THE NEW POCONOS

Philadelphia Business Journal - September 21, 2007

POCONO MOUNTAINS, PA - With miles of pristine woodland and year-round recreation, the Poconos are giving the Jersey Shore a run for its money as Philadelphians' first choice to buy a vacation home.

It's a mild Monday morning in mid-June and Dan Allerton is leaving his new vacation home in the Pocono Mountains to begin a two-hour commute into work at the SAP America campus in Newtown Square.

It's a trip he repeats throughout the summer while his wife and children relax at Arrowhead Lake during extended Thursday-to-Monday weekends.

The Allerton aren't the only Philadelphians choosing to shun the Shore and head for the mountains this year. Less expensive and congested than the Jersey Shore, the wilderness and lakes of the Poconos offer a year-round experience not limited to steamy summer days but also including winter skiing, fall hikes, bicycle rides and spring fishing.

And, the Poconos just aren't what they used to be. Gone are the days of heart-shaped tubs and '50's style family retreats. Upstate Pennsylvania is emerging from its honeymoon reputation to embrace fine dining, fancy day spas and good shopping. Art galleries are cropping up along with music and other festivals that provide a detour from lazy day sailing on a mountain lake. Manhattanites have dubbed it "Hamptons West."

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