Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains region is a year-round destination, offering lots of outdoor adventures, cozy amenities, unique attractions and fun festivals. Ann Pilcher, tourism sales manager with Pocono Mountains CVB, highlights popular things to do and see in the area during all four seasons:
Spring
With the mountain landscape abloom, the Poconos offer the perfect setting for hikes, bike rides, bird-watching and zip-lining. The area is a golfer’s dream, with customized golf packages available and numerous places to play, from small private clubs to large resort courses. Pilcher says spring is the time to see Grey Towers National Historic Landmark, Gifford Pinchot’s 100-acre ancestral mansion. Pinchot was the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service, a former Pennsylvania governor and conservationist.
Summer
Groups can swim, canoe, kayak and whitewater raft in the lakes and rivers and rent pontoon boats for overnight stays on the water. During a self-guided tour, they can see the region’s many waterfalls, including Shohola Falls and Bushkill Falls. Waterfalls are found in several of the parks, recreation sites and scenic attractions, and most are easily reachable from hiking trails. Visitors can stay at the Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark and visit Camelbeach Mountain Waterpark, the state’s largest outdoor waterpark.
Fall
One of the most popular times to visit the area, fall offers many outdoor activities within view of the beautiful foliage. There are many autumn festivals, like this year’s 20th annual Black Bear Film Festival and the 45th annual Harvest Festival. Groups can hop on a train excursion through the mountains and see charming towns and historical sites. They can visit wineries—such as Blue Ridge Winery and Tolino Vineyards—throughout the four-county region. And beginning in September, they can check the fall foliage forecast, which reports peak times to see the color zones across the region’s 2,400 square miles.
Winter
There are 185 trails perfect for skiing, snowboarding and tubing, particularly at Camelback Mountain. It’s home to the biggest snow tubing park in the U.S., with 42 tubing lanes, and at night, the snow-covered hills light up like a disco. The surrounding woodlands set the scene for sleigh rides, horseback rides, snowshoeing and ice skating. Pilcher says the Mount Airy Casino Resort recently underwent a $40 million expansion of convention and event space, and it’s a great place to play and stay with views of the wintry mountains.
For more information, contact Pilcher or go to poconomountains.com.
Top photo by CC Flickr/Ravi Shan: bit.ly/30iSKne
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Maryland Office of Tourism Development
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Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Virginia Beach Convention & Visitor Bureau
