8/2/2019 Top Reasons to Stay (and Play) in the Poconos

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Top10ReasonstoStay(andPlay!)inthePoconos

10.HavenofHistoryHistorybuffswillhaveaballhoppingfrommuseumtomuseumthroughoutthenortheastPennsylvaniaarea.YoucanstartatthePackermansionsinJimThorpe,atthesouthernmostendofthePoconos,andnotstopuntilyouveexperiencedlifeona19thcenturyPennsylvaniaGermanfarmsteadatQuietValleyHistoricalFarm,thecoalregionslifebloodattheNo.9Mine,ordiscoveredtheareasfirstresidentsatThePoconoIndianMuseum.TheMonroeCountyHistoricalSocietyhousesallthelocalhistoryyoucanhandle,alongwithagenealogyresearchlibrary.Whatevertheera,thePoconoshavelivedtotellitsstory.Itsyourstodiscover!

9.AvenuesofArtThearchitecturealoneintheentireareaiseyecatchingtocreativesoulsandappreciativeonlookersalike.ThePoconoshavelongsincebeenahavenforandaninspirationtoartistsofallmediums.StrollupJimThorpeshistoricBroadwayandpopinatTheGandyDancertoviewartandphotographydrawnfromthelocalsceneryandhistory,orAnitaShapolskyArtFoundationtotakeinAbstractExpressionism,films,andpoetry.Therearemanyopengallerydoorsinbetween.StroudsburgishometoSusanBernadetteLebel.SusanisnotonlyaprofessionalfloristthatcreatesfairytaleweddingarrangementsforTheStroudsmoorCountryInnsblushingbrides,sheisalsoagiftedpainter.Hernature-inspiredartdecoratestheAuradellGalleryattheInn,aswellasmanyotherplacesthroughoutthePoconosandLehighValley.

8.MusicisEverywhereNotadaygoesbywithoutmusicinthePoconos.Iftheatersareyourthing,ticketsarealwaysonsaleforgreatactsattheShermanTheaterandMauchChunkOperaHouse.Aneclecticarrayofmusiciansarealwaysstoppingbythearea,fromclassicrockandoldies,tofolk,jazz,blues,Celticmusic,andhitsoftoday.Ifamorerelaxedatmosphere,ordancing,iswhatyouarelookingfor,mosttavernsandrestaurantsintheareahaveweekendmusiciansontapregularly.Theresnoshortageofliveentertainmentanynightoftheweek.

7.AdventuresfortheBraveAfraidofheights?Dontlikegettingwet?Closeyoureyesandkeepwalking.Areyouyoung,youngatheart,orinchargeofkeepingsomeyoungstersbusyfortheweekend?Thenyoullbeintherightplacehere.Camelbackhasmoreadventurethanyoucanimaginewiththeirziplinesandwaterslides.Camelbackisntjustforskiersanymore!Ifyouareadventurous(butnotthata

dventurous)youmaychoosetogohorsebackridingattheInnatPoconoManorsstablesorscreamaroundthetrackatalocalgokarttrack.JimThorpeishometosomeofthebestwhitewaterraftingontheLehigh.TakeakayaklessonatNortheastPAKayakSchool,grabapaintballgun,orrentaboatfromthePoconoBoatHouse.AreyouthetypeofpersontoseekoutthePoisonDartfrogsatBearMountainButterflySanctuary,ortheonetositintheFlutterariumallowingseveralspeciesofbutterfliestonoiselesslylandinthepalmofyourhand?ThePoconoareaiswaitingtotakeyourbreathaway.

6.TimeforTeeIfyouhaventexperiencedthebeautyandserenityoftheprimegreensattheInnatPoconoManororthesprawlingfairwaysatShawneeInnandGolfResort,thenyouhaventreallygolfed.ThepicturesqueMahoningValleyCountryClubisnowopentothepublic.Abaddayonthegolfcourseisntreallysucha

badday,isit?ThePoconosarehometosomeofthemostmanicuredandbreathtakingcoursesinPennsylvaniaandtheyarewaitingforyou.

5.LettheFestivitiesBeginAllofthisrelaxingandbeautyisenoughtomakesomeonewanttocelebrate.Luckily,thePoconosarealwayscelebrating.ThetownofJimThorpecelebratesitsnamesakesbirthdayeveryMay,alongwithEarthDay,FallFoliage,St.PatricksDayandanOldeTimeChristmas.Halloweenbringsghostwalksandhauntedmines,andhorrifyinglyhauntedwoodsandmansions.Stroudsburghasnotableparades,artfestivals,carshows,andcarnivals.Keepaneyeonlocalnewspapersandwebsitesforfullschedules.Mostfestivalsareheldind

8/2/2019 Top Reasons to Stay (and Play) in the Poconos

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owntowncommonareas,resorts,andskihillswheretheyarehardtomiss.ThePoconoscelebrateeverythingfromtheBlues,towine,togarlic,tobeingIrishforaday!

4.ShopTilYouDropNothingcomparestofindingtheperfectiteminauniqueshopinaquainttown.StoppinginatJosephinesFleur-de-lisonMainStreetinStroudsburg,youllfindthemostmeaningfuljewelryorhomedcoritemtorememberyourvisit.Dunkelbergersofferswomenachancetofindtheperfectensembletowearforaweekendoutingwhileitsadjoiningoutfittershopwillkeepanysignificantotherdistractedbyoutdoorgearjustlongenough.Josephines,Dunkelbergers,andmanyotherboutiquesofferspecialtyitemsyoucantfindjustanywhere.TheshoppingdistrictonStroudsburgsbustlingmainstreetoftenoffershoppersspecialdeals,uniquetreats,andraredealsjusttothankyouforshoppinglocal.Makesureyouwearcomfortableshoes.Onceyoustart,youwontwanttostop.

3.NatureCallsPeoplemovetothePoconostogetaway.TouristsvisitthePoconostogetaway.Youneedagetaway!Thereisastateparkorenvironmentalcentereverywhereyouturn.Mountainsloomononesideofyou,alake,river,orstreamflowsontheother,nomatterwhereyougo.Youcanthelpbutbreathedeeper,smilebroader,andrelax.Hiketothehighestlookoutorpullupapicnicbenchandyourfavoritebook.Ifyourelucky,youllspotadeer,fox,raccoon,bird,orevenabear.Whatcouldbebetter?YoucanvisitthePoconoMountainsVisitorsBureauorDepartmentofConservationandNaturalResourcestofindaplacetohikeorcamp.Ifenjoyingnatureonamorepermanentbasisiswhatyouarelooki

ngfor,youcancallCommonwealthRealEstateYourWayorPoconoMountainLakesRealtytopointyouintherightdirection.

2.MostComfortablePlacestoHangYourHatAllofthatshoppingandadventurewillmakeyouwanttostayjustonemoreday.Thereisnolackofhospitalitywhenyouneedaplacetostayforthenight.MostresortsandhotelsinthePoconosoffertheirguestssomuch,visitorsdontevenneedtoleavetheproperty.StroudsmoorCountryInnisapopularweddingdestinationwithaveryromanticatmosphereofferingspecialdinnersandpackages,whiletheInnatPoconoManorandtheShawneeInnandGolfResortoffermanyactivitiesandamenitiestokeepyoubusyandboastsprawlinggroundsandbeautifularchitecture.Bed&BreakfastsadorntheJimThorpearea.TakeastepintoadifferenteraattheInnatJimThorpe,orhopacrossthepondandfeellikeEnglishroyaltyatHillcrest.Ifyouca

nhandlearusticaccommodation,JimThorpeCampingandmanystateparksofferspacetoparkyourRVorpopupyourtent.ThePoconosjustbegyoutostay

TheresjustonethinglefttodobeforeyouleavethePoconos

1.Eat,Drink,&BeMerry!IhaveyettohaveamealataPoconorestaurantIdidnotenjoy.Thisareaisrichinvineyards,bistros,taverns,pubs,finerestaurants,diners,andhole-in-the-walllocalsecrets.Ifyoullbestoppingintown,therearetwothingsyoudonotwanttomiss;dinneratAndrewMooresStoneBarInnandamartiniatLiquid.Eachofferssuchasophisticatedanduniqueatmospherewithtrulyfantasticmenus.Putthemonyourlist,butalsogivethelocalspecialtiesatry.Craveat66BroadwayinJimThorpeofferstheareaarareoption:anauthenticAbsinthebar.Giveitawhirlandstaytomunch,orwanderdown

thestreetforaneclecticarrayofoptionsfromIrish,toTexMex,tolocalorganic.Chancesare,youllleavefullandhappy.(Ifyoudoactuallydecidetoleave)