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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Benton
Benton, Pennsylvania
Benton is a 1-hour stop for the dam and a meal, or a base for Ricketts Glen State Park: 2 nights if you hike, otherwise pass through.
Benton is a small borough in the Fishing Creek valley, 30 min north of I-80. It has a dam, a July rodeo, two restaurants and a cider maker. Most visitors use it as a launch point for Ricketts Glen State Park (several miles north) or as a quick stop on Route 487. One night covers the park; a half-day is enough for the borough itself.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Benton, Pennsylvania
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, some businesses close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $100–150 excl. bed · High $180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Lunch at a local restaurant | $10–15 |
| Dinner at a local restaurant | $15–25 |
| Colonel Rickett's Hard Cider tasting | $8–12 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3.50–4.50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AVP · Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International
- About 1 h 15 min drive via I-81 and PA-487
- IPT · Williamsport Regional
- About 45 min drive
Typical fares
- AVP airport to Benton
- about $60–80 by taxi/rideshare, 1 h 15 min (check)
- I-80 exit 236B to Benton
- about 30 min drive, no toll
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
By car or on foot. Main Street has sidewalks. No public transit within the borough.
See and do
Known for
- Benton Dam
- Benton Rodeo (July)
- Fishing Creek (trout, canoe/kayak)
- Gateway to Ricketts Glen State Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ricketts Glen State Park | Drive north on PA-487, about 10 min | 10 min |
| Bloomsburg | Drive south on PA-487, about 20 min | 20 min |
| Centralia, Pennsylvania | Drive east on PA-239 to PA-61, about 30 min | 30 min |
Sleep
- Main Street (PA-239/487)
- The Mattress and Muffin Inn and a few other options; walkable to the dam and restaurants.
- Ricketts Glen area
- Cabins and campgrounds closer to the park; about 10 min north by car.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Benton Rodeo in July draws crowds; book accommodation early.
- Fishing Creek can rise quickly after heavy rain — check conditions before canoeing.
- Ricketts Glen State Park has a parking fee (check current rate).
Very safe rural borough. Standard precautions: lock your car, don't leave valuables visible. Watch for deer on the roads at dusk.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Benton yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Benton Dam
- Benton Rodeo (July)
- Fishing Creek (trout, canoe/kayak)
- Gateway to Ricketts Glen State Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Benton (Pennsylvania), revision 4958541 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4958541
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
BentonBenton, Pennsylvania
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates in Benton. Nearest major consulates: New York City or Philadelphia.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/benton-pennsylvania). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.