Free & Cheap Things to Do in Scranton

History & Military Sites

A National Park Service site built on a working railroad yard, preserving the story of steam-era American railroading with a huge collection of locomotives and freight cars, a roundhouse, turntable, and hands-on visitor-center exhibits. Admission is completely free thanks to the site's fee-free status. Seasonal short excursion train rides and yard tours may carry a small separate fee.

Address: 350 Cliff St, Scranton, PA 18503

Tip: Free to enter year-round; winter hours (through May 1) are Wed-Sun 9:30am-4pm, then daily 9:30am-5pm in peak season. Free parking on site — combine with the adjacent trolley museum and the Marketplace at Steamtown.

History & Military Sites

Ride a mine car 300 feet underground into a real anthracite coal mine for a guided walking tour led by guides who explain the brutal work and history of the region's coal era. The tour lasts roughly an hour and stays a cool 53°F year-round. It sits in McDade Park alongside the Anthracite Heritage Museum, so the two pair naturally.

Address: 1 Bald Mountain Rd, McDade Park, Scranton, PA 18504

Tip: Open April 1-Nov 30, Thu-Mon; last descent 2:30pm, so arrive by 2pm. Bring a jacket — it's 53°F underground. Discounted group rates for parties of 20+; closed Easter and Thanksgiving.

Museums

A museum of restored electric streetcars celebrating Scranton's nickname, 'The Electric City,' with vintage trolleys, exhibits, and a working trolley excursion. Museum admission is cheap, and the optional trolley ride (departing from the Steamtown platform) is a few dollars more, or you can buy a combo ticket. It shares the rail-yard site next to Steamtown.

Address: 300 Cliff St, Scranton, PA 18503

Tip: Buy trolley-ride tickets in advance at the museum (they aren't sold on the trolley). The combo ticket ($15 adult/$13 child) is the value pick if you want the ride; children 2 & under are free. Group rates for parties of 20+.

Museums

Scranton's largest general museum, set inside Nay Aug Park, with collections spanning natural history (birds, a dinosaur, taxidermy dioramas), fine art, and regional science. Adult admission is modest and kids 12 and under are free, making it an easy budget family stop. Combine it with the surrounding free park for a half-day.

Address: 1901 Mulberry St, Scranton, PA 18510

Tip: Free admission for SNAP/WIC/EBT recipients and active/retired military with ID, plus NARM/ROAM reciprocal members. Closed Mon-Tue; open Wed-Sun 11am-5pm (Thursdays to 7pm in summer).

Museums

A state-run museum telling the story of the immigrants who mined the hard coal that powered industrial America — mining tools, ethnic community life, and textile and silk-industry exhibits. Admission is cheap and it sits in McDade Park right beside the Coal Mine Tour, so the two pair naturally. Operated by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.

Address: 22 Bald Mountain Rd, McDade Park, Scranton, PA 18504

Tip: Free for active-duty military and immediate family; children under 3 free. Closed January and February; open Wed-Sun 10am-4pm March-December. Pair it with the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour next door.

History & Military Sites

Four massive stone blast-furnace stacks from the 1840s-1850s — the birthplace of the iron industry that built Scranton — now a free historic park you can walk right up to. Interpretive signage explains how the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company forged rails here. It's a striking, photogenic free stop just south of downtown.

Address: 159 Cedar Ave, Scranton, PA 18505

Tip: Open year-round dawn to dusk with no admission fee; the grounds are always accessible. Managed by the Anthracite Heritage Museum — a great quick free stop to combine with a downtown walk.

Parks & Nature

Scranton's flagship city park, home to a dramatic rock gorge and waterfalls designated a National Natural Landmark, the elevated David Wenzel Treehouse overlook, walking trails, playgrounds, and a pedestrian footbridge. The park, gorge, falls, and treehouse are all free; only the Olympic-size pool and waterslide complex carry a seasonal fee. The Everhart Museum sits within the park.

Address: 500 Arthur Ave, Scranton, PA 18510

Tip: The gorge trail and Nay Aug Falls are the free highlight — best after rain. Free parking; the David Wenzel Treehouse and footbridge are free to walk. The pool complex is the only paid feature.

Historic Landmarks

The green heart of downtown Scranton — a free public square wrapped around the historic 1884 courthouse with paved walkways, fountains, war memorials (including a Civil War soldiers' monument), and seating. It's the stage for La Festa Italiana, the huge St. Patrick's Parade, summer concerts, and an elaborate winter holiday light display. Free and always open.

Address: 200 N Washington Ave, Scranton, PA 18503

Tip: Free year-round; time a visit to La Festa Italiana (Labor Day weekend) or the winter holiday lights for the full downtown experience. It's central to downtown dining and the Cultural Center — an easy walkable base.

Parks & Nature

A 3.57-mile paved loop circling the Lake Scranton reservoir just five minutes from downtown — smooth, mostly level asphalt with mild hills, wheelchair- and stroller-friendly, with water and woodland views the whole way. It's completely free with free parking, and a local favorite for walking and running.

Address: Lake Scranton Rd & Moosic St, Scranton, PA 18505

Tip: Free parking at the trailhead off Lakeview Drive, including accessible spaces. No dogs (it's a public water supply) and no bikes — walking and running only. Occasional short sections close briefly for utility work, so check locally before a special trip.

Parks & Nature

A 1,445-acre state park about 10 miles north of Scranton built around a 198-acre lake, with free hiking and mountain-biking trails, picnic areas, fishing, and lakeshore scenery. Like all Pennsylvania state parks, day-use entry and trail access are free; only camping, boat rentals, and the pool carry fees. It's a quiet nature escape from the city.

Address: 1839 Abington Rd, North Abington Township, PA 18414

Tip: Pennsylvania state parks charge no entrance fee — hiking, the lake, and picnic areas are all free. Bring your own gear; boat rentals, campsites, and the swimming pool are the only paid extras.

Historic Homes

The county historical society's museum inside the Catlin House, a handsome 1912 mansion, with rotating local-history exhibits, an archive, and period rooms. It's a low-key, inexpensive stop for anyone curious about Scranton and Lackawanna Valley history, with guided house tours available.

Address: 232 Monroe Ave, Scranton, PA 18510

Tip: Open Tue-Fri 10am-5pm and Sat noon-3pm; closed Sun, Mon, and holidays. The society doesn't post an admission price online — call ahead to confirm the tour cost and availability.

Parks & Nature

A growing 70-mile multi-use rail-trail following the Lackawanna River through the valley, with roughly 3.5 miles of paved path running right through Scranton plus paved and crushed-stone stretches linking Blakely, Jermyn, and Carbondale. It's free to walk, run, or bike, with river and post-industrial heritage scenery. Managed by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley.

Address: Multiple trailheads throughout Scranton, PA 18503

Tip: Free and open year-round; the Scranton section is paved and flat, good for bikes and strollers. Grab the Lackawanna Heritage Valley trail map at lhva.org to find the nearest access point and parking.

History & Architecture

A magnificent 1930 Masonic Temple and theater — one of the finest examples of Gothic and Art Deco architecture in the region — now Scranton's premier performing-arts venue. The grand public lobbies and exterior are a free architectural highlight of downtown, and the center offers guided building tours that reveal the ornate ballrooms and theater.

Address: 420 N Washington Ave, Scranton, PA 18503

Tip: The architecture is free to appreciate from the street and public lobby; call 570-346-7369 to arrange a guided building tour of the ballrooms and theater. It's right beside Courthouse Square for an easy downtown walking combo.