NEPA is the local shorthand for "North-Eastern Pennsylvania," and is generally considered to encompass the area of Lackawanna, Luzerne, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties (regions more to the south are usually considered the Pocono area, but the Stroudsburgs are sort of considered to straddle the two), centered around the cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. As of December 5, 1998, most of NEPA has been changed to the new 570 area code, replacing the the 717 area code you'll still commonly see on advertisements and bar/club listings.
Distances to Scranton and Wilkes-Barre from nearby major areas:
| from | to Scranton | to Wilkes-Barre | ||
| Allentown, PA | 74 | 64 | ||
| Baltimore, MD | 195 | 180 | ||
| Binghamton, NY | 57 | 75 | ||
| Harrisburg, PA | 115 | 102 | ||
| Mike's House | 19 | 37 | ||
| New Hope, PA | 98 | 96 | ||
| New York, NY | 119 | 129 | ||
| Philadelphia, PA | 124 | 111 | ||
| Pittsburgh, PA | 295 | 278 | ||
| Reading, PA | 101 | 87 | ||
| Scranton, PA | - | 18 | ||
| Washington, DC | 233 | 218 | ||
| Wilkes-Barre, PA | 18 | - |
NEPA weather is commonly reported from Avoca, home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre International Airport. Thanks to the mountainous terrain, weather conditions can vary widely - it can be beautiful and sunny in Wilkes-Barre, while Scranton is enduring a pounding thunderstorm and Honesdale is merely overcast. Temperatures tend to be somewhat more uniform, although usually slightly warmer to the south and slightly cooler (especially at night), to the north.
As is often the case outside a major metropolitan area - where there's no "gay district," such as New York's Greenwich Village - bars provide virtually the only year-round venue for socialization. Locals, both from the downtown area and the rural surrounds, will often drop in for an hour or five to pass time with their friends and catch up on the latest news and gossip. Thus, NEPA's bars fill not only their traditional "watering hole" and "cruising ground" roles, but serve also as the focus for gay social life.
Everything expressed herein is solely my personal opinion, based on my own experiences. Every venue can have an "off" night, and staff and management styles frequently change, so your mileage may vary.
The Buzz
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Forest Court, Scranton, PA (570) 969-2899 Click here for map. |
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The Buzz attracts an eclectic clientele - drag queens, lesbians, straight collegians
who want to feel they're doing something perverse, old(er) sugar-daddy wanna-be's and the
high-energy twenty-somethings they come to hit on. There's certainly enough
eye-candy to keep anyone happy, though trying to get a drink when the place gets busy can
be quite a chore. The Buzz's dance floor is small but high-tech and popular. The place has the usual crop of event nights - wing night, under-21 night, movie night, etc. - and is the usual venue for Scranton's drag shows and male stripper acts, many of which are staged as fundraisers for various worthy causes. You may find the ice-to-drink ratio high, and on weekends, there's a $5 cover charge after 10 PM. Parking is on the street only. |
Rainbow Mountain |
210 Mount Nebo Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 (570) 223-8484 http://www.rainbowmountain.com |
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Lesbian-owned for its first eighteen years (and sold at the end of June, '99 to a gay
male couple), Rainbow Mountain located on the unofficial border between NEPA and the
Pocono region in East Stroudburg. The place is sufficiently popular to draw its
regular clientele (which includes both men and wimmin), from the entire eastern
Pennsylvania region, as well as New Jersey and New York. While getting to Rainbow Mountain can be a little hair-raising (Mount Nebo Road is very serpentine), you'll find something wonderful waiting for you. The resort itself is cheerily decorated, and while the enormous pool is open only during the summer, the restaurant is magnificent and the disco - occupying a huge antique barn - seems less "sterile" than most. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. |
Secrets |
Business Route 209, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 (570) 420-8716 http://www.secretsbar.com |
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Secrets is aptly named; if you didn't know it was there, you might not know it was
there. Opened in the summer of 1998, Secrets' location in East Stroudsburg puts it
right on the informal border between the Pocono region and NEPA. Thought it's still
building a core clientele of "regulars," I've got no complaints about the
quality of men to be found there; a recent weekend spent at their newly-refurnished motel
kept me very happy. Secrets has several different areas within it, including the main bar, a pooltable/game-room, a 70's-style lounge and a European disco. The drink prices are reasonable and a tasty selection of bar-foods can be ordered. The staff is very warm and friendly. The motel rooms are immaculately kept, very comfortable (and very convenient!), with nearly as much fun to be found as at New Hope's Raven. In the warm months, the pool is a delightful place to hang out ... err, float. |
Selections
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45-47 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, PA (570) 829-4444 Click here for map. |
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Selections is a re-creation of a Fire Island dance club - the dance floor is awesome,
especially when the DJ cranks up the special effects (I love the mirrored ball that
descends from the ceiling in a swirl of fog). The clientele is primarily
thirty-something boogie-boys, who come as much to see and be seen as to dance.
Selections' location, right on the Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, is more discreet than
you might imagine, and off-street parking can be had in the lot behind, accessible from
the next street over. On the negative side, if you're not one of the "beautiful people," you can expect the cold shoulder from the other patrons, and service from the staff which can range from indifferent to downright rude, especially at the front bar. While an attached cafe seems to offer food, its schedule seems rather random, and I've never caught it open, though a selection of bar-munchies can be ordered. |
The Silhouette |
523 Linden Street, Scranton, PA (570) 344-4259 http://www.silhouettelounge.com |
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The best way I can think of to describe the Silhouette Lounge is, it's a "queer
Cheers": a kind of friendly neighborhood pub with lots of camaraderie and
virtually no attitude. The prices are excellent, the pinball games are fun, and -
short of offering sexual favors - the staff couldn't be friendlier. That relaxed and
easy-going atmosphere always translates into time pleasantly spent, thanks especially to
owner Otto and managing mixologist Rick. The Silhouette's location - just across the street from the courthouse square in Scranton - makes it extraordinarily easy to find, though parking on the street can sometimes be difficult. While there is no dance floor, neither is there a cover, and the generously-sized drinks are priced dirt-cheap. The Silhouette is also the home bar of the NE Pa. Leathermen, who hold their bar night on the third Saturday of each month. The Silhouette is also one of the venues for the Pennsylvania Mr. Drummer / drummerboy 2001 Contest and the annual Mr. Northeast Pa. Leather Contest. |
Twist
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Fox Ridge Plaza, Route 315, Wilkes-Barre, PA (570) 825-7300 Click here for map. |
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Formerly Rumors (which closed in August of 1999), and re-opened on October 1, 1999 as
Twist. Substantanial changes have been made to the premises (which calls for a new
review), but I've not yet had the opportunity to check it out. Twist's location - well outside the downtown Wilkes-Barre area - will still probably keep it as a schlep to get to. |
The Vaude Villa
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465 Main Street, Kingston, PA (570) 287-9250 Click here for map. |
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The original description I'd heard of the The Vaude - "like a VFW hall, but with
lesbians" - proved to be somewhat erroneous: it was better decorated, and there
were lots of lesbians. Truth is, though, I kind of liked the place. The ambiance is nothing to write home about (mostly because there really isn't any), but the feeling was that of a friendly neighborhood bar where one needn't dress to the nines to go out and throw back a few. The patrons of both genders all seemed congenial, and after a pitcher or three of beer, you really don't care about the decor. Off-street parking was a plus, as was The Vaude's proximity to a 24-hour Turkey Hill convenience store for late-night munchies. I had planned on making another review tour of the place (hopefully on a night when there are more men to be had ... err, found), but a mid-November '98 visit found the doors locked with a sign indicating they were, "closed until further notice." Now I have no idea what's going on. |
There's one more bar, in Kingston, PA (outside of Wilkes-Barre), with the peculiar name of "Compassions," but based on the unanimous reviews of everyone I know who's been there, I'm not even going to detail it.
Something I've been trying to put together for a l-o-n-g
time is finally a reality: an interactive message base for northeastern
Pennsylvanians eager to meet each other. Whether you're just looking for a local
friend, want to exchange notes about area hotspots or are looking to hook up with some hot
guy(s?) for an erotic evening, check it out the new GAYnePA
Forum by clicking here.
Spots, the gay/bi/les "alternative" newspaper in and for eastern and northeastern Pennsylvania, features a classified section, which accepts ads in a variety of categories. See a current issue, or visit the Spots website by clicking here.
I wouldn't normally include a link here to something I'd typically classify
as a sponsor, but through personal experience, I've found that OutPersonals is very effective
in meeting folks in the area. I placed my own personal there several months ago, and
have gotten tons of responses. Considering that it offers free sign-up, it's
definitely worth checking out.
Being a relatively rural area, NEPA cannot yet boast the wide range of gay/bi/lesbian resources available to those residing in major metropolitan area. Still, we're trying ...
To those for whom the verb "camping" conjures images not of bad Bette Davis impersonations but of leaky Boy Scout puptents, visiting a gay campground can be an eye-opening experience. Moreso than by which bar(s) one haunts, one's standing in the local social hierarchy is often established by the campground one frequents.
Hillside Campgrounds
Gibson, PA
(570) 756-2007Just beginning its 15th year, Hillside more than any other spot is the social capital for gay NEPA during the summer, and on a popular theme weekend can attract over 1,500 men from around the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. A thorough write-up on the famous Hillside Campgrounds appears on this site; click here to read it!
Oneida
New Milford, PA
(570) 465-7011Other than knowing it exists and it's co-ed (yes, gay men and lesbians mingling in a clothing-optional camp!), I know nothing about it except local rumor, so I'll reserve comment.
NEPA Blow-Buddies
is a group Michael is trying to organize as a safe outlet for NEPA's sexually adventurous, especially during the winter months. A detailed write-up on the idea appears on this website; click here to read it.
Northeast PA Leathermen
PO Box 1492
Scranton, PA 18501website: http://www.nepa-leathermen.com
A social organization dedicated to bringing together men for the purpose of mutual support, brotherhood and bear & leather pride.
PAL's (Pocono Action Lambda)
PO Box 1375
Milford, PA 18337I'm not 100% sure, but I believe PAL's is a social organization, of the kind that throws monthly pot-luck suppers.
REACH
PO Box 184
Scranton, PA 18501-0184Other than knowing they exist and have a post office box, ya' got me. I believe REACH, like PAL's, is a social group, of the kind that throws monthly pot-luck suppers and organizes the occasional movie outing.
Statewide Pennslvania Rights Coalition (SPARC), Northeastern Division
107 Butler Street
Forty Fort, PA 18704
(570) 287-8504e-mail: nesparc@aol.com
Formed in February, 1998, the northeastern division of the Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition works in conjunction with the statewide coalition to develop and seek passage of statewide civil rights legislation on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities in Pennsylvania.
Wyoming Valley Aids Council
(717) 823-5808e-mail: wvacinc@aol.com
So far, there aren't too many of these. If you have one, let me know! If you don't, but you want to create one, check out my article in the February, 1998 edition of Q for some tips on how to get yourself started on homesteading the web.
My friend Charles is assembling a fascinating site on sero-diversity, an issue too many of us "out here" - far removed from Greenwich Village or the Castro district - never think about. You can find his homepage at http://members.aol.com/crucifyd69.
Scranton's premiere theater critic and art writer, Bill Hines, is putting the finishing touches on his "Broadway Bound with Bill Hines" page. Catch up on all the latest at http://members.aol.com/wphines.
My buddy Dave's "HotTimes" Homepage can be found at http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Village/8320.
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