My next winter break adventure was on the same trip as the Concrete City exploration. While still at Concrete City, my friends and I were rapidly searching our phones for places nearby to explore. The first result on Google was “Luzerne County abandoned VW graveyard.” I’ve heard about the Volkswagen graveyard and seen pictures online but have never had the chance to explore it.
The “graveyard” is a huge collection of rusting, dilapidated Volkswagen cars nestled in the woods behind an abandoned mechanic’s garage. The idea of the VW graveyard is known to many Pennsylvanian explorers, but its exact location is extremely protected and hard to find online. Per my online PA Abandoned Explorations Facebook Group, the owner of the property has confronted several explorers before and has told them to leave, sometimes nonchalantly revealing his concealed carry gun. With that being said, other group members say the owner is usually willing if you contact him ahead of time and ask to respectfully look around the property. Every YouTube video, Facebook post, or online article mentioning the graveyard didn’t include the address, for the owner requests people not to share it.
We had a challenge. How do we find such a discreet location? I was set on exploring this place before driving the two hours home. I went to work and started combing through Facebook groups, Reddit streams, Google Maps satellite to find any inclination towards an address. After about 45 minutes of searching, I found a Google Satellite map of the world to which anyone can add their favorite abandoned locations in the abandoned explorations Facebook group. Luckily enough, 20 minutes down the road from Concrete City laid “VW Graveyard.”
Once we arrive at the location, I had to park my car out in the open right along the main road, which isn’t the best procedure when exploring somewhere like this. We saw the cars peeking out from the woods in front of the hazy mechanic’s garage in the distance. My one friend and I immediately walked towards the cars, while my other friend waited by my car to ensure no one would tell us to leave.
The “graveyard” was inundated with Volkswagens of every make and model. From old fashioned Beetles to the stereotypical hippie vans, there was so much variety in the collection. It was almost sad to witness this massive cluster of cars rotting and rusting away in the woods. The woods and trees themselves were plastered with “NO TRESPASSING” signs, which matched up well with the online descriptions of the graveyard.
After 10 minutes of exploring, my other friend calls me and tells us to come back to the car. Some man from across the street told him that his father owns the garage and the surrounding property, and he was about to call the police on us until he saw my other friend waiting by the car. The man told him he was “in a good mood today” and didn’t feel like busting a few teenagers, luckily. After the warning, we decided it was best to leave.
Although our exploration was cut short, I was still proud of myself for hunting down the location and being able to say I’ve been there. This adventure in particular reflects my belief that the journey is more important than the destination.
Rate: 7/10 (cool but difficult to explore)