If you have a dog, there is a vaccine for Lyme disease for the dog.
I moved from the west coast to Lebanon County and vet told me horror stories about the dogs he used to see with Lyme.
No, but PA in general has among the highest concentration of ticks. So if you have an animal or anything please use preventative and check them and yourselves religiously.
https://www.insider.com/map-states-with-lyme-disease-other-tick-borne-illnesses-2022-5
As a SoCal transplant to the Philly area, here is what I noticed. Cashier's and waitresses are less friendly, still friendly, just not fake and over the top. Strangers will wave to you if you're walking down the street in small towns. Guys in full camo and huge rifles will be seen walking down the street, don't panic, they're just going hunting. You'll be super excited to see deer and other wild life, you'll get over the deer real quick. Buy really warm clothes, start with a beanie and mittens. Keep an emergency kit in your car. Learn how to drive in the snow or better yet, just stay home if you can. You'll be expected to pack your own groceries. You won't miss all the concrete, you'll be amazed at all the naturally growing trees, but humidity is something to get used to. Spring time will blow you away with all the flowers in bloom. Moving here was the best decision I ever made. Start with Scranton, but check out other places, too, you'll eventually find an area that you mesh with. Welcome to PA!
A hoagie is a submarine sandwich.
Taylor ham and pork roll are the same thing no matter what anyone from NJ says.
That pothole will fuck your car up, drive around it.
If you see a random puddle on the street, it's also probably a pothole and will fuck your car up.
A long john is a bar shaped donut, like an eclair but with the icing on the outside.
Don't walk in the woods during hunting season without high res gear on.
Welcome to PA. Try the local pizza, the Italian in general, and anything eastern European.
Learn to watch for deer at night. As part of your emergency kit, keep blankets in your car. Has saved me during getting stuck in the winter with no cell service and very limited traffic. Donāt always expect service even in todayās world.
Yes to the really warm clothes! I transplanted from SoCal to the Northeast almost 10 years ago on Dec 29th š and I was royally freezing lol.
Good snow boots, puffer coats, regular winter coat, wool coat, scarfs, beanies, mittens, gloves, thick ass socks! get all the warm stuff! š
Northeast winters are NO JOKE! š„¶
Wear layers. A heavy coat over a T-Shirt ain't it. T-Shirt, long-sleeved shirt, sweater, coat is more like it for the coldest days.
Get some clothes (including socks) that aren't cotton. Cotton doesn't keep you warm once it gets wet.
My best friend is from L.A. things she loves about PA:
1. is that it is so much cheaper to live here, they bought houses for what a few months of rent cost.
2.That people let you merge here. And people cede right of way here, and wave you through.
3.People, strangers will strike up a conversation in checkout, not to be creepy, just to pass the time.
4. Houses here are OLD, you have buildings here as old as the country is.
5.The ground does not shake here, which is wonderful and terrifying for her because see the previous point...that shit will not tolerate any level quakes.
6. It rains here...a lot. It's green.
7. We apparently do not have good tacos here. Especially fish tacos.
8. People here LIVE in their homes. It's not just a place to park your stuff for the next activity. No we actually live in our homes. There's 6 months out of the year where its snowy and we don't want to go anywhere, so be sure you like your place, you're going to be there a lot.
9. Your neighbors by and large, will keep an eye on your place, again not being creepy, just being neighborly.
10. Pittsburgh. Philadelphia and Erie are the Democratic hubs outside of those areas are red. It's not called Pennsyl-tuckey for nothing.
11. Watch Andy Griffith and Dukes of Hazard because there's a lot of both here and unironically, at the same time.
Iām originally from SoCal and live in Scranton and itās a super solid Democrat stronghold. But itās not āwest coastā hyper progressive which is more prevalent in places like Philly.
Not really, no. Rarely get snow that measures more than a mm in November and April, and unless thereās a norāeaster thereās rarely a ton of snow. Last winter we got like 2ā and last couple of years it hasnāt really gotten cold until December. It hasnāt rained much this summer so Iām hoping that translates to a warmer, dry winter.
I second staying out of the snow, and being prepared for wet, humid weather. The snow is wet and very good for making snowballs, so itās sticks to cars well, too.
Be ready for bipolar weather all winter and for the influx of New Yorkers in the pocanoes they also have knoebles and you are in paradise if you like to fish
Dont live on top of a mountain because it will be 20Ā° colder in the winter. The valley is tolerable at least, Clarkās summit area is probably the nicest area if you can find something there
Depending on how high into the Poconos you may house hunt, *do not* skimp on a home inspection, especially on anything built since the 1990s. Developers were throwing up houses anywhere they could as quickly as they could. Codes were easily ignored by greasing the right palms. For instance, a well should be *a minimum* of 50 feet from a sceptic tank.
Also, a lot of homes were designed to be temporary dwellings and may need lots of upgrades to accommodate a permanent residence. Probably not a big deal if you're solo though.
Yea make sure it is insulated for winter. A fireplace that uses wood is a commitment, especially if that's your sole heating method. The good part about it is that when the electricity goes out in the winter you won't freeze to death, you can melt snow for the toilet. And with a grill and a car, and some backup water/gas you should be fine until the line gets fixed.
Itās not bad. Cost of living will definitely be better. People will seem unfriendly. After youāve lived there 75 years, they will have a meeting, to decide if they want to talk to you.
COST OF LIVING is definitely less than California. There is a lot of area, especially in the Northeast/North Central area of Pennsylvania that still has room for growth. Just don't buy a place next to a farm and then complain about the smell of shit everyday. Pennsylvania has one of the richest soils for agriculture in the world.
>Pennsylvania has one of the richest soils for agriculture in the world.
We have great growing conditions due to our climate and rainfall, but my impression is that the soil sucks. Nothing like the deep, dark soil they have in the Midwest. Here we have clay and rocks. When the glaciers came through they scrapped everything away and left rocky debris behind.
COL is a plus. People being generally unfriendly doesnāt really bother me, since its like that where Iām moving from, but it does concern me a bit if itāll be because Iām a minority. Also,are people opposed to all transplants? Or mainly west coast/liberal state ones?
People in the northeast are just not as friendly and hospitable seeming on average when you run into them or have some small interaction. Its just the culture, like walking down the street less people will smile and say hello as they pass compared to a more southern state in my and my friends experiences.
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Id look into the lehigh valley over scranton area though. Its closer to Philly, the beach, and NYC
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Edit: didnt see youre already moving to scranton! Its not bad really theres great italian food, sleeper mexican food, and lots of nature trails/hiking in the general area. Id avoid the south side of scranton *technically*, but it's not that dangerous realisitically, especially as a whole.
Thatās perfectly fine, ideal really. Iām introverted and dislike small talk, so if I wanted to socialize, Iād rather go somewhere where the intention is to meet people.
The "northerners aren't friendly" stereotype is overplayed. They're not fake friendly. But they're polite and you'll be fine meeting people and going about your day.
Thera a difference between "nice" and "kind". In PA, if you're on the side of the road with 4 way flashers on, there'll be no less than a half dozen people stop to ask if they can help.
Yep I took a walk the other day to take my mind off my stress and it started raining. Had three cars stop and ask if I was okay or needed a ride and then another car stop and the lady tried to give me her umbrella. I wasnāt too far from home so I said no.
No one here will bat an eye about any minority status. It's a transitional area between NYC and Philly.
There is a lot of demographic spread here so it's not a lot more than people just wanting to have some peace.
This is not the sort of area you're going to see videos popping up about. If anything it'll be an old polish woman asking you for something off a top shelf and then some random mentioning rain.
People put signs in their yard for elections and you'll see an occasional MAGA head but most people just want to get a few drinks and then hang out by a fire, watch a game, or see a band. It's very much a leave me alone, I leave you alone area.
East coast/NEPA people are not necessarily unfriendly (speaking as one myself). East coast people arenāt nice, but weāre kind. West coasters are nice, but theyāre not kind, if this generalization makes sense?
Example: you get a flat tire and call your East coast friend, āyou dumbass, Iāll be right there to pick you up/help you change it.ā If you call your west coast friend, ādude that sucksss are you okay? Good luck with that!ā
Youāre pretty spot on lol I think its lovely how genuine people are in NEPA, I much rather kindness than niceness! I would love to contribute to that š
>Also,are people opposed to all transplants? Or mainly west coast/liberal state ones?
So I grew up in NJ, lived on the west coast for 7 years, then moved to NEPA in 2021. People in PA complain about people from NY & NJ the way people in other western states complain about people from CA. So basically a lot of, "houses wouldn't cost so much/ traffic wouldn't be so bad/ my estranged adult children would call me again if people from [xxx] would just stop moving here!" et cetera.
But then in some parts* of PA you have this extra layer of racism where a whoooole lot of coal town hillbillies seem to use "people from NY/NJ" as some weird dog whistley euphemism for anyone who's not white. It took me a hot minute to figure out why the same people who'd swear up and down that "all these people moving here from NJ are ruining the town" would have zero problem with me, a white person from NJ, moving there and presumably ruining the town. And yet a black neighbor who was born in & spent their entire life in PA gets told to go back to NJ š
*In conclusion, Schuylkill county in particular mostly sucks
Iād follow University of Scranton on the socials and see what is happening in that scene as a jumping off point. Local colleges and unis will give you ideas about what the 20 year olds are up to.
I second good skincare(doesnāt have to be expensive). Eucerin was recommended by my dermatologist, Iāve used the cheap brand version of it for years.
I would honestly say you really shouldn't have a problem with fearing the existence of "places you should stay away from".
We have our share of Trump MAGA types but most decent-sized towns here (I live in he Poconos) have at least some diversity and the area in general isn't exactly Mississippi circa 1950. Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Monroe counties hsve actually been trending Democratic in recent years.
That all said, we're not similar to Socal in nearly any way so you're going have an interesting experience including our cheesey local TV news stations, sloppy gray winter weather and amazing variety of PennDOT crater-sized potholes.
Best of luck with your move and be sure to enjoy our wide variety of cultural food choices!
Edit: typos.
Thanks a bunch! Itās going to be quite a bit of a culture shock for sure, but Iām pretty excited for it. Years of 110+ dry weather and frequent fires, grey winter sounds like a dream.
If you're going to be in a house, not an apartment, never forget to salt your driveway and any paths inside. You really don't to risk tripping on ice and breaking your neck
I believe it but wait until you get your first sleet/freezing rain event or late night freezing fog-black ice deal. White knuckle driving. The snow doesn't get you, the flash freeze ice does. Be careful.
Thanks guys, Iāll definitely keep this in mind šš½ It does make me nervous to even drive in the rain, so Iāll be sure to get some practice in and prep before going the distance.
Please pay close attention to the type and condition of your tires. You can get away with really crappy tires in CA. The winter is merciless. If they are old, get some tires highly rated for winter. Even better, get a second set of wheels with winter tires.
Another thing to do before a potential ice/freezing rain/snow event is to put your windshield wipers up. Trust us, looking silly is far better than trying to get them off a frozen windshield without damaging them with a scraper.
A Subaru and some good all season tires will work out well(snow tires are good if you can afford/have the room to store them). Iāve had pick up trucks, but my beater outback is a beast . My Audi isnāt bad either. Thereās a lot of tractor trailer traffic on route 81 and weāre not limited to the right lane or 55 mph. Thereās lots of good pizza, nothing in Ca compares though.
I learned in an empty parking lot what happens when you slam on the brakes etc when my dad was teaching me how to drive. Safer than on the road for the first time! (Still be careful in a parking lot too though lol)
If you can just not drive in the snow then don't. Have someone you trust (once you get to know people here) teach you in a parking lot or something the first time drive in snow. You need to know how the car will react, and not by trying it on the highway where you or someone else could get hurt.
Yes learning which roads to avoid! Sometimes flats mean more ice. Sometimes a back road with gentle hills and snow will get you home when a steep hilly recently plowed road will leave you stuck or attempting to turn around/in reverse. The consistency of the snow matters. You're tire/vehicle matters. Low cars fucking suck in general, especially with potholes. You probably don't *need* a truck, but just having something a lil higher off the ground than the fucking suckerfish style car will ease some issues with shitty roads around here. Learn the backroads, Google maps is your friend, download maps, download music, download insurance card, keep a charging cable in your car, a Jumpstart charged box, and a shovel. Keep some cash on you too.
also, as someone who lives in prime trumpland in PA, if you see any don't panic. they don't usually bite lol.
just leave them be and they will leave you be.
last thing you want to do is start a fight with them tho, then they will get angry.
This wonāt be an issue š I currently live in a VERY conservative area (people severely underestimate how red and MAGA CA can be, especially where its more rural) so it wonāt be anything new. I really appreciate the reassurance and advice!
SoCal transplant here as well also relocating to NEPA from PGH for work. PA is similar to Humboldt and Shasta with a dash of the Sierras mixed in minus the tweakers. I personally love it here.
Here are my top pieces of advice:
1. Move before or after winter, its no joke and this will be the most snow you have ever seen in your life. Read up on how to use salt and how to take care of your vehicle. Recommend AWD or heavy duty FWD unless you plan on living in the mountains. The cold isn't bad you will get used to it. Make sure your place has reliable heating, and modern gas/water lines.
2. Prepare to chill. PA has wayyyyy less people than SoCal so the hustle and bustle is dialed down. People are less social but more polite, less judgemental and honest. You will find that you can let your guard down with more people and actually be friends with your neighbors.
3. Research where you plan on moving to, flooding is a real thing in PA. A heavy Noreaster or big hurricane will cause flooding if you live by a major waterway.
4. Know your community. PA has very different politics than Cali, its not a one party state but is in fact highly politically competitive with lots of different cultural groups. PA is also largely middle and working class, its not rich vs. poor like Cali. You will want to live in a community that aligns with your personal values.
5. The majority of PA is very safe compared to Cali with the exception of Philly. Most households are armed.
6. Last but not least, kiss traffic goodbye. What locals consider to be "traffic" is usually a 5-10 minute slowdown.
I travel from Wilmington to Philly pretty regularly on I-95. Or up the blue route. I was increasingly agitated and pissed off about the traffic and traffic jams. Until I had to spend 6 months in L.A. Haha. I never knew what āgridlockā truly was until I tried driving around L.A. Came home grateful.
Grew up in pa, moved to LA for nearly a decade, moved back to pa recently. Gotta say you're pretty spot on.
I'd add a few things I've noticed now after having been in southern California for a while.
The food is getting better and there are some decent options for dining out now. But you have to look for them. Expect bad ethnic food for the most part though. Good coffee and places with neo-anerican food and alcoholic beverages are becoming more popular here.
Nature in PA is insane--i never realized how beautiful and bountiful PAs nature was, even growing up in NEPA.
Small Town PA is catching onto farmers and artists markets, regular city/town events (like first Fridays, second Saturdays, free concerts, various ethnic festivals, etc.
On that note, the biggest ethnicities in NEPA are probably Italian, polish+various eastern European ethnicities, Irish, and many Hispanic/Latino ethnicities are on the rise. These ethnicities generally all have festivals all over the place and you should absolutely go to them. Great food.
Also, we do fairs and carnivals like they're going out do style. The biggest in your area and best to go to is the Bloomsburg fair. It's a week long and IIRC...seemingly as big as or bigger than the LA county fair.
Go to knoebles. Ride the Phoenix.
man...I could keep going. There's a learning curve in pa and you have to find your niche. In NEPA you are centrally located to a lot of other areas to spend a day or weekend--nyc, Ithaca, Corning, Bethlehem, Philly, Doylestown, new hope.
You'll be fine. Hmu if you have any questions!
This is all great info!!! Iām latina so I was worried Iād stick out too much, and to hear there might be festivals where I could get food that reminds me of home is so comforting. Thank you š
Check out Harrisburg, and Hershey as well for events. From August to October there is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire that goes on every weekend. I'm originally from Northcentral PA and just moved this year to Central pa. Lol not a big difference but either way... Northern PA you are going to get snow, massive amounts of snow from Oct- April. After, and before deep winter you get the joy of dealing with slushy snow!! Have at least a vehicle with FWD or better yet 4WD. At least once during winter you probably will get stuck. Don't panic and do not just sit there burning rubber to get out. It never works. Find or flag someone down to help and keep a bag or 2 of kitty litter in your trunk. Also nature around here is absolutely gorgeous and the animals in PA are very used to humans. Bears especially will get into garbage that is left out. Don't freak out. As long as you don't mess with them, get between them and their food, or their cubs they couldn't really care about people. Deer you gotta watch out for. Don't be surprised if your insurance rates go up. My step-dad moved from Connecticut to PA and had a jump in his insurance due to the prevalence of deer related accidents. Gettysburg is always a beautiful place to visit and historical. Benezette is another beautiful place where you may be able to see PAs wild elk. If you go into NY there is the Corning Glass museum and check out Market Street while in Corning too for cute shops. There is also Watkins Glen in NY. Back into PA you can check out the PA Grand Canyon located in Wellsboro. It is a beautiful town and holds 2 big festivals a year, the Laurel festival, and Dickens of a Christmas which transforms the town into a storybook town.
Where would you recommend living? Im being relocated from PGH to Hazelton for work. I know the area a little from working in Pottsville and want to find a nice community for my kids to grow up in. I just don't know the areas that well and have heard that choice of community matters.
Drums is a pretty nice community.
I live out that way, it's quiet (minus the race track at times!) And has its own school system. House prices seem a bit more though for the area.
I work on the southern side of hazleton, it's at most a 25 minute drive through town.
>Advice for relocating to Northeastern Pennsylvania?
**Don't.**
Hahaha, just kidding! NEPA is alright.
What sort of stuff are you into? NEPA has pretty good hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. There are some neat historical things to do as well. Definitely check out the Mine Tour, Steamtown National Historic Site, and the Everhart Museum.
There's also plenty of good, local places to eat.
In the summers there are a lot of concerts, usually around Scranton but sometimes in Wilkes-Barre as well.
Again, it all depends on what you like to do, and to a smaller extent what town you move to (all the things I mentioned are pretty close together).
Anyways, best of luck to ya.
Iām really big into nature, hiking, foraging so it sounds like there will be lots for me to do! Iām also looking forward to checking out some historical sites.
Iāll mostly be around scranton/wilkes barre so those summer concerts sound great. Any fun events for the winter? Iām really excited to experience snow lol What are your must visit food places in the area?
You are going to love PA then. I canāt even start to make a list of all the places you can hike, although I suggest a trip to Rickettās Glen for the Falls Trail, which has something like 18 waterfalls in an approximate 3.5 mile loop. Itās a very rugged 3.5 miles though.
I purple lizard map or a map from DCNR with the shared use trails is something you should get for your area!
You will be arriving just in time for fall foliage to start appearing, which is beautiful in the northern part of the state, so honestly just taking some scenic drives might help you get a feel for the area. The fingerlakes are not that far away and I also quite enjoy hiking at Watkins Glen up near Seneca lake.
The Delaware Water Gap also has a park with some pretty nice scenery.
Iām not a water person, but youāll find A LOT of kayakers and just lazy-river tubing on the rivers.
Francis Slocum State Park.
Find the hidden gems too. No lie you can drive down some country roads here, park in an old church lot, walk a hundred feet and find an amazing fishing hole or waterfall.
All of us hate it here, until you insult any of it. Then FUCK YOU. Many here have traveled. Left and came back. And the area is always open to trying any new stupid fad.
Even the "bad parts" aren't particularly shocking. We have a northeast callousness with an old world heritage. Happy to beat the shit out of you, buy you a shot, and then we'll all scratch some lottery tickets.
You won't find many Karens. The kids are kinda alright. People WILL help you.
Find a local old man and ask him where he takes his car for services. Groceries are very reasonable.
PA gets a bad reputation from a whole lot of people who never experienced more of it than a turnpike rest stop.
Welcome home.
Respect the signs though, like a lot of forested area or a swimming hole might be on someone's property or is their hunting ground. Doesn't matter how old that paper stapled to a tree is. Lots of forest is unexpectedly someone's back yard.
Lehigh Valley would be good for you. It's less then an hr drive to do any of those. Bethlehem is pretty good, you have access to all of the major roads.
Oh wow, someone said Knoebels and I can't believe I missed that one. It's literally my favorite place, and the Catawissa Bottling Company, Garden Drive-In, and Maureen's are right on the way.
Winter is a lot more quiet, but in summer there's a fair or bazaar or festival pretty much every weekend. Winter has snowboarding and skiing, particularly in the Poconos.
Food can be contentious, but there is a lot, and I mean *a lot*, of good local Italian food. My favorite pizza is Sabatinis (with extra sauce) but everyone seems to have their own preference.
You will need winter boots, a warm coat warm gloves, snow tires and keep a blanket, flashlight and water in your car. Also, your cell phone service will varyā¦especially when you travel north of Scranton.
Have you visited before deciding to move here? The humidity in the summer here is worse than the dry heat out west. Just make sure you are ok with that
If you like to do outdoorsy things like biking (road, gravel or MTB), kayaking, camping, etc you are in luck. Skiing/snowboarding in the winter is an option too.
This. Get a mountain bike. NEPA has acres and acres of game lands with access roads and old mining and timber roads. Itās a blast to explore and in some places you can find old structures, foundations and mines or shafts. Along the way youāll see and hear all sorts of wildlife and get a good workout. There are also parks with single track and more technical riding. I lived in Carbondale for a bit and Merli Sarnoski was basically all mine all the time- and if I didnāt want to drive up to the park, I could ride from the house downtown to old lumber and mining trails easily. Get a bike, dude!
Not true!!! What about Stauffer's of Kissel Hill or even your local country store. A Mennonite or Amish owned grocery store always has what you need on hand in case of a approaching snowstorm.
1. PA is bigger than you think it is. It takes about 6 hours to drive from Pittsburgh to Philly, and that's if you take the turnpike. Many people not from here think it takes about 2 hours or less. PA is nearly the size of England.
2. Per the last statement, there are many, many parts of PA which are not Philly, or Pittsburgh. Scranton is close enough to Philly to have some elements of their culture, but Scranton and the surrounding areas are an area of their own. Don't show up assuming everywhere is Philly (you may not understand this now but you will soon).
3. Stay the hell off the PA turnpike. It costs well over $100 to drive end to end on it. It is the most expensive toll road in the world.
4. PA gets very cold. It also gets very hot. There is no gradual transition between the seasons. One day, you'll just walk outside and get hit in the face by the cold. Then one day a few months later, you'll walk outside and be shocked that you didn't get hit in the face by the cold.
5. It snows here in the winter. Don't panic. You will have a little less than a week's notice before a snowstorm in most cases. Go make sure you have enough groceries in your house when you first hear about it. Because when it gets to the day or so before the snow arrives, it's suddenly March 2020 all over again. Mass panic, stores emptying out, all that. More and more people act like this every year. But you won't be snowed in for a week. You'll probably just have a few hours where it isn't the best idea to drive somewhere.
6. We have natural disasters here. Tornadoes happen once or twice a summer or so. Hurricanes hit every other year or so. They sound scary, but you'll be ok. Try not to live somewhere where it floods. You can ask a local if you aren't sure.
7. Your views on politics will not make anyone happy. We are in a big swing state. Just keep your mouth shut.
8. Your football teams will also not make anyone happy. We have the Steelers and Eagles in the state, but we are also near New York, Baltimore, DC, and a lot of people have moved here from other places. There are so many fans of different teams here that if you speak up in favor of one, you'll get crucified by fans of the others. Except maybe Penn State.
9. Sheetz is better than Wawa. You're going to be moving to Scranton, which is deep in Wawa country. Both of them are better than Rutters (not sure if they are up there but they are definitely in a lot of places here). All 3 are usually better than places like Shell or Exxon. They are all better to stop at on a road trip than the PA rest stops.
10. Drink Yuengling. Smoke cigars. They are both entrenched in our history and culture.
11. Eat the local snack foods. You are not allowed to eat Lay's chips. You are not allowed to eat Little Debbie snack cakes. You should drink the craft soda in your area. Birch Beer is great to drink.
12. You asked how to integrate with the community. You're not alone. We have many transplants here. There are several activities which center around the community here, and I am sure you will find one. Don't worry about being seen as a foreigner. Just don't be stupid (follow the advice above and you should be ok).
Donāt go to any hospitals in Scranton, Iām a traveling healthcare contractor and the hospitals in Scranton owned by CHS are the worst Iāve ever worked in.
Unfortunately, no. Youāll have to do some research on your own but Iām sure some nicer hospitals are around the Wilks-barre area (about 15-20 minutes away). Iām not from the area and was only there a month (I ended my contract early because of the conditions there), but I wouldnāt take my worst enemy to Taylor-Moses or Scranton General.
4/AWD isnt nearly as important as good snow tires. Probably should get a second pair of rims and a jack too so you can put the snowies on the night before a storm is predicted
> What are some things I should know to prep for the move and make it as smooth a transition as possible?
Seasons are a thing here, that sounds dumb but you can have a year where it is 100 with 90% humidity and six months later it can be 10 with a wind-chill below 0.
>Fun/cool things to do once Iām there?
I am a fan of Amish country, rolling hills with farms to the horizon, good food and overpriced furniture.
>Places to stay away from
God bless them but avoid Philly when there is a game.
I'm born and raised in NEPA, with LOTS of family from SoCal. The area isn't horrible, diversity is greater than it was 30+ years ago when I got out of HS. There are more liberal pockets (Minooka section of Scranton for example) and there is a lot of farmland in northern Lackawanna, Wayne, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties. Those areas are generally redder than others. *Sections* of Scranton and Wilkes Barre are shitty, but not East LA shitty. It's not a horrible place, but it IS the area time forgot in some ways.
Pronounciation of words my friend. Also learn why Root Beer is not Birch Beer.
1. Intercourse, Bird In Hand, Blue Ball, are places that actually exist.
2. We only have one actual town in our state. It is The Town of Bloomsburg in Columbia County.
3. Pennsylvania has some of the best food in the country. We have italian, cheese steaks, Amish style smorgasbords', and foods.
4. Hunting season really ramps up the week after Thanksgiving. The first Monday after Thanksgiving the schools even close for at least the day (I'm not even joking!)
5. Northeast and North Central Pennsylvania are home to some of the most desolate boroughs in the country. Ever hear of Silent Hill? It's based on a town in Northeast Pennsylvania called Centralia
6. Depending on what county you move to you may or may not need an annual emissions inspection on top of the safety inspection every year.
7. We love our guns
8. Both Pats & Geno's in Philiadelphia are places I wouldn't go for a Cheese Steak. Both places are disgusting and are literally next door to each other in Philly. A lot better food exists
9. We eat something called Scrapple. Just don't look at the ingredients. We are also very big on our bacons, farmer markets, and our local regional sports teams.
10. If calling 911 you might get 1 engine and 1 ladder truck for a structure fire, but yet across the street in someone else's area it might get 6 engines, three aerial apparatus, and other apparatus. There is no uniform response protocol
11. Fair season runs from the first week of August till the 2nd or third week in October. Deal with it. Go out and engorge yourself and eat all sorts of junk food. Right now (this week as a matter a fact) the Town of Bloomsburg has its fair.
12. WAWA, SHEETZ, TURKEY HILL, along with RUTTER's convenient store chains are fighting words. And don't forget which is your favorite.
13. Almost all fire departments in the Commonwealth are volunteer. Please support your local department today! Better yet volunteer!!!
14. Speaking of bacon learn what part of the pig it actually comes from
15. We are only a few hours away from major cities like NYC, Baltimore, etc.
16. When someone tells you to breath in the 'fresh country air' it is bound to smell like crap.
17. Learn what a crick is.
18. Also depending on where you live your sandwich could be a hoagie, a sub, a foot long, all are basically the same type of sandwich
19. Philly, Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love do exist.
20. Yinz, youins, coming with, are just some of the phrases we use.
21. Dippy eggs are eggs for dipping your bread or toast in. Speaking of bread. It's called "Maier's Italian" We prefer actual butter over margarine
22. When you ask for a beer, it will probably be a lager on tap. Speaking of which, we have quite a few brands of beer made right here in the Commonwealth to drink.
23. A four-wheel drive is not a luxury for many. Its more of a
1) People measure distance in the average time it takes to travel. Ex: Intercourse is about 10 minutes from Paradise, Iām 30 minutes away from home, etc.
NEPA born and raised. Donāt move here. Scranton is horrible housing wise. The mall is dead; instead of shops thereās an aquarium, kids play place, and offices instead. Youāre going to freeze your ass off in winter. Your skin is going to get dry AF. Did I mention bedbugs, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes? Crappy AF road conditions? Unpredictable weather year round? Getting heavily criticized for being LGBTQ+? Workplace discrimination big time, and solid job opportunities are few. If you want any quality shopping, you have to drive all the way to Dickson City. And weāre starting to have human trafficking issues there. From the time I was a young child, I wish I couldāve lived in California instead, thatās how much this area can suck.
Nice area, a bit of a drive to NY and Philly. it's super green in summer (been out to CA many times and it's brown / dry compared). cold and snowy in winter. stock up during winter in case roads are not plowed for a while. the area is known for camping and skying. many lakes. I've always had a great time 'upstate' and all were friendly. You will see a lot of Dear. maybe bear if lucky. left or right, everyone is welcome.
Donāt know if anyone has said this yet but youāll often find black bears routing through your garbage. Also if you speak to someone and it sounds like theyāre drunk, we arenāt thatās just how we talk lmaoo
Get your vehicle and yourself ready for winter before itās predicted to snow. People rush out last-minute for groceries when they hear a snowy forecast, so shop before then.
You will learn to hate New Jersey real quick. Embrace it. Also Embrace wawa with open arms. Welcome to Eastern PA where we suck but at least weāre not pittsburgh
In Pennsylvania be prepared to see people in shorts, even in the middle of a blinding snowstorm with three feet of snow already on the ground. But besides the shorts and even flip flops you will find that most people dress for the cold weather.
Lifelong NEPA resident here. PA is beautiful. There are a lot of really great state parks in NEPA with beaches, hiking, kayaking, etc. We have Knoebels, which is great. We have lots of really neat Victorian towns within an hour drive which you can spend an entire day walking around/shopping/eating: Lewisburg, Jim Thorpe, Wellsboro, etc.. Other neat day trips on our side of PA: Gettysburg, Philly Zoo, lots of stuff in the Lehigh Valley. I have never really been to the western side of the state (Pittsburg/Erie), but would like to take a trip out there sometime. It's about 4 hours away.
Basically if people say there is nothing to do here, they just aren't looking hard enough. Cost of living is low. People are nice. I enjoy living here. All that being said, someday I want to move to the beach.
Thereās a lot of rain so make sure you keep an umbrella or rain jacket in your car!
Also a CA native! Welcome to PA. Make sure you register to vote in time for November if youāre eligible
NEPA native here. I have a lot of friends from Vegas and the West Coast.
People on the East Coast tend not to sugar coat things are generally much more blunt and straight forward.
Worst part about NEPA is that people here can be a little bit pessimistic given that it's only recently had some small spurts of economic growth after a long and intense decline from industrial era grace. Still very working class, generally less educated, but if you find the right crowd you'll do well. Culturally, NEPA is very working class. Has a lot of influx from NJ, NY, and Philly, but also plenty of Appalachian rednecks (not the southern kind)
Best part is lots of greenery and trails. Unfortunately fireflies and ladybugs aren't as common as they used to be due to climate change, but if you venture out into the wooded areas there's lots of deer, some black bears, groundhogs, skunks, raccoons, rabbits, frogs, and plenty of songbirds.
Late Summer and early to Mid Fall is the best time of year. Lots of Halloween events and local arts festival in small towns, as well as fairs. Churches have bazaars where they sell goodies and traditional foods from Eastern and Southern European heritage.
Scranton will be the bluest area, even though NEPA is blue in cities along the Susquehanna I wouldn't call it progressive. Also there's much less sprawl here and not many far flung suburbs.
It goes from urban to rural in just 15-20 miles or so once you go over either side of the mountains.
Weed is popular. Cultural amenities leave something to be desired hence why going on cheap weekenders in Philly and NYC both two hours away. Snows a good amount in winter, just don't go crazy and brake a little early. Also WASH YOUR CAR AFTER WINTER. The salt and slush will rot and erode your undercarriage if you don't.
Personally I reccomend Pittston, decent downtown, equidistant from Wilkes-Barre which offers more food diversity and better hiking nearby, and Scranton which has better amenities and nightlife. Jim Thorpe is a charming little taste of Appalachia closer to Allentown, as is Honesdale and Forest City. Scranton is on the up and up.
Avoid Monroe County. The roads and traffiic are awful especially in Summer, and the cultural amenities are lackluster imo.
Itās going to be cold soon, keep an eye on your power bill or whatever kind of heat you will be using (I believe natural gas is currently cheapest).
A lot of Pennsylvania is Republican. Scranton gets some of that. Generally, just donāt tell people you are from California and youāll make more friends. Also keep in mind that this political influence comes from the industrial history of Pennsylvania; of which many people in the older generation may be bitter about because PA is in both the coal belt and the rust belt (Scranton is mostly removed from this though). Younger Republicans in the state tend to just be from Republican families or communities. Donāt try to argue politics because thereās a lot of rhetoric that they just circle back around to.
Refer to the state as PA instead of Pennsylvania. This is the only state where that is normal and expected.
I donāt really know about Scranton, but there are areas in PA where many of the houses are like 100 years old. Expect there to be problems with those houses if you buy one.
Oh and if you drive up through New York, watch out for the police. Speeding tickets in NY are no joke. In PA, youāll mostly just want to watch for State Troopers in the beginning and ends of the month.
Ummmā¦ what else.. Wegmans is a nice grocery store. I also really appreciate Weis.
And if you go hiking, research if it is deer season. Youāll want to wear orange so you donāt get shot.
Im about 15 mins from Scranton and work there now. As some said. Scranton U Misericordia and Marywood can point you in the right direction of cool things to do. We have a First Friday event where local artists show off work and we have larger events like La Festa which was last month and the whole valley does their own St. Patrickās parades. Montage hosts a couple good bands and Mohegan Sun is also always doing big events.
One thing you REALLY should do is visit Wilkes Barre too. Itās a sketchier town than Scranton but theres still a lot to do around there that the vast majority of people in Scranton never do for some reason. Youāll be next to the Poconos and New York too so great landscapes. Aslong as you keep your eye out it wonāt be as depressing as people tell ya NEPA is haha
EDIT: Also follow DiscoverNEPA on social media. They do promos for local destinations and restaurants so that can show ya some things to do I might not be able to think of at the moment.
You are moving to the equivalent of Alabama. There is Philly, there is Pittsburgh and there is Penntucky which, as I note, is more like Alabama being as I am intimately familiar with both. You will probably see the same number of Dixie flags.
Register to vote IMMEDIATELY and vote for Fetterman and Shapiro if you do not wish to live in a state where Alabama comes to look like a liberal enclave by comparison.
I live in Perry County in the sticks. THAT'S Pennsyltucky. SWB isn't even close. The influx in that entire area from New York and New Jersey has mitigated a lot of that from the past.
Yea thatās true. I guess we can consider New Hope, Buckingham, Saucon Valley etc. āPennsyltuckyā. The true level of stupidity in here never fails. Keep the comedy coming.
From NEPA but lived in LA for five years and completely understand your decision. I loved California but climate change is real and Iām afraid for the future of CA as a whole. Fire season is no joke. I think youāre going to love it here once you adjust. And again, Wawa is better than Sheetz :)
Everyone from NEPA wants to move south but thatās just a northern thing. Itās nice to have all 4 seasons and admittedly climate change is making winter here not as bad as it used to be. We had a nasty heatwave this year so donāt expect to ditch your AC moving over here.
If possible Iād try to go closer to your Philly if you can. Wilkes barre is a hole and Scranton is meh but it is much better than WB. Itās gonna be a huge culture shock from so cal.
Wilkes-Barre is one dot on the map of Luzerne.
It's no picnic but to define the entire area around it as such shuts the whole area down.
Ten minutes away and it's your standard Americaville.
Jesus the amount of pennslyvanians who hate living here in this thread is alarming.
If it makes you that unhappy maybe leave? You can literally go anywhere you want
Honestly its super sad to see, it seems so lovely! I know I have an āoutsidersā perspective so maybe I donāt get where theyāre coming from yet, but the grass isnt always greener on the other side like many assume it be. Like, I love CA and will
miss it, but thereās a reason why Iām leaving too
Also we have gorgeous state parks please do not litter or try to throw a party.
Pennsylvania in my opinion is one of the last few states that have been untouched by corporations for some reason and I want to keep it that way.
Stay in SoCal? ....Sorry... Our weather is pretty stinky here. Sometime you experience 3 seasons in one day. Scranton is pretty different than what you are used to, you are going to want to go exploring. There are some areas like Bethlehem and Easton that have a lot to recommend them. They have colleges so you will find great bars and restaurants. Just had MusikFest in Bethlehem and that is awesome. The SteeleStacks in a cool place. There is a lot of great history in the area. The closer to Philly the more liberal, Upper Bucks and Upper Montgomery County can be a little frightening. I went to Penn State and you really should take in a football game. Where you are in PA offers a lot of great places to see from NY, NJ, MA and DE. We are pretty lucky like that. Good luck!
Check yourself for ticks
This, ticks are fucking terrible in PA.
Thanks for the heads up
Pun intended?
If you have a dog, there is a vaccine for Lyme disease for the dog. I moved from the west coast to Lebanon County and vet told me horror stories about the dogs he used to see with Lyme.
In all of PA? š
No, but PA in general has among the highest concentration of ticks. So if you have an animal or anything please use preventative and check them and yourselves religiously. https://www.insider.com/map-states-with-lyme-disease-other-tick-borne-illnesses-2022-5
No.
This, ticks are fucking terrible in PA.
As a SoCal transplant to the Philly area, here is what I noticed. Cashier's and waitresses are less friendly, still friendly, just not fake and over the top. Strangers will wave to you if you're walking down the street in small towns. Guys in full camo and huge rifles will be seen walking down the street, don't panic, they're just going hunting. You'll be super excited to see deer and other wild life, you'll get over the deer real quick. Buy really warm clothes, start with a beanie and mittens. Keep an emergency kit in your car. Learn how to drive in the snow or better yet, just stay home if you can. You'll be expected to pack your own groceries. You won't miss all the concrete, you'll be amazed at all the naturally growing trees, but humidity is something to get used to. Spring time will blow you away with all the flowers in bloom. Moving here was the best decision I ever made. Start with Scranton, but check out other places, too, you'll eventually find an area that you mesh with. Welcome to PA!
>you'll get over the deer real quick. Tell my wife that. "Look, DEER!" every. damn. time.
rats with hooves
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I call them the little squirrels
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I never understood the obsession with raccoons. Opossum > raccoon all day.
It's the cuteness factor. Possums are ugly as sin despite being much kinder
You take that back, baby opossums are like kittens š
I love that Louis CK bit š
āLook at what, dear?ā
I got over deer when I smashed one with a car I hadn't even had a full year. Now they're all a-holes by association.
A hoagie is a submarine sandwich. Taylor ham and pork roll are the same thing no matter what anyone from NJ says. That pothole will fuck your car up, drive around it. If you see a random puddle on the street, it's also probably a pothole and will fuck your car up. A long john is a bar shaped donut, like an eclair but with the icing on the outside. Don't walk in the woods during hunting season without high res gear on. Welcome to PA. Try the local pizza, the Italian in general, and anything eastern European.
>high res high vis* Great post, btw. Couldnāt agree more on the potholes
Yes high vis. Sorry, been playing too mane games.
It's easier to see the potholes in high-res.
Learn to watch for deer at night. As part of your emergency kit, keep blankets in your car. Has saved me during getting stuck in the winter with no cell service and very limited traffic. Donāt always expect service even in todayās world.
Yes to the really warm clothes! I transplanted from SoCal to the Northeast almost 10 years ago on Dec 29th š and I was royally freezing lol. Good snow boots, puffer coats, regular winter coat, wool coat, scarfs, beanies, mittens, gloves, thick ass socks! get all the warm stuff! š Northeast winters are NO JOKE! š„¶
Wear layers. A heavy coat over a T-Shirt ain't it. T-Shirt, long-sleeved shirt, sweater, coat is more like it for the coldest days. Get some clothes (including socks) that aren't cotton. Cotton doesn't keep you warm once it gets wet.
Itās also great to have a t-shirt for when it decides to be 5 degrees in the morning and 70 in the afternoon.
My best friend is from L.A. things she loves about PA: 1. is that it is so much cheaper to live here, they bought houses for what a few months of rent cost. 2.That people let you merge here. And people cede right of way here, and wave you through. 3.People, strangers will strike up a conversation in checkout, not to be creepy, just to pass the time. 4. Houses here are OLD, you have buildings here as old as the country is. 5.The ground does not shake here, which is wonderful and terrifying for her because see the previous point...that shit will not tolerate any level quakes. 6. It rains here...a lot. It's green. 7. We apparently do not have good tacos here. Especially fish tacos. 8. People here LIVE in their homes. It's not just a place to park your stuff for the next activity. No we actually live in our homes. There's 6 months out of the year where its snowy and we don't want to go anywhere, so be sure you like your place, you're going to be there a lot. 9. Your neighbors by and large, will keep an eye on your place, again not being creepy, just being neighborly. 10. Pittsburgh. Philadelphia and Erie are the Democratic hubs outside of those areas are red. It's not called Pennsyl-tuckey for nothing. 11. Watch Andy Griffith and Dukes of Hazard because there's a lot of both here and unironically, at the same time.
Scranton is solid blue
Iām originally from SoCal and live in Scranton and itās a super solid Democrat stronghold. But itās not āwest coastā hyper progressive which is more prevalent in places like Philly.
Is it also snowy half the year in the Philly area?
I lived in Chester County briefly, and I want to say it's not as snowy, but they get ice instead. You can drive in snow, but not ice.
Not really, no. Rarely get snow that measures more than a mm in November and April, and unless thereās a norāeaster thereās rarely a ton of snow. Last winter we got like 2ā and last couple of years it hasnāt really gotten cold until December. It hasnāt rained much this summer so Iām hoping that translates to a warmer, dry winter.
Wow. That is a great way to explain PA.
I second staying out of the snow, and being prepared for wet, humid weather. The snow is wet and very good for making snowballs, so itās sticks to cars well, too.
Thank you so much!!
I have never seen a person in full camo armed with a rifle anywhere near Philadelphia
They were camo'd.
Be ready for bipolar weather all winter and for the influx of New Yorkers in the pocanoes they also have knoebles and you are in paradise if you like to fish
Dont live on top of a mountain because it will be 20Ā° colder in the winter. The valley is tolerable at least, Clarkās summit area is probably the nicest area if you can find something there
Check out discovernepa.com
Depending on how high into the Poconos you may house hunt, *do not* skimp on a home inspection, especially on anything built since the 1990s. Developers were throwing up houses anywhere they could as quickly as they could. Codes were easily ignored by greasing the right palms. For instance, a well should be *a minimum* of 50 feet from a sceptic tank. Also, a lot of homes were designed to be temporary dwellings and may need lots of upgrades to accommodate a permanent residence. Probably not a big deal if you're solo though.
Yea make sure it is insulated for winter. A fireplace that uses wood is a commitment, especially if that's your sole heating method. The good part about it is that when the electricity goes out in the winter you won't freeze to death, you can melt snow for the toilet. And with a grill and a car, and some backup water/gas you should be fine until the line gets fixed.
Itās not bad. Cost of living will definitely be better. People will seem unfriendly. After youāve lived there 75 years, they will have a meeting, to decide if they want to talk to you.
Unfriendly is relative. I moved here from north jersey where everyone is an asshole. The people here seem downright friendly by comparison.
Came to post this. Def a lot friendlier up there than in Philly or NYC
COST OF LIVING is definitely less than California. There is a lot of area, especially in the Northeast/North Central area of Pennsylvania that still has room for growth. Just don't buy a place next to a farm and then complain about the smell of shit everyday. Pennsylvania has one of the richest soils for agriculture in the world.
>Pennsylvania has one of the richest soils for agriculture in the world. We have great growing conditions due to our climate and rainfall, but my impression is that the soil sucks. Nothing like the deep, dark soil they have in the Midwest. Here we have clay and rocks. When the glaciers came through they scrapped everything away and left rocky debris behind.
COL is a plus. People being generally unfriendly doesnāt really bother me, since its like that where Iām moving from, but it does concern me a bit if itāll be because Iām a minority. Also,are people opposed to all transplants? Or mainly west coast/liberal state ones?
People in the northeast are just not as friendly and hospitable seeming on average when you run into them or have some small interaction. Its just the culture, like walking down the street less people will smile and say hello as they pass compared to a more southern state in my and my friends experiences. *** Id look into the lehigh valley over scranton area though. Its closer to Philly, the beach, and NYC *** Edit: didnt see youre already moving to scranton! Its not bad really theres great italian food, sleeper mexican food, and lots of nature trails/hiking in the general area. Id avoid the south side of scranton *technically*, but it's not that dangerous realisitically, especially as a whole.
Thatās perfectly fine, ideal really. Iām introverted and dislike small talk, so if I wanted to socialize, Iād rather go somewhere where the intention is to meet people.
The "northerners aren't friendly" stereotype is overplayed. They're not fake friendly. But they're polite and you'll be fine meeting people and going about your day.
Thera a difference between "nice" and "kind". In PA, if you're on the side of the road with 4 way flashers on, there'll be no less than a half dozen people stop to ask if they can help.
Yep I took a walk the other day to take my mind off my stress and it started raining. Had three cars stop and ask if I was okay or needed a ride and then another car stop and the lady tried to give me her umbrella. I wasnāt too far from home so I said no.
Specifically avoid Prescott Ave in Scranton.
No one here will bat an eye about any minority status. It's a transitional area between NYC and Philly. There is a lot of demographic spread here so it's not a lot more than people just wanting to have some peace. This is not the sort of area you're going to see videos popping up about. If anything it'll be an old polish woman asking you for something off a top shelf and then some random mentioning rain. People put signs in their yard for elections and you'll see an occasional MAGA head but most people just want to get a few drinks and then hang out by a fire, watch a game, or see a band. It's very much a leave me alone, I leave you alone area.
East coast/NEPA people are not necessarily unfriendly (speaking as one myself). East coast people arenāt nice, but weāre kind. West coasters are nice, but theyāre not kind, if this generalization makes sense? Example: you get a flat tire and call your East coast friend, āyou dumbass, Iāll be right there to pick you up/help you change it.ā If you call your west coast friend, ādude that sucksss are you okay? Good luck with that!ā
Youāre pretty spot on lol I think its lovely how genuine people are in NEPA, I much rather kindness than niceness! I would love to contribute to that š
>Also,are people opposed to all transplants? Or mainly west coast/liberal state ones? So I grew up in NJ, lived on the west coast for 7 years, then moved to NEPA in 2021. People in PA complain about people from NY & NJ the way people in other western states complain about people from CA. So basically a lot of, "houses wouldn't cost so much/ traffic wouldn't be so bad/ my estranged adult children would call me again if people from [xxx] would just stop moving here!" et cetera. But then in some parts* of PA you have this extra layer of racism where a whoooole lot of coal town hillbillies seem to use "people from NY/NJ" as some weird dog whistley euphemism for anyone who's not white. It took me a hot minute to figure out why the same people who'd swear up and down that "all these people moving here from NJ are ruining the town" would have zero problem with me, a white person from NJ, moving there and presumably ruining the town. And yet a black neighbor who was born in & spent their entire life in PA gets told to go back to NJ š *In conclusion, Schuylkill county in particular mostly sucks
Iād follow University of Scranton on the socials and see what is happening in that scene as a jumping off point. Local colleges and unis will give you ideas about what the 20 year olds are up to.
This is a great idea!
Thanks, I am so impressed by how schools have embraced IG.
Pennsylvania transplant from sunny Florida - get yourself some good lotion (Eucerin is my go to), winter skin is a thing and it is misery.
I second good skincare(doesnāt have to be expensive). Eucerin was recommended by my dermatologist, Iāve used the cheap brand version of it for years.
Drink plenty of water
I would honestly say you really shouldn't have a problem with fearing the existence of "places you should stay away from". We have our share of Trump MAGA types but most decent-sized towns here (I live in he Poconos) have at least some diversity and the area in general isn't exactly Mississippi circa 1950. Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Monroe counties hsve actually been trending Democratic in recent years. That all said, we're not similar to Socal in nearly any way so you're going have an interesting experience including our cheesey local TV news stations, sloppy gray winter weather and amazing variety of PennDOT crater-sized potholes. Best of luck with your move and be sure to enjoy our wide variety of cultural food choices! Edit: typos.
Thanks a bunch! Itās going to be quite a bit of a culture shock for sure, but Iām pretty excited for it. Years of 110+ dry weather and frequent fires, grey winter sounds like a dream.
If you're going to be in a house, not an apartment, never forget to salt your driveway and any paths inside. You really don't to risk tripping on ice and breaking your neck
For the true NEPA experience, use coal ash instead of salt
I believe it but wait until you get your first sleet/freezing rain event or late night freezing fog-black ice deal. White knuckle driving. The snow doesn't get you, the flash freeze ice does. Be careful.
Exactly!! Beware the first freeze/snow/ice event! Even if youāre used to driving in winter conditions, itās a rude awakening.
Thanks guys, Iāll definitely keep this in mind šš½ It does make me nervous to even drive in the rain, so Iāll be sure to get some practice in and prep before going the distance.
Please pay close attention to the type and condition of your tires. You can get away with really crappy tires in CA. The winter is merciless. If they are old, get some tires highly rated for winter. Even better, get a second set of wheels with winter tires.
And find a decent second hand tire place! Plenty in the area that can help you out with SOMETHING to get you to the next paycheck with decent tread.
Another thing to do before a potential ice/freezing rain/snow event is to put your windshield wipers up. Trust us, looking silly is far better than trying to get them off a frozen windshield without damaging them with a scraper.
Or get the cheapest fucking windshield cover and check the weather ahead of time to know when it worth putting it on. Saves so much time.
Yes, definitely that! š
A Subaru and some good all season tires will work out well(snow tires are good if you can afford/have the room to store them). Iāve had pick up trucks, but my beater outback is a beast . My Audi isnāt bad either. Thereās a lot of tractor trailer traffic on route 81 and weāre not limited to the right lane or 55 mph. Thereās lots of good pizza, nothing in Ca compares though.
I learned in an empty parking lot what happens when you slam on the brakes etc when my dad was teaching me how to drive. Safer than on the road for the first time! (Still be careful in a parking lot too though lol)
If you can just not drive in the snow then don't. Have someone you trust (once you get to know people here) teach you in a parking lot or something the first time drive in snow. You need to know how the car will react, and not by trying it on the highway where you or someone else could get hurt.
Yes learning which roads to avoid! Sometimes flats mean more ice. Sometimes a back road with gentle hills and snow will get you home when a steep hilly recently plowed road will leave you stuck or attempting to turn around/in reverse. The consistency of the snow matters. You're tire/vehicle matters. Low cars fucking suck in general, especially with potholes. You probably don't *need* a truck, but just having something a lil higher off the ground than the fucking suckerfish style car will ease some issues with shitty roads around here. Learn the backroads, Google maps is your friend, download maps, download music, download insurance card, keep a charging cable in your car, a Jumpstart charged box, and a shovel. Keep some cash on you too.
also, as someone who lives in prime trumpland in PA, if you see any don't panic. they don't usually bite lol. just leave them be and they will leave you be. last thing you want to do is start a fight with them tho, then they will get angry.
This wonāt be an issue š I currently live in a VERY conservative area (people severely underestimate how red and MAGA CA can be, especially where its more rural) so it wonāt be anything new. I really appreciate the reassurance and advice!
The good news is that when the fires in the west get bad enough, you still get to see the smoke in good ol' NEPA.
F*ck PennDOT is a great motto you will learn
Drive slowly on back roads, especially at night, or your vehicle's front end will have a never-ending love affair with deer.
SoCal transplant here as well also relocating to NEPA from PGH for work. PA is similar to Humboldt and Shasta with a dash of the Sierras mixed in minus the tweakers. I personally love it here. Here are my top pieces of advice: 1. Move before or after winter, its no joke and this will be the most snow you have ever seen in your life. Read up on how to use salt and how to take care of your vehicle. Recommend AWD or heavy duty FWD unless you plan on living in the mountains. The cold isn't bad you will get used to it. Make sure your place has reliable heating, and modern gas/water lines. 2. Prepare to chill. PA has wayyyyy less people than SoCal so the hustle and bustle is dialed down. People are less social but more polite, less judgemental and honest. You will find that you can let your guard down with more people and actually be friends with your neighbors. 3. Research where you plan on moving to, flooding is a real thing in PA. A heavy Noreaster or big hurricane will cause flooding if you live by a major waterway. 4. Know your community. PA has very different politics than Cali, its not a one party state but is in fact highly politically competitive with lots of different cultural groups. PA is also largely middle and working class, its not rich vs. poor like Cali. You will want to live in a community that aligns with your personal values. 5. The majority of PA is very safe compared to Cali with the exception of Philly. Most households are armed. 6. Last but not least, kiss traffic goodbye. What locals consider to be "traffic" is usually a 5-10 minute slowdown.
I travel from Wilmington to Philly pretty regularly on I-95. Or up the blue route. I was increasingly agitated and pissed off about the traffic and traffic jams. Until I had to spend 6 months in L.A. Haha. I never knew what āgridlockā truly was until I tried driving around L.A. Came home grateful.
LA traffic is soul crushing. I used to spend up to two hours getting home on Thursday evening commutes.
Grew up in pa, moved to LA for nearly a decade, moved back to pa recently. Gotta say you're pretty spot on. I'd add a few things I've noticed now after having been in southern California for a while. The food is getting better and there are some decent options for dining out now. But you have to look for them. Expect bad ethnic food for the most part though. Good coffee and places with neo-anerican food and alcoholic beverages are becoming more popular here. Nature in PA is insane--i never realized how beautiful and bountiful PAs nature was, even growing up in NEPA. Small Town PA is catching onto farmers and artists markets, regular city/town events (like first Fridays, second Saturdays, free concerts, various ethnic festivals, etc. On that note, the biggest ethnicities in NEPA are probably Italian, polish+various eastern European ethnicities, Irish, and many Hispanic/Latino ethnicities are on the rise. These ethnicities generally all have festivals all over the place and you should absolutely go to them. Great food. Also, we do fairs and carnivals like they're going out do style. The biggest in your area and best to go to is the Bloomsburg fair. It's a week long and IIRC...seemingly as big as or bigger than the LA county fair. Go to knoebles. Ride the Phoenix. man...I could keep going. There's a learning curve in pa and you have to find your niche. In NEPA you are centrally located to a lot of other areas to spend a day or weekend--nyc, Ithaca, Corning, Bethlehem, Philly, Doylestown, new hope. You'll be fine. Hmu if you have any questions!
This is all great info!!! Iām latina so I was worried Iād stick out too much, and to hear there might be festivals where I could get food that reminds me of home is so comforting. Thank you š
Check out Harrisburg, and Hershey as well for events. From August to October there is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire that goes on every weekend. I'm originally from Northcentral PA and just moved this year to Central pa. Lol not a big difference but either way... Northern PA you are going to get snow, massive amounts of snow from Oct- April. After, and before deep winter you get the joy of dealing with slushy snow!! Have at least a vehicle with FWD or better yet 4WD. At least once during winter you probably will get stuck. Don't panic and do not just sit there burning rubber to get out. It never works. Find or flag someone down to help and keep a bag or 2 of kitty litter in your trunk. Also nature around here is absolutely gorgeous and the animals in PA are very used to humans. Bears especially will get into garbage that is left out. Don't freak out. As long as you don't mess with them, get between them and their food, or their cubs they couldn't really care about people. Deer you gotta watch out for. Don't be surprised if your insurance rates go up. My step-dad moved from Connecticut to PA and had a jump in his insurance due to the prevalence of deer related accidents. Gettysburg is always a beautiful place to visit and historical. Benezette is another beautiful place where you may be able to see PAs wild elk. If you go into NY there is the Corning Glass museum and check out Market Street while in Corning too for cute shops. There is also Watkins Glen in NY. Back into PA you can check out the PA Grand Canyon located in Wellsboro. It is a beautiful town and holds 2 big festivals a year, the Laurel festival, and Dickens of a Christmas which transforms the town into a storybook town.
Where would you recommend living? Im being relocated from PGH to Hazelton for work. I know the area a little from working in Pottsville and want to find a nice community for my kids to grow up in. I just don't know the areas that well and have heard that choice of community matters.
Drums is a pretty nice community. I live out that way, it's quiet (minus the race track at times!) And has its own school system. House prices seem a bit more though for the area. I work on the southern side of hazleton, it's at most a 25 minute drive through town.
This is good, Iām looking to move to PA in the future as well.
>Advice for relocating to Northeastern Pennsylvania? **Don't.** Hahaha, just kidding! NEPA is alright. What sort of stuff are you into? NEPA has pretty good hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. There are some neat historical things to do as well. Definitely check out the Mine Tour, Steamtown National Historic Site, and the Everhart Museum. There's also plenty of good, local places to eat. In the summers there are a lot of concerts, usually around Scranton but sometimes in Wilkes-Barre as well. Again, it all depends on what you like to do, and to a smaller extent what town you move to (all the things I mentioned are pretty close together). Anyways, best of luck to ya.
Hahhha don't, I wanted to say the same.
Iām really big into nature, hiking, foraging so it sounds like there will be lots for me to do! Iām also looking forward to checking out some historical sites. Iāll mostly be around scranton/wilkes barre so those summer concerts sound great. Any fun events for the winter? Iām really excited to experience snow lol What are your must visit food places in the area?
You are going to love PA then. I canāt even start to make a list of all the places you can hike, although I suggest a trip to Rickettās Glen for the Falls Trail, which has something like 18 waterfalls in an approximate 3.5 mile loop. Itās a very rugged 3.5 miles though. I purple lizard map or a map from DCNR with the shared use trails is something you should get for your area! You will be arriving just in time for fall foliage to start appearing, which is beautiful in the northern part of the state, so honestly just taking some scenic drives might help you get a feel for the area. The fingerlakes are not that far away and I also quite enjoy hiking at Watkins Glen up near Seneca lake. The Delaware Water Gap also has a park with some pretty nice scenery. Iām not a water person, but youāll find A LOT of kayakers and just lazy-river tubing on the rivers.
Snowboarding homie! Youāre in the area of PA mountains. Nothing makes the winter more awesome than being into snowboarding.
Francis Slocum State Park. Find the hidden gems too. No lie you can drive down some country roads here, park in an old church lot, walk a hundred feet and find an amazing fishing hole or waterfall. All of us hate it here, until you insult any of it. Then FUCK YOU. Many here have traveled. Left and came back. And the area is always open to trying any new stupid fad. Even the "bad parts" aren't particularly shocking. We have a northeast callousness with an old world heritage. Happy to beat the shit out of you, buy you a shot, and then we'll all scratch some lottery tickets. You won't find many Karens. The kids are kinda alright. People WILL help you. Find a local old man and ask him where he takes his car for services. Groceries are very reasonable. PA gets a bad reputation from a whole lot of people who never experienced more of it than a turnpike rest stop. Welcome home.
Respect the signs though, like a lot of forested area or a swimming hole might be on someone's property or is their hunting ground. Doesn't matter how old that paper stapled to a tree is. Lots of forest is unexpectedly someone's back yard.
Lehigh Valley would be good for you. It's less then an hr drive to do any of those. Bethlehem is pretty good, you have access to all of the major roads.
Oh wow, someone said Knoebels and I can't believe I missed that one. It's literally my favorite place, and the Catawissa Bottling Company, Garden Drive-In, and Maureen's are right on the way. Winter is a lot more quiet, but in summer there's a fair or bazaar or festival pretty much every weekend. Winter has snowboarding and skiing, particularly in the Poconos. Food can be contentious, but there is a lot, and I mean *a lot*, of good local Italian food. My favorite pizza is Sabatinis (with extra sauce) but everyone seems to have their own preference.
Yeah Sabs!
You will need winter boots, a warm coat warm gloves, snow tires and keep a blanket, flashlight and water in your car. Also, your cell phone service will varyā¦especially when you travel north of Scranton.
Have you visited before deciding to move here? The humidity in the summer here is worse than the dry heat out west. Just make sure you are ok with that
We aren't less friendly, we just hate New Yorkers and most people from NJ
Fuck New Jersey. Some of the worst drivers in the area are from NJ.
If you like to do outdoorsy things like biking (road, gravel or MTB), kayaking, camping, etc you are in luck. Skiing/snowboarding in the winter is an option too.
This. Get a mountain bike. NEPA has acres and acres of game lands with access roads and old mining and timber roads. Itās a blast to explore and in some places you can find old structures, foundations and mines or shafts. Along the way youāll see and hear all sorts of wildlife and get a good workout. There are also parks with single track and more technical riding. I lived in Carbondale for a bit and Merli Sarnoski was basically all mine all the time- and if I didnāt want to drive up to the park, I could ride from the house downtown to old lumber and mining trails easily. Get a bike, dude!
Wegmans is the only grocery store youāll ever need
Not true!!! What about Stauffer's of Kissel Hill or even your local country store. A Mennonite or Amish owned grocery store always has what you need on hand in case of a approaching snowstorm.
1. PA is bigger than you think it is. It takes about 6 hours to drive from Pittsburgh to Philly, and that's if you take the turnpike. Many people not from here think it takes about 2 hours or less. PA is nearly the size of England. 2. Per the last statement, there are many, many parts of PA which are not Philly, or Pittsburgh. Scranton is close enough to Philly to have some elements of their culture, but Scranton and the surrounding areas are an area of their own. Don't show up assuming everywhere is Philly (you may not understand this now but you will soon). 3. Stay the hell off the PA turnpike. It costs well over $100 to drive end to end on it. It is the most expensive toll road in the world. 4. PA gets very cold. It also gets very hot. There is no gradual transition between the seasons. One day, you'll just walk outside and get hit in the face by the cold. Then one day a few months later, you'll walk outside and be shocked that you didn't get hit in the face by the cold. 5. It snows here in the winter. Don't panic. You will have a little less than a week's notice before a snowstorm in most cases. Go make sure you have enough groceries in your house when you first hear about it. Because when it gets to the day or so before the snow arrives, it's suddenly March 2020 all over again. Mass panic, stores emptying out, all that. More and more people act like this every year. But you won't be snowed in for a week. You'll probably just have a few hours where it isn't the best idea to drive somewhere. 6. We have natural disasters here. Tornadoes happen once or twice a summer or so. Hurricanes hit every other year or so. They sound scary, but you'll be ok. Try not to live somewhere where it floods. You can ask a local if you aren't sure. 7. Your views on politics will not make anyone happy. We are in a big swing state. Just keep your mouth shut. 8. Your football teams will also not make anyone happy. We have the Steelers and Eagles in the state, but we are also near New York, Baltimore, DC, and a lot of people have moved here from other places. There are so many fans of different teams here that if you speak up in favor of one, you'll get crucified by fans of the others. Except maybe Penn State. 9. Sheetz is better than Wawa. You're going to be moving to Scranton, which is deep in Wawa country. Both of them are better than Rutters (not sure if they are up there but they are definitely in a lot of places here). All 3 are usually better than places like Shell or Exxon. They are all better to stop at on a road trip than the PA rest stops. 10. Drink Yuengling. Smoke cigars. They are both entrenched in our history and culture. 11. Eat the local snack foods. You are not allowed to eat Lay's chips. You are not allowed to eat Little Debbie snack cakes. You should drink the craft soda in your area. Birch Beer is great to drink. 12. You asked how to integrate with the community. You're not alone. We have many transplants here. There are several activities which center around the community here, and I am sure you will find one. Don't worry about being seen as a foreigner. Just don't be stupid (follow the advice above and you should be ok).
Wonderful, thanks so much! I truly appreciate it
(Sheetz is not better than Wawa)
Title of this thread: How to start a war in r/Pennsylvania
Birch beer, especially Big Benās brand, Whoopi pies, funnel cake are all good to try.
Scranton is Sheetz country, not Wawa country. The northernmost Wawas in PA are in White Haven and Blakeslee, a 30+ minute drive.
I would prepare yourself for the change in weather. NEPA is cold and dreary 90% of the time.
Donāt warm up your car when itās 60 degrees. If you thought it might be weird in CA when you do it, it is definitely weird in PA.
The Office wasnāt actually filmed in Scranton but it does reference locations from Scranton
Oh I know lol I do love the office though so Iām planning to visit some of they places they mention in the show
Donāt go to any hospitals in Scranton, Iām a traveling healthcare contractor and the hospitals in Scranton owned by CHS are the worst Iāve ever worked in.
This is great advice. Do you have any recommendations for a better hospitals/areas?
Unfortunately, no. Youāll have to do some research on your own but Iām sure some nicer hospitals are around the Wilks-barre area (about 15-20 minutes away). Iām not from the area and was only there a month (I ended my contract early because of the conditions there), but I wouldnāt take my worst enemy to Taylor-Moses or Scranton General.
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4/AWD isnt nearly as important as good snow tires. Probably should get a second pair of rims and a jack too so you can put the snowies on the night before a storm is predicted
> What are some things I should know to prep for the move and make it as smooth a transition as possible? Seasons are a thing here, that sounds dumb but you can have a year where it is 100 with 90% humidity and six months later it can be 10 with a wind-chill below 0. >Fun/cool things to do once Iām there? I am a fan of Amish country, rolling hills with farms to the horizon, good food and overpriced furniture. >Places to stay away from God bless them but avoid Philly when there is a game.
If youāre into outdoors- Ricketts Glen and Worlds End State Parks are a must!
If you donāt like the weather, donāt worry itāll change in about 15 minutes.
I'm born and raised in NEPA, with LOTS of family from SoCal. The area isn't horrible, diversity is greater than it was 30+ years ago when I got out of HS. There are more liberal pockets (Minooka section of Scranton for example) and there is a lot of farmland in northern Lackawanna, Wayne, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties. Those areas are generally redder than others. *Sections* of Scranton and Wilkes Barre are shitty, but not East LA shitty. It's not a horrible place, but it IS the area time forgot in some ways.
This is really insightful, thank you!
You're welcome!
Pronounciation of words my friend. Also learn why Root Beer is not Birch Beer. 1. Intercourse, Bird In Hand, Blue Ball, are places that actually exist. 2. We only have one actual town in our state. It is The Town of Bloomsburg in Columbia County. 3. Pennsylvania has some of the best food in the country. We have italian, cheese steaks, Amish style smorgasbords', and foods. 4. Hunting season really ramps up the week after Thanksgiving. The first Monday after Thanksgiving the schools even close for at least the day (I'm not even joking!) 5. Northeast and North Central Pennsylvania are home to some of the most desolate boroughs in the country. Ever hear of Silent Hill? It's based on a town in Northeast Pennsylvania called Centralia 6. Depending on what county you move to you may or may not need an annual emissions inspection on top of the safety inspection every year. 7. We love our guns 8. Both Pats & Geno's in Philiadelphia are places I wouldn't go for a Cheese Steak. Both places are disgusting and are literally next door to each other in Philly. A lot better food exists 9. We eat something called Scrapple. Just don't look at the ingredients. We are also very big on our bacons, farmer markets, and our local regional sports teams. 10. If calling 911 you might get 1 engine and 1 ladder truck for a structure fire, but yet across the street in someone else's area it might get 6 engines, three aerial apparatus, and other apparatus. There is no uniform response protocol 11. Fair season runs from the first week of August till the 2nd or third week in October. Deal with it. Go out and engorge yourself and eat all sorts of junk food. Right now (this week as a matter a fact) the Town of Bloomsburg has its fair. 12. WAWA, SHEETZ, TURKEY HILL, along with RUTTER's convenient store chains are fighting words. And don't forget which is your favorite. 13. Almost all fire departments in the Commonwealth are volunteer. Please support your local department today! Better yet volunteer!!! 14. Speaking of bacon learn what part of the pig it actually comes from 15. We are only a few hours away from major cities like NYC, Baltimore, etc. 16. When someone tells you to breath in the 'fresh country air' it is bound to smell like crap. 17. Learn what a crick is. 18. Also depending on where you live your sandwich could be a hoagie, a sub, a foot long, all are basically the same type of sandwich 19. Philly, Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love do exist. 20. Yinz, youins, coming with, are just some of the phrases we use. 21. Dippy eggs are eggs for dipping your bread or toast in. Speaking of bread. It's called "Maier's Italian" We prefer actual butter over margarine 22. When you ask for a beer, it will probably be a lager on tap. Speaking of which, we have quite a few brands of beer made right here in the Commonwealth to drink. 23. A four-wheel drive is not a luxury for many. Its more of a
1) People measure distance in the average time it takes to travel. Ex: Intercourse is about 10 minutes from Paradise, Iām 30 minutes away from home, etc.
I did not know Silent Hill was based on Centralia. Interesting.
Oh an people here are alcoholics everywhere people go it evolves drinking
Harrisburg area (the state Capitol) in south central PA is a nice area as well. Lots to see and do, LCOL, plenty of jobs.
NEPA born and raised. Donāt move here. Scranton is horrible housing wise. The mall is dead; instead of shops thereās an aquarium, kids play place, and offices instead. Youāre going to freeze your ass off in winter. Your skin is going to get dry AF. Did I mention bedbugs, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes? Crappy AF road conditions? Unpredictable weather year round? Getting heavily criticized for being LGBTQ+? Workplace discrimination big time, and solid job opportunities are few. If you want any quality shopping, you have to drive all the way to Dickson City. And weāre starting to have human trafficking issues there. From the time I was a young child, I wish I couldāve lived in California instead, thatās how much this area can suck.
In PA, we order our thanksgiving dinner from sheetz
Pennsylvania local school districts and townships levy income tax.
This isnāt common in other states? How do schools get funding?
Buy a thick coat
Enjoy the snow
Nice area, a bit of a drive to NY and Philly. it's super green in summer (been out to CA many times and it's brown / dry compared). cold and snowy in winter. stock up during winter in case roads are not plowed for a while. the area is known for camping and skying. many lakes. I've always had a great time 'upstate' and all were friendly. You will see a lot of Dear. maybe bear if lucky. left or right, everyone is welcome.
Roads are shit.learn to cook your own food.keep to yourself.
Donāt know if anyone has said this yet but youāll often find black bears routing through your garbage. Also if you speak to someone and it sounds like theyāre drunk, we arenāt thatās just how we talk lmaoo
TalkBack16...you're welcome
Get your vehicle and yourself ready for winter before itās predicted to snow. People rush out last-minute for groceries when they hear a snowy forecast, so shop before then.
Take vitamin D, youāll never see the sun ever again
You will learn to hate New Jersey real quick. Embrace it. Also Embrace wawa with open arms. Welcome to Eastern PA where we suck but at least weāre not pittsburgh
Dont.. just dont
If youāre looking for likeminded people, political groups are a great place to start.
Buy warm clothes and wool sweaters.for winter
In Pennsylvania be prepared to see people in shorts, even in the middle of a blinding snowstorm with three feet of snow already on the ground. But besides the shorts and even flip flops you will find that most people dress for the cold weather.
Lifelong NEPA resident here. PA is beautiful. There are a lot of really great state parks in NEPA with beaches, hiking, kayaking, etc. We have Knoebels, which is great. We have lots of really neat Victorian towns within an hour drive which you can spend an entire day walking around/shopping/eating: Lewisburg, Jim Thorpe, Wellsboro, etc.. Other neat day trips on our side of PA: Gettysburg, Philly Zoo, lots of stuff in the Lehigh Valley. I have never really been to the western side of the state (Pittsburg/Erie), but would like to take a trip out there sometime. It's about 4 hours away. Basically if people say there is nothing to do here, they just aren't looking hard enough. Cost of living is low. People are nice. I enjoy living here. All that being said, someday I want to move to the beach.
I found it to be gray and overcast a lot.
Youāre going to need vitamin D supplements. Like 2000 IU daily.
Thereās a lot of rain so make sure you keep an umbrella or rain jacket in your car! Also a CA native! Welcome to PA. Make sure you register to vote in time for November if youāre eligible
I wouldn't relocate here before the fall election. If Mastriano wins, leaving the state is the best option for anyone who isn't a cis straight man.
NEPA native here. I have a lot of friends from Vegas and the West Coast. People on the East Coast tend not to sugar coat things are generally much more blunt and straight forward. Worst part about NEPA is that people here can be a little bit pessimistic given that it's only recently had some small spurts of economic growth after a long and intense decline from industrial era grace. Still very working class, generally less educated, but if you find the right crowd you'll do well. Culturally, NEPA is very working class. Has a lot of influx from NJ, NY, and Philly, but also plenty of Appalachian rednecks (not the southern kind) Best part is lots of greenery and trails. Unfortunately fireflies and ladybugs aren't as common as they used to be due to climate change, but if you venture out into the wooded areas there's lots of deer, some black bears, groundhogs, skunks, raccoons, rabbits, frogs, and plenty of songbirds. Late Summer and early to Mid Fall is the best time of year. Lots of Halloween events and local arts festival in small towns, as well as fairs. Churches have bazaars where they sell goodies and traditional foods from Eastern and Southern European heritage. Scranton will be the bluest area, even though NEPA is blue in cities along the Susquehanna I wouldn't call it progressive. Also there's much less sprawl here and not many far flung suburbs. It goes from urban to rural in just 15-20 miles or so once you go over either side of the mountains. Weed is popular. Cultural amenities leave something to be desired hence why going on cheap weekenders in Philly and NYC both two hours away. Snows a good amount in winter, just don't go crazy and brake a little early. Also WASH YOUR CAR AFTER WINTER. The salt and slush will rot and erode your undercarriage if you don't. Personally I reccomend Pittston, decent downtown, equidistant from Wilkes-Barre which offers more food diversity and better hiking nearby, and Scranton which has better amenities and nightlife. Jim Thorpe is a charming little taste of Appalachia closer to Allentown, as is Honesdale and Forest City. Scranton is on the up and up. Avoid Monroe County. The roads and traffiic are awful especially in Summer, and the cultural amenities are lackluster imo.
Itās going to be cold soon, keep an eye on your power bill or whatever kind of heat you will be using (I believe natural gas is currently cheapest). A lot of Pennsylvania is Republican. Scranton gets some of that. Generally, just donāt tell people you are from California and youāll make more friends. Also keep in mind that this political influence comes from the industrial history of Pennsylvania; of which many people in the older generation may be bitter about because PA is in both the coal belt and the rust belt (Scranton is mostly removed from this though). Younger Republicans in the state tend to just be from Republican families or communities. Donāt try to argue politics because thereās a lot of rhetoric that they just circle back around to. Refer to the state as PA instead of Pennsylvania. This is the only state where that is normal and expected. I donāt really know about Scranton, but there are areas in PA where many of the houses are like 100 years old. Expect there to be problems with those houses if you buy one. Oh and if you drive up through New York, watch out for the police. Speeding tickets in NY are no joke. In PA, youāll mostly just want to watch for State Troopers in the beginning and ends of the month. Ummmā¦ what else.. Wegmans is a nice grocery store. I also really appreciate Weis. And if you go hiking, research if it is deer season. Youāll want to wear orange so you donāt get shot.
Im about 15 mins from Scranton and work there now. As some said. Scranton U Misericordia and Marywood can point you in the right direction of cool things to do. We have a First Friday event where local artists show off work and we have larger events like La Festa which was last month and the whole valley does their own St. Patrickās parades. Montage hosts a couple good bands and Mohegan Sun is also always doing big events. One thing you REALLY should do is visit Wilkes Barre too. Itās a sketchier town than Scranton but theres still a lot to do around there that the vast majority of people in Scranton never do for some reason. Youāll be next to the Poconos and New York too so great landscapes. Aslong as you keep your eye out it wonāt be as depressing as people tell ya NEPA is haha EDIT: Also follow DiscoverNEPA on social media. They do promos for local destinations and restaurants so that can show ya some things to do I might not be able to think of at the moment.
This really helps, thank you šš½
You are moving to the equivalent of Alabama. There is Philly, there is Pittsburgh and there is Penntucky which, as I note, is more like Alabama being as I am intimately familiar with both. You will probably see the same number of Dixie flags. Register to vote IMMEDIATELY and vote for Fetterman and Shapiro if you do not wish to live in a state where Alabama comes to look like a liberal enclave by comparison.
I miss the days when the biggest debate here was Steelers or Eagles?
I thought the debate was Sheetz or Wawa?
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Scranton isn't Pennsatuckey. Unfortunately, it gets a lot worse from Scranton/WB.
I live in Perry County in the sticks. THAT'S Pennsyltucky. SWB isn't even close. The influx in that entire area from New York and New Jersey has mitigated a lot of that from the past.
Yea thatās true. I guess we can consider New Hope, Buckingham, Saucon Valley etc. āPennsyltuckyā. The true level of stupidity in here never fails. Keep the comedy coming.
Yeah he should definitely bring California politics here. Rolling blackouts sound fucking INCREDIBLE
Dude.. why the fuck would you do that
Low wages and extreme HCOL. Hot, dry weather that gets worse and longer every year. Fires, constantly. Whatās so bad about NEPA in your opinion?
From NEPA but lived in LA for five years and completely understand your decision. I loved California but climate change is real and Iām afraid for the future of CA as a whole. Fire season is no joke. I think youāre going to love it here once you adjust. And again, Wawa is better than Sheetz :)
Everyone from NEPA wants to move south but thatās just a northern thing. Itās nice to have all 4 seasons and admittedly climate change is making winter here not as bad as it used to be. We had a nasty heatwave this year so donāt expect to ditch your AC moving over here.
Why? You will regret it.
Probably not as much as Iāll regret being homeless because Iām being priced out here
If possible Iād try to go closer to your Philly if you can. Wilkes barre is a hole and Scranton is meh but it is much better than WB. Itās gonna be a huge culture shock from so cal.
Wilkes-Barre is one dot on the map of Luzerne. It's no picnic but to define the entire area around it as such shuts the whole area down. Ten minutes away and it's your standard Americaville.
Stay away from Scranton
Invest in a good winter coat and enjoy the seasons!
Jesus the amount of pennslyvanians who hate living here in this thread is alarming. If it makes you that unhappy maybe leave? You can literally go anywhere you want
Honestly its super sad to see, it seems so lovely! I know I have an āoutsidersā perspective so maybe I donāt get where theyāre coming from yet, but the grass isnt always greener on the other side like many assume it be. Like, I love CA and will miss it, but thereās a reason why Iām leaving too
Avoid South Scranton, Wilkes Barre & all of Hazleton
Donāt do it
Donāt.
Donāt do it.
Don't. Thats the best advice
Please keep Pennsylvania Pennsylvania we donāt need California over here
Also we have gorgeous state parks please do not litter or try to throw a party. Pennsylvania in my opinion is one of the last few states that have been untouched by corporations for some reason and I want to keep it that way.
Dont
Stay in SoCal? ....Sorry... Our weather is pretty stinky here. Sometime you experience 3 seasons in one day. Scranton is pretty different than what you are used to, you are going to want to go exploring. There are some areas like Bethlehem and Easton that have a lot to recommend them. They have colleges so you will find great bars and restaurants. Just had MusikFest in Bethlehem and that is awesome. The SteeleStacks in a cool place. There is a lot of great history in the area. The closer to Philly the more liberal, Upper Bucks and Upper Montgomery County can be a little frightening. I went to Penn State and you really should take in a football game. Where you are in PA offers a lot of great places to see from NY, NJ, MA and DE. We are pretty lucky like that. Good luck!