What to do in Lackawanna County in Pennsylvania.

Photo by Joe Loper.

Scranton. What? The Electric City! Any fans of The Office out there? One of my guilty pleasures is definitely binge-watching TV shows and The Office is hands-down one of them. The show is based in Scranton, PA and the location is a huge part of the show. So, when the opportunity came up to visit Lackawanna County in Pennsylvania where Scranton is located, I had to jump on it!

Lackawanna County isn’t just famous for being the home of the hilarious (understatement, I know) TV show though. The county has tons of activities, great food and tours that you shouldn't miss.

Here are a few tips on what to do in Lackawanna County:

The Office Walking Tour.

I’m a huge fan of the show, so I just had to visit once I realized that that one of my favorite series filmed in Lackawanna County. I asked around and there are actual organized The Office Walking Tours, which I definitely wanted to see for myself. I took a self-guided one (more details to come soon on this!) and had a blast re-living some of my favorite moments from the show.

Long story short, I ended up having a slice at Alfredo’s Pizza and Restaurant (Michael Scott’s favorite pizza place in Scranton), had a blast touring the actual office location and even hunted down the train station where Michael decides to (unsuccessfully) run away from his problems. For the record, Michael’s favorite pizza is definitely not a hot circle of garbage and the Dunder Mifflin team’s favorite bar, Poor Richard’s, is actually in the South Side Bowling Alley.

Steamtown’s Fall Foliage Train Excursion.

What you might not know about Scranton is that it played a massive role in the Industrial Revolution back in the day. That being said, Steamtown’s Fall Foliage Train Excursion is nothing short of time-travel.

Not only are you able to visit the historical park, learn all about steam engines and see the actual locomotives that were built, but you can actually ride in them! There are several train tours available and the fall foliage one is simply magical. You have to take this train excursion if you’re in Lackawanna County in the fall. The tours take you throughout the county and have the most breathtaking scenic views you could imagine. If you’re not used to the changing seasons, this colorful train ride will blow you away.

Lakeland Orchard and Cidery.

Known as one of the best apple orchards in all of Pennsylvania, the The Lakeland Orchard and Cidery certainly lives up to the hype. Depending on the time of your visit, you might even be able to catch one of the orchard’s amazing seasonal events like The Sunflower Festival, which features 25+ varieties of sunflowers and a free bloom with your ticket. I definitely recommend visiting at the beginning of fall for the best pick of sunflowers, zinneas and apples!

The fields are nothing short of simply magical and the live country music will make you feel like the star of your own music video. The festival ticket also gives you admission to visit the apple orchard, flower fields and loads of other activities for all ages including yard games, the country carousel, and a dip in the giant corn box (yes, I did this and yes, I was older than everyone in the corn box by 20+ years).

Houdini Museum.

If magic tricks are your thing, you should definitely pay a visit to this museum. This museum is an absolutely blast for budding magicians! It’s a whole building dedicated to the famous Harry Houdini and is run by Dorthy Dietrich, the woman magicians call “The First Lady of Magic” and “The Female Harry Houdini.” Dorothy is the first and only woman to perform the bullet catch in her mouth and also the first woman to perform a straitjacket escape while suspended from a burning rope hundreds of feet in the air.

Aside from the tour of the historic building, the Houdini Museum also features a movie of the renowned magician and paranormal events like psychic and séance sessions.

Lackawanna Wine Trail.

Did someone say wine? Count me in! The Lackawanna Wine Trail includes a tour of 10 different wineries and wine cellars in the county. And don’t worry, the transportation is entirely taken care of, so you don’t have to think about a designated driver. You’ll have a chance to meet some of the great families that have been in the wine business for years, get acquainted with the rich culture of producing wine and of course - taste some of the best wines and ciders in Lackawanna County.

Explore the great outdoors.

I love being outdoors. I could swim in the ocean for hours, hike through the forest all day long and go camping for forever. So, when I saw how much Lackawanna County had to offer in terms of the great outdoors, I was all in. Zip-lining through the Poconos? Yes, please. Kayaking down the river? Of course. One of my absolute favorite experiences in the county though was riding ATVs through the Lost Trails. We spent the afternoon splashing through waist-deep pools of mud, getting up close and personal with the changing of the leaves, and even looking out at the Top of the World (the most stunning vista overlooking the mountains). It’s hard to believe that so much beauty in the outdoors is such a short ride from New York and I definitely plan on visiting Lackawanna County again next season just so I can spend more time surrounded by trees.

Which activities are first on your list? Will you be visiting Lackawanna County soon? Let’s chat on social at @melaniesutra!