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While the fall coloration continues to fill the landscape, peak colors have sadly come and gone in the Pocono Mountains. But wait, there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel! Once fall is over, ski season is at the forefront and while I start thinking about my best snow dance, I am left to wonder who will be the first to fire up the snow guns and open their doors in the Pocono Mountains.

Historically, time will tell you that it will be Jack Frost Big Boulder ski area. For the past three years, they have blown their competition out of the water by being the first, but they are facing some prepared competitors this year. Camelback Mountain Resort has all of their ducks in a row with the snow guns in place and groomer machines raring to go. As soon as we get three consecutive nights of approximately 30 degrees, I've heard they will be ready. Shawnee Mountain is another contender this year as they are just waiting to show off their new high-speed Tomahawk Express Quad lift. They're even the first ski resort to announce a projected opening date of December 4, weather permitting of course.

With four other area mountains, Blue Mountain, Ski Big Bear, Tanglwood Ski Area and Alpine Mountain in the mix, it is truly anyone's game. Stay tuned because with the colder nights we've been having in the region, I am predicting a shake-up this year! Which mountain do you think will be first? Either way, dig out the gear and get ready, the Farmer's Almanac is predicting it's going to be a real doosey!

  

If you are looking for some Halloween fun, you need to look no further than the Pocono Mountains!

I have decided to spend my weekend in the Pocono Mountains' beautiful Lake Region and visit the Triple W Riding Stables in Hawley for a fantastic Haunted Hay Ride!  

There's nothing like the thrill being spooked during the Halloween season, and the folks at the Triple W have planned a spectacular spooky evening of old fashioned Halloween fun! Being a true fan of ghost stories and all things haunted, I'm anticipating a great time, as the night will begin fireside with spooky stories told by the stables' guardian.

After being put in the spirit of things, be prepared to be led through the haunted barn and begin the journey of the haunted hayride through the moonlit woods and ghost town. I wonder what frightening creatures will be hiding in the darkness and lurking in the shadows waiting to terrorize their victims.

If your family and friends enjoy the Halloween season as much as I do, make sure to head on out to the Triple W for a night of fright without the gore! This will be the last weekend of the year to experience the thrills and chills of this fabulous, frightening haunted attraction! The haunted hayrides will be open between the hours of 7pm and 10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Admission for adults is $15 and $10 for ghosts and goblins 14 years of age and younger.

Perhaps you would prefer a horse drawn haunted hayride. If so, this ride will be available on Friday night with reservations and pre purchased tickets at the low cost of $22 per person. Please call 570-226-2620 for reservations and more information. I'm looking forward to hearing the jingle of the bells and tapping of the hoofs as the horse drawn wagon makes its' way through the woods where the spooks and spirits dwell. I'm even hoping to get a glimpse of a headless horseman! How cool would that be?

As always, I want to hear all about your spooktacular Halloween weekend in the Pocono Mountains! Happy Hauntings Everyone!

The week of Halloween splendor is here. I can definitely feel the excitement in my house and around the office. Between reading whimsical Halloween books at bed time to the hokey Halloween décor that is displayed around the office, it puts a smile on my face and warmth in my heart. 

Since I live in the Pocono Mountains, there are always fun things to do to celebrate this spooky holiday. Whether it is a haunted hay ride, pumpkin picking or a spooky Halloween train ride; my choices are endless - I love that aspect of this four-county region. 

If you are visiting with your children, you are in luck because not only can your little ghosts and goblins take part in the Halloween fun, but so can YOU!  On Friday, October 29 from 4-7pm, visit The Crossings Premium Outlets for the Halloween Spooktacular. Children ages 12 and under are welcome to trick-or-treat at participating stores that display the pumpkin window signage. So while your little ones are dressed up in their Halloween best; mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa can shop at designer outlet stores that offer incredible savings.

Until next time... Celebrate family, friends, and traditions.

I am a chicken. As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, haunted houses, horror films and scary sights are just not for me. I'm even frightened by a lot of the Halloween decorations they make now. They just look so real!  And since I am not a fan of having heart palpitations at the age of 23, I figured I would spend the week before Halloween sharing a friendly ghost story, which surprisingly has nothing to do with Casper.

Stroudsmoor Country Inn is an amazing facility spread over 150 gorgeous acres in Stroudsburg. Well- known for their weddings and events, Stroudsmoor does everything impeccably ever since the Pirone family took over operations in 1984. And Stroudsmoor is just one of the great examples of the many family owned and operated businesses here in the Pocono Mountains.

Our family owned organizations are known for their involvement and sheer passion and enthusiasm for their businesses. This is evident with the Snowy Mountain Ghost which apparently "haunts" the Stroudsmoor Country Inn. Not your typical haunting, this ghost is actually helping Santa Claus keep track of the children's behavior on Godfrey Ridge, the mountain Stroudsmoor is set upon.  The tale is if you come up on the ridge and see fog, the ghost is there and compiling the information on which children were good and which were not.

The best part about the entire ghost story is that it is purely fiction. Louie Pirone used to tell this story to his children, which then trickled down to the Inn and their guests. Now, the ghost is incorporated into the resort operations and has even inspired events and activities at Stroudsmoor. All in all, it's a great testament to the compassion shown by the Pirone family to their guests!

So while you may not be petrified of the Snowy Mountain Ghost, you may want to take a trip up to Stroudsmoor and see the fog before Christmas. Whether it's to let Santa know you've been good this year or simply for the stunning views, neither could hurt!

To scare or be scared... That is the question that pops into my mind this time of year.  You can barely walk out of your house without seeing a carved pumpkin, a creepy crawly spider or a ghost in one form or another.  To answer my own question I would have to say I enjoy both but prefer to do the scaring, it's just so FUN! For instance last week I walked into our Mommy & Me blogger Nina's office with no intention of doing anything other than asking her a simple question, but I soon realized that she had absolutely no idea that I was standing directly behind her while she was proofreading something on her computer screen.  It took me all of two seconds to decide that I was going to grab her by the shoulders and scream boo into her ear.  She literally jumped out of her chair (insert smiley face and sinister chuckle) I must admit it made me happy!

My pulse races and my endorphins go into overdrive when I scare someone or they scare me and I'm guessing this happens to most of us but not everyone is up for that kind of Halloween fun so here are two of the ordinary Halloween haunts for you to enjoy.

At The Candle Shoppe of the Poconos in Swiftwater, PA, strange events including hearing screeching monkeys and seeing terrifying, primate-like shadows occurred on such a regular basis the owners brought in The Pennsylvania Paranormal Association (THE PPA), a paranormal research group based out of the Scranton area to check out what was happening.  It was soon revealed that the property was once a biological research center and that discovery spawned the opening of The Haunted "Deadly Experiments" a "museum like" guided tour designed to be interactive and kid friendly.  The tour includes a vortex tunnel, a turnstile and several medical artifact displays.  The Haunted tour is open Friday & Saturday from 1 - 11 p.m. Sunday 1 - 9 p.m. with expanded hours as Halloween approaches.

Before or after your haunted tour I hope you have the opportunity to be an overnight guest at Great Wolf Lodge in the Pocono Mountains.  No imagination was spared when it comes to the decorations and spooktacular activities as Great Wolf celebrates Howl-O-Ween from October 8-31.  This event is exciting, fun, safe, and just a boo-bit scary! Little ghouls and goblins are invited to Cub Club for pumpkin painting and witchy crafts, while the whole pack will enjoy our nightly Trick or Treat Trail, weekend horse and wagon rides, cookie decorating, dance parties, costume contests, and Spooktacular Story Time! I promise you your children will talk about their Halloween trip to Great Wolf for years to come.  Happy Haunting!

Ciao for now...

Did you hear that? Yes, that's the sound of my teeth chattering and my heart racing when I get scared or I am about to be scared. I am the biggest chicken when it comes to scary movies, haunted hayrides, or haunted tours. Of course Halloween is filled with frights and thrills, but I can't let my scaredy cat ways stop me from enjoying the festivities with Nicholas.

If you are a chicken like me, but you don't want your family to miss out on the Halloween fun, I found something that might fulfill what you are looking for. The Pocono Environmental Education Center, known as PEEC, will celebrate Halloween with PEEC-A-Boo!  PEEC-A-Boo is a family, NON-SCARY night of Halloween fun. Families will be guided down a short Halloween trail and will stop at activity stations. Tickets can be purchased for $5 per child; adults are free. PEEC-A-Boo will be held from 4-7pm on October 30, the rain date is scheduled for October 31. Please call 570-828-2319 or email to pre-register a trail time. 

With that said, have a safe and Happy Halloween. Until next time...celebrate family, friends, and traditions.

The air is cool, the season Fall
Soon Halloween will come to all.
The spooks are after things to do
In fact, a spook brought this to you!

 As a rule, I inform you about my plans for the upcoming weekend in the Pocono Mountains. However, this week I have decided to tell you about my night of fright last Friday evening at the Altered Nightmares/Hotel of Horror located inside the legendary abandoned Lake House Hotel in Saylorsburg! Check in time is between the hours of 7pm and 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays and between 7pm and 10pm on Sundays through the end of October.

As I've mentioned before, I absolutely love Halloween and am intrigued by all things that are said to be haunted! So, naturally I couldn't wait to check in at the recently renovated hotel. My friend Dawn and I arrived a little before 7pm and needless to say we were anxious to see our accommodations for the evening.

The front desk clerk pointed us in the direction of our room which happened to be, you guessed it, room number 13! Okay, so at this point there was no turning back. In sheer terror, we wound our way through the endless dark hall ways and spooky stair cases of this horrific hotel, hoping and praying that we would be able find our way out. I don't mind telling you that we were scared to death, as there's no way to know who or what is lurking in the total darkness! There's no need to pack a bag, but you may want to bring your Rosaries!

Mad men and demons were everywhere as were the spirits of prior guests who have yet to check out! Did you notice my photo? Watch out for this one!! His name is Cain Luszar, and he is a most sinister being. Be careful! He will be looking for you!

After checking out of the hotel, with hearts pounding and palms sweating, we simply had to visit Altered Nightmares and The Seven Deadly Sins! Do you dare to bring your worst nightmares to life? If so, you'll be begging for someone to wake you from this terrifying dream! Can you complete the journey through this sensational, sinful haunted attraction as The Seven Deadly Sins are brought to life? I suggest that you wear your sneakers, as you will be tempted to run as if the Devil himself were chasing you, and who knows? He just may be!

Tickets for the Hotel of Horror are $20 and $15 for Altered Nightmares. For those of you who dare and are brave hearted, I recommend purchasing the combo ticket at $30. Tickets may be purchased online or in person upon arrival. You may want to purchase the combo admission with a fast pass at $40. This will get you to the head of the line, in front of all of the other guests that are just dying to get in!

Your visit would not be complete unless you check out Exhibition Macabre, the third attraction housed inside the old Lake House Hotel. This museum is truly amazing and is sure to make your skin crawl! I was totally creeped out by this display of morbid artifacts from the past. Don't forget to take your camera; you'll definitely want to take some photos to show your friends! Tickets are only $5 for this must see it to believe it exhibition!

The former hotel has a dark history dating back to the 1700s and has served many purposes throughout the years. It may have possibly been used as a make shift hospital in 1918 to house the sick and the dying during the Pocono Mountains' Spanish influenza epidemic and as legend has it, during the Great Depression 15 hangings took place on its' front porch. It's no wonder that this place is said to be truly haunted!

As always, I want to hear about your thrills and chills! Let me know how you plan to spend a wicked weekend in the Pocono Mountains! I hope you are checking in Hotel of Horror featuring Altered Nightmares! Happy Hauntings Everyone!

Two days ago we held our Annual Report Luncheon! I needed to add an exclamation point because to most people that statement sounds like a bore. However, the fact of the matter is this event is truly important and exciting to the Pocono Mountains region. At this luncheon every year, our Bureau recognizes the 2009-10 fiscal year's accomplishments and actions while recognizing individuals and partners who contribute to the success of our tourism community. Essentially one entire year is thrown into a nutshell of three hours. And no, there was no nuts harmed during the making of this event.

The highlights of this year's report include the new 800poconos.com website, the creation and implementation of the Bureau's social media plan (my stunning page), our mobile marketing  initiatives and our co-op advertising campaign. And that's just the beginning! For a full copy of this year's Annual Report visit http://www.800poconos.com/includes/media/docs/annualreport-2010.pdf.

Another important aspect of the day is recognizing those individuals and partners within the community who make a big impact in Pocono Mountains tourism. This year's winners included the French Manor Inn and Spa for their new green spa, Le Spa Foret; Camelback Mountain Resort for their creation of CBK Mountain Adventures; Mount Airy Casino Resort for their addition of table games; East Shore Lodging, Barley Creek Brewing Company and Pocono Raceway for their installation of solar panels; Bridget Gelderman and Rory O'Fee for the inaugural Wally Lake Fest; Dr.David Mazza for the creation of the Buck Hill-Skytop Music Festival; and last but certainly not least, Laurie McEvoy, marketing director at Woodloch Resort for the recipient of the Gail V. Sterrett Marketing Award. 

All and all it was a great day, which highlighted a rather successful yet difficult year in the tourism industry. We are very much looking forward to the 2010-11 fiscal year and already have great projects and campaigns in the works for the next report. So stay tuned because if you thought my social media page was fabulous this year, next year's is going to blow your socks off!   

Where does the time go? One day the sun is shining and the temperature is in the mid 80s; and then before you know it the leaves are falling and the temperature doesn't get much higher than 60. Now, I'm not complaining, I do enjoy fall, but I am complaining about how fast time goes by. Since I became a mommy everything shifted into fast gear. I feel like Nicholas was just barely able to sit up on his own, and now he is running around the house! 

Recently, I was looking at pictures from the past year and I came across a family photo that was taken at Bushkill Falls. I will never forget that day; the weather was perfect, the falls were gushing, and Nicholas was only six months old. At six months Nicholas was quite inquisitive; he stared at the beautiful waterfalls and smiled as the sun peaked through the trees that are draped along stairways. At only six months, he seemed to understand the innate beauty of the falls and the forest that surrounds them. 

Bushkill Falls, known as "The Niagara of Pennsylvania" consists of eight beautiful waterfalls.   You can take scenic walks that range from 15 minutes to 90 minutes. The friendly staff at the entrance building can provide you with a map of the different trails so you can decide which is best for you. In addition to the waterfalls, guests can enjoy the Native American and wildlife exhibits, souvenir shop, snack bar, fudge kitchen, and paddle boats. 

Be sure to check out their website to get the full scoop on hours of operation, admission rates and special events. Until next time... Celebrate family, friends and traditions.

I'm looking out my window at the raindrops splashing on the sill speaking to Mother Nature... "I know we need the rain, but do we have to make up the complete deficit in one week?"  I don't love any part of this kind of weather except that it's a great excuse to not be outdoors.  This begs the question "what is there to do in the Pocono Mountains when it's raining outside?"

It just so happens that we have a refreshing new restaurant in our midst.  Basso Cucina Italiana M Restaurant & Wine Bar is located on route 390 in Mountainhome, PA.  A trip there this weekend is most definitely warranted for anyone who has been watching the rain fall for the past few days or is simply in need of a delicious meal in an inviting environment.  The Pipolo Family has completely renovated the space that was once home to Harrison's Bar.  From the uplifting patio to the inspiring dining room there is no question that this is a family affair.  The six grandchildren were the inspiration for restaurants name... Billy, Allyssa, Sienna, Sophia, Olivia and Michael and you can find two of them working a few hours a week.

I've enjoyed several meals there since they opened in July and I must say I've loved everything from the warm breadsticks, to the house salad, delicious steamed clams, pork chops, pasta and who can forget sensational tiramisu!  Executive Chef Gracie, former owner of Gracie's Place in East Stroudsburg and one time personal chef to Frank Sinatra has one philosophy, no boring food.  I can certainly vouch for that, nothing that has touched my lips has been the list bit boring.

So as the rain continues to fall from the skies I suggest a dinner date with Pipolo Family at a new gem in the Pocono Mountains!  While you are there be sure to pick up the newest edition of Local Flair Magazine, a gem of a completely different kind!  Please be sure to share your experiences and comments with me!

Ciao for now...