Scranton Things To Do – Attractions & Must See

Scranton Things to Do

Scranton, Pennsylvania, know as the “Electric City” because the first electric trolleys were used here, as long been the Lackawanna River valley’s center of cultural influence, If you are going to visit Scranton, here are some of the must-see attractions you should visit.

Electric Trolley Museum

The museum features trolley cars you can walk into as well as a number of other exhibits about trolleys and their history. It is located in Scranton next to the Steamtown Historical site. A 90-year old trolley has been put back in use to take visitors through a one-mile tunnel that was built in 1904-05. The trolley has wicker seats that have been redone and can spin around so you can face forward, backward, or sideways as you move down the tracks.

The museum also has a “cut-away” trolley car so you can see exactly how a trolley car was built a hundred years ago.

Steamtown Historical Site

The museum is in one of the old rail yards that used to dominate the Scranton area and it features a number of exhibits about railroads and steam-powered trains. When walking around, be sure to remain in the safety walks and behind any barriers because some of the trains and exhibits are not meant to be climbed upon. Most of the sights remain open regardless of weather conditions, so you must come prepared with umbrellas, sunscreen, jackets and water depending on the season. There are also short train rides you can take during the warmer weather months.

Houdini Museum

Scranton has a museum dedicated to the legendary magician, Harry Houdini. The museum’s host gives a talk about the life and death of Harry Houdini after showing a short film showing Houdini doing some of his tricks. There is a live demonstration of some of Houdini’s better-known tricks and escapes. The tour ends by going through a series of rooms with his posters and artifacts and memorabilia.

Coal Mine Tour

You can take a tour down a real coal mine that is no longer in operation. The tour will take you 300 feet down an actual mine shaft. Make sure you bring a coat because even in the middle of summer it’s going to be cold once you get down into the shaft.

Editor’s Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about things to do in Scranton, Pennsylvania.