Three days through the Pocono Mountains, a couple hours from Philadelphia or New York: a boardwalk trail past eight waterfalls at Bushkill Falls, a mountain coaster and aerial park at Camelback, a kayak afternoon on Lake Wallenpaupack with a stop for fudge in Hawley, and a ridge-line hike above the Delaware Water Gap before heading home. Real lodges, restaurants, and 2026 prices for every stop.
Day 1Bushkill Falls & the Delaware Water Gap
A scenic drive into the mountains, a boardwalk trail past eight waterfalls, and dinner at a historic jazz club in Delaware Water Gap.
🚗 Scenic Drive — Into the Pocono Mountains
~2 hours from Philadelphia or NYC · self-drive
Route 209 winds north past farm stands and ridgelines into the forested heart of the Poconos, Pennsylvania’s mountain getaway since the 1800s.
🛎️ Hotel Check-In — Skytop Lodge
From $420-480 USD / night, for 2 people, incl. breakfast & dinner
A 1928 stone-and-timber resort on 5,500 private acres, with a lake, golf course, and hiking trails right outside the door — a Pocono landmark since it opened.
Skytop Lodge · 1 Skytop Lodge Rd, Skytop, PA
🌊 Bushkill Falls — “Niagara of Pennsylvania”
~2 hours, self-guided · ~$17 USD / adult
A boardwalk and trail system through a hemlock gorge linking eight separate waterfalls, the tallest dropping over 100 feet, a Pocono attraction since 1904.
Bushkill Falls · 138 Bushkill Falls Trail, Bushkill, PA
🎷 Dinner — Deer Head Inn, Delaware Water Gap
~1.5 hours · ~$35-45 USD / person
A former hotel dating to 1869 and one of the oldest continuously operating jazz clubs in the country, with a dining room serving steaks and seafood beneath the stage.
Deer Head Inn · 5 Main St, Delaware Water Gap, PA · 570-424-2000
Day 2Camelback Mountain & Lake Wallenpaupack
A mountain coaster above the treeline, a kayak afternoon on the Poconos’ biggest lake, and a fudge stop in Hawley.
🎢 Camelback Mountain Adventures
~3 hours, self-guided · coaster ~$20, aerial park ~$55 USD
A mile-long mountain coaster that climbs through the trees before a self-braked descent, plus an aerial adventure park of ziplines and rope bridges strung between the pines.
Camelback Mountain Adventures · 301 Resort Dr, Tannersville, PA
🛶 Kayak & Paddleboard Rental — Lake Wallenpaupack
~2 hours · ~$35-45 USD / person
A 13-mile, man-made lake ringed by pine forest, the Poconos’ largest, with calm coves well suited to a lazy afternoon paddle.
Lake Wallenpaupack Watersports · Hawley, PA
🍬 Callie’s Pretzel Factory & Candy Kitchen
~30 min, self-guided · free to browse, treats ~$5-10 USD
A family-run candy kitchen in downtown Hawley making fudge and pretzels by hand since 1952, with the copper kettles visible from the shop floor.
Callie’s Pretzel Factory & Candy Kitchen · 103 Welwood Ave, Hawley, PA
🍽️ Dinner — The Settlers Inn, Hawley
~1.5 hours · ~$30-40 USD / person
A 1920s Arts and Crafts-style inn with a farm-to-table dining room sourcing from its own garden and nearby Wayne County farms.
The Settlers Inn · 4 Main Ave, Hawley, PA · 570-226-2993
Day 3Mount Tammany & Departure
A ridge-line hike above the Delaware River and a last stop for outlet shopping before the drive home.
🥾 Mount Tammany Hike via Dunnfield Creek Trail
~3 hours · ~3.5-mile loop, free
A steep climb past cascading Dunnfield Creek to a rock ledge 1,200 feet above the Delaware Water Gap, with the river cutting through the ridge directly below.
🛍️ Shopping — The Crossings Premium Outlets
~1.5 hours, self-guided
Over 100 outlet stores in Tannersville, a convenient last stop for Poconos souvenirs or a final pass through name-brand outlets on the way out of the mountains.
The Crossings Premium Outlets · 1000 Rte 611, Tannersville, PA
🚗 Return Drive & Departure
~2 hours back to Philadelphia or NYC · self-drive
Route 80 or Route 209 south out of the mountains, retracing the ridgelines and farm stands of the drive in.
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