12 Stress-Free The Poconos Towns For A Weekend Retreat
When the week has wrung you out, the Pocono Mountains are ready to wring you back in. Small towns here trade traffic for trailheads and chain stores for Victorian main streets. Weekends move at the pace of a porch rocking chair, with lake paddles, mountain views, and river walks filling the hours. Jim Thorpe hides a mansion-lined valley, while Delaware Water Gap keeps a historic jazz club humming after dark. Each town pairs easy outdoor escapes with a comfortable place to stay. The hardest decision all weekend is whether to hike first or nap first.
Jim Thorpe
Set in a steep valley along the Lehigh River, Jim Thorpe looks like a Victorian postcard come to life. The town, once called Mauch Chunk, was a coal-era boomtown before it took the name of the famous Olympian. Tour the opulent Asa Packer Mansion, built for the railroad magnate who made the town rich, then catch a show at the historic Mauch Chunk Opera House. To trade storefronts for scenery, ride the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway through the forested Lehigh Gorge. End the day at the Inn at Jim Thorpe, a grand iron-balconied hotel right on Broadway.
Lehighton
Just down the river from Jim Thorpe, Lehighton offers the same mountain scenery with a fraction of the crowds. Pedal a stretch of the D&L Trail along the Lehigh River, or head to Beltzville State Park, where the 949-acre Beltzville Lake invites swimming, paddling, and lazy afternoons on a sandy beach. Back in town, browse the shops of the walkable downtown along Route 209. Couples can retreat to The Inn at Birch Wilds, an adults-only bed and breakfast whose main inn dates to 1735 and whose heated indoor pool can be reserved for private swims.
Lake Harmony
As its name promises, Lake Harmony is built for unwinding. This lakeside community in the western Poconos centers on its namesake lake, where mornings start with a quiet paddle and evenings end with a sunset through the pines. Nearby Hickory Run State Park holds the otherworldly Boulder Field, a vast plain of rocks left behind by Ice Age conditions, while the surrounding slopes draw skiers in winter. Split Rock Resort, right on the lake, makes an easy home base for the weekend.
Tannersville
Tannersville sits at the foot of Camelback Mountain, and the views from the top are the town's best stress reliever. Drive or hike up to the summit in Big Pocono State Park for wide panoramas over the Poconos. In winter, the slopes of Camelback Resort fill with skiers, and in any season, The Crossings Premium Outlets offer some retail therapy. Families can check into the Camelback Lodge, home to the Aquatopia indoor waterpark, while couples can enjoy the mountain views from a quiet room.
Stroudsburg
Stroudsburg is the Poconos' liveliest small town, but its pace never gets frantic. Stroll Main Street for independent shops, cafes, and the historic Sherman Theater, then step back in time at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm, where costumed interpreters bring 19th-century farm life to life. For a weekend that feels like a hideaway, book a room at the Stroudsmoor Country Inn, perched on a hilltop just outside downtown, or stay right in the action at The Penn Stroud on Main Street.
Delaware Water Gap
This tiny borough sits where the Delaware River slices through the Kittatinny Ridge, and the Appalachian Trail runs right through town. Lace up for the climb to Mount Minsi, or explore the riverside trails of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. After dark, the town's real treasure comes alive. The Deer Head Inn, billed as the oldest continuously running jazz club in the country, has hosted legends like Keith Jarrett and Phil Woods. Upstairs, its eight rooms and two suites let you fall asleep to the echo of the last set.
Shawnee On Delaware
Shawnee on Delaware is a riverside village that has been perfecting the art of the getaway for over a century. Its anchor is the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort, a grand hotel on the banks of the Delaware River with a historic golf course on its doorstep. Catch a performance at the Shawnee Playhouse, sample a pint at Shawnee Craft Brewing, or carve some turns at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area in winter. In summer, the river itself is the main attraction, ideal for a slow drift by canoe or tube.
Skytop
Skytop is less a town than an invitation to disappear. This hamlet grew up around Skytop Lodge, a Dutch Colonial Revival stone manor that opened in 1928 and still overlooks Skytop Lake. The property's 5,500 acres hold some 30 miles of hiking trails, hidden waterfalls, and a lake for boating and fishing, plus an 18-hole golf course designed to follow the natural lay of the land. When your legs give out, the lodge's spa offers treatments with mountain views.
Milford
Perched above the Delaware River, Milford mixes small-town calm with serious history. Tour Grey Towers National Historic Site, the French chateau-style home of Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the US Forest Service and a two-time Pennsylvania governor. Just outside town, Raymondskill Falls tumbles through the woods in a series of tiers, making for an easy, rewarding hike. Then browse the boutiques and galleries of Broad Street before settling in at the Hotel Fauchère, a beloved local landmark since the 1880s.
Lackawaxen
Where the Lackawaxen River meets the Delaware, this river hamlet delivers peace and quiet in spades. Walk across Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct, the oldest existing wire suspension bridge in the country, built by the engineer who later designed the Brooklyn Bridge. Next door, the Zane Grey Museum preserves the riverside home where the famed Western novelist began his writing career, and in January and February it opens on weekends for bald eagle watching. Stay at the 1870 Roebling Inn on the Delaware, a former canal company office with a lawn that slopes down to the river.
Hawley
Hawley is the gateway to Lake Wallenpaupack, one of the largest lakes in Pennsylvania and the Poconos' favorite summer playground. Spend a day boating, swimming, or picnicking on its shores, then wander Hawley's historic downtown. A short drive away in White Mills, the Dorflinger Glass Museum showcases the region's glittering cut-glass legacy. For an overnight stay, check into The Settlers Inn at Bingham Park, a Tudor-style inn set on six acres of gardens along the Lackawaxen River.
Honesdale
Honesdale has a claim to fame that train lovers will appreciate. In 1829, the Stourbridge Lion became the first steam locomotive to run on commercial tracks in the United States here. See a full-scale replica at the Wayne County Historical Society Museum, then ride the Stourbridge Line on a scenic excursion along the Lackawaxen River. Take in the view over town from Irving Cliff, or head to nearby Prompton State Park for a quiet hike. Rest up at the Hotel Wayne, a Main Street landmark since 1827.
Your Mountain Reset Button
The Poconos have been selling city dwellers on the idea of a mountain getaway for more than a century, and these small towns prove the pitch still works. Whether you are listening to live jazz in Delaware Water Gap, watching eagles in Lackawaxen, or doing absolutely nothing on a porch in Skytop, each one makes it easy to slow down. A weekend here leaves plenty of room for the mountains to do the rest.
