11 Prettiest Main Streetscapes In The Poconos

A main street in the Pocono Mountains tells you exactly how its town made a living. Coal and railroad money built the ornate brick blocks of the Lehigh Valley towns, a zinc company laid out an entire downtown from scratch, and canal boats and silk mills shaped the river towns to the north. Today, those same streets are lined with galleries, cafes, and restored hotels. Forested ridges frame them, and every fall the hillsides blaze with color. A railroad baron's borough, a company-built avenue, and a jazz-club village all share space on this list. Each of these towns turns a simple stroll into a lesson in local history.

Jim Thorpe

Squeezed into a narrow valley along the Lehigh River, Jim Thorpe's Broadway climbs uphill past brick storefronts, iron balconies, and church steeples, all backed by steep wooded mountainsides. The town grew rich on coal and railroads, and its wealth shows in every cornice. Around the corner on Race Street, Stone Row's matching brick row houses are among the town's most photographed sights, while the Mauch Chunk Opera House still hosts concerts and films. Climb the hill to tour the Asa Packer Mansion, home of the railroad magnate who shaped the town, or step inside the Old Jail Museum, where members of the Molly Maguires, a secret society of Irish coal miners, were held before their executions.

Lehighton

Known as the "Gateway to Carbon County," Lehighton was once a busy railroad town, and its downtown along First Street still has the sturdy brick buildings to prove it. After decades of decline, the business district has bounced back, and its colorful storefronts now hold boutiques, family-run shops, and restaurants. At the heart of downtown, Colonel Jacob Weiss Park hosts the Lehighton Downtown Farmers Market on select Saturdays. Just outside town, Country Junction bills itself as the world's largest general store, and the D&L Trail follows the Lehigh River for easy walks and bike rides.

Weissport

Tiny Weissport sits just across the Lehigh River from Lehighton, and its quiet, tree-lined streets feel like a step back in time. The borough grew up around the Lehigh Canal, and the old towpath still runs along the river as part of the D&L Trail. History runs even deeper here. The town stands on the site of Fort Allen, a frontier fort built in 1756 under the direction of Benjamin Franklin during the French and Indian War. Today, the beautifully restored Hofford Mill serves as a lively gathering spot, and many cyclists park here before pedaling into Jim Thorpe.

Palmerton

Most Poconos towns grew one building at a time, but Palmerton was planned on paper. The New Jersey Zinc Company laid out the town in the late 1890s to house its workers, and the result is a tidy grid of tree-lined streets centered on wide, handsome Delaware Avenue. Historic banners now hang along the avenue to mark its place on the National Register of Historic Places. Stroll past the company's former headquarters, the classic town library, and Palmerton Park, where a bandstand still anchors summer evenings. The Appalachian Trail and the Lehigh Gap Nature Center sit just outside town.

White Haven

White Haven may be the only Poconos town where a major trail runs right down its main street. The D&L Trail follows Main Street for several blocks between two trailheads, making the borough the northern gateway to Lehigh Gorge State Park, where the rail-trail runs south through a dramatic river canyon. The town began as a transportation hub for coal and timber and celebrated its 200th birthday in 2024 with a street fair on Main Street. Historic buildings like the Odd Fellows Lodge line the route, and three state parks, Lehigh Gorge, Hickory Run, and Nescopeck, are all close by.

Stroudsburg

Stroudsburg's Main Street runs for the better part of a mile, lined with buildings from the late 1700s through the early 1900s and shaded by mature trees and old-fashioned lampposts. Behind the historic facades are galleries, bakeries, and some of the region's best restaurants. The historic Sherman Theater brings big-name concerts to Main Street, and the nonprofit Pocono Cinema and Cultural Center shows independent films just around the corner. For a taste of the area's farming past, Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm brings 19th-century country life to life a short drive away.

East Stroudsburg

Stroudsburg's neighbor across Brodhead Creek grew up around the railroad, and its centerpiece is still the old train station. The historic Dansbury Depot, with its wide eaves and Victorian trim, now houses a restaurant beside the tracks downtown. Nearby Dansbury Park is a trailhead for the Levee Loop, a path that links the two Stroudsburgs along the creek. East Stroudsburg University adds a youthful buzz, with its stately Monroe Hall a short walk from downtown shops and cafes.

Delaware Water Gap

This tiny borough was one of America's most fashionable mountain resorts in the late 1800s, and its short Main Street still carries that grand-hotel air. The turreted Castle Inn stands as a reminder of those glory days, while the Deer Head Inn, one of the oldest continuously operating jazz clubs in the country, keeps the music playing year-round. Hikers walk right through town on the Appalachian Trail, which climbs to the views from Mount Minsi. Each September, the Celebration of the Arts jazz festival fills the streets, and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area wraps the town in forest and river.

Milford

Perched on a bluff above the Delaware River, Milford is small enough that Broad Street and Harford Street make up most of downtown, and both are lined with elegant 19th-century buildings. On Broad Street, the Columns Museum displays one of America's most remarkable artifacts, the flag used to cradle Abraham Lincoln's head after he was shot at Ford's Theatre. The landmark Hotel Fauchère anchors the town center, and Sango Kura pours sake brewed on site, billed as Pennsylvania's first sake brewery. On the hill above town, Grey Towers, the French chateau-style home of conservationist Gifford Pinchot, offers guided tours and sweeping gardens.

Hawley

Hawley's Main Avenue curves through a valley where the Lackawaxen River and Middle Creek meet, and its brick storefronts and old churches give it a classic small-town look. The town's showpiece is the Hawley Silk Mill, a massive building of local bluestone that now holds shops, a cafe, and event space. Downtown, the historic Ritz Theater is home to a community playhouse, and Bingham Park offers a shady riverside stop. Just a few minutes away, Lake Wallenpaupack draws summer crowds for boating and swimming, making Hawley an easy place to mix a main street stroll with a day on the water.

Honesdale

Honesdale's Main Street is a parade of color, with painted brick storefronts in reds, blues, and golds stretching beneath the rocky face of Irving Cliff. The Wayne County seat grew up as the starting point of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, and its downtown reflects that busy past. The Wayne County Historical Society Museum on Main Street displays a full-scale replica of the Stourbridge Lion, which became the first steam locomotive to run on commercial tracks in the United States here in 1829. Nearby, Central Park anchors the stately courthouse square, and the town's Victorian-era buildings make it one of the prettiest places in the region to wander.

Main Streets With A Past

The Poconos' main streets are living records of the industries that built them, including Jim Thorpe's coal fortunes, Palmerton's zinc, and Honesdale's canal. Each one pairs historic architecture with something worth stopping for, whether it's live jazz in Delaware Water Gap, a museum treasure in Milford, or a riverside trail in White Haven. Park the car, slow down, and let these streetscapes show you the region's past one storefront at a time.