2 Days in the Poconos (Delaware Water Gap)

 Matt's Birthday to the Poconos

Delaware Water Gap

Friday October 20-Sunday Oct 22 2023

Black is research done prior to the trip. Purple is what we learned from our trip

Friday Oct 20th:

Leave Friday Oct 20th  ~530p

~ 2 hr 6 min drive to Airbnb from Lancaster, PA

Airbnb: Studio Mountain Retreat in Stroudsburg, PA

    Great spot! 5 stars. Totally private. Clean. Great location. Saw deer in the side yard. Would go back.

Get dinner somewhere. Asked Airbnb host for recs:

• Trackside Station Grill & Bar: (in East Stroudsburg) (this is where we ate when we first got into town, before checking into the Airbnb)
•  This restaurant is housed in a historic train station and offers a diverse menu with items like burgers, sandwiches, and various entrees. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable.
• Matt got a burger that was really good. My salad was eh. The place was ok. I think i was expecting it to have a lot more character. Music is LOUD, but I loved the music so I liked it. All my throwbacks! but a local told us they don’t go there bc its too loud
• Sarah St Grill
• Sarah Street Grill: Known for its American cuisine, live music, and casual atmosphere, Sarah Street Grill is a popular choice in Stroudsburg. They offer a diverse menu with options like burgers, seafood, and more.
• Really liked it here! Huge. Neat atmosphere. Lots of TVs. Cool vibe. Big stage for live music. 2 kitchens, 1 of them is sushi!
• Thai Orchid
• If you're in the mood for Thai cuisine, Thai Orchid is a great option. They serve authentic Thai dishes in a pleasant setting
• We didn’t eat here, but heard from a local the space itself is nothing fancy, but the food is amazinggggg
• Cedars (Mediterranean)
• Derailed Taphouse
• This was a bar across the street from Trackside and it looked so cool! Awesome bar vibe. Live music. Great time. Decorated and lit up really cool.
• 2 Irish pubs on Main St: St Final's & Siamsia
• Siamsa Irish Pub: For a cozy and inviting pub experience with a touch of Irish charm, consider Siamsa Irish Pub. They offer a range of traditional and modern Irish dishes, along with a selection of beers. The food was good. But we went for dinner after we hit some wineries. It was so busy. Maybe bc the Phillies were playing? Understaffed and I felt bad for the bartenders bc u could tell they were so busy and running around. Not my fav place.

Saturday Oct 21st (Matt’s Bday):

Hiking:

** For more detailed information on these 4 hikes, please check out my separate blog posts. These can guide you for where to park, which trail to take, length of hikes, time needed, etc. These include Raymondskill Falls, Hackers Falls, Bushkill Falls, and Mt Tammany.

For a brief overview of all 4, see below. **

Delaware Water Gap

• Raymondskill Falls (49 min drive from Airbnb; 46 min drive from parking lot for Mount Tammany; about 23 min from Bushkill falls)
• While not a hike-hike, the Raymondskill Falls area is worth a visit. It's a short walk from the parking area (.3 miles)  to view three stunning waterfalls, making it a more accessible option for those looking for a leisurely stroll.
• Raymondskill Falls is a series of three cascading waterfalls, and the viewing platforms allow you to observe the falls from different angles.
• If you add the height of each cascade together, the waterfall is only a few feet shorter than Niagara Falls.

Raymondskills Falls

Raymondskills Falls

• Hackers Falls (49 min drive from Airbnb; 46 min drive from parking lot for Mount Tammany; about 23 min from Bushkill falls) 
• Hackers Falls Trail begins across the street from Raymondskill's lower parking lot. 
• Another beautiful waterfall hike that leads to Hackers Falls, a picturesque cascade in a serene woodland setting. It's a relatively easy hike suitable for most skill levels, only 1.5 miles round trip. 
• If you are short on time, you could go without this one. Its a nice flat easy hike. Pretty trees. Relatively quick. But the waterfall wasn’t THAT impressive? After seeing Raymondskills at least lol. But we were already out there, and it was fairly quick. So why not!

Hackers Falls

Stop and grab brunch on the way to Bushkills falls:

• The Village Farmer and Bakery: Located in Delaware Water Gap, this charming bakery and café offers sandwiches, salads, and a variety of baked goods. It's a convenient stop between the two falls and is known for its delicious homemade treats.
• I loved this place! Cute little markey. Jams. Jellies. Candy. Baked goods to buy and take home. They are known for their apple pies! You can get their special - a hot dog and slice of apple pie. However, we both went for the breakfast sandwiches. No indoor seating; outdoor picnic tables. Pumpkins and gourds for sale everywhere outside. There’s also a BBQ place right next door.

Hiking:

• Bushkill Falls: (this is about 27 min from the Airbnb; about 23 min from the parking lot of Tammany, & on the way home from Hackers Falls and Raymondskill falls) 

  

  Bushkill Falls

• Doesn’t open until 9am!

• We had planned to go here first, but were thrown for a loop when the entrance gait was locked with a sign on it saying it doesn’t open until 9am lol

• Known as the "Niagara of Pennsylvania," Bushkill Falls features a series of eight waterfalls and several hiking trails. The main loop offers an easy hike that takes you to all the major waterfalls.

• I guess it’s a “hike” but its very well maintained. Like there are wooden or stone man-made steps with railings put in everywhere. So instead of a rock scramble, its steps to and from everywhere. Pretty even flat walking path. Small children were doing it.

  

  

  Bushkill Falls

• Bushkill Falls is found on private property and a small entrance fee is charged to walk these trails and view the breathtaking scenery. Since this is privately owned, Bushkill Falls does not receive any local, state, or federal money for upkeep.

• I thought a small fee would be $5….when we went it was $20 per person. More than I thought it would be, but still worth it. Awesome place! Just a heads up so you have $$. They take credit cards. 

  

  

  Bushkill Falls

• "Open since 1904, the "Niagara of Pennsylvania," Bushkill Falls is among the Keystone State's most famous scenic attractions. This unique series of eight waterfalls, nestled deep in the wooded Pocono Mountains, is accessible through an excellent network of hiking trails and bridges which afford fabulous views of the falls and the surrounding forest."

Bushkill Falls

Back to Airbnb. Shower. Wineries. Then dinner.

Winery and Breweries: 

• Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery: (22 min from Airbnb) Located in Saylorsburg, Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery offers a scenic setting with views of the vineyards and surrounding mountains. They offer wine tastings, tours, and often host events and live music. (11 min drive to the next one)
• Sat 11-9
• Sun 11-6
• Dude this place is huge. Various bars. Food trucks. Levels. Can stay and drink here allll day. Some ratchet ppl here though hahaha. Like I see why they have mult security guards present hahah

• Sorrenti Cherry Valley Vineyards: Situated in Stroudsburg, this family-owned winery has been producing wines for over four decades. They have a diverse selection of wines and are known for their hospitality and beautiful outdoor seating areas. (13 min to the next one)
• Sat 11-8
• Sunday 11-7
• Cool spot! Another large place. Outside is really pretty. Wines were gross. 

Sorrenti

• Mountain View Vineyard, Winery & Distillery: Found in Stroudsburg, this establishment not only offers a variety of wines but also craft spirits. Their scenic location provides excellent views of the vineyard and the rolling hills.
• Sat: 11-9
• Sun: 11-6
• I liked these wines! Hugeeee building sitting up on a hill. Gorg views every direction. Got the hummus plate and it was great!

Mountain View

• Barley Creek Brewing Company: Located in Tannersville, this brewery is one of the oldest in the Poconos and offers a selection of craft beers and delicious pub-style food. (8 minutes to the next one)(Barley and pocono brewery company are away from the 3 above, but close to each other) 
• Sat: 9-1030
• Sun: 9-930
• We didn't make it here
• Pocono Brewery Company: (16 min from Airbnb) Found in Swiftwater, Pocono Brewery offers a variety of beers, including IPAs, stouts, and lagers. They often host live entertainment and events.
• Sat: 11-11
• Sun: 11-9
• We didn't make it here

Dinner (same ones listed above)(this is when we visited Siamsia):

• Sarah St Grill is good place

• Thai Orchid

• Cedars (Mediterranean)

• Trackside (in East Stroudsburg) 

• 2 Irish pubs on main St Finola's and Siamsia

Sunday Oct 22nd:

Hiking:

Delaware Water Gap

• Mount Tammany Trail (11 min from airbnb)
• "This is one of the most popular and rewarding hikes in the area. It offers two primary routes: the Red Dot Trail (steep and direct) and the Blue Dot Trail (a bit longer but less steep). Both trails lead to the summit of Mount Tammany, providing breathtaking views of the Delaware Water Gap, the river, and the surrounding mountains."
• We started with the red trail, to do the rock scrambles going up hill; shorter hike, but harder. One of my fav views was on this red trail, before we even got to the summit. Got some great pics! The leaves were gorggggg this time of year! Then we came back down the blue trail; this was longer but not as difficult. Deff tiring to your legs doing all the eccentric lowering downhill. Some waterfalls towards the bottom right before you hit the parking lot to end your hike. The trails are very well marked.

Lunch:

After the hike, we grabbed lunch at Sarah St Grill (mentioned above) and then headed home.

Overall...GREAT birthday weekend celebrating Matt outside in a gorgeous area <3

Mt Tammany (Delaware Water Gap)

 Mt Tammany

This is a snippet from a longer blog post I created, about a weekend trip to the Poconos for Matt's birthday. Included is an Airbnb we rec, wineries, places to eat, and 4 hikes. Here is the original blog post.

1st hike: Raymondskills Falls

2nd hike: Hackers Falls

3rd hike: Bushkill Falls

4th hike: Mt Tammany

Black is research done prior to the trip; purple is what we learned from our trip.

Mount Tammany Trail (11 min from airbnb)

"This is one of the most popular and rewarding hikes in the area. It offers two primary routes: the Red Dot Trail (steep and direct) and the Blue Dot Trail (a bit longer but less steep). Both trails lead to the summit of Mount Tammany, providing breathtaking views of the Delaware Water Gap, the river, and the surrounding mountains."

Duration: 2 to 3 hours

Distance: 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) long round trip when taking the Red Dot Trail to the summit and returning via the Blue Dot Trail = this is the route we did. The Red Dot Trail is the steeper and more direct route to the summit, while the Blue Dot Trail offers a slightly longer but less steep descent.

We started with the red trail, to do the rock scrambles going up hill; shorter hike, but harder. 

One of my fav views was on this red trail, before we even got to the summit. Got some great pics! 

The leaves were gorggggg this time of year! 

Then we came back down the blue trail; this was longer but not as difficult. Deff tiring to your legs doing all the eccentric lowering downhill. Some waterfalls towards the bottom right before you hit the parking lot to end your hike. The trails are very well marked.

Parking:

Park and leave your car at the Dunnfield Creek parking lot. You’ll want to get there early because it fills up quickly

• Parking lot, Hardwick Township, NJ 07832; Wherever you end up parking, it will be a short walk to the trailhead at the Dunfield Creek Natural Area Trailhead.
• Coordinates: N40.97213° W75.12592°
• Dunnfield Creek Natural Area, I-80, Columbia, NJ 07832. 
• Route 80 West to just before the last exit in New Jersey (exit 1). On the right is a brown sign for Dunnfield Creek Natural Area.
• There’s the first parking lot, then a larger main lot. The exit road is one way so you can’t backtrack to a passed lot unless you get back onto Rt 80 and come around. 
• The first lot has a sign that it’s for picnickers (not true. Its for anyone and everyone!)…so we drove past this lot, to the 2nd lot, (which says its for hikers) But it was full. And we couldn’t very easily get back to the first lot, bc its a 1-way on a highway. Hahahah oh fun. 
• If both the first and main lots are full, try the parking area at the Kittatinny Point visitor center and walk back to the trailhead in the main lot (~about a 10 min walk).
• Kittatinny Point Visitor Center: Head back out onto Rt. 80 from the Dunnfield lot and take the very next exit right, Exit 1 towards Millbrook/Flatbrookville. Then make a sharp left like you are going to go around to 80 E, but instead of merging onto 80, immediately head to the right into the visitor center on River Road.
• Kittatinny point visitor center is on the other side of the highway. It’s a lot of getting on and off the highway using weigh stations to turn around. 
• Ideally, you want to park at Dunnfield Creek Natural area, the side of the highway near Mt Tammany. Kittatinny Point Visitor Center is on the side of the other highway that has the river. We had to park here bc we went late in the day, and the lot was already full. You simply follow the signs and other ppl to walk under the highway to get to the trailhead. Not a lot of sidewalks…so be careful!

Kittatinny Point Visitor Center 

Kittatinny Point Visitor Center 

Kittatinny Point Visitor Center 

Getting started on the trail:

• Once on the correct side of the highway to hike: NOTE: At the far end of the main lot is the start of another trail. People often mistake this as the trail to the summit of Mount Tammany. If you immediately cross a bridge over a creek, you are not on RED DOT but are on the Appalachian Trail (WHITE) which leads to Dunnfield Creek (GREEN).
• While Mount Tammany can be reached from the BLUE trail off of Dunnfield Creek (GREEN) (and is the return route of this hike), people are usually looking to do the RED DOT trail up to the top of Mount Tammany. You want to find a sign for the RED trail, at the entrance to the parking lot (either the 1st or 2nd lot). Don’t just start hiking until you confirmed you are on the correct trail, bc you want to go UP the red trail, not down. The picture below really helps:

If you are looking more for the waterfalls, check out the other 3 hikes listed above. However, this was our favorite actual "hike" <3