Holiday lights in NEPA

Winter date night doesn't have to mean the couch. Between light trails, night skiing, and warm bars after, NEPA has a real cold-weather rotation — here's the short list.

Holiday light displays

West End Festival of Lights & Kris Kringle in Gilbert is the one we'd vouch for first: a walk-around holiday light trail set to music, with fire pits, a craft market, and live entertainment — $6 a person, kids under 3 free, open through December 23 (Mon–Fri 5–9pm, Sat–Sun 2–9pm). It also runs fine as an early-evening date before dinner, not just a family outing.

Winter-evening options

• Montage Mountain — night skiing (Scranton) — fully lit night skiing until 10pm, seven nights a week in winter, plus snow tubing
• Camelback Resort — Galactic snow tubing (Tannersville) — cosmic night tubing with lights and music, Friday and Saturday nights until 10pm
• Madame Jenny's (Scranton) — the speakeasy inside Ale Mary's is built for a cold Friday: craft cocktails, jazz band, burlesque and cabaret some nights
• River Grille (Wilkes-Barre) — riverside bar & grill with live music, themed pop-up bars, and weekend brunch if the night runs late
• The V-Spot Bar (Scranton) — live music four nights a week and budget-friendly drinks
• Breakers (Wilkes-Barre) — live bands till 12:30am Friday and Saturday inside Mohegan Pennsylvania

A note on timing

Light displays are seasonal and hours shift year to year — confirm dates and times before you drive. Pair a 5–7pm lights visit with a late dinner or a nightcap somewhere warm, and winter stops feeling like the off-season.