The first time you drive into the Pocono Mountains, something happens around the point where the highway narrows and the trees take over both sides of the road. The noise just stops. I have made this drive more times than I can count and it still happens every single time. What I tell first-timers is this: do not overthink it. The Poconos are not trying to be anything other than what they are — mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and a pace of life that reminds you what a weekend is actually supposed to feel like. The dining has become genuinely good over the years, the lodging runs from a historic lodge with 5,500 acres to a budget resort on a lake, and the outdoor options will fill every hour you have and then some. Go with a loose plan and a full tank of gas. The region will take care of the rest.
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