The JournalFall in the Poconos rivals anywhere in the Northeast for color — and for couples, it's arguably the best season to visit. Here's how to plan the weekend.
October in the Pocono Mountains gets overlooked by couples who default to New England for fall color, which is a mistake — the Poconos hit peak foliage at roughly the same time, with a fraction of the crowds and a two-hour drive from New York or Philadelphia instead of a full day. The maples and oaks that cover the region's hillsides turn in waves through the month, and several of our mountain residences are positioned specifically to frame that view from a wraparound deck or floor-to-ceiling windows.
The Pine Sanctuary, set on three private acres of white pine forest near Lake Naomi, is our most requested fall property for exactly this reason — the color show happens right outside the window, no driving required. For couples who do want to get out, the region's scenic drives along Route 209 and through the Delaware Water Gap are genuinely spectacular in the back half of October, and several nearby orchards are worth building an afternoon around.
Evenings are where a fall weekend in the Poconos earns its reputation. As temperatures drop, the residences' wood-burning fireplaces and outdoor fire pits become the natural center of the evening — we've had more than one couple tell us their favorite hour of the trip was simply sitting outside with a bottle of wine, watching the fire, with no agenda for the rest of the night. Pair it with a private chef dinner and it's hard to overstate how different this feels from a hotel weekend.
Book earlier than you'd think. Peak foliage weekends — typically the second and third weeks of October — fill up well in advance, and the residences best positioned for the view tend to go first. If flexibility allows, a Sunday-through-Wednesday stay often gets the same color with considerably more availability.