Relaxation in the Poconos

I've been going to the Poconos my whole life, and at any age, there's always been plenty to keep me occupied during my stay there. People go to the Poconos for a lot of different reasons. Some go in the winter to ski. Some go to shop. Some go just to relax in the quiet woods that make the area what it is—peaceful and enjoyable. And me, well, I've done them all.

In the winter, slopes like Shawnee Mountain and Camelback are the way to go for skiing and snowboarding. Shawnee's closer, the first exit off Route 80 once you cross into PA, but Camelback's steeper and higher for those who want more of a thrill.

For shoppers, visit the Crossings outlets. With Ann Taylor, The Gap, Polo Ralph Lauren, Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, Coach, Movado, and many more, you can find great merchandise at unbelievably low prices. If you love candles, visit one of the many candle stores in this area—Pocono or American Candle. American Candle is bigger and has more stuff, but Pocono candle has really original pieces—beautiful stuff!

For those who like the outdoors, check out Bushkill Falls in the spring, summer or early fall. This park has walking trails and lots of waterfalls to see—four main trails are marked by colors and are easy to navigate!

If you really just want to relax, stay in your room/house. You can rent condos in many parts of the poconos, complete with fireplaces and Jacuzzis. Or if you are headed to the Poconos for romance, stay in Penn Hills or Ceasar's Pocono Resort for theme rooms, pools, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, and general overall privacy.

Quick Tips:

Traffic on the main roads is bad on Saturdays and Sundays during the day, especially on Route 209. Leave yourself plenty of time to get where you are going.

When skiing, Camelback may have more snow than Shawnee if there hasn't been much snowfall because they are above the snowline.

Visit Pocono Cheesecake on Route 611 for some of the best cheesecake around!

Ride up Route 209 on Saturday or Sunday and keep an eye out for the big flea market. Lots of good deals here.

Best Way To Get Around:

Car is really the only way to get around in the Poconos.

The Poconos is filled with hotels/resorts that are meant to be exclusive "couples" getaways. Penn Hills is one of them. I went with a boyfriend for a romantic weekend in April, and it was the first time that I'd ever stayed at a couples only resort.

And it turns out, staying at a couples resort (well this one anyway) is more amusing than anything else. Our room was fairly normal (a little old/shabby). But the "romantic" part was a huge heart shaped tub (huge, like twelve people could lay down in it) with a shower head hanging over it. It was red, but faded with time, and there were mirrors all around in the huge bathroom. I have to admit, I felt a little silly showering in that huge heart tub by myself.

Meals are included in this adventure, and you have an assigned table. You sit at this table for every meal, and you have the same waiter each time. Normally you'd be seated with other couples as well, but since it wasn't very crowded when I went, we had a table to ourselves. Meals are pretty good, but it feels sort of strange to have to report to a table in the morning. Sort of like being at camp.

This resort offered lots of activities which was fun and nice. We ended up participating in a ping pong tournament (if you can call four couples a tournament, and won). They'll also have random food around—in this case cheese and crackers, for mingling times and other activities.

All in all the experience was fun. It usually costs quite a bit to stay in these types of resorts, but they are private and cute and romantic (funny) so in that sense, they are worth it.

Bet you didn't know that that Poconos has great cheesecake. This small bakery deals primarily in delectable cheesecakes, and they've got a heck of an array for the choosing. They've got regular, strawberry, chocolate swirl, peanut butter, and even pumpkin cheesecake. There is usually a line to buy it, and the best part is, you can buy as much or as little as you want. If you only want a little, buy a quarter of a cake. If you've got a family or friends to feed, opt for a half or a whole cake. A whole cake will go for under $20, while a quarter will be about $6 or $7. If you're going to eat it on your way out, bring your own fork. There's no tables or anything outside. But try and at least wait until you get to your car.