Europeans began settling here in the 1740s, and by the 1820s tourism was an important part of their economy. Visitors once ventured here only in the summer, mostly on trains out of New York City and Philadelphia, but that changed with the advent of the horseless carriage, super highways, and air travel. Now people hop in their cars and in less than two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, they arrive in a North American Garden of Eden.

The emergence of eco-tourism has enhanced the appeal of the Poconos, as people opt out of city vacations to lose themselves in the beauty and serenity of the wilderness. With nearly half the Pocono region protected as parks and wildlife preserves, there are few more alluring places than this for the stressed accountant, aching factory worker, or harried parent. The Nature Conservancy classifies the Poconos as "One of the Last Great Places in the World."

When civilization can't be avoided, the quaint Victorian villages that dot the region welcome you with their warm hospitality and peaceful ways so you remain calm, lingering around the pretty little shops or sipping cocoa by a crackling pub fire. Harmony between man and nature elevates the Poconos from "just a place to escape the city heat in June," to a cherished year-round getaway for winter skiers, fall foliage peepers, spring hikers, and summer swimmers!

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