Celebrate Spring’s Bounty in the Poconos
A spa retreat, the best breweries, and places to perfect your golf swing
The tranquil ambience of Magnolia Streamside Resort / Photograph courtesy of Magnolia Streamside Resort
The Lodgings
The French Manor Inn & Spa (rooms from $234) in Newfoundland is perfect for both those in search of romance and those seeking wellness. The cozy bed-and-breakfast boasts a full-service spa — complete with an indoor saltwater pool and dry sauna, and a couple’s package if you’re visiting with your SO. Enjoy decadent breakfast (included in your stay) and evening fine dining at the property’s award-winning restaurant — there are fireplaces inside and an outdoor terrace with mountain views. (Pro tip: Indulge with the French onion soup.) New this year? A year-round outdoor firepit and hot tub, perfect for post-hike winding down.
Those who want the opposite experience should try camping in one of the state parks (rates vary) in the area. Accommodations range from basic tent sites to cabins with modern conveniences like full-size refrigerators and stoves. Given the ever-changing weather this time of year, you’re likely to find the wood-burning fireplace inside your cabin at Promised Land State Park quite useful. And if you’re visiting in the late spring, most of the state parks have lakes, popular with anglers, boaters, and swimmers.
Folks who want the best of all worlds (think nature and modern creature comforts) should try Magnolia Streamside Resort (rooms from $210) in Canadensis. A popular wedding venue, it’s home to nine cottages and suites that sleep four to 10 people plus a fishing pond, outdoor pool, playground, and open-to-guests chicken coop. The sisters who run Magnolia Streamside also opened a medspa about 20 minutes away during the pandemic — it’s worth a visit should you want to boost all that natural wellness.
The Fun
Spring weather is fickle — 70 and sunny one day, 40 and rainy the next. So it’s always good to have a backup plan. And what’s a better backup than beer?
Instead of the usual litany of hop-bomb IPAs that clog the menus and taps of many breweries, Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path Brewing focuses on lagers and low-ABV session beers, perfect for post-hike tippling. When it’s a bit cold out, try their Dark Mild, which comes in at just three percent ABV, low enough to have a couple. Rainy days are also perfect for cozying up by the fireplace with a pint at Log Tavern Brewing’s new Tafton location, just a few minutes from the eastern shore of Lake Wallenpaupack. And should you find yourself missing a piece of home, head to South Philly stalwart Second District Brewing’s seasonal brew farm, northeast of Honesdale near the New York border, which grows its own hops and fruit on-site.
Animal lovers will want to spend some time with the fuzzy friends at Pohopoco Creek Alpacas, where guests can purchase items made from their fleece. And after the dreariness of winter, brighten up your trip by picking up a floral arrangement by local grower Bloomers Flower Farm at the Lehighton Farmers Market.
The Food
Morning light at Cafe Wren / Photograph courtesy of Cafe Wren
Celebrate the season at La Posada & Felix’s Cantina, set along the Delaware River in the charming town of Milford. Snag a table on the enclosed wraparound porch, and order salt-rimmed margaritas and Yucatan-style dishes like whole red snapper, served fried alongside limes, cucumbers, and tortillas. If you can’t make it for Cinco de Mayo, when the restaurant throws a rollicking party with live music and food and drink specials, May is also the start of elote season, and the family-run restaurant does a perfectly seasoned version. Otherwise, for morning cold brew and a breakfast menu full of reasons to get out of bed — including local yogurt bowls with house-made granola — visit the homey Cafe Wren in Milford. Want your dog to come along? Grab a table on the pet-friendly sidewalk or in the back yard at the Social, just up the street from Cafe Wren, to tuck into seafood-centric dishes like shrimp risotto with spring asparagus and clam pies.
Acing It
Golfing in the Poconos / Photograph via Getty Images
Practice your golf swing — and maybe hit a hole-in-one.
1. Woodloch Springs Country Club
With 18 holes winding their way through more than 6,500 yards of greenery, plus a director of golf just inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame, this championship course is a golfer’s dream. Hawley.
2. Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort
Opened in 1911, this challenging 18-hole course recently debuted a long-awaited bridge over the Delaware River that opens up more of the course year-round. Don’t miss their state-of-the-art practice facility containing a driving range, a putting green, and a chip and putt — all lit so you can play even at night. Shawnee on Delaware.
3. Buck Hill Falls
Talk about a winning reputation: The historic 27-hole course was originated by PGA president Robert White and expanded on by legendary architect Donald Ross. Buck Hill Falls.
4. Pocono Manor
This old-school course has hosted giants like Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead. Try your hand at its world-famous seventh hole: 77 yards straight downhill. Pocono Manor.
5. The Wake Zone
If you’re seeking fun for the whole family, check out this facility’s simulators that allow you to play the best spots in the world while the kids enjoy mini golf, skee ball (with a putter!), bowling, and other games. Tafton.
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