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| Poconos Attractions Carbon
County Asa Packer Mansion
Museum Jim Thorpe Lehigh Gorge State
Park No. 9 Mine &
Museum Big Pocono State
Park Delaware Water Gap
National Recreation Area Monroe County Historical
Association Pocono International
Raceway Stroudsburg Pike
County Bushkill Falls Grey Towers Lake Wallenpaupack Promised Land State
Park Upper Delaware Scenic
& Recreational River Wayne
County Claws 'N Paws Wild
Animal Park Dorflinger Glass
Museum Lake Wallenpaupack Stourbridge Line
Rail Excursions Wayne County Historical
Society | ||
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Asa
Packer, a philanthropist and railroad magnate, moved into his Italianate-style
mansion on Oct. 16, 1861. The mansion, designed by architect Samuel Sloan,
featured 18 rooms and 11,000 square feet of living space. It remains virtually
intact from its days as the Packer family residence, complete with a “Gone
With the Wind” crystal chandelier, hand-carved furniture, and golf
leaf walls. This National Historic Landmark is located at 30 Elk St. in
Jim Thorpe. One-hour tours of the mansion are available on the weekends
from April through November. Call the Asa Packer Mansion Museum at (570)
325-3229 for information about its tour times and fees, and to make a
reservations (three weeks prior to your date of visit is recommended).
Jim
Thorpe, a gorgeous Victorian town, once housed the first railroad in the
United States and many wealthy railroad tycoons. Asa Packer, founder of
Lehigh University and the Lehigh Valley Railroad, is one such magnate
whose residence is open to the public. Jim Thorpe, formerly known as Mauch
Chunk, renamed itself to honor the Native American Olympic gold medalist
of the same name. The athlete, forced to surrender his medals after it
was discovered that he played one year of professional baseball, is buried
in a 20-ton mausoleum within the town even though he had no ties to it
during his lifetime. The town of Jim Thorpe attracts outdoor enthusiasts
of all kinds – Cycling Magazine voted it one of the top three biking
destinations in the United States. Vacationers should spend at least a
day, if not their whole vacation, in this beautiful Carbon County town.
Lehigh
Gorge State Park consists of 4,548 acres of park lands surrounding the
Lehigh River – considered one of the most scenic in America and
an excellent venue for whitewater rafting. Lehigh Gorge Trail, a 25-mile
abandoned railroad grade alongside the river, is ideal for hiking, mountain
biking, sightseeing, and photography. The park’s northern access
area is in White Haven at exit 273 off of Interstate 80. The central access
area is located in Rockport, accessible from Jim Thorpe via U.S. Route
209 South. The southern access area is located in Glen Onoko at exit 74
off of the northeast extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. 
The
No. 9 Mine opened in 1855 and retained the title of the world’s
oldest operating deep anthracite mine until it closed in 1972. Today,
guests can ride by rail directly into the original mine on a guided tour.
The tour stops and allows visitors to walk about three football fields
through the mine before whisking them out by rail. The museum houses mining
equipment and artifacts. The No. 9 Mine & Museum is located off of
U.S. Route 209 in Lansford. Call the No. 9 Mine & Museum at (570)
645-7074 for information about its hours, admission fees, and tour schedule.
The
Molly Maguires, a group of 19th-century Irish immigrant coal miners, made
significant efforts to improve their working conditions and their hard
work is widely considered the beginning of organized labor unions in the
United States. Four of the Molly Maguires – John Campbell, John
Donahue, Michael Doyle, and Edward Doyle – went to jail for the
murder of two coal mine bosses. There is much speculation about their
actual guilt; many people believe that the establishment framed the men
for causing unrest among the mining community. Despite their protestations
of innocence, all four men were sentenced to death. Campbell placed a
handprint on his cell wall as a symbol of his innocence before his execution,
and it remains indelible in Cell 17 despite washings and repainting. The
Old Jail Museum & Heritage Center, located at 128 W. Broadway in Jim
Thorpe, receives visitors from around the world who are interested in
the Molly Maguires’ story. 
The
highlight of a trip to Big Pocono State Park is a drive to the summit
of Camelback Mountain. A road measuring a little more than a mile encircles
the mountaintop, giving visitors a view of eastern Pennsylvania and portions
of New Jersey and New York from every possible direction. The 1,306-acre
park also features horseback riding, picnic spots, and seven miles of
interconnected hiking trails of varying difficulty. Big Pocono is open
from 8 a.m. to sunset daily. The park entrance is located in Tannersville,
which is accessible via Route 715 and Interstate 80. Call (570) 894-8336
for additional park information. 
The
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which includes 70,000 acres
of land and almost 40 miles of the middle Delaware River, lies in Monroe
and Pike counties. Popular activities include hiking, swimming, canoeing,
picnicking, biking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. Even a
simple drive through the area provides views of waterfalls and rural scenery.
The Bushkill Visitor Center is located off of Route 209. Call the Bushkill
Visitors Center at (570) 588-7044 or park headquarters at (570) 588-2451
for information about the recreation area’s hours and various fees.
The
Monroe County Historical Association offers tours of several Stroudsburg
historical buildings. The restored Stroud Mansion Museum, built in 1795,
contains numerous fascinating rooms including an antique toy room and
a Colonial kitchen. The Bell School, a one-room schoolhouse from the 1870s,
contains artifacts that tell the story of early Monroe County schools.
The association also offers tours of the Driebe Freight Station, a restored
1882 freight station of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad.
The freight station contains a working train display, industrial railroad
exhibits, a general store, and a 1923 Chestnut Ridge Railroad caboose.
The Monroe County Historical Association is located at 900 Main St. Call
the association at (570) 421-7703 for information about its tour schedules
and fees. 
The
Pocono International Raceway is one of NASCAR’s most competitive
speedways. It is home to the Pocono 500 and the Pennsylvania 500. Its
2.5-mile track has three turns, each with a unique degree of banking.
It is a favorite among race fans for its outstanding raceway and prime
location in the Pocono Mountain vacation region. Pocono International
Raceway is located in Long Pond. Call the raceway at (800) RACEWAY (722-3929)
to order tickets to any of its events. 
Stroudsburg,
the county seat of Monroe, is often called the Gateway to the Poconos.
It is a delightful old-fashioned community with a Main Street lined with
art galleries, restaurants, churches, and shops. It also contains a number
of historical buildings open for tour. East Stroudsburg, adjacent to Stroudsburg,
offers fantastic shopping and dining establishments. Dansbury Depot, a
former train station, is one popular restaurant in the area. Antiquing
is extremely popular in and around the Stroudsburg and East Stroudburg
areas. 
Bushkill
Falls, nicknamed the Niagara of Pennsylvania, is one of the most famous
scenic attractions in the state. Guests, young and old, enjoy walking
along the trails and bridges that encounter eight gorgeous waterfalls.
The Bridal Veil Falls and the 100-foot Main Falls garner the most interest.
Guests are advised to wear comfortable shoes while walking the trails,
which offer 15-minute to two-hour routes. Bushkill Falls is located in
Bushkill. Call Bushkill Falls at (888) 628-7454 for information about
its hours and admission fees. 
Gifford Pinchot,
the “Father of Conservation,” was America’s first forester
and the founder of the USDA Forest Service. His lifelong home was Grey
Towers, a gorgeous mansion that is currently owned and operated by the
USDA Forest Service. Grey Towers, located at 151 Towers Drive in Milford,
is used by the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, and for national and
international conferences regarding conservation issues. The downstairs
of the national landmark is restored to reflect the era in which Pinchot
lived, while the modern second-floor conference rooms complement the first
floor’s décor. Free tours of the mansion are conducted on
the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Memorial weekend through Nov. 10. A highlight
of the tour is the Fingerbowl – an outdoor pool surrounded by a
dining table that forced dinner guests to float dishes across to one another
by boat. 
Lake
Wallenpaupack, constructed in 1927, is a man-made lake used by Pennsylvania
Power and Light for hydroelectric power. The 5,700-acre lake is 13.5 miles
long and features 52 miles of shoreline, which translates into plenty
of recreational opportunities for tourists. The lake is known as one of
the best fishing spots in Pennsylvania; trophy-class brown trout, walleyes
up to 15 pounds, and large yellow perch are just a few available catches.
Other popular activities include camping, boating, scuba diving, and water
skiing. The lake’s six recreation areas offer walking trails, forests
teeming with wildlife, campsites, and boat slips. Lake Wallenpaupack is
located in Pike and Wayne counties. 
The
Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River spans many counties, including
Pike and Wayne counties in the Pocono Mountain region. It is the longest
free-flowing river in the Northeast, and runs 73.4 miles along the New
York-Pennsylvania border. The river features class-one and -two rapids
coupled with more placid stretches. Popular activities are fishing, boating,
floating, and wildlife viewing. The Delaware River Valley hosts the largest
population of wintering bald eagles in the Northeast, making this recreational
spot widely visited even in the off-season. The Roebling Bridge Information
Center, (570) 685-4871, is located in Lackawaxen at the corner of Scenic
Drive and the Roebling Bridge, and provides tourists with additional recreational
information. 
Claws
‘N Paws Wild Animal Park offers visitors an interactive wildlife
experience. Upon entering the park, guests are given a schedule of the
day’s animal shows and feedings. Many guests return to the park
repeatedly just to feed apple chunks to colorful lory parrots or give
Twiga the giraffe food from her special diet. Shows like “Wildlife
Encounters” and “Critters” teach guests interesting
facts about various animals, and allow a more personal view (and sometimes
feel) of selected species. The Claws ‘N Paws Animal Park is located
on Route 590, four miles east of Hamlin. Call the park at (570) 698-6154
for information about its hours and admission fees. 
Christian
Dorflinger, an internationally known French glassmaker, created some of
the most sought-after fine crystal and exquisite cut glass in the world.
Esteemed individuals such as presidents and kings own his work. The Dorflinger
Glass Museum, once a factory where Dorflinger produced some of his best
work, pays homage to the glass artisan’s life and creations. The
museum’s glass collection ranges from household items to presentation
pieces, and includes the largest single selection of Dorflinger’s
“Honesdale glass” in the world. The Dorflinger Glass Museum
is located in White Mills. It is part of the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildlife
Sanctuary. 
Wayne
County, specifically Honesdale, is known as the birthplace of the American
railroad. The Stourbridge Line, owned and operated by the Wayne County
Chamber, leaves from the very spot where the first locomotive chugged
along commercial tracks. The Stourbridge Line offers guests a number of
themed excursions, including an Easter bunny train ride and a country
music journey. One of the most popular rides is the Great Train Robbery,
which includes a heist performed by masked marauders. Admission fees and
ride lengths vary depending on the selected excursion. Call the Stourbridge
line at (800) 433-9008 for information about the train’s schedule
and varying admission fees. 
The
Wayne County Historical Society features a number of exhibits that highlight
the county’s railroad and Native American heritage. The highlight
of its “Movin’ Energy” exhibit is a replica of the Stourbridge
Lion, the first locomotive to run on the United States’ commercial
track. The society’s “Faces in Clay” exhibit explores
the Native Americans of the Upper Delaware Valley’s social customs,
lifestyle, and hunting and gathering techniques. The Wayne County Historical
Society is located at 810 Main St., in a historic 1860s railroading building.
Contact the society at (570) 253-3240 for information about its admission
fees and seasonal hours.