Scranton - The Electric City
Scranton is the main metropolitan area in Northeastern Pennsylvania, a mountainous region filled with lakes, parks, hiking and biking trails, and outdoor activities for every season. It is a city of 75,000 people within a greater metropolitan area of 750,000, and is home to five colleges and universities.
Its nickname is the Electric City because it was the first in the nation to have electric-powered street cars. It's also the setting of the ubiquitous sitcom, "The Office."
Before it was Scranton, this area was the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Lenape, the Munsee, the Shawnee, and the Susquehannocks. To learn more about Scranton's story, past and present, visit the "Scranton's Story, Our Nation's Story" website.
What Can You Do In Scranton?
Just about anything that comes to mind! We have a vibrant visual and performing arts scene, a wide array of restaurants and coffee shops, and all manner of outdoor sports and nature activities. Add concerts and professional sports to the mix, and you'll never be short of something to do!
Shop, Eat and Explore Downtown
Take a few steps off campus and you're in downtown Scranton, with easy access to shopping and dining. Within just a few blocks, you'll find more than 40 restaurants, cafes and pubs offering a wide array of cuisine, from Italian and Mediterranean to Japanese and Thai.
You can scope out the latest clothing and accessories trends at locally-owned boutiques and shops, or relax at one of the downtown day spas.
Every month the city hosts First Friday Scranton, where businesses stay open late to host local musicians and artists.
Incoming students get a chance to explore all of this in the Downtown Scavenger Hunt during First Year Welcome Week.
Downtown Dining Listing
A City Close to Nature
Are you an outdoor enthusiast? Nestled in the Lackawanna Valley and surrounded by mountains, the Scranton area is a haven for nature lovers. You'll find outdoor activities in all four seasons.
Just a short walk from campus is Nay Aug Park, a place where you can immerse yourself in nature. There are trails for exercise, scenic views of waterfalls, live music in the summer and a drive-through holiday light show every December.
You can also enjoy hiking and biking along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, which runs more than 70 miles through the valley.
If you're looking for a day trip, four state parks are within a 30-minute radius of campus. All offer picnic spots, hiking and biking trails, camping and lakes for fishing and boating.
Festivals and Events
Scranton hosts artistic, cultural and culinary festivals and events throughout the year.
On Labor Day weekend, indulge in authentic gnocchi or tiramisu at La Festa Italiana at Courthouse Square, just a block from campus.
In winter, you can shop for gifts at a number of holiday marketplaces or watch ice carvers create masterpiece sculptures at the Scranton Ice Festival.
One of Scranton's biggest events is the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which draws more than 12,000 participants. Begun in 1962, it's now one of the largest St. Patrick's Day parades in the nation!
Sports and Entertainment
In addition to shopping, Montage Mountain offers a water park, an outdoor concert venue and ski slopes. And if skiing is your thing, there are seven other resorts within an hour's drive of Scranton.
The Mohegan Sun Arena hosts concerts, comedy shows and "the baby Penguins" hockey team -- the Pittsburgh Penguins' minor league affiliate.
Baseball fans can take in a game at the beautiful PNC Field on Montage Mountain, home to the Scranton /Wilkes-Barre Railriders, the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees.
Experience History, Art and Culture
In Scranton, history comes alive! You can ride a steam train or trolley car, and journey 300 feet below ground to explore a coal mine.
The Everhart Museum boasts natural history and art collections from all over the world, while the Anthracite Heritage Museum showcases the history of European immigrants who came here to work in the region's coal mining and textile industries.
If performing arts are more your thing, check out the Scranton Cultural Center, which brings touring Broadway shows and other theater and musical performances to town.
