While in Pennsylvania, I thought it might be fun to get some pictures of Scranton for fans of The Office. A web search lead to information that indicated all The Office references (other than town restaurants) could be found in the Scranton mall.
Scranton is known as the Electric City because of their early adoption of electricity in industry. The history is detailed a bit in the mall. Scranton is an aging city in need of some refreshing. In the mall, about half of the shops were closed / empty spaces. There were few people there and it seemed like things are in a depressed state.
I was only able to find one The Office reference in the mall.
The mall has setup a Christmas tree that looks quite nice.
After Scranton, I wanted to head into New Jersey. I considered going to the southern part to see a lighthouse but realized I would get there well after sunset. Instead, I figured I would go check out Atlantic City.
Using Priceline, I found what looked to be good deals on some hotels right on the boardwark with casinos. However, once you add in the fees, taxes, valet parking, the cost more than doubled. A Best Western just behind the boardwalk had a great deal.
As I arrived, I noticed the neighborhood seemed rough. When I got out of the Tesla, someone yelled something I couldn’t make out towards me and the car. I think he was excited about seeing it? I checked in and asked the desk staff about walking to the casinos. He suggested i drive after dark. hmm. I asked for a local map and he provided one and then crossed six casinos off the list saying they are permanently closed. I went up to my room and felt uneasy. I looked out the window at the building next to me. Four stories and completely boarded up. I thought about the car sitting out in the parking lot and realized I didn’t feel comfortable staying. So, I went downstairs and explained that I was going to move on. The guy at the desk was great and gave me a full refund. Possibly the shortest stay in Atlantic City, ever. 😉 It’s a dying city.
I drove North to the next SuperCharger and did a blind deal on Priceline. Ended up being a Sheraton a few miles from the Jersey Shore. It was a late night at that point and I called it a night.
Ryan Roams 