Live on the East Coast and thinking of taking a trip sometime soon, but not exactly sure where to go? Well, we have the perfect location for you! Yes, that’s right – the place you should visit is Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Scranton is home to many great activities, great restaurants, and other charming local attractions. Scranton, Pennsylvania has located just a short drive away from Wilkes-Barre, making it super convenient for people to get to, and find.
History of Scranton
Scranton is the 6th largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It’s so popular that it is also the cultural center for the Lackawanna River valley area, and it’s the former largest anthracite coal mining communities in the area.
It wasn’t until February 14th, 1856 that is was incorporated as a borough of Luzerne County. It was later officially declared a ‘city’ on April 23rd, 1866. As you can see, Scranton has a deep and rich history of being a popular area. Scranton is most famously known as ‘The Electric City’, when the electric lights were added in 1880 by the Dickson Locomotive Works.
Scranton Financial Struggles
The city was actually set to close due to bankruptcy in July 2012, when all public officials (including mayors and chiefs) had their salary cut to $7.25 an hour. The financial consultant at the time, Gary Lewis, confirms an estimated of just $5,000 left!
However, the revitalization vegan, which brought on many wonderful shopping stores, coffee shops and bars opening in the downtown. This added a vibrant nightlife which attracted many locals of the surrounding areas. The cost of living and pedestrian living downtown was able to resurge as a great place for many people to visit.
Things to Do
There are many great things to do when visiting Scranton that include dining, coffee shops, and shopping experiences. Let’s discuss some of them.
A Little Pizza Heaven
Opened in October of 2006, a Little Pizza heaven was fortunate to become an established restaurant. Since then, they’ve become a home name to the area. Serving up delicious old fashioned fresh food is what contributed to their success. Their dining options include: seafood, chicken and veal dinners. Additionally, they do salads, pizza (Neapolitan, Sicilian). Although some people view it as just a Pizzeria, A Little Pizza Heaven truly does it all.
Cooper’s Seafood
Cooper’s Seafood is a classic restaurant in The Electric City. Cooper’s Seafood is a restaurant of rich history, amazing food, and awesome work staff. After serving up classics such as: lobster tail, crab legs, and seafood ravioli, they’ve built their name on one thing: seafood. Not to mention their pleasing aesthetics and outdoor seating. Cooper’s Seafood can seat of 600 guests and do parties (if requested). Cooper’s also services the community by giving back. They work with Ronald McDonald House, United Way, Drink to Pink, Vikings Helping Vikings, the Everhard Museum and several churches. Their charitable efforts are unmatched and has forged their footprint in the Scranton community. The owner explains that the reason for their success isn’t just their great menu, it’s the staff and the community of Scranton.
Shopping Experiences
The Shoppes at Montage
Looking for a place to spend an entire day shopping? Plan no further than the Shoppes at Montage. Offering the absolute best collection of retailers in the area, this amazing shopping location has everything for everyone. Located directly off of I-81, sharing the same exit as Montage Mountain directly close to the Toyota Pavilion makes this place extremely easy to locate.
Just some of their awesome merchants include: Torrid, Chicos, Talbots, LOFT, J. Crew, GNC, Yankee Candle, Carters, NYC + Company, Guitar Center, Hallmark, Scottrade, Pet Valu.
Additionally, there is the wonderful Christmas Tree Shop, where you are sure to find anything that you may be seeking.
Living in Scranton
Now that you know a little about Scranton and what it has to offer, we wouldn’t be surprised if you plan to live there. Scranton has many awesome apartments that are extremely affordable.
Additionally, if you have a family, there are many great public schools, and world-class universes in Scranton, such as: Penn State Scranton and Scranton University.
We hope that this has given you a great idea of what you can expect if you plan a trip to Scranton, or even if you decide to live there someday.