As you start planning your fall getaway or Poconos summer vacation, there are a lot of little details that will keep you busy and potentially overwhelmed, but we at Pocono Mountain Rentals want to give you a little help. Go ahead and arrange for the time off, book the flights, and of course, reserve your Pocono Mountain Rentals vacation escape, and we will help you plan all the fun you can have while you are here! There is so much to see and do, we understand that you may feel overwhelmed when you try to narrow down your choices as to what you would like to do, but that is perfectly ok. We love our little region in paradise, and we are excited to work out a guide that will make your summer or fall explorations of the Poconos a vacation you will remember forever!

It All Begins at Home

Our Pocono Mountain Rentals homes are where magic will happen and memories will be made. Every property we offer is different from the others, but all welcome you and invite you inside to experience a comfort and style that has become the signature of Pocono Mountain Rentals. Long gone are the days when travelers crammed their entire families into small and sterile rooms, being forced to share a bathroom and dine out for every meal, and our properties are the perfect example as to why no one wants to go back to the dark ages.

Every inch of every space is designed to be an integral part of your vacation, offering roomy kitchens where guests can prepare a meal or simply whip together your favorite tropical beverage to enjoy on the deck overlooking the beauty of the Pennsylvania landscape. Gather round the dining tables to enjoy a family feast, play a board game on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, or to spend some downtime sipping coffee before heading out to play. In the living rooms we haven’t forgotten that the chief purpose of any vacation is to relax and recharge before heading back to real life, and the furnishings we choose are plush, comfortable, and yes, we will say it, nap worthy! Conveniently located opposite state-of-the-art televisions, while we can’t say for sure that these rooms are the most popular ones, we definitely know that they are in the running. Game rooms can be found in most if not all of our properties, allowing play time without leaving the home, and on the decks, you will often find more comfortable seating, places to dine, and if you explore a little further, you may just find a hot tub merrily away tucked away in a corner under the deck.

At the end of every day, whether you choose to get out and experience some of the adventures in this guide or just decide to stay in and enjoy the amenities found in your Pocono Mountain Rentals home away from home, sliding between the covers of our super soft beds will give you the greatest luxury that we offer; a restful, peaceful, and uninterrupted night’s sleep.

people in red kayaks on a river

Summer Fun Seekers in the Poconos

When you do manage to drag yourself away from the comforts of your vacation escape, these fun activities are guaranteed to make this Poconos summer vacation one you never want to end. Explore the history of the region (and stay cool in air-conditioned spaces) by visiting museums that keep the past alive. From the Pocono Indian Museum in East Stroudsburg, where every adult ticket purchased earns a child a free arrowhead, to the Number 9 Coal Mine and Museum which offers a peek into the work history of Pennsylvanians, to the Stroud Museum (which brings us back to Stroudsburg), the past comes alive when you choose to visit these or any of the other museums that can be found in the Poconos. For those who prefer a little more power and excitement while traveling, the Pocono Raceway vibrates with power as the Nascar races zoom around the track! Located on Long Pond Road in the town of Long Pond, operating at 100% capacity after being closed during the pandemic, the magic is back, and we in Pennsylvania are extremely excited to be back in the bleachers once again.

Although summers rarely get really hot in comparison to other states in our nation, the humidity can be enough to send visitors straight to the water for long days of fun under the summer sun. Stay on top of the cool waters with a whitewater rafting trip through Pocono Whitewater Rafting in Jim Thorpe, and do not worry; this adventure may sound intimidating, but it is safe for the entire family, as long as everyone is 4 or over! Allowing for some swimming time as you ride the rapids and having your picture taken at one of the more frothy looking turns is a wonderful way to cool off in the summer, and the picture of you and your family taking part in such a wonderful adventure is guaranteed to be the envy of all your friends back home. There are many ways to spend some time on the water during your stay, of course, including jet skiing on Lake Harmony (Lake Harmony Watersports rents out the equipment), or if you prefer more low-speed adventures, stand up paddleboarding and kayaking are both truly excellent ways to stay cool while exploring the beauty of nature!

Lake Harmony is a popular kayaking, SUP, and canoeing spot for visitors and residents, and as we offer a lot of homes on or near the lake, it is easily accessible, and you won’t have to spend much time in transit! As a matter of fact, renting one of our lakeside escapes is yet another way to make your vacation extra special, as you spend your summer vacation waking up to dawn breaking over the lake, filling the sky with an explosion of color and your heart with a sense of peace not often found in “real life!” The laidback lifestyle that accompanies a lake vacation will give you and your family the rest and relaxation needed after a long year of hard work!

person walking on a tree

The Awesomeness of Autumn in the Poconos

If you have managed to visit the Poconos in the summer and are returning for a fall getaway, or even if this is your first visit, the brilliance of a fall day in Pennsylvania is guaranteed to awe! The crisp, clean air, the smell of the first fires in fireplaces, and the brilliance of trees decked out in their autumn finest will have you falling love at first sight. Start your day with a fresh cup of coffee you have brewed yourself while sitting out on the deck, watching the landscape come to life, and then slip into your most comfortable hiking clothes and prepare for a day filled with beauty and exercise.

Stick close to your Poconos in the fall escape and discover the magic of exploring a place that has been unchanged for 20,000 years with a visit to Hickory Run State Park & Boulder Field. What is so interesting about a field of boulders, you ask? The history behind this particular field tells us that it was formed in the process of a glacier that first receded then melted away, leaving little to no vegetation in an approximately 1800 by 400 foot stretch of land. There are plenty of trails in the valley that will offer the opportunity to get some exercise, breathe in the fresh air, and of course, check out the changes that take place in this part of the country during the fall. When interested in the latter activities, the best trails to take include the McDade Recreational Trail in Bushkill, Irving Cliff in Honesdale, and the Wallenpaupack Lake trail in Hawley. Each of these trails offer something different, something unique, leading to an experience you will remember forever! Another trail we love, the Lehigh Gorge Trail, is one of the most popular in the region, offering breathtaking views and the opportunity to take your pet along for the fun if you brought him with you on this trip! Many of our Pocono Mountain Rentals vacation escapes are also pet friendly, allowing you to have the fall getaway of your dreams with the ENTIRE family!

If you are interested in exploring the area, however, and just aren’t into hiking, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway offers daily train rides in renovated railway cars that date back to the 1930s in some cases and yes, they allow dogs to ride for free as well. Lasting approximately 70 minutes, the trains take guests through the Pennsylvania countryside, allowing riders to see much of what you would see hiking, but without any strenuous effort!

inside of a diner

A Taste of the Town

As you hike, swim, watch Nascar, or ride the train through Lehigh Gorge, the one thing that will never change, no matter the season, is the appetite being out in all this fresh air will build. While you could fix every meal in our fully equipped kitchens, we can’t help but think you should get out every so often and taste the good old-fashioned comfort food found throughout the Poconos in the fall! Start out your days with sweet and yummy pancakes from Compton’s Pancake House in Stroudsburg or drop by the Chat n’ Chew in Blakeslee for a hearty country breakfast consisting of eggs and fried chicken breast served on a giant biscuit and smothered in creamy sausage gravy. Your mid-day breaks CAN be nothing more exciting than a quiet picnic by the lake—or you can fuel up for the afternoon hike with a hearty lunch from Jubilee Restaurant in Pocono Pines. Pre-Covid, they also offered live entertainment, but as of yet we haven’t heard anything about the live entertainment returning—not that you will mind, because once you sink your teeth into one of their juicy and delicious burgers, you really won’t be able to think about anything else!

Dinners in the Poconos can be hearty comfort food that stick to your ribs or a romantic venture into a culinary wonderland! Damenti’s Restaurant in West Hazelton is one that we visit frequently when celebrating special occasions, offering an extensive menu that pretty much covers all your dietary desires. Featuring everything from steak to seafood to chicken and pasta dishes, this special restaurant is decorated with copper pieces created by the owner himself! Even though this guide is to summer and fall events, we just can’t leave without mentioning the Ice Bar Damenti’s offers every winter. This outdoor event features some of the most incredible ice sculptures, making it worth planning a winter adventure in the Poconos!

These are just a few of the restaurants you will find during your Pennsylvania travels, but the list continues on and on, including some honorable mentions that we are going to tell you about right now! The Frogtown Chophouse in Cresco, Berrelli’s Italian Chophouse in Tannersville, and Triplet’s Family Diner in Stroudsburg all put their own spin on the comfort foods we all crave.

exterior of a rental

Choose Pocono Mountain Rentals

The best decision you will make this year is choosing Pocono Mountain Rentals for your vacation accommodations, and as you explore the Pennsylvania countryside each day, shopping at cute country stores like the world’s largest general store, Country Junction in Lehighton, devour comfort food at the Hickory Valley Farm Restaurant in Swiftwater, or learn about the life of the pioneers who settled in this region hundreds of years ago at the Quiet Valley Living History Farm in Stroudsburg, one thing will be plain to see: Coming home to the comforts of our Pocono Mountain Rentals country escapes promises to be the best part of every day of your summer or fall adventure in the Poconos! Reserve your stay today and fall in love with the towns and villages that make up this region!