Gather.
Escape.
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Lake Guides · Food & Drink · Hand-Picked Stays · Two Hours from NYC & Philadelphia
Fourteen Destinations.
One Mountain Range.
The Pocono Mountains are a 2,400-square-mile region of forested plateau, lakes and small towns across four counties of northeastern Pennsylvania: Carbon, Monroe, Pike and Wayne. By car, the region is about two to three hours from New York City and Philadelphia, depending on which end you're headed for, according to the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau's 2026 travel guide. It's a four-season destination: ski slopes in winter, swimming and boating on the lakes in summer, peak foliage in October, and nine Pennsylvania state parks for hiking all year. Pocono Reserve covers 14 of the region's lake and town destinations, with guides to their restaurants, trails, events and nearby stays. Start with a destination guide and build your trip from there.
Plan by
Kind of Trip
Where to Stay
Hand-Picked Pocono Stays
Lake houses, A-frames and group homes chosen for their setting and what they offer a group. Pocono Reserve doesn't own or manage them; you book directly on VRBO.
MountainAlbrightsvilleBlack Diamond
Sleeps 4 · 2 bedrooms
Listed amenities: Private hot tub (4-person) · Gas fireplace · Soaking tub
Booked on VRBO
MountainCoolbaugh TownshipEl Ranchito
Sleeps 6 · 2 bedrooms
Listed amenities: Hot tub · Fire pit · Fireplace
Booked on VRBO
MountainEast StroudsburgMori A-Frame
Sleeps 6 · 3 bedrooms
Listed amenities: Private hot tub · Outdoor pizza oven · Fire pit
Booked on VRBO
Beyond the
Top Ten Lists
The quieter trails, small-town stops and overlooks that rarely make the standard lists, written up in the Journal with distance, season and what to expect.
A Couples Weekend at Lake Harmony, PA: The Complete Itinerary
Lake Harmony pairs a natural lake with an actual lake-town's worth of dining, golf, and nightlife. Here's how to spend a couples weekend there.
October 19, 2026
Camelback Resort Activity Guide: Everything It Offers in One Place
Skiing and snow tubing in winter, an outdoor waterpark in summer, an adventure park from spring to fall and an indoor waterpark and arcade all year. Here's what Camelback offers, season by season.
October 16, 2026
Indoor Waterparks in the Pocono Mountains: Kalahari, Great Wolf Lodge and Aquatopia Compared
Three big indoor waterparks within a few miles of each other off I-80 and I-380, how they differ, which sell day passes, and the smaller one at Split Rock that's closed for now.
October 11, 2026
A Guide Built
Around the
Place
Pocono Reserve is an independent travel guide to the Pocono Mountains. We cover the region's lakes, trails, towns, restaurants and seasonal events, and we write them up so you can decide quickly where to go and what to expect.
We do not sell stays, tours or packages. The stays we feature are booked on the listing site, such as VRBO, or the host's own site, and everything else directly with each venue.
Travel Guide
Ready to Experience It?
Explore the lakes, mountains, and towns that make the Poconos worth the trip.
Explore the Region