Pocono Mountains
Autumn Pocono Daydreams
Fall in the Poconos is a dream of relaxation and seeing mountains, lakes, forests painted in vibrant hues, resorts, festivals, tours, restaurants, cabins, cottages and house hunting
BY HENRY CRYSTAL
My favorite time of year to visit the Poconos is the fall. The crisp air and colorful foliage comes sooner than it does here in Bucks County. Just the thought of waking up in a cabin overlooking a lake surrounded by trees showing off their bright apparel while I’m wearing a warm flannel shirt, drinking a cup of hot coffee and peering out the window makes me long to actually be in this daydream.
Now in this daydream, I wait for my wife to wake up and when she does, I make a stack of pancakes and a pan full of scrambled eggs and we enjoy the view from the kitchen window as we eat and plan our day. If we are lucky a few deer will in sight, foraging in the nearby forest.
If this is the first day of our visit, I would want to take a road trip. The scenic beauty of a drive through and around the Pocono Mountains, snugly encased by our automobile, is stun-
ning. We like to visit Big Pocono State Park. Every time we take that drive we see deer. If we get out of the car, we may even see other creatures. Once I saw a very tired looking coyote. Maybe we will get out of the car and walk a little on the trails. By the time we finish driving around the park area, we normally drive to the summit of Camelback Mountain. From the top we see the ziplines and can view three states. Over the side below the ziplines is the Camelback Resort. For hikers, the park features 8.5 miles of trails, some of which include steep grades.
There are so many things to do while enjoying the foliage. The Pocono Mountains Website (www.poconomountains.com) lists 25 ways to enjoy this magnificent display of colors. A few that really appeal to me are taking a train tour of the foliage on the Pocono Express (www.thestourbridgeline.net). Or taking walking tours in Pocono towns like Jim Thorpe and Milford or maybe walking the trails at Bushkill Falls (www.visitbushkillfalls.com).
There are also hayrides, ziplines, vineyard tours, and you can also enjoy fall’s splendor by skydiving, kayaking, fishing and sailing at one of the Pocono Mountain’s 150 lakes. Then, of course, there is bike riding and golfing.
Although single day visits to the Poconos are always fun, staying there a while is better. It is good to experience the relaxation of staying in a cabin. And there are so many opportunities to get excellent rentals.
The Poconos are a great place to have a second home—one that begins as a getaway for family and friends and may become permanent after retiring. Many fall visitors to the Poconos are in-
terested in buying a vacation home, retirement home or plan on moving to this vibrant region. The Poconos offers many kinds of cabins, lakefront properties, townhomes, resort properties and small town living. And vacation homes are the best way to insure great vacations and weekends throughout the year.
Large resorts like Camelback, Great Wolf Lodge, Skytop Lodge, Mount Airy Casino Resort and others draw vacationers and weekenders all year long. The indoor waterparks, golf courses, adventure parks and gaming are available for fun and entertainment, and the Poconos have a plethora of restaurants that offer both casual and fine dining. Bed & breakfasts are plentiful and so are honeymoon hotels with romantic packages that include everything from a setting for the proposal to getaways for couples wanting to add spice to their marriages. Family fun can be enhanced by camping in the many campgrounds and state parks.
What is great about the Poconos in the fall is how close they are. There is no need to make a reservation on an airline or spend the first day there with travel fatigue. The area is large. Maps on www.pocono.com show an area that begins just north of the Lehigh Valley and ends being adjacent to New York State. It is one of the skiing capitals of the East Coast and it is nearby. It is a land of mountains and lakes, forests and streams, resorts and restaurants, hotels and cabins. No wonder I daydream about going there, especially during the autumn.v
Henry Crystal is a freelance writer who lives in Bensalem, PA.
Our late 1800’s Victorian bed and breakfast has all the charm and serenity that you can hope to find while visiting Historic Jim Thorpe. 732 North Street • Jim Thrope, PA 570-732-9927 • thebellavictoriabandb.com
