - 880 Kidder Street, Wilkes-Barre - Shay's first summer job was as a chambermaid for this Holiday Inn. Because of her insider knowledge, she can attest that the guest rooms are spotless! (Or at least they were back then, at any rate!) The hotel is in a good location, right in the business district and just a short drive (even walking distance) from a shopping mall, movie theatre, and many restaurants. There is also a TGI Friday's on site. Visit the web site for directions, local attractions, reservations, and more. You might also want to check into this hotel's all-suite sister property, the Host Inn, located adjacent to the Holiday Inn.
	Victoria Inns & Suites - Highway 315, Pittston - This hotel is located on Route 315, just off Interstate-81 (exit 175B) and close to both the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport. The hotel offers 100 recently-renovated guest rooms; choose a standard room with two double beds or queen/king bed, or a jacuzzi suite. A complimentary full breakfast buffet is included. The hotel has two restaurants, Breakers and Jad's Place (click here for menu), as well as a bar, the Mermaid Lounge. Visit the web site for directions, area attractions, internet specials, and more.
	Woodlands Inn & Resort - 1073 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre - An upscale resort hotel that is nestled into a wooded setting, but conveniently located just a few minutes' drive from the business district (shopping, restaurants, a movie theatre, and more). The Woodlands has 200 comfortable guest rooms; choose from main wing, tower, or streamside rooms, or one of the resort's luxurious business or jacuzzi suites. Enjoy a meal at the upscale Thyme restaurant; relax with a drink in the Courtyard Café, Executive Lounge, Left Bank Lounge, or Margarita Bar; or party the night away at Evolution nightclub. Visit the web site for directions, reservations, event calendar, and more. *Tip:* If you happen to be in town on a Friday, don't miss The Woodlands' 5-Day happy hour (5:30-8:30pm)...a reasonable cover charge gets you free beer and well drinks, complimentary appetizers, and live entertainment, as well as free admission to Evolution nightclub that evening.

Note: There are a lot of links throughout this section. Although we try to maintain these pages on a regular basis, web site pages go up, come down, and change addresses at a staggering pace. So if you happen to notice any bad links, please contact us so that we can update our listings. Many thanks!