Home > Entertainment And Recreation > Travel And Leisure

A Visitor's Guide to the Poconos Mountains

by Elizabeth Morgan

Just off Pennsylvania and an hour and a half away from New York, encapsulated here are 2,400 miles of a perfect marriage between rich history and breathtaking scenery. No wonder World War II soldiers chose to rest there before leaving for battle.

The Pocono Mountains are not only a vacation spot -- for some it's actually a place to call home since several people bought property there so they can enjoy all that the Poconos has to offer, year-round. The Poconos attraction began with a lone boarding house hotel built in 1829 in the Delaware Water Gap area.

Fast forward to 1857 and the hotel has revolutionized into a burgeoning resort industry. As the story goes, vacationers from neighboring Philadelphia and New York chose the resort as an escape from the humid summer weather in 1900. In 1927, the Monroe County Publicity Bureau advertised the Pocono Mountains as "Pennsylvania's Playground".

Now each year, thousands upon thousands of people flock to the Poconos to relax and vacation. Over 200,000 of them are honeymooners to the place that was once dubbed "The Honeymoon Capital of the World." Visitors can either stay in a time-share house, which consists of mountain or lakefront properties or at one of the popular hotels or resorts. Some hotels are priced as high as $300 and over per night, depending on how many people per room and how long you plan to stay.

Once you've gotten a place to stay, indulge in a few activities, including rafting, golfing, skiing, sailing and biking; the list is endless. And if you prefer the laid-back version of the Poconos, firing up the backyard grill for some quality time with the family, can also be therapeutic.

More articles >>