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As seen in the Winter 2004 edition of Suburban
Essex Magazine
Take a Weekend to Explore the Poconos
Just a two-hour drive from northern New Jersey, the Poconos offers peace, beautiful surroundings and adventure. We have been here for day trips, often promising ourselves to come back to really explore the area. When we finally did, it was a promise that proved worth keeping. On this three-day weekend trip we stayed in the Stroudsburg area. Our base of operation was the Chestnut Hill Bed & Breakfast in Brodheadsville (about a 30-minute drive to downtown Stroudsburg). It proved to be an excellent choice. Chestnut Hill has three guestrooms, each with a private bath, and a guesthouse. Debbie and Terry Connelly, the innkeepers, set the tone immediately. Debbie, in fact, coined the phrase, "Come as guests; leave as friends." Upon arrival, a homemade strawberry banana custard pie was waiting to be devoured. It was accompanied by plenty of hot coffee, tea and fresh fruit punch. Breakfast, served in the elegantly styled Victorian dining room, is bountiful too. Just come hungry. Afterwards, explore the grounds. Bring a pair of hiking boots for the snow. The scenery is spectacular - explore a small babbling brook nearby, and at night, Mother Nature puts on a show that is guaranteed to impress stargazers. Inside the inn, you can retreat to your room or employ one of two sitting rooms - one with a fireplace and the other with a TV. Couples and families with children ages 12 and older are welcome to stay. The rates are quite reasonable. For more information, log onto www.chestnuthillpoconos.com. Centrally located, Chestnut Hill is near Bushkill Falls, several ski resorts, horseback riding stables, shopping, and good restaurants. Bushkill Falls - It's called the Niagara of Pennsylvania. Eight waterfalls are accessible by foot. Paths range from easy (we traveled with a three-year-old) to advanced. Hemlock and pine trees, as well as oak, maple, beech and birch surround the two and a half miles of trails. Bushkill Falls is about 1200 feet above sea level. One note: the waterfalls, rocks and ledges, and narrow ravines in the stream's path cause great turbulence, especially after a rainfall. Close to the falls is a Native American exhibit depicting the life of the Lenni Lenape, a tribe indigenous to the Pocono region. This includes an 18'x10' long house recreated out of local wood. Additionally, gift shops, a snack bar, a fudge shop and an Interpretive Center are located nearby. For more information, call 570-588-6682 or log onto www.visitbushkillfalls.com. Hit the Slopes - Downhill and cross-country skiing, as well as snowboarding, are popular activities at several Pocono Mountains' ski resorts. Each resort is a quick drive from Chestnut Hill's B&B. The major nearby resorts include Camelback Mountain Ski Park, Alpine Mountain, Jack Frost & Big Boulder Mountains and Blue Mountain Ski Village. Need to warm up a bit? Sample local wines at Cherry Valley Vineyard & Winery. Visitors can tour the winery, watch the champagne demonstration, and buy wines produced on-site. For more information, call 570-325-3673. Shopping & Dining - Folks from New Jersey know a bargain when they see one. Shopping for us is an art form, and I would not usually recommend shopping venues outside of our state. However, good bargains can be found at the Crossings Factory Outlet Mall. Here you will find clothing, linens, housewares, shoes, and more. Plus, there is no tax on clothing. Since we've eaten at Jaga Restaurant on Main Street in downtown Stroudsburg, we keep on finding reasons to make the one-way 2-hour trek. It's not an elegant restaurant, but it is one of the best places we've ever dined in. Prior to opening Jaga, owner Ava Nowak worked in Teresa's and Christine's in New York City - two of the best places for blintzes, pieroges, potato pancakes, kielbasa and other well-known Polish dishes. While we were enjoying each morsel, a man sat down in the booth behind us. He said, "Ava, I'm back." Then two couples came in and said they just couldn't stop talking about yesterday's meal - so they returned too. For more information about Jaga, call 570-424-5666. For more information about visiting the Poconos, call
1-800-762-6667 or visit www.800poconos.com.
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