9 Prettiest Small Towns In The Poconos

The prettiest corners of the Pocono Mountains sit in towns barely a few streets wide. Jim Thorpe stacks ornate Victorian mansions up steep hillsides above the Lehigh River. Hawley wakes up to boats drifting across Lake Wallenpaupack and its 52 miles of shoreline. Milford lines its walkable downtown with grand 19th-century storefronts and a landmark riverside hotel. Delaware Water Gap frames the river through a dramatic notch that once drew Theodore Roosevelt for the summer. These nine mountain towns make a weekend feel like a proper escape.

Jim Thorpe

Locals call Jim Thorpe the "Little Switzerland of America," and the restored Victorian storefronts climbing its steep streets earn the name. The southern Pocono setting puts the mountains right behind the rooftops. Walk the narrow lanes of preserved brick-and-stone buildings, then tour the Asa Packer Mansion Museum, with its red roof, red trim, and terraced grounds. Just outside town, Lehigh Gorge State Park and the Lehigh River add hiking and whitewater rafting to a weekend.

Honesdale

Honesdale sits in Wayne County at the northern edge of the Pocono region and calls itself the "Birthplace of the American Railroad." In 1829, the Stourbridge Lion ran here as the first steam locomotive on US commercial tracks. That heritage still moves today on the Stourbridge Line, a passenger excursion that rolls through the mountains and, in fall, past hillsides of turning foliage.

The 31-mile Lackawaxen River runs through town, adding water views to its 19th-century architecture. Browse local shops and restaurants such as Dyberry Mercantile and Scarfalloto's Towne House Diner. You can also paddle, fish, and hike along the riverbank.

Hawley

Also in Wayne County, Hawley sits at the northern tip of Lake Wallenpaupack, one of Pennsylvania's largest reservoirs. Its 52 miles of shoreline draw boaters, paddleboarders, and jet skiers through the summer months.

The town backs that up with a strong dining scene, led by its farm-to-table kitchens. Stop by the Settlers Inn for locally sourced plates like fresh salmon or corned beef hash. Down in the walkable center, Joe & Lorenzo's Restaurant plates Italian dishes, and the Lake Wally Cafe handles a pancake breakfast.

Stroudsburg

Stroudsburg sits near the meeting of Pocono, Brodhead, and McMichael creeks. Trees and slate sidewalks line its walkable downtown, along with locally owned shops, restaurants, and arts venues. Browse regional work at the Gallery at 530 Main, or catch a national touring act at the Sherman Theater. At Monroe County Courthouse Square, a 19th-century sandstone courthouse faces a green ringed by historic red-brick buildings.

Milford

Milford is a riverside borough of about 1,100 residents, with a downtown district full of distinctive Victorian buildings. See historic sites like the Hotel Fauchère, a 19th-century hotel now known for locally sourced dining. Less than two miles away, the Grey Towers National Historic Site reflects the town's deep ties to American conservation as the family home of Gifford Pinchot.

Beyond downtown, Milford sits at the northern end of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The park protects about 67,000 acres of river valley and offers 100 miles of trails, including 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Delaware Water Gap

Sharing a name with the recreation area beside it, the town of Delaware Water Gap makes a strong base for outdoor trips. French settler Antoine Dutot founded it in 1793, and it grew into a busy vacation hub through the 19th century. Guests of that resort era included Theodore Roosevelt and dancer Fred Astaire. You can trace more of that history at the Antoine Dutot Museum & Gallery.

At the southern end of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, the town is ringed by peaks, river views, and hiking routes for every skill level. Climb Mount Minsi for a long view over the gap, or paddle the Delaware River on a guided tour.

Gouldsboro

The village of Gouldsboro holds roughly 700 residents among a scatter of lakes and ponds. It went by Sand Cut until 1892, when it took the name of Jay Gould, who built a tannery here before becoming one of the Gilded Age's most notorious financiers. The restored Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad station still stands in the village and now houses a local history museum. That line carried freight between Hoboken and Buffalo until 1950.

Directly south of town, Gouldsboro Lake anchors Gouldsboro State Park. The 250-acre reservoir is the park's centerpiece, with sandy swimming beaches and designated boating areas. Across more than 2,800 acres, forests, wetlands, and bog habitats support rare plants and wildlife, and the lake edges make good ground for birding.

Tobyhanna

Tobyhanna sits less than a 15-minute drive from Gouldsboro. From roughly 1900 to 1936, the lakes around town fed a thriving ice-harvesting industry. The restored 1908 Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad station preserves that history and now serves as a museum run by the Pocono Rail Historical Society.

Nearby Tobyhanna State Park spans more than 5,000 acres and keeps the town busy year-round. In summer, visitors paddle and swim across the 170-acre lake or fish for stocked trout from the ADA-accessible pier. In winter, the park opens a designated skating area when conditions allow, plus trails for skiing and snowmobiling through beech, maple, and birch.

Lake Harmony

Lake Harmony is a resort town in Carbon County built around a glacial lake that formed about 22,000 years ago. Clear water and low green hills frame the shore. With permitted or lodging-based access, visitors kayak and paddleboard in warm months, then head to Jack Frost Big Boulder for skiing once the snow arrives. The Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area is a ten-minute drive away, with 130 acres of hiking along Tobyhanna Creek and a waterfall reached by an easy half-mile walk.

Small Towns, Big Views

The railroad made these mountains a destination, and the towns still carry that era in their architecture and their rails. Honesdale runs the Stourbridge Line past its 19th-century Main Street, and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western stations at Gouldsboro and Tobyhanna now hold local history museums. Jim Thorpe keeps its Victorian streets stacked above the Lehigh, while Delaware Water Gap preserves the riverside resort core that once hosted Roosevelt and Astaire. A weekend across any few of them rewards a slow pace.