Visit Luzerne County is moving from their office on Public Square to a restored train station in Wilkes-Barre. The visitors bureau’s new home is located at 200 Old Train Station Road, right off of Wilkes-Barre Boulevard. The office will open to the public on Monday, February 14.

The new location features an expanded visitors area with over 100 free pamphlets, brochures and booklets about local attractions and events. Guests will get a glimpse of all that Luzerne County has to offer, including stunning artwork and photography from local landmarks like Ricketts Glen State Park, the F.M. Kirby Center, River Common and more.

“But well beyond that, our greatest resource is our staff,” said Alan K. Stout, Executive Director of Visit Luzerne County. “Everyone here is a native of Luzerne County and has years of professional experience in celebrating and promoting all that is good about our region. If someone comes in looking for specific information on activities and attractions, or suggestions for restaurants, or hotel accommodations, we can help. That’s what we do. That’s why we’re here. And we have a wonderful staff.”

The new space also honors Luzerne County’s past with historic prints of the train station, a life-size cutout of Mr. Peanut and images from other historic sites.

The building itself is a historic treasure in its own right. The station was originally constructed in 1868 for the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad. Later, it became known for its luxurious passenger cars, offering trips to major cities like Philadelphia and New York.

Passenger service ended in 1963, and the station officially closed in 1972. In 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Many people remember the building as The Station and Market Street Square, a nightclub, restaurant and hotel that thrived in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The building was vacant for about 15 years until Visit Luzerne County decided to renovate it.

“This is an iconic building here in Luzerne County. That alone gives the office of Visit Luzerne County much higher visibility in our own community. And it makes it a fun and interesting place to visit for people coming from outside the region looking information,” said Stout. “The building alone is a wonderful conversation piece, it’s in a high profile location and we can now offer our guests plenty of free parking.”

The Visit Luzerne County office will open to the public beginning on February 14. Office hours will be Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. As per COVID-19 guidelines implemented by Luzerne County, all visitors to county offices must wear a mask until further notice.

We got a look inside during a media preview day on February 10. Check out our photos for a sneak peek at the space.