Old-School Day Trips from the Poconos

Those of a certain age (and living in the northeast) might have memories of their parents or grandparents talking about the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania.

It was a favorite place for honeymooners, offering kitschy cabins and motor inns with heart-shaped beds.

Cheesy décor was all the roar in the fifties, and the Pocono Palace is continuing that tradition with 7-foot tall champagne glass tubs. A couples-only resort, this romantic retreat is the perfect "no kids" getaway in East Stroudsburg.

If you're traveling with the family, however, you might use the Pocono Manor Resort and Spa as your base for day trips in the area. Known as "The Grand Lady of the Mountains", this stately property has been in business since 1902 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They offer guest rooms as well as suites and all the amenities of a big-brand hotel.

The area offers activities for all four seasons: ski in the winter; golf in the spring; water sports and fishing in the summer; plus hiking or biking through the fall foliage. It's the perfect base camp for these six old-school road trips:

Historic Sites

From the Pocono Manor, drive to historic Milford (just an hour away) for a visit to Grey Towers National Historic Site.

The original home of Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the U. S. Forest Service, the property is a testament to his role in the conservation movement. Open Memorial Day through December, guided tours of the mansion and 102-acre grounds offer an insight into life in the late 1800s and during the turn of the century.

The variety of flora is amazing and a tribute to a family whose mission was to preserve the natural resources of the region, as well as the rest of the country.

Delaware Water Gap

Head over to the Delaware Water Gap, where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, forming the border between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. You will find yourself at the entrance to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area.

Make sure you check out the trolley tours, mentioned below, which will take you across the Appalachian Trail where it meets the Presbyterian Church of the Mountains. This church takes in any and all through-hikers, offering the first night free in their hostel while supplying a hot shower and warm bed.

Water Gap Trolley

The Water Gap Trolley operators are knowledgeable about the region's history of the area, lecturing about the glamorous days when movie stars and entertainers like Fred Waring and Don Ameche made their homes here. The region is rich in history, and the operators of this trolley know it all.

The towns along the way are charming, especially Stroudsburg where you'll find Newberry's Yard of Ale, historic 1795 Stroud Mansion and even Monroe Mouse, who lives in Stroud Mansion as the house mouse and official mascot. (Monroe tells the story of Colonial America through his blogs, to the delight of younger visitors to the Mansion.)

Wineries

Spend a day exploring nine family-owned wineries and vineyards along the Pocono Wine Trail. Starting with the Mountain View Vineyard, you'll be offered varied choices of wines adorned with a goat on their logo labels.

The story goes that it took so long to clear the mountainside to plant the vineyard, owner Linda remarked: "You need to be a mountain goat to work this property." Her husband, Bobby, worked with her comment, designing the "Sweet Old Goat" logo which is used to adorn their wine and spirit labels.

Continue on to eight more wineries for a delightful day of chasing the grapes. Mountain View also added the Mountain View Distillery to include beer to their repertoire.

Breweries

If a brewery is indeed more to your taste, you're in luck. The Pocono Beverage Trail adds craft beer breweries to a wine and spirits trail, so everyone will be happy. Mountain View is included, as well as Barley Creek Brewing Company, Wallenpaupack Brewing Company and ShawneeCraft Brewery.

Along with fantastic craft beer, you'll find tastings, tours, food and entertainment.

Raymondskill Creek Trail, part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, is an easy one to moderate: a .3-mile, one-way trail leading to the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania. Located within the Cliff Park area, this multi-tiered falls has viewing areas at both the top and bottom, allowing great photo ops.

Dingmans Falls, the second highest waterfall in Pennsylvania, is accessed by Dingmans Creek Trail, a .4-mile hike, mostly boardwalk until the final tenth of a mile where you'll climb a staircase leading to a beautiful view from the upper falls.

Whether traveling as a couple or a family, if you're looking for a dose of nostalgia, the Poconos is the place for you.

---

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore