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Keystone State Games Facts and Figures

<p>Are you in the Wyoming Valley for the first time to compete or watch a loved one compete in the Keystone Games?</p><p>Welcome! But, when you&#8217;re not competing, what is there to do in the area? Thankfully, the Luzerne County Convention and Visitors Bureau is here to answer that question.</p><p>Perhaps the best thing to do is head to the bureau&#8217;s website, www.visitluzernecounty.com. It can act as your one-stop source for everything to do in our area, whether you&#8217;re looking to do something &#8220;outdoorsy&#8221; or just relax with an adult beverage.</p><p>Let&#8217;s take a look at some of the best Luzerne County has to offer.</p><p><strong>Outdoor activities</strong></p><p>Luzerne County is the home to many parks, trails and hiking locations &#8212; all perfect recreation for sporting folks.</p><p>A quick overview of the bureau&#8217;s website shows more than a hundred miles of hiking trails, with varying difficulty levels that can entertain everyone from the hiking newbie to the weathered veteran.</p><p>Here&#8217;s a small selection of the trails available for use in the county:</p><p>&#8226; The D &amp; L, or Delaware and Lehigh, Trail is the longest in the state, stretching for more than 160 miles from outside Philadelphia to the Wilkes-Barre area. Here in Luzerne County, the trail extends from the White Haven area to Mountain Top with some limited interruptions, and there is currently a plan to link the trail from Mountain Top to the Seven Tubs in Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>&#8226; The Seven Tubs, located off Route 115 in Wilkes-Barre, is a roughly two-mile long hiking trail. Over the millennia, flowing water has carved out a series of tubs, which the visitors bureau says makes for both great hiking and photo opportunities.</p><p>&#8226; Alongside the Susquehanna River, the outdoorsy types can find something to love on both banks in the area of downtown Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>On one side of the river, you can take a leisurely stroll through the River Common park, which is located directly off River Street in the area of the Luzerne County Courthouse. Offering scenic views of the river, the park also plays host to numerous festivals throughout the year.</p><p>In addition, on the other side of the river, you can access the Luzerne County Levee Trail, a 12-mile stretch that extends along the river. Perfect for walking, biking and even fishing, the trail brings an interesting blend of urban and natural views.</p><p><strong>Food and drink</strong></p><p>Like many areas, ours is home to numerous bars, restaurants and markets where you can get almost any kind of food you can think of.</p><p>&#8226; For those who are of age, the visitors bureau has compiled a list of local wineries, breweries and distilleries. The list can be found at the visitors bureau&#8217;s website, and it has as many as 11 different places to go to enjoy adult beverages made on site. Many of these locations offer tours and tastings which can be enjoyed at little to no cost, and a brochure on the website spotlights each one, in case you want to go on a crawl of your own &#8212; with a designated driver, of course.</p><p>&#8226; And for those who aren&#8217;t of age, or who have some kids to keep happy too, there&#8217;s a similar list on the website spotlighting some of the best places to get ice cream around the county. Recommendations also abound for places to stop for a bite to eat all around the county.</p><p>&#8226; Numerous municipalities host farmers&#8217; markets held weekly throughout the county. A full schedule can be found on the website, but markets can be found on different days in Avoca, Pittston, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Freeland and in the Back Mountain area. These markets can be ideal for athletes looking to keep up their healthy diets while on the road.</p><p><strong>Family fun</strong></p><p>There are plenty of ways the family can have fun together while here. For those seeking adventure, there&#8217;s whitewater rafting, which the brave can take on either in Weatherly or Jim Thorpe.</p><p>Those looking for perhaps less exhilarating but still unique adventures can check out Pittston&#8217;s trampoline park, Sky Zone, ice skating at the Toyota SportsPlex in Wilkes-Barre, the Montage Mountain Water Park in Moosic, or even rock climbing at the Wilkes-Barre Rock Climbing Gym.</p><p>Those seeking more recommendations are perhaps best served by going to the bureau&#8217;s website, or by visiting them at 56 Public Square, where brochures are available to spotlight the region.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The Susquehanna River offers plenty of recreation opportunities for Keystone State Games participants. It&#8217;s accesible from a boatlaunch in Nesbitt Park in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_tourism-kayak.jpg</photo0><caption0>The Susquehanna River offers plenty of recreation opportunities for Keystone State Games participants. It&#8217;s accesible from a boatlaunch in Nesbitt Park in Wilkes-Barre. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photos </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_TTL100114skyzoneopen1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Keystone State Game participants looking to keep the children occupied may want to check out the Sky Zone trampoline park in Pittston Township. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_TTL100114skyzoneopen1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Keystone State Game participants looking to keep the children occupied may want to check out the Sky Zone trampoline park in Pittston Township. </caption1><photoCredit1>Times Leader file photos </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_TTL093018ChalkFest_1-1-.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The River Common on the Wilkes-Barre side of the Susquehanna River is the perfect place to unwind on downtime from the Keystone State Games. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/web1_TTL093018ChalkFest_1-1-.jpg</photo2><caption2>The River Common on the Wilkes-Barre side of the Susquehanna River is the perfect place to unwind on downtime from the Keystone State Games. </caption2><photoCredit2>Times Leader file photos </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Times Leader staff report</p></bylineMeta></div>

What to do in Luzerne County when you aren’t at the Keystone Games