PA Counties

10 Must-See Attractions in Luzerne County

Collage of Luzerne County attractions including a waterfall at Ricketts Glen State Park, a lakeside trail at Nescopeck State Park, exhibits at the Anthracite Heritage Museum, and the Seven Tubs Recreation Area entrance sign surrounded by fall foliage.

If you’re looking for the best things to see and do in Luzerne County, you’re in the right place!

Map of Pennsylvania counties with Luzerne County highlighted in red, showing its location in the northeastern part of the state.

The county was established in 1786 and is named after Chevalier de la Luzerne, a French soldier and diplomat during the 18th century.

Historic marker in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, describing the formation of Luzerne County in 1786, its naming after Chevalier de la Luzerne, its settlement in 1769, and its role in the Yankee-Pennamite Wars and the 1902 Anthracite Strike.

The county seat is Wilkes-Barre, the largest city in Luzerne County and the 13th-largest city in Pennsylvania.

Front view of the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, with its grand domed roof, columns, and landscaped gardens under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

The county is an oasis for outdoors enthusiasts, with Nescopeck State Park, Frances Slocum State Park, as well as portions of Ricketts Glen State Park, Lehigh Gorge State Park, and the Pinchot State Forest all being located in the county.

RB Ricketts Falls at Ricketts Glen State Park in August 2023. — RB Ricketts Falls at Ricketts Glen State Park.

From state parks and waterfalls to museums and an abandoned “city,” here are 10 of the best things to see and do in Luzerne County.

Simply click on the blue text links on the map above or in the descriptions below to read more in-depth information about each destination.

Concrete City was abandoned in 1924. — The abandoned Concrete City in Luzerne County.

1. Ricketts Glen State Park

Ricketts Glen State Park (which also extends into parts of Sullivan and Columbia counties) is famed for its Falls Trail, a nearly mythical loop hike featuring 21 named waterfalls cascading through old-growth forest.

Exploring the Falls Trail at Ricketts Glen State Park.

Beyond its legendary waterfalls, the park also holds a lesser-known but fascinating site: the abandoned Lake Leigh Dam, a relic of an ill-fated hydroelectric project that thankfully failed!

The towering concrete wall of the abandoned Lake Leigh Dam at Ricketts Glen State Park looms over a small pond surrounded by lush vegetation. The dam, weathered by time, contrasts with the vibrant greenery and golden hues of the surrounding landscape, with dense trees in the background showcasing early autumn colors. The scene captures the juxtaposition of the dam's stark structure against the serene, natural beauty of the park.

In addition to these two highlights, visitors can also discover miles of scenic trails, hidden cascades, and breathtaking vistas that showcase the park’s wild beauty.

A tranquil lakeside scene at Ricketts Glen State Park features a row of picnic tables and grills scattered under the shade of trees along the grassy shoreline. The ground is covered with fallen leaves, adding a touch of autumn color to the setting. In the background, a sandy beach stretches along the edge of the lake, which is calm and reflective. Across the water, a dense line of trees showcases a vibrant display of fall foliage, with rich reds, oranges, and yellows contrasting against the cloudy sky. The overall atmosphere is peaceful, offering a perfect spot for a leisurely picnic amidst the beauty of the fall season.

2. Nescopeck State Park

Nescopeck State Park in Luzerne County offers visitors 3,550 acres of pristine forests, wetlands, and streams to explore.

Collage of scenes from Nescopeck State Park in Luzerne County featuring a lakeside trail, rocky Nescopeck Creek, autumn foliage around Lake Frances, and the park entrance sign.

From fishing to hiking to fall foliage viewing, the park provides something for nature lovers year-round.

Summer view of Lake Frances at Nescopeck State Park in Luzerne County with lily pads covering the calm water and dense green forest in the background.

With its scenic beauty and peaceful atmosphere, it’s a favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Nescopeck Creek winding through colorful autumn foliage at Nescopeck State Park in Luzerne County, with reflections of trees on the calm water.

3. Eckley Miners’ Village

Visiting Eckley Miners’ Village in Luzerne County is like stepping back into the gritty yet fascinating world of 19th-century anthracite coal mining.

Collage of four photos showcasing Eckley Miners’ Village in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, featuring rows of preserved 19th-century miners’ houses, the red company store with railroad tracks in the foreground, a recreated miner’s bedroom with period furnishings and artifacts, and the entrance sign marking the historic coal patch town museum operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Preserved as a state historic site, this “patch town” offers an authentic glimpse into the daily lives of the miners and their families.

Museum exhibit at Eckley Miners’ Village in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, displaying artifacts, photos, and interpretive panels about community life, medicine, and recreation in the 19th-century coal mining patch town, including a doctor’s kit, tobacco tin, and vintage household items.

From its immersive museum exhibits to the original village buildings, Eckley tells the story of hard work, community, and perseverance.

State historical marker at Eckley Miners’ Village in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, detailing the town’s founding in 1854, its role as a coal patch community for anthracite miners and European immigrants, its decline by the 1950s, restoration for the 1970 film *The Molly Maguires*, and preservation as a state historic site operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

4. Seven Tubs Recreation Area

The Seven Tubs Recreation Area is a 537-acre site featuring a series of seven sandstone “tubs” that formed over 12,000 years ago, as glacial meltwater eroded the sandstone bedrock along what is now known as Wheelbarrow Run.

A collage of scenes from Seven Tubs Recreation Area in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, showcasing the natural beauty and unique geological formations within the 537-acre park. The top-left image captures a cascading waterfall flowing into a smooth, sandstone tub surrounded by autumn leaves. The top-right image displays a wooden bridge spanning a rocky gorge with water-filled tubs below. The bottom-left image features a hiker standing on a rock ledge, overlooking the gorge and stream as it winds through the sandstone formations. The bottom-right image shows the entrance sign to Seven Tubs Recreation Area, set against a vibrant backdrop of fall foliage. These photos highlight the park's rugged terrain, picturesque trails, and seasonal colors.

In addition to the short (0.3 mile) trail that loops around the seven tubs along Wheelbarrow Run, there’s also the 1.8-mile, yellow-blazed Audubon Trail to explore.

An autumn landscape along Laurel Run at Seven Tubs Recreation Area in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, with the clear stream winding through rocky terrain and reflecting the golden and orange hues of the season. Large moss-covered boulders and fallen leaves add texture and color to the forested scene, while tall trees create a natural canopy over the trail. Sunlight filters through the branches, illuminating this serene stretch of the 537-acre park, which is known for its glacially carved tubs and scenic beauty.

5. Concrete City

Concrete City in Luzerne County is one of Pennsylvania’s most famous ghost towns, hidden in a wooded patch on the edge of Nanticoke.

Exploring Concrete City in Nanticoke Pennsylvania.

Built in the early 1900s as company housing for high-ranking employees of the Truesdale Colliery, its 20 poured-concrete duplexes were hailed as a “community of the future.”

Concrete City as it appeared after opening in 1913.

Yet constant dampness and the lack of indoor plumbing proved disastrous, and when the township demanded costly septic upgrades in 1924, the settlement was abandoned after just 11 years.

Muddy roads in the once-picturesque Concrete City.

6. Buttermilk Falls

Buttermilk Falls is a 35 foot-tall waterfall located along White Haven Road one mile south of Bear Creek Village, on the western edge of the Bear Creek Preserve.

A tranquil scene of Buttermilk Falls, located within the Bear Creek Preserve in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, where the water gently descends in a series of white, frothy cascades over stratified rock ledges. Surrounded by a forest of trees and rocks covered in lush green moss, the area is rich with the hues of nature, as fallen leaves in various shades of brown are scattered across the moist, dark stones, adding to the autumnal palette of the landscape. The water’s flow creates a soft, misty atmosphere, adding a sense of peacefulness to this picturesque woodland setting.

This roadside waterfall is a haven for those looking to enjoy the beauty of cascading waters without venturing deep into the wilderness.

A vibrant orange pickup truck is parked in a gravel lot surrounded by a mix of evergreen and leafless deciduous trees, indicative of the changing seasons. In the background, the natural beauty of Buttermilk Falls in the Bear Creek Preserve of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, can be glimpsed through the woodland, inviting exploration and adventure in this serene setting.

7. Salvatore Falls

Salvatore Falls is a 25 foot-tall, multi-tiered waterfall located on the State Game Lands 91.

Author and photographer Rusty Glessner in outdoor attire, with a blaze orange vest and beige pants, stands on moss-covered rocks while photographing the captivating Salvatore Falls. The waterfall gracefully cascades over tiered rock formations, enveloped by the lush forest of State Game Lands 91 in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The surrounding woods are rich with moss and ferns, enhancing the natural beauty of this tranquil setting. The observer's presence adds a sense of scale and the human experience of nature's wonders.

While it feels like a secluded spot nestled deep in the forest, it is in fact located less than a third of a mile from a game lands parking lot, making it ideal for folks who don’t want to hike a long distance to see a waterfall.

This image captures the serene beauty of Salvatore Falls on State Game Lands 91 in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The waterfall spills gracefully over a cliff and cascades down a series of rocky tiers. Lush, vivid green moss blankets the boulders, contrasting with the brown leaf litter of the forest floor. The forest around the falls is dense, with the bare branches of trees indicating a cooler season. The water's smooth appearance, a result of the camera's long exposure, adds a magical quality to this tranquil woodland scene.

8. Little Shickshinny Falls

Little Shickshinny Falls is a beautiful 25-foot tall waterfall located on State Game Lands 260, just west of the town of Shickshinny.

Little Shickshinny Falls in August 2023.

9. Plains Antiques

Plains Antiques in Luzerne County, just outside of Wilkes-Barre, is a treasure trove for anyone who loves history, nostalgia, and unique finds.

Collage of four photos from Plains Antiques in Luzerne County, PA, featuring the storefront window, aisles filled with vintage furniture and collectibles, a vendor booth with glassware and home décor, and a cozy display of framed artwork and antique furnishings inside this two-level multi-vendor antique shop near Wilkes-Barre.

This two-level, multi-vendor antique store offers an eclectic mix of collectibles, furniture, décor, and vintage memorabilia.

Colorful vendor booth at Plains Antiques in Luzerne County, PA, featuring display cases filled with collectibles, vintage lamps, framed artwork, decorative glassware, and retro home décor arranged on patterned rugs in this two-level multi-vendor antique shop near Wilkes-Barre.

10. Duchess Outlet Antiques

Visiting Duchess Outlet Antiques in Pittston is like stepping into a treasure trove of history and nostalgia.

A four-panel collage showcasing Duchess Outlet Antiques in Pittston, PA. The top-left and bottom-left panels display the interior of the two-level, 6,000 sq ft multi-vendor store, filled with various antiques, collectibles, and vintage goods displayed on shelves, in cabinets, and across the spacious floor. The top-right panel focuses on a whimsical Halloween-themed display featuring a black cat perched on a large pumpkin, flanked by smaller pumpkin figures, set against a window. The bottom-right panel shows the exterior of the store, housed in the old Pittston Stove Building, with a sign reading "ANTIQUES OPEN" and a mannequin in a suit holding a white dress near the entrance.

This 6,000 square foot, two-level multi-vendor shop is filled with antiques, collectibles, and vintage goods of every variety.

A close-up view inside an antique store display case showcases two vintage beer advertising figures: a smiling, plump man in a green vest and red shirt holding a beer barrel labeled "Old Reading Beer," positioned in front of a taller figure of a man in traditional Bavarian attire standing beside a shield-shaped sign for "Löwenbräu Imported German Beer." Various antique glass bottles and jugs are visible on the shelves around the figures, suggesting a collection of vintage barware and advertising memorabilia.

Nearby Attractions

14 Must-See Attractions in Lackawanna County is your guide to the best things to see and do in Luzerne County’s neighbor to the northeast.

A collage of four photos taken in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Top left: Historic steam and diesel locomotives displayed at the Steamtown National Historic Site turntable. Top right: A Stegosaurus skeleton on exhibit inside the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, and Art in Scranton. Bottom left: A vibrant mural of Dwight Schrute from the television show "The Office" painted on a wall in Scranton. Bottom right: A serene waterfall flowing through the rocky landscape of Nay Aug Gorge at Nay Aug Park in Scranton.

7 Must-See Attractions in Monroe County is your guide to the best things to see and do in Luzerne County’s neighbor to the east.

A collage of four images highlighting attractions in Monroe County, Pennsylvania: the top left shows a hiker admiring Rattlesnake Falls cascading through a mossy woodland setting; the top right features the colorful entrance and vendor booths inside Olde Engine Works Market Place; the bottom left displays framed illustrations and sculptures in a gallery room at the Frazetta Art Museum; and the bottom right captures the rushing waters of Tumbling Waters surrounded by lush green forest.

12 Must-See Attractions in Carbon County is your guide to the best things to see and do in Luzerne County’s neighbor to the southeast.

A collage of four images depicting landmarks in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Top left: A yellow and green striped train engine on railway tracks with a forested hill in the background. Top right: A multi-tiered waterfall cascading over a rock face surrounded by greenery. Bottom left: An aerial view of a serpentine river cutting through a densely forested valley in the fall. Bottom right: A stately Victorian mansion with elaborate architectural details, nestled among mature autumn trees.

7 Must-See Attractions in Schuylkill County is your guide to the best things to see and do in Luzerne County’s neighbor to the south.

A collage of four images featuring notable attractions in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The top left picture shows the iconic D.G. Yuengling & Son brewery building, a red brick structure with white trim windows, decorated with American flags and a church spire in the background. The top right image displays a large stone with a plaque commemorating Muhammad Ali as a three-time heavyweight champion, set in a serene wooded area. The bottom left photo captures a classic car garage with shiny vintage cars, including a green 1950s convertible, surrounded by automotive memorabilia. The bottom right image depicts tourists on a coal mine tour, seated in a mine car as they descend into the dimly lit depths of the earth.

9 Must-See Attractions in Sullivan County is your guide to the best things to see and do in Luzerne County’s neighbor to the northwest.

A collage of some of the best things to see and do in Sullivan County Pennsylvania.

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