7 Ways to Have an Unforgettable Poconos Vacation
These experiences last all year.
An Albrightsville A-frame / Photograph via Airbnb
Stay in an Airbnb
Live out your luxury cabin dreams. For your own private cold plunge, plus a hot tub, cedar barrel sauna, and toasty outdoor firepit, book a family-friendly four-bedroom chalet in Tobyhanna. A striking A-frame in Albrightsville — not far from Lake Harmony and Jim Thorpe — has practically an entire wall of windows, affording A-plus views of the surrounding peaceful forest and a saltwater hot tub. A three-level Wallenpaupack lakefront home comes with a private dock stocked with a pedal boat, kayaks, and paddleboards. A whimsical forest-themed Wilde Cabin in East Stroudsburg is close to sandy lakeside dips and a swimming pool, but the gas fireplace and movie theater with a 135-inch screen make for a cozy night indoors too. An oversized A-frame in Tobyhanna can sleep up to 16 — gather your friends, grill dinner on the deck, and dine under the stars.
Go Fishing
You may associate fishing with only the spring and summer months, but there are plenty of opportunities all year long in the Poconos. Pennsylvania’s popular extended trout season ends February 18th and restarts in April. Bass season is year-round. Some true die-hards in the Poconos even invoke scenes of the Arctic with their ice-fishing setups, though it’s important (vitally so) to note that there’s no one monitoring ice thickness on the lakes, so don’t just walk out onto a giant body of semi-frozen water unless you know what you’re doing or rope in a local who does. And, yes, the bites are bountiful during more pleasant weather too. If you don’t know a baitcaster from a bail, hit up the guides at Captain Joe’s Fishing & Waterman Services or Pocono Fly Fishing to help you catch the big one.
Shop
Gather / Photograph by Amy Williams
The Poconos may not be the Rodeo Drive of Pennsylvania, but you can find one-of-a-kind goods. Better World Store & Cafe in Milford is a one-stop shop for an eco-friendly haul, with health foods and books, plus both a juice and espresso bar and a menu of gluten-free pastries. Gather, an adorable boutique in Honesdale, is filled to the brim with women’s clothing, baby and kid items, home goods, and gifts, while Barn Door Antiques in Cresco is a small but mighty vintage shop stocked with 19th- and 20th-century wares. Nostalgists will also find a treasure trove at Hawley’s Haus of Heidi, which offers handpicked vintage and secondhand apparel and accessories (from the owner’s collection). Over in Stroudsburg, browse florals, live plants, and green-thumb supplies as well as linens, books, candles, and home decor at the Potting Shed, then pop into the Apple Tree for high-end clothing (casual to cocktail attire) from designer brands like Aldo Martins and Joseph Ribkoff. Mountain chic has never looked so good.
Stock Up at the Farmers Markets
Pocono Organics / Photograph by Natalie Chitwood
At Pocono Organics in Blakeslee, the 380-acre regenerative farm is also home to a beloved cafe and market selling the fresh harvest year-round. In the summer, pick your own produce (tomatoes, zucchini) and sunflowers. The producer-only Monroe Farmers Market in Stroudsburg has been a weekly staple for more than four decades, peddling local apples, sheep’s milk cheese, and small-batch preserves and pickles. While you can fill your bag with seasonal produce, local yogurt, and artisanal goods anytime at Hanna’s Farm Market in Pocono Lake, don’t miss the mums, pies, and gourds in the fall, and the roving Northern Poconos Mobile Farm Market brings broccoli rabe, bok choy, and other leafy greens and wholesome foods to spots all over Wayne County in every season.
Get Hitched
Get married at Promise Ridge in the Poconos. / Photograph by Garnet Dahlia
If a woodland-inspired destination wedding sounds up your alley (or should we say tree?), the Poconos have everything you need. Book your rehearsal dinner in Milford at the Michelin-rated Hotel Fauchère’s Delmonico space, which hosts up to 55 seated guests and offers seasonal menus crafted to your tastes. Venues run the gamut, from Pocono Palms, a former church turned event space with island-meets-mountain vibes in Canadensis, to the newish Valley View Venue in Honesdale, with its modern barn (for your festivities), farmhouse (for on-site accommodations), and the pastoral land on which it sits (photo ops!). Celebrant Alisa Tongg will officiate your wedding (and can host your elopement at her Promise Ridge venue), and Somersault Letterpress in Jim Thorpe will craft your custom invitations using vintage 1930s stationery presses and modern design programs. And of course you’ll need to mini-moon: Try the Lodge at Woodloch, an adults-only, all-inclusive wellness retreat in Hawley where you can while away your newlywed days with spa treatments and plenty of time in your robes.
Hike the Appalachian Trail
View along the Appalachian Trail / Photograph by Michael Marquand/Alamy Stock Photo
The famous Appalachian Trail winds 2,200 miles from Maine down to Georgia, about 45 miles of it in the Poconos. An exciting section of this stretch passes through the Delaware Water Gap and boasts views that make the trek more than worth it. One popular route is the challenging, rocky hike to the top of Mount Minsi (there’s also a longer, easier fire-road option to the same destination). Hikes along the Pocono section of the Appalachian Trail (the AT, if you want to sound like a seasoned pro) vary from downright easy to fairly difficult, so consult a trail map before you head out. The Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort also offers guided hikes.
Hit the State Parks
One of the more unique sights you’ll see in the region can be found at Hickory Run State Park. Boulder Field, a national natural landmark, is a field of boulders — and nothing but boulders — measuring 720,000 square feet. (Some of the rocks are 26 feet across!) The 949-acre lake inside Beltzville State Park is where boaters and swimmers go in the warmer months, and fishing enthusiasts year-round. The trout and bass from the lake are said to be delicious. And Promised Land State Park is just gorgeous, whether you hike, bike, snowshoe, snowmobile, or cross-country ski your way through it. Depending on the conditions, officials also allow ice skating on its Promised Land Lake — but note that skate rentals are not available.
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