7 Overlooked Towns In The Poconos Worth Visiting

The Pocono Mountains is a region known for ski slopes, lakefront resorts, and year-round getaways. The area includes familiar destinations, but it also has several communities situated near notable locations such as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Lake Wallenpaupack, and Lehigh Gorge State Park. These places offer a rich history, outdoor access, local restaurants, and manageable downtown areas that easily fit into a travel plan. Visitors can build days around trail systems, museums, seasonal activities, shopping, or simple walks through town, making the Pocono region flexible for many kinds of itineraries.

Stroudsburg

Stroudsburg sits close to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, so travelers find trailheads and river access points within short driving distance of downtown. The Stroud Mansion, built in 1795, remains a well-known colonial-era building, although it is currently closed for restoration work. Visitors interested in nature can spend time at the Kettle Creek Environmental Education Center, which features wooded paths and wildlife displays that introduce visitors to the region’s habitats.

Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm adds context about rural life in the 1800s through preserved barns and scheduled demonstrations. Main Street holds the Sherman Theater, galleries, and murals that give the central district a steady arts presence. When it is time to eat, The Goat on Main offers a straightforward menu, and the Stroudsmoor Country Inn offers lodging with hillside views and quick access to the surrounding landscape.

East Stroudsburg

East Stroudsburg sits on the opposite side of Brodhead Creek and maintains a steady pace shaped in part by East Stroudsburg University. The campus supports public arts events through its galleries and theater department. Families often visit the Pocono Snake and Animal Farm, a small wildlife attraction known for close-up viewing areas and educational displays. The Frazetta Art Museum sits just outside town and presents original paintings, sketches, and memorabilia tied to Frank Frazetta’s legacy in fantasy art.

For outdoor time, the Levee Loop Trail circles about four and a half miles along Brodhead Creek. Nearby Dansbury Park maintains tennis courts, a pool, and a riverside walkway that links to parts of the broader trail network. Dinner can be found at Trackside Station Grill and Bar inside a converted train station. The Quality Inn nearby offers affordable lodging that suits travelers who require straightforward access to the two Stroudsburgs and the local road network.

Honesdale

Honesdale’s roots reach into early American transportation history. The Wayne County Historical Society Museum on Main Street displays a full-scale replica of the Stourbridge Lion. The building once housed the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, and the museum complex includes adjacent buildings, a glass gallery, and a research library that expands the historical material available to visitors.

Near town, the D and H Canal Basin Park keeps paved paths with signs that outline the region’s canal era. The Lackawaxen River supports fishing and paddling, and a short drive brings travelers to Promised Land State Park, a preserve on the Pocono Plateau that maintains lakes, campgrounds, and several multipurpose trails. Bistro 1202 provides a relaxed dining option, and the long-running Hotel Wayne offers rooms that place visitors in the center of downtown.

Hawley

Hawley sits at the northern edge of Lake Wallenpaupack and supplies access for lake recreation, along with a variety of shops and arts spaces. The Hawley Silk Mill stands as a major nineteenth-century industrial structure now repurposed for boutiques, cafés, and wellness studios. Regular weekend gatherings, such as craft workshops and Donut Saturdays, add steady activity to the site. Nearby, Cocoon Coffeehouse and Hopping Eagle Brewing Company stay active inside the same complex.

Main Avenue contains the Ritz Company Playhouse, which organizes stage productions and seasonal theater. Lake Wallenpaupack stretches about thirteen miles and supplies numerous access points where visitors can rent kayaks, pontoon boats, or fishing craft. Many travelers choose Woodloch Pines Resort for its consistent schedule of activities, including winter sports and spa services. Glass Wine Bar Kitchen sits above Paupack Falls and provides a meal with the sound of water nearby, which makes Hawley a workable setting for a lake-centered trip.

Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe pairs its mountain setting with preserved Victorian-era architecture that makes the town easy to explore on foot. The Asa Packer Mansion remains a known landmark and receives visitors who want a closer look at original furnishings and the life of the railroad magnate who lived there. The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway runs seasonal trips along the river and provides views of cliffs and wooded slopes inside parts of Lehigh Gorge State Park.

Outdoor travelers use the local access points for the D and L Trail for walking or cycling, and several outfitters operate whitewater rafting trips on nearby stretches of the Lehigh River. The Old Jail Museum attracts visitors with its preserved cells and the long-discussed handprint legend tied to the Molly Maguires. Downtown contains small shops, galleries, and cafés that work as breaks between activities. Broadway Grille supplies a central meal, and the Inn at Jim Thorpe offers lodging directly above the restaurant.

Lehighton

Lehighton sits along the Lehigh River and gives travelers a practical base on the southern side of the Poconos. Beltzville State Park remains a major draw with its large sand beach, fishing pier, and boat rental areas. Trails circle parts of Beltzville Lake, and quieter coves such as Pohopoco Creek Cove and Pine Run offer calmer spaces for paddlers and anglers looking for slower water.

In town, travelers can visit the Pocono Tavern, walk First Street to browse retailers, or join seasonal events held around the park area at the center of the borough. The D and L Trail passes nearby and connects walkers and cyclists to a long network of pathways that trace the old Delaware and Lehigh transportation corridor. Several outfitters provide rafting and kayaking access along the Lehigh River. After a day outdoors, many visitors end up at the Pocono Tavern for a relaxed meal. Lodging at the Hampton Inn Lehighton Jim Thorpe sits close to the area’s major routes.

Milford

Milford rests near the Delaware Water Gap and gives travelers a combination of architectural history, conservation sites, and nearby outdoor areas. Grey Towers National Historic Site, once the home of Gifford Pinchot, remains the best-known building in town. Tours run through the mansion and landscaped grounds, which include information about early conservation policy in the United States.

The Columns Museum preserves regional history and maintains artifacts such as the Lincoln Flag from Ford’s Theatre. Raymondskill Falls sits at the end of a short trail outside town. It is frequently described as one of the tallest waterfalls in Pennsylvania, although measurements vary between sources, so writers often frame it as among the highest falls in the state. Milford Beach supplies access to the Delaware River with places for paddling and picnicking. The center of town stays walkable and includes galleries, shops, and restaurants. Café Wren provides farm-to-table meals, and the Myer Country Motel offers long-standing lodging in cottage-style rooms.

A Wider Look at the Region

Travelers who want alternatives to the region’s busiest resort areas find plenty of choices in these small towns. The Poconos hold landscapes shaped by rivers, lakes, and foothills, and each community grants access to its own combination of history, trails, lodging, and public programs. Visitors can build a full itinerary without long drives because many of these places sit close to state parks, museums, and outdoor access points.

This combination gives travelers several ways to organize a day trip or a multi-day stay. A short walk through a main street district might follow a morning on a trail or a quiet afternoon at a museum. Small communities throughout the region provide lodging, dining, and short routes to the nearby conservation lands that define much of the Pocono experience.