Cool towns along I-80 (Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: hotels, home, university)

[rmarrion]

Hello all-
I am traveling west to east on I-80 and will be spending one night in the middle of PA. Any cool towns off the beaten path (but not too far) that would be worth staying in?

[escilade18]

Originally Posted by rmarrion

Hello all-
I am traveling west to east on I-80 and will be spending one night in the middle of PA. Any cool towns off the beaten path (but not too far) that would be worth staying in?

One that comes to mind for me would be State College home to Penn State. Other than that, the only sizable towns that I could think of would be Scranton/Wilkes-Barre which are a a good bit north of I-80

[ki0eh]

Depending on your definition of "cool" any of Bloomsburg, Lewisburg, Brookville, Emlenton, Clarion, Oil City could also be possibilities.

[1timbo1]

Depends on what you're looking for. If you want a high concentration of things to do, State College is the obvious choice. Bellefonte is also right nearby and has much more of a small town feel, rather than a mini student city. Bellefonte has some of the best Victorian architecture in the area and is just a really neat town. I'll also second Bloomsburg and Lewisburg, both are great small towns with some good shops and restaurants. Not saying the others ki0eh mentioned aren't "cool," just haven't personally visited them. If you're trying to stay in State College make sure you check the student calendar to check you're not coinciding with graduation or blue and white weekend (the spring football game). Generally at these times the hotels within a 30 mile radius will be booked solid.

[rmarrion]

thanks, bellefonte sounds like a good bet!

[greg42]

I liked Lewisburg, but I was only there a couple hours. The night before we had stayed over in State College, and enjoyed that. But it was mid-summer, so not quite as overrun with students.

[2nd trick op]

Bloomsburg and Lewisburg are quite similar with regard to the small-town-plus-college atmosphere, but Lewisburg has Bucknell, which is only one notch below the Ivy League with regard to social refinement. Bloomsburg, on the other hand, is built around what used to be called a "state teachers' college" and the culture of the locals is much more "down to earth".

State College is probably the ultimate example of a town dominated by a mega-university, and the culture changes quickly depending on whether or not Penn State (my alma mater) is in session. Bellefonte is clean and friendly but, it doesn't posess a "local character" in the strongest sense of the word - more like DuBois, Berwick or Hazleton, which are strictly blue-collar communities, than like Bllomsburg, Lewisburg, Danville (dominated by Geisinger Hospital System) or even Clarion.

[Lion11]

Look into Bellefonte!! If you need a great place to stay, look into one of the many great Bed and Breakfasts that are there: http://www.visitpennstate.org/visito...nd-breakfasts/
More about Bellefonte: About Bellefonte / Bellefonte, PA

[julian17033]

My vote is for Bloomsburg.
Wonderful town with a fantastic and lively arts community.

[Magritte25]

I vote for Lewisburg!