2020-01-07 04:56:53
Glorious mountains that fade into the distance and the winding Susquehanna River define the landscape in this scenic region. Old steel mills, covered bridges, and behemoth mansions are reminders of the region’s storied past. Rebirth is well underway in places that were former industrial centers where longstanding buildings are finding new lives as museums, colleges, and hotels. Color and creativity bloom in small-town art galleries, historic cultural centers, and grand theaters. Explore wineries and breweries, and take in the charms of quaint towns. THIS PARK HARBORS THE GLENS NATURAL AREA, A NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARK. HIGHLIGHTS D.G. YUENGLING & SON BREWERY, POTTSVILLE Explore America’s oldest brewery, established in 1829, with a free tour and then taste your way through the lineup of beers, from the Traditional Lager to seasonal offerings. EAGLES MERE HISTORIC VILLAGE, EAGLES MERE Once the domain of well-heeled visitors from turn-of-the-century Philadelphia, Eagles Mere continues to enchant with its centerpiece lake, museums, shops, and restaurants. RICKETTS GLEN STATE PARK, BENTON All-season fun awaits, from swimming and hiking in the summer to ice-fishing and snowshoeing in winter. This state park is also home to numerous waterfalls, including the 94-foot Ganoga Falls. EVERHART MUSEUM, SCRANTON Surrender to the museum’s eclectic holdings, which highlight natural history, art, and science through mediums like paint, sculpture, photography, and textiles. F.M. KIRBY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, WILKES-BARRE Restored to the splendor of its Art Deco roots, this arts center, which opened in 1938 as a movie theater, today hosts compelling and varied performances. PENNSYLVANIA ANTHRACITE HERITAGE MUSEUM, SCRANTON Located in McDade Park, this museum explores the history of hard coal mining, including the life experience of miners and factory workers in related industries. STEAMTOWN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, SCRANTON Revisit the era of the “iron horse” at the site’s two museums and archeological dig. Rides on vintage coaches are also available during select dates. UNCOVER HIDDEN GEMS Exploring Upstate PA yields frequent moments of euphoria, whether overlooking a scenic river valley from a clifftop or untangling the roots of your family tree. Begin your adventure at the Bradford County Historical Society in Towanda. As one of the state’s oldest historical societies, it now resides in a former prison where visitors can find both a local museum and a research center with a genealogical library. The Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock offers a different way to step back in time. This cultural center occupies what was, in 1936, a resplendent theater. Restored and reopened in 2001, it now plays movies of every genre and also hosts film festivals, live theater, concerts, and workshops. Like much of the region, Tunkhannock also offers incredible natural scenery, which visitors can explore at Endless Mountains Nature Center. The property features 11 miles of hiking trails that connect to the adjacent Howland Preserve. But its mission to spread the gospel of nature conservancy means it also hosts year-round educational programs, live animal presentations, nature festivals, a day camp, and workshops. Salt Springs State Park, a 405-acre park north of Montrose, invites explorers to canvas nearly 15 miles of trails through old-growth hemlock trees. Hikers are rewarded with views of Fall Brook and its three waterfalls. Another spectacular view can be savored at the Wyalusing Rocks Scenic Overlook, a clifftop that rises 500 feet above the Susquehanna River. Once used by the Iroquois for signaling, the overlook now offers up bird-watching as well as vistas that encompass forests, farms, and mountains. In Wilkes-Barre, the Seven Tubs Nature Area includes 500 acres of hilly terrain punctuated by its showpiece Wheelbarrow Run. This stream courses through a ravine littered with potholes (hence the “tubs” reference) that were created by glacial meltwater. Meanwhile, at Worlds End State Park, located just south of Forksville, you’ll find swimming, hiking, fishing, bird-watching, and boating within the 780-acre park.
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