//
Subregion in Pennsylvania, United States
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Pennsylvania's Coal Region has a rich heritage of coal mining and is, in fact, home to the largest deposits of anthracite coal in the Americas. Once a region full of mining towns, the area has since become a tourist destination. The Coal Region has strong blue-collar ties and keeps them to this day. Some of the hardest working people in Pennsylvania have come from here and live in this region.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
A working museum of steam railroading operated by the National Park Service, on the site of the old Lackawanna Railroad yards. A shopping mall and trolley museum are adjacent to the site.
It offers a coal mining museum and an underground mine tour.
Knoebels Amusement Park
Fun, food, and fantasy! A nice amusement park to take the kids. Along with amusement rides, there is an extensive picnic grove. This place is a local staple and has been owned and operated by the Knoebel's family since 1926.
Eckley Miners' Village was an original anthracite mining town that is now a museum devoted to the everyday lives of the anthracite miners and their families. It is 9 miles east of Hazleton, Pa., off Route 940. Sean Connery was here to film part of the Molly Maguires movie.
No trip to the coal region is complete without pierogies! This tasty Eastern European food (similar to a ravioli only with a potato and cheese filling, typically) can be found in most area restaurants, even local pizza shops. For a real treat, look for block parties and church picnics which might have homemade peirogies.
A great place to go for Heisler's homemade ice cream, mini golf, or a driving range. Part of the fun is the drive through farms and the PA countryside.
A very famous restaurant which serves "Screamers" and "Growlers", hamburgers and hot dogs (respectively) with its signature hot sauce. Tony's is open from 8PM until the last customer leaves. Has to be experienced to be understood.
It is known around the region as one of the best pizza places, with its signature "sweet sauce" that is often imitated but rarely duplicated. It stands as one of the main reasons chain pizza restaurants do not find success in the area.
It has the region's best pizza. No kidding — this pizza is famous. The Centiole's clan only makes so many each night, so get a phone book and call early.
Ethnic city chicken, sopressata, capicola, torpedo, shooters, salami, chorizo, andouille, and a host of other ethnic coal region foods.
By van
Uptown Vans has several routes from New York City and Paterson to various towns in the Pennsylvania Coal Region.
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.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton · Regional · AVP
Loading places around the airport…
Ashland is in Pennsylvania.
Jim Thorpe is a borough in the Coal Region, near Lehighton, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Hazleton is a city in the Coal Region of Pennsylvania. It is a mostly impoverished city since the departure of coal mining that has seen Hispanic immigration.
Lehighton is a borough in the Coal Region, near Jim Thorpe, Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America.
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.
The largest city by population in the region.
Shickshinny is a small borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It is located on the Susquehanna River at the mouth of Shickshinny Creek and is surrounded by mountains on all sides.
Wilkes-Barre (the last part is variously pronounced "Berry", "Bury", "Bare", or "Berrah" by locals, and "Barry" or "Barr" by others) is a city of 41,000 people (2018) in Northeastern Pennsylvania, approximately 20 miles southwest of Scranton. The city is named for John Wilkes and Isaac Barre, both of whom were members of the British Parliament who opposed royal rule of the colonies.
Articles and travel topics about Coal Region and United States.
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the best time to visit Hawaii in 2026. Compare whale seasons, big-wave surf, dry shoulder months, hotel rates, and island microclimates.
9 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in April. Compare Dutch tulip fields, Thailand's Songkran water festival, Roman spring gardens, and cherry blossoms.
6 min read
Travel tipsA practical guide to travelling with medication and refrigerated drugs like insulin and GLP-1s. Learn airline rules, customs papers, and cooling tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.