The Poconos
Frequently Asked Questions

The Poconos isn’t a mountain range, and it’s not just a town. It’s not just a honeymoon resort area, and it’s definitely not just a ski resort. What exactly is The Poconos, and why do over eight millions visitors travel to The Poconos each year? Here are answers to some of your most frequently asked questions, as a way of giving a little explanation of what it means to visit this wonderful area.

• What is The Poconos?

  It's a region that includes a large plateau that drops off one thousand feet. The plateau looks like mountaints, and this is what we call the Pocono Mountains, even though they aren’t technically mountains at all. The Poconos also includes lakes, forests, fields, and villages that surround the plateau known as the Poconos. In other words, it’s a region.

• OK, where is this Poconos region?

  The Poconos covers an area roughly equivalent to the northeastern corner of the state of Pennsylvania. It's the region on the PA side, surrounding the corner made by the intersection of Pennsylvania, New York State and New Jersey, so is convenient to lots of people living in all three states.

• How big is the Poconos?

  This region covers roughly 2,400 square miles.

• When is the best time to visit the Poconos?

  Really, any time of year in the Poconos is a wonderful treat. Skiers flock to our slopes in winter, and hikers appear all year round. Fishing and hunting are good then, too, and in the fall. Honeymoon time is a good place to visit, according to thousands of newlyweds over the years.

• What kinds of things do tourists do in the Poconos?

  Poconos is great for people who love to be outdoors. Name an outdoor activity, and the lakes, streams, rivers, hills, and fields of this region make The Poconos a superb destination for whatever you like to do outdoors.

• What kind of people live in the Poconos?

  All sorts of people, from descendants of French Huguenots and Dutch settlers to more recent inhabitants who once summer homes here but have since decided to move here permanently. You'll also find artists and musicians and students, who find the area attractive because it's close to major urban areas, and who contribute to the local arts scene, and culture as well. The population of this area has tripled since the 1970s. At the same time, jobs are low skill and low pay, compared to other parts of the Northeast USA. Some people even commute daily to New York City.

• How many people live in the Poconos?

  There are roughly 258,000 people living in the Poconos, spread across four counties. Almost half of these people live in Monroe County. The population of The Poconos has just about tripled in the last three decades.

• Is it expensive in the Poconos?

  You will find a wide price range in the region’s resorts and restaurants, but in general you will find more reasonably-priced accommodations and meals in the Poconos than in many travel destinations across the country. Remember, this is a rural area so there is a range of prices from basic to gourmet everything.

• Are the Poconos easy to get to?

  We are a day trip away from major urban northeast areas. It’s just one and a half hours to drive from New York City, and two hours’ drive to Philadelphia. If you live in Allentown or Bethlehem, you’re just a 45-minute drive away. People commute from the Poconos to all these cities, as well as to Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, soutern Connecticut, and northern New Jersey.

• I’ve always heard of The Poconos...why is this region famous?

  Well, first of all there are about three hundred years of history in this region, as many important historical events took place here. But you may have heard of the Poconos as a honeymoon destination advertised on television commercials. We made the heart-shaped tub famous, and yes, we still got 'em. Over the last century, however, it’s always been more than just heart-shaped tubs. The Delaware Water Gap has always been a popular driving destination, and in the last fifty odd years, so have the ski resorts here in the Poconos.