Coal Region

Understand

Pennsylvania's Coal Region is rich in Irish, Welsh, and Polish/Eastern European heritage, as well as the culture of the early mining industry. Additionally, there is visible German (Pennsylvania Dutch, as well as Moravian) and English influence, though the Germans and English were often farmers and industrialists respectively, rather than coal miners. With the exception of a few select towns, the industry has largely left the state, but the cultural roots are still there. Local dialect hearkens back to the days of the mines and local culture reflects that heritage. A visit to the coal region is an opportunity to look at one of Pennsylvania's oldest and first major industries; mine tours show 200-year-old mines and working conditions that today would never be accepted. The historical sites evoke a time when millions of immigrants were trying to get a foothold in American society. Pennsylvania's coal mines aided in that effort and today teach us of the determination and persistence that is essential in life as a Pennsylvanian and an American.

Cities

• Ashland
• Jim Thorpe Lovely town with a lot of history. It's known as the Switzerland of Pennsylvania. Go to the Jim Thorpe (formerly Mauch Chunk) courthouse for some interesting Molly Maguire history.
• Hazleton
• Lehighton
• Pottsville — The county seat of Schuylkill County. This is the home to the Yuengling Brewery. Also, an interesting landmark is a large statue erected of the famous 19th century statesman, Henry Clay.
• Scranton — The largest city by population in the region.
• Shickshinny
• Wilkes-Barre

Other destinations

Elysburg is home of America's largest free admission amusement park, Knoebels Amusement Resort.

Get in

By plane

For destinations in Luzerne, Lackawanna, northernmost Carbon, and Columbia counties, the nearest airport is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International (AVP) near the Luzerne and Lackawanna County boundary in Avoca. This airport serves regional destinations in the Northeastern and Midwestern U.S. as well as cities in the Deep South.

For destinations in the majority of Schuylkill and Carbon Counties, the nearest airport is Lehigh Valley International (ABE) in Allentown in Lehigh County. Like AVP, this airport primarily serves regional destinations.

Those headed to Northumberland or westernmost Schuylkill County might consider Harrisburg International in Harrisburg.

The most convenient major international hubs to most of the Coal Region are Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), which are both very roughly a 1h30 to 2h30 drive from the core of the region. Other hub airports locals tend to travel through are John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in Queens, and Baltimore-Washington International in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

By van

Uptown Vans has several routes from New York City and Paterson to various towns in the Pennsylvania Coal Region.

Get around

By bus

COLTS Bus serves the Lackawanna County area and parts of Luzerne County. The LCTA serves the Wyoming Valley area. HPT and STS service the Hazleton and Pottsville areas, respectively.

By car

Major Intersate highways include I-81, I-476 (tolled as part of the PA Turnpike system) and I-380, which all run N/S, plus I-80 and I-84, which run E/W. Tamaqua, Pottsville, and southern Schuylkill County are also served by various exits off of I-78/US 22 in the neighboring counties of Lehigh and Berks. Major local routes include PA 309, PA 115, PA 315, US 209, PA 54, PA 443, PA 61, PA 940, PA 903, PA 248, PA 487, PA 903, PA 902, US 11, PA 437, PA 183, and PA 93.

Stay safe

For the most part, crime is extremely low in the Coal Region.

Go next

• Allentown and the Lehigh Valley have plenty of attractions.