View of the historic town of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

12 The Poconos Small Towns With Unmatched Friendliness

There's a particular kind of welcome you find in the Poconos. A shopkeeper remembers your name by the second visit. A stranger at the county fair waves you over to share a picnic table. Northeastern Pennsylvania's mountain towns grew up around canals and coal and railroads, and that everyone-pitches-in spirit still shows up today. Grab a jacket for the cool mountain evenings and get ready to feel like a regular from day one.

Where to settle down in the mountainsThe Most Welcoming Towns To Retire In The Poconos

Jim Thorpe

Set in a narrow valley along the Lehigh River, Jim Thorpe is called "Switzerland of America" for its sheer mountain drama. Its friendliness runs through generations of coal-town neighborliness. Wander the Asa Packer Mansion, a Gilded Age estate turned museum, before catching a ride on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway for river views from the rails. The Mauch Chunk Opera House hosts touring musicians in a beautifully restored 19th-century hall, and hikers can climb the Flagstaff Mountain trail for a sky high overlook of the whole town. Every October, the Fall Foliage Festival takes over Race Street with craft vendors, live music, and porch concerts that turn the entire downtown into one long block party.

Honesdale

Known proudly as the "Birthplace of the American Railroad," Honesdale traces its fame to August 8, 1829, when the British-built Stourbridge Lion made its first run along the Delaware and Hudson Canal. That heritage lives on at the Wayne County Historical Society Museum, home to a full-scale locomotive replica. Climb the Irving Cliff Overlook for panoramic valley views, or spend an afternoon browsing the shops and galleries along Main Street. Community spirit peaks each summer at the Roots & Rhythm Festival, and the Wayne County Fair draws the whole region every August for livestock shows, rides, and fried everything.

Hawley

Hawley shares its small borough with one of the Poconos' best-loved lakes, Wallenpaupack, and the town's pace matches the water's calm. The Hawley Silk Mill, a 19th-century bluestone building once used for silk manufacturing, now houses galleries, shops, and cafés where regulars are greeted by name. Rent a boat or take a scenic cruise on the lake, stroll the shaded paths of Bingham Park, or browse the historic district's boutiques and antiques. Every fall, the Hawley Harvest Hoedown fills the streets with live music, local crafts, and enough cheer to make any visitor feel like they've lived there for years.

Milford

Milford wears its Pike County seat status with understated elegance. Think bookshop windows, porch flags, and a spate of waterfalls right at the edge of town. Tour the Grey Towers National Historic Site, the former estate of U.S. Forest Service founder and conservationist father Gifford Pinchot. Raymondskill Falls, the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania, is just a short drive away. The Columns Museum holds the blood-stained "Lincoln flag" from Ford's Theatre, a must-see for Civil War buffs. Each June, the Milford Music Festival takes over sidewalks and storefronts with bluegrass, jazz, and indie acts, along with street vendors and a classic car show.

Stroudsburg

As the largest downtown in the Pocono Mountains region, Stroudsburg balances small-town warmth with real walkable-city energy. The century-old Sherman Theater anchors a Main Street lined with galleries, boutiques, and international restaurants, while the Stroud Mansion and 1890 Monroe County Courthouse showcase the town's 18th-century roots. Costumed interpreters bring daily colonial life to the Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm just outside town. Every September, StroudFest shuts down Main Street for a community-wide celebration of food, music, and local vendors. It is proof the town knows how to throw a party for its own and visitors alike.

The range that started it allThe Pocono Mountains

Delaware Water Gap

One of the smallest boroughs on this list, Delaware Water Gap has a sense of community that runs deep. The Deer Head Inn is the oldest continuously running jazz club in the country and a genuine local institution. The Appalachian Trail runs directly through town, making it an official Appalachian Trail Community, and the Point of Gap Overlook offers one of the best mountain-and-river views in the region. Each Labor Day weekend, the Celebration of the Arts (COTA) Jazz and Arts Festival brings musicians and neighbors together for a weekend that feels more like a family reunion than a concert series.

White Haven

Set along the Lehigh River and surrounded by state parkland and rafting outfitters, White Haven's real draw is how it treats a visitor like a longtime friend. Lehigh Gorge State Park offers whitewater rafting through the Rockport Access, while Hickory Run State Park nearby is famous for its 400-foot-wide Boulder Field, a National Natural Landmark. The White Haven Market doubles as an informal town square where locals swap news over coffee. The signature event is Jam Below the Dam, a beloved two-day summer street festival on Main Street with live bands, food trucks, and eating contests that draw the whole borough together.

Lehighton

Carbon County's most populous borough, Lehighton sits along the Lehigh River, and its Main Street businesses have a reputation for treating out-of-towners like family. Beltzville State Park, just east of town, offers a 949-acre lake for summer swimming and boating, while the D&L National Heritage Trail follows the historic canal corridor for scenic biking and walking. The Mahoning Drive-In Theater, one of the last drive-ins in the state screening classic film prints, draws crowds from well beyond town limits. Every September, the Weisstock Festival brings live music and local vendors to the community for a weekend that is unmistakably homegrown.

Palmerton

Founded in 1912 around a zinc-smelting operation, Palmerton is a tidy borough at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Walk with history and hike down a stretch of the Appalachian Trail right from town or hit the slopes at Blue Mountain Resort, one of the best ski destinations in eastern Pennsylvania. The Palmerton Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018, preserves the town's planned-community layout and early-20th-century character. The Palmerton Community Festival each September is the social event of the year, drawing neighbors and visitors alike for food, music, and small-town camaraderie. An Oktoberfest in the Poconos celebration follows later that month to usher in the fall foliage.

Bangor

Settled around 1760 and shaped by generations of Welsh slate quarriers, Bangor sits in the Slate Belt region of Northampton County. Stone walls uphold the town's roots, while the Slate Belt Heritage Center tells the story of the immigrant families who built the local industry. Bangor Memorial Park stays busy with youth sports leagues and walkers year-round, and hikers can visit the "Big Rock" formation just outside town. Come summer, the Bangor Park Concert Series brings neighbors together under the pavilion lights for music, lemonade, and lawn chairs. It is the kind of low-key gathering where everybody is welcome to become a part of the community.

Tannersville

An unincorporated village within Pocono Township, Tannersville punches well above its size as a recreation hub. Camelback Mountain Resort offers year-round adventures, from skiing and snowboarding to the Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, one of the largest indoor waterparks in Pennsylvania. Shoppers can browse the Pocono Premium Outlets, while nature lovers can visit the Tannersville Cranberry Bog, the southernmost boreal bog in the eastern United States. Locally owned spots like The Frogtown Chophouse and The Pocono Cheesecake Factory provide tasty local treats.

Mount Pocono

Sitting at one of the highest elevations in the region, Mount Pocono serves as a commercial hub for the northern Poconos. The Women Veterans Museum on Fairview Avenue honors the stories of servicewomen through uniforms and letters, while Tobyhanna State Park nearby draws neighbors with fishing poles and picnic coolers on any decent-weather weekend. Local diners like Fork Street Bistro double as informal community gathering spots. Every August, Mount Pocono Community Days brings the whole borough together with food, music, and familiar faces. It is a fitting capstone for a town that treats every visitor like one of its own.

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