The Office Fan Tours, Scranton
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 | 109 comments
June 27, 2009: Mindy’s report
This past Saturday, June 27th, my sister and I took a trip up to Scranton to experience The Office Fan Tour. When I saw the announcement of the tours, I knew I had to go since it’s so close, how could anyone pass it up.
I live just outside of Philadelphia so it was only about a 2 hour drive. My sister lives in Pittsburgh, PA, so she flew home for the trip. Once in Scranton, we headed to The Mall at Steamtown which is where to tours begin. (Also, we were amongst other Tallyheads, but I’m sorry that I didn’t get their names.)
When we arrived at the mall, we headed straight for the “Welcome to Scranton” sign that is featured in the opening credits of the show.
The tour begins with some history as to how Scranton became the town where The Office would take place, we saw some clips of behind the scenes with the cast that a local news station did. They wanted to know how much the cast actually knew about Scranton (some did better than others). The room where this happens is full of huge painted cut outs of the cast (this was one of my favorite things!).
It was time to get on the bus to go see some sites made well known by The Office. Our first stop was the Penn Paper building (which is the building we first see on the opening credits).
Next stop, Farley’s (Home of the Michael Scott burger).
Then we were on our way to Coopers for an amazing lunch. We had everything from sandwiches and fries to Schrute Family Beet salad (which my sister and I were good sports about and did try the beets for the full experience, they weren’t as bad as I thought they were going to be but I don’t think they will become part of my everyday diet).
Once lunch was over, we were back on the bus and headed to Lake Scranton. On the way to the lake, we did some office trivia for Schrutebucks. In the end, the person with the most Schrutebucks won a prize. We arrived at the lake and it was beautiful and the tour guides were quick to point out that there is no sand at Lake Scranton.
While we were at Lake Scranton the tour guides also told us that there would be “beach games” so most of us took part in a spoon and “plastic” egg race (it was so much fun). I did not win the race but I was happy enough that my egg stayed on the spoon while I ran!
We were back on the bus headed to our final stop of the tour and probably the most anticipated stop. On to Poor Richards Pub! We were all a little shocked to see what Poor Richards was really like but we all had a good time while we were there and I’m pretty sure the majority of people on our tour left with Poor Richards Pub T-shirts (my sister and I included). Here’s my sister on her way inside Poor Richards.
After we left our final stop on the tour, we were headed back to the mall to say our “good-byes” and “thank you’s”. I told our guides more than once that day that the idea of an office fan tour had to be one of the greatest ideas I’ve ever heard of.
The tour was one of the coolest things I have ever done and would highly recommend it to any fan of The Office. I couldn’t believe that we had made it the entire day without a “TWSS” but I just couldn’t help myself and when the opportunity presented itself while we were saying good-bye I blurted out “that’s what she said” to one of the guides and we all had a huge laugh.
So thank you again to the awesome tour guides and people of Scranton, and to Tanster for allowing me to share my awesome experience with you all.
I just couldn’t help myself with this one, I saw the van and just had to take a picture of it. Dwight: Hello rock 107 am I the 107th caller? Hello rock 107 am I the 107th caller?
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Congrats on such an original and unique business model that allows fans to express their love of the office as well as make a pilgrimage to Scranton.
Been all over the world, but am seriously considering a vacation to scranton, pa to see the office tour.
The tour was closed when we went, but luckily I planned ahead. Good that we did because we hit a whole bunch of Office places that aren’t on the tour. Ie, Lackawanna Hotel, Glider Diner, and a bunch of cool coffee shops that are sporting Office art. Poor Richards at night was creepy and the bartender was rude. So go in the day if you can. Coopers was cool but make sure you can get a room in the main dining hall and not in the back room because it’s just a normal room. I recommend mapping out the Office spots before going.
It’s an amazingly fun time! I probably won’t make it up there at all this summer due to increased tour and gas prices. Although, if anyone important (or cast wise) is planning to go, I’ll consider it.
[from tanster: please contact the tour organizers with your feedback, thanks!]
I can’t wait to go to one of the tours! Does anybody know the dates any of the cast members may be joining the tour?
I flew in from the UK to attend the december office tour (a nice couple from Australia also were on this tour)so i was hoping that i would not be disappointed after all that travelling and i have to say i wasn’t , Tim, amanda and graham were excellent hosts, and with the food and drinks included it was great value. So any fans should get theirselves over to Scranton- don’t forget your camera as a bonus i found the people of the town really nice and polite.
I don’t see the tour times…when does it start and end??? Thank you, Brenda
Wow, they’re upping the price again! It’s becoming costly but it’s so worth it for as much fun as it is. I see it’s now once a month too. I’m sure I’ll still find myself up there at least once next year.
If my boyfriend and I were the winners of “The Office Fan Tour Giveaway” the landmark that we would most enjoy seeing would be Lake Scranton as shown in the “Beach Games” episode. This is one of our favorites as it is where Pam was finally able to prove something to herself and stand up to the others.
If I was the winner of the “The Office Fan Tour Giveaway”, I would be most excited to visit Lake Wallenpaupack because Booze Cruise is one of my all time favorite episodes!!
If I am the winner of the Office Fan Tour Giveaway, I would be the most excited to visit Poor Richard’s pub because that is a place that the office workers in the show like to hang out at a lot after work and I think it would be interesting to see the place that inspired that.
If I win “The Office Fan Tour Giveaway”, I would be most excited about seeing Lake Scranton because I love mother nature and its now a tourist location made possible by…my favorite actor B.J. Novak!
ohmigod. i am so pumped about this! i know im just a teen, but if i won the ‘Office Fan Tour Giveaway’, it would be the highlight of my life! you have no idea :) id love to visit everywhere the tour goes and more!
If my fiance and I were to win “The Office Fan Tour Giveaway” it would be a great early honeymoon for us (we get married in July). The sight we’re most excited to see is COOPERS Restaurant which is ironic because my fiance is allergic to shellfish. Please pick us, we’re the LATINO version of Jim & Pam :)
For The Office Fan Tour Giveaway, I’d want to visit Lake Scranton to see if I could find Andy floating in it.
[from tanster: March 2010 winner]
If I won The Office Fan Tour Giveaway, I would find the Chili’s restaurant closest to Scranton, then proceed to ask them all about the Dundie awards ceremonies, including a certain crazy receptionist. I would also bring my Dundie with me so my sister and I could act out part of the awards episode – and sing the baby back ribs song. (Is it bad that it would be a dream come true if we were banned for life?) And for those wondering about more “official” Scranton landmarks, I’d make my own drive-by opening credit video sequence for good measure.
I would like to have a beer at Poor Richard’s if I won the Office Fan Tour Giveaway!
If I won The Office Fan Tour Giveaway I would like to see Lake Wallenpaupack because my favorite episode was the Booze Cruise!
I would love to visit Poor Richard’s, and then have my best friend’s bachelorette party there, the attendants are all office fans!
If I win The Office Fan Tour Giveaway, the landmark I most want to see is the “Electric City” sign, WHAT? The “Electric City” sign! WHAT? The “Electric City” sign!!