Scranton

Scranton is a city in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is near [[Wilkes-Barre, and is the seventh most populous city in the state. Today, it is perhaps best known as the setting of the hit TV show "The Office" and the birthplace of Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States.

Understand
The city grew vigorously in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as a capital of coal mining and railroads, which were vital to the expanding industry in this part of the country. Prosperity subsided and economic distress followed for decades. Property values have since increased as Scranton is gaining employers and investment. From 2005 to 2013, Scranton entered American popular culture as the setting for the U.S. version of the TV series The Office (though only the opening credits were shot in the city).

By plane


Scranton is within three hours driving distance from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, John F. Kennedy International Airport  and LaGuardia Airport  in New York City, Philadelphia International Airport  in Philadelphia, and Lehigh Valley International Airport  in Allentown.

By car
Scranton is accessible primarily by car (or by coach bus):
 * I-84 west from New England.
 * I-80 east to I-380 north from New York City; west from Erie, State College, and Pittsburgh.
 * I-476 (PA Turnpike Northeast Extension) north from Allentown and Philadelphia
 * I-81 south from Ontario/Quebec and Syracuse; north from Washington DC via Harrisburg

By bus
Scranton is also served by multiple bus lines. All buses stop at, located a few blocks from downtown on Lackawanna Ave.


 * Martz Trailways, operates routes to New York City and Philadelphia daily, and to other Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York destinations. Check website for schedules and fares.
 * Greyhound Bus Line, has a stop in Scranton and travels to Harrisburg, Binghamton, Allentown, Philadelphia, New York City, and beyond. Check website for schedule and tickets.

By train
The Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority is working with New Jersey Transit to bring a passenger railroad back to Scranton from New York City and its western suburbs.

By bicycle
The Electric City is a growing biker/commuter city. Gas prices going up help many to decide alternative means of getting to work, restaurants, and shopping. While Scranton does not provide cyclists with bike lanes popular to Philadelphia, New York City, and other big cities, some groups try to bring biker awareness and safety to light. The last Friday of every month, 6PM North Washington side of the courthouse, is where you can find bikers of all sorts gathering to participate in Critical Mass. It is a gathering of cyclists of sorts to participate in a huge group ride. The purpose of Critical Mass is to bring awareness of bicyclists to the public. Some forms Critical Mass have been used to protest certain events, be it political, social, and so on. Careful, you may see the car, but they don't always see you.

By car
Virtually all transportation throughout the city is by car. North Main Avenue and the North Scranton Expressway travel north to the Providence section and to the shopping centers of Dickson City. Green Ridge Street and the Central Scranton expressway travel east to the large suburb of Dunmore and I-81. Pittston and Cedar Avenues are the main routes through "South Side" to the Minooka section and beyond to the attractions of Montage Mountain. South Main Avenue and Keyser Avenue are likewise the main routes through "West Side".

Scranton Parking operates four daily parking garages in the city. The garages are Casey Garage (corner of Lackawanna Ave. & Adams Ave.), Linden Street Garage (corner of Linden St. & N. Washington St.), Medallion Garage (100 Block of Adams Ave.), and the Electric City Garage (with entrances on Spruce St. & Penn Ave.). Rates are $1.75/1st hour and about $0.75/hr afterwards. They're open daily from 7AM-11PM, with Linden St. open 7AM-2AM on Saturdays.

Private taxicabs such as Posten and McCarthy service the area as well. They are hired by telephone through central dispatch and cannot be hailed on the street as in larger cities.

On foot
Walking is also safe and practical in "Central City" (or "Central Scranton"/"Downtown Scranton"). This area of two dozen square blocks (approximately bound by Lackawanna Ave. and Jefferson, Vine, and Mifflin Sts.) contains a great deal of what Scranton has to offer tourists, so it may be best to just park at one of many garages for a reasonable day-long fee.

By bus
County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS) also operates public buses throughout all parts of the city and a few Lackawanna County extremities. Rates are $1.25/ride, $11/10 rides (adult), $10/10 rides (student), or $40/31 day unlimited pass. Travel times are a little more than twice what it would take driving the same route. The system typically operates from 7AM-7PM, check the website for exact schedule. COLTS does not operate on Sundays or Holidays.

See
Scranton is host to many architecturally interesting buildings from the early 1900s, most notably the county courthouse in the middle of Central City. Also downtown:
 * The former Lackawanna Train Station & Headquarters, 700 Lackawanna Ave., which has been converted to a Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel (See "Sleep" section for more information about the Radisson Hotel).
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.
 * Fans of the US version of The Office looking for Scranton Business Park (AKA the Dunder-Mifflin building) at 1725 Slough Avenue will sadly be disappointed! Although the series did feature scenes filmed on location in Scranton, neither the building itself nor Slough Avenue actually exists. The outdoor shots of the Business Park were actually the exterior of Chandler Valley Studios in Van Nuys, California.

Buy

 * Dozens of small specialty shops throughout Central City: musical instruments, records, army/navy apparel, model trains (i.e Scranton Hobby Center), comics, day spa services...
 * Dozens of small specialty shops throughout Central City: musical instruments, records, army/navy apparel, model trains (i.e Scranton Hobby Center), comics, day spa services...
 * Dozens of small specialty shops throughout Central City: musical instruments, records, army/navy apparel, model trains (i.e Scranton Hobby Center), comics, day spa services...

Drink
Being a college town it is not hard to find places to drink. Just walking around the Hill Section of town on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night you can find countless parties. Drink until the Keg is Kicked for $5.

Refer to the Electric City, the Scranton area's free entertainment weekly, for plenty of advertisements, listings, and reviews of nightlife.



Go next

 * Lackawanna State Park is approximately 15 minutes away from Scranton in Lackwanna County. The park has facilities for camping, boating, canoe/kayak rental, a swimming pool, and walking/hiking trails. Most facilities are open April through October, check website for specifics.
 * The Dietrich Theater, Bus. Rt. 6 Tunkhannock, +1 570 836-1022. Offers first run, foreign, independent, & classic films in a restored theater. Fall/Spring Film Festivals and cultural classes on site. Check website for movie times. Approximately 30 minutes from Scranton on Rt. 6. "More Than the Movies!"
 * Sno Mountain, 1000 Montage Mountain Rd, +1 570 969-7854. Once known as Montage Mountain, Sno Mountain offers a wide range of winter and off season attractions and activities. Ski, snowboard, zip ride, tubing, golf, batting cages, water slides, and a Lazy River (being constructed) in addition to other fun and family friendly attractions.  Average ticket prices, check out the web page for group rates and special deals.
 * McDade Park is off Snake Road in West Scranton. The land was reclaimed by the city in the 1970s from the Lackawanna coal mining terrain. It has become one of the city’s top leisure destinations offering many different types of activities for visitors to enjoy. McDade Park has a fishing pond (stocked regularly), an Olympic size swimming pool with bath houses, basketball and tennis courts, two baseball fields, a pavilion, playgrounds, outdoor picnic areas with charcoal grills, open fields and rolling hills and a 1.8-mile cross-county ski or walking trail, The Lackawanna Coal Mining Tour and the Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum. McDade Park is spread out over 200 acres of land, with free admission to outdoor enthusiasts and visitors. For more information about McDade Park please call +1 570 963-6764.