The drive from Paradise, PA to Scranton, PA covers 128.7 miles and takes about 2h 52m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 81, PA 183, Stiegel Pike for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59.6 miles on I 81.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.34 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
64.3 miles from Paradise, PA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 33m into the drive
.
Scranton is a city in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is near Wilkes-Barre, and is the seventh most populous city in the state. Today, it is perhaps best known as the setting of the hit TV show "The Office" and the birthplace of Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 52m. Total distance: 128.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Paradise, PA to Scranton, PA covers 128.7 miles and takes about 2h 52m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 59.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 18 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in near PA 340 / Old Philadelphia Pike.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 128.7 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (PA 340 / Old Philadelphia Pike): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (PA 772 / West Newport Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 40.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.2 mi into trip|~5m in|PA 340 / Old Philadelphia Pike
At end of road, turn left onto PA 340 / Old Philadelphia Pike
Navigation decision point
5
4.1 mi into trip|~9m in|PA 772 / West Newport Road
Turn sharp left onto PA 772 / West Newport Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
7
40.1 mi into trip|~58m in
Take the exit toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
7
43.9 mi into trip|~1h 3m in
Take the exit toward PA 419: Rehrersburg
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 17
Toward PA 419: Rehrersburg
7
128.1 mi into trip|~2h 50m in|Cedar Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
59.6 mi
1h 10m
PA 183
9.9 mi
15m
Stiegel Pike
6 mi
6m
Lancaster Avenue
5.5 mi
6m
South College Street
5.5 mi
6m
Newport Road
5.4 mi
8m
Joseph H. Long Boulevard
4.8 mi
5m
Furnace Hill Pike
4.2 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 59.6 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paradise, PA and Scranton, PA.
1
Start on Leacock Road
0.3 mi·41 sec·Leacock Road
2
Continue on Old Leacock Road
1.9 mi·4 min·Old Leacock Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto PA 340
0.5 mi·45 sec·Old Philadelphia Pike
4
Turn right onto North Harvest Road
1.4 mi·3 min·North Harvest Road
5
Turn sharp left onto PA 772
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Newport Road
6
Continue on PA 772
3.1 mi·5 min·West Newport Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Turn left onto PA 23; PA 772
176 ft·4 sec·West Main Street
8
Turn right onto School Drive
0.3 mi·50 sec·School Drive
9
Turn right onto PA 772
1.8 mi·3 min·Glenbrook Road
10
Continue on PA 772
1.3 mi·2 min·South State Street
11
Continue on PA 772
2.0 mi·3 min·Newport Road
12
Continue on PA 772
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
13
Continue on Newport Road
3.4 mi·5 min·Newport Road
14
Turn right onto PA 501
1.7 mi·1 min·Furnace Hills Pike
15
Continue on PA 501
4.2 mi·4 min·Furnace Hill Pike
16
Continue on PA 501
6.0 mi·6 min·Stiegel Pike
17
Continue on PA 501
5.5 mi·6 min·South College Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on PA 501
4.1 mi·4 min·Lancaster Avenue
19
Continue on PA 501
1.2 mi·1 min·Lancaster Avenue
20
Continue on PA 501
0.2 mi·31 sec·Lancaster Avenue
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward I 78 East, US 22 East: Allentown
22
Merge onto I 78; US 22
3.5 mi·4 min·William Penn Highway
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 17Toward PA 419: RehrersburgUse the slight right lane.
24
Turn left onto PA 419
1.9 mi·2 min·Four Point Road
25
Turn left onto PA 183
9.9 mi·15 min·PA 183
26
Turn right onto PA 183
0.7 mi·2 min·Pottsville Street
27
Turn left onto PA 61
2.9 mi·3 min·Route 61 South
28
Continue on PA 61
0.3 mi·18 sec·Pottsville Boulevard
29
Continue on PA 61
1.5 mi·2 min·South Claude A. Lord Boulevard
30
Continue on PA 61
1.0 mi·1 min·Pottsville Saint Clair Highway
31
Continue on PA 61
4.8 mi·5 min·Joseph H. Long Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
32
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 81 North: Hazleton
33
Merge onto I 81
60 mi·1 hr 10 min·I 81
34
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward PA 307
35
Turn left onto River Street
1.0 mi·1 min·River Street
36
At end of road, turn right onto Cedar Avenue
0.3 mi·31 sec·Cedar Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
37
Continue on Adams Avenue
0.1 mi·17 sec·Adams Avenue
38
Turn left onto Biden Street
0.2 mi·25 sec·Biden Street
39
Turn right onto Wyoming Avenue
135 ft·4 sec·Wyoming Avenue
40
Arrive at destination
Wyoming Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 64.3 miles from Paradise, PA, or about 1h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 59.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 28 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64.3 miles or 1h 33m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Scranton, PA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Paradise, PA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Paradise, PA
This is one driving day of about 128.7 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Paradise, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 59.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 64.3 mi from Paradise, PA
· 1h 33m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 35.5
Park Closure: List of trail closures post-Hurricane Helene
Caution: Black Bears Frequenting the McAfee Knob Area in Virginia
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
38.6
0
$13.51
$6.18
Efficient EV
32.2
0
$11.26
$5.15
EV Truck/SUV
51.5
0
$18.02
$8.24
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Paradise, PA
Morning
in Paradise on Saturday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Scranton, PA
Morning
in Scranton on Saturday
Local time
6:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Partly Cloudy
E 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
42°F
East Franklin, PA
64 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 52m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Paradise, PA to Scranton, PA covers 128.7 miles and takes about 2h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, PA 183, Stiegel Pike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 64.3 miles from Paradise, PA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.34 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 128.7 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles (PA 340 / Old Philadelphia Pike): Navigation decision point; at 4.1 miles (PA 772 / West Newport Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 40.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Paradise, PA to Scranton, PA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
