Islands    •   10 min read

Hidden In The Heart Of Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains Is A Small Town Renowned For Views, Food And Fun

WHAT'S THE STORY?

Indoor waterpark in Tannersville, Pennsylvania with people in large pool and various water slides surrounding.

In northeastern Pennsylvania, you will find the town of Tannersville sitting within the Pocono Mountains region. Tannersville is a small town of rolling hills and renowned views, forests, and quite a bit of fun. You won't find a traditional main street here, as Tannersville acts more like a central hub for the area's main recreational spots, so you'll likely want to have a car for your trip. Its layout is made by the meeting of Route 611 and Route 715 near Interstate 80. This setup puts you in a prime

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position to get to both quiet, natural scenery and bigger attractions without much trouble. If you're after incredible views, take a drive (about 14 minutes) to the top of Camelback Mountain. At the summit, Big Pocono State Park opens up to wide views of the whole area, making it a great spot to lay out a blanket for your picnic and some scenery -- if you're visiting in the autumn, you'll find stunning foliage and festivities everywhere in this gorgeous mountain region.

When it comes to food, you'll find the Tannersville area has a diverse lineup, with choices for many palates. If you're looking for authentic Puerto Rican dishes, you can pop into El Rincon Caribe, which serves slow-roasted pork shoulder known as pernil, pepper steak, and traditional island sandwiches. For seafood, check out Smuggler's Cove, a family-owned restaurant that has been a local hotspot for over four decades, where you can enjoy lobster, crab, and oysters. If you're after a hint of South Asian spice, Tandoor Palace serves Indian food inside a repurposed train car. Your time in the town is really a tale of two experiences. You have the quiet, natural settings of the Poconos, and the lively atmosphere from its large resorts, shopping centers, and the food scene.

Read more: The Best Vacation Destinations Where The US Dollar Goes Furthest

Things To Do And Places To See In Tannersville

View of the Poconos Raceway with crowd in the stands and race trucks driving on track.

When you're looking for things to do in Tannersville and the area right around it, you'll find plenty of options no matter the season. About a six-minute drive away, the Camelback Mountain Resort is hidden in the heart of Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains and offers year-round beauty and thrills -- it's really the centerpiece of the action. In winter, the mountain becomes a ski area where you can shred the gnar on its 39 trails, ski at night, or down one of 42 lanes at the snow tubing park. Once the weather warms up, the resort switches gears, and you have two different waterparks to choose from. Cool off at Camelbeach, the area's largest outdoor waterpark with over 37 rides and slides, or head inside to Aquatopia, a 170,000-square-foot indoor park that's open all year.

For a different kind of thrill, you can check out Camelback Mountain Adventures, which has ziplines that let you hang over the treetops and see Pennsylvania's gorgeous Pocono Mountains from up-high. You can also ride the Mountain Coaster, which is a gravity-powered cart that goes down a 4,500-foot steel track, or motor your way through the Poconos trails on a UTV tour. For a complete change of pace, you can head to the nearby Pocono Raceway (about a 24-minute drive), and hosts NASCAR and motorcycle events, and even lets you get behind the wheel for your own racecar driving experience in one of its driving schools. If your plans include some shopping, The Pocono Premium Outlets is an outdoor outlet with over 100 stores. Or, for something more local, you can go to the Pocono Peddler's Village Antique Mall or stop by the Pocono Farmstand & Nursery for regional products and produce, and freshly baked goodies.

Where To Stay And How To Get To Tannersville

Front view of Kalahari Resort in Pennsylvania during the day.

The Tannersville area has big resorts to smaller, more traditional hotels too. Camelback Resort is a main choice, with 453 rooms and suites. A perk when staying at the resort is that it includes admission to Aquatopia. If you're traveling with family, check out other large resorts in the area like Great Wolf Lodge, which is about a seven-minute drive (cue the commercial jingle "wolf out!") and Kalahari Resorts (about 15 minutes away) both have indoor waterparks. For an adults-only trip, look into Mount Airy Casino Resort, which is about 12 minutes from Tannersville and has higher-end rooms, a casino, and restaurants like Bistecca by Il Mulino and Guy Fieri's Mt. Pocono Kitchen. If you need a familiar place to stay, you'll find chain hotels like the Best Western Plus Poconos and Days Inn by Wyndham Tannersville.

You can reach Tannersville most easily by car, as it's located directly off Interstate 80 from each direction. If you're coming from New York City or Philadelphia your drive will be about two hours. Buses are also available from New York City. OurBus runs a van service to Tannersville that takes around an hour and 45 minutes, and will cost $50 one way. The Martz Bus service will bring you to the Mount Pocono stop and costs $55 for a one-way ticke, and will also be about two hours. From there, you will need to take a car about 11 minutes to Tannersville. To note, you'll want to double check that you're heading to Tannersville, Pennsylvania, to avoid any confusion with Tannersville in New York's Catskills. And if you're looking for more fun in the Poconos, check out Stroudsburg, a funky, underrated borough with a lively downtown just 15 minutes away.

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