Wilkes-Barre

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. Although the city is named after them, neither one ever stepped foot in North America.

Public transportation is available through busses run by Luzerne County Transportation Authority (LCTA), which also travel to other points throughout Luzerne County, and several local taxi services.

If you drive outside the city, you may see steam rising from the ventilation shafts of the old coal mines.

• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL hockey), Wachovia Arena, Highland Park Blvd. The Pittsburgh Penguins' minor league hockey affiliate. They play home games from October through April. Check the website for tickets and dates. 
• Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (AAA baseball), PNC Field, Moosic. The highest level minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees. They play home games from April through August. Check website for tickets and dates. 
• 🌍 Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, ☏ +1 570 831-2100. Casino, 1280 Highway 315. 1,100 slots casino, table gaming, harness racing track, five restaurants. Open 24/7, with racing M Tu F Sa from 31 Mar. to 17 Nov. Free admission/parking. (updated Mar 2017)

You can catch an ice hockey game or concert at the Wachovia Arena. Kings College and Wilkes University often feature art exhibits in their libraries. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders AAA baseball team plays 15 minutes north near Montage Mountain, which also features a major concert venue and skiing in the winter.

• The Wyoming Valley Mall is north of the city, ☏ +1 570 823-1224, it features JCPenney, Sears, and Macy's, among other stores. Check website for directions and full store directory.
• The Arena Hub Plaza is located across the street from the Wyoming Valley Mall. It features a sporting goods store, clothing stores, some restaurants, and a Barnes & Noble book store.

Nearly all of the shops are chain stores in the mall area outside of downtown. Boscov's is on Main Street.

This area is known for its many authentic diner car restaurants; Eddie's Diner, off Route 315, has fries with gravy and is open 24 hours. La Tolteca, near the mall, is popular for Mexican. Garlic Garden and Pete's Place downtown have very reasonably priced Lebanese food, with fish on Fridays for the local Catholic population.

Wilkes-Barre is at the northeast frontier of the Pierogi Belt. Mom & Pops Pierogi on 131 Casey Ave, Wilkes Barre Township ☏ +1 570-825-9303 sells fresh and frozen ravioli (and pasties) to go; the adjacent Abe's Hot Dogs serves the same pierogi prepared with butter and onion. Jagodzianka Polish Deli at 527½ Scott St has fresh kielbasa and other Eastern European delicacies.

There are quite a few choices for night life. Main Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre features a few college bars. Uptown, features Arena Bar and Grill for a more mature atmosphere. Furthermore, there are corner bars all throughout the city, and a few alternative bars. There is karaoke almost every night of the week, often hosted by DJ Scott Stephens.

• 🌍 Woodlands Inn and Resort, 1073 Highway 315, ☏ +1 570-824-9831. (updated Sep 2016)