The Poconos in northeastern Pennsylvania and the Catskills in New York are the two classic mountain getaways for New Yorkers, and both are full of vacation rentals. They're different trips, though. The Catskills have bigger mountains and wilder hiking. The Poconos are closer for Philadelphia, have more indoor waterparks, and are full of lake communities with beaches and pools for renters.
We're a Poconos site, so we've tried to be fair: every number below comes from the resorts, park agencies or map routes, and we say where the Catskills come out ahead.
Getting there
From New York City, the trips are close. Jack Frost Big Boulder puts its drive at about 2 hours 5 minutes (105 miles) from New York City. In the Catskills, Hunter Mountain says it's about 2.5 hours from the city, and by map route without traffic it's about 2 hours 40 minutes (123 miles) from Midtown to Hunter, about 2 hours 55 minutes (130 miles) to Belleayre, and about 2 hours (91 miles) to Monticello in the southern Catskills.
From Philadelphia, the Poconos win clearly: about 1 hour 50 minutes (97 miles) to Jack Frost Big Boulder, versus about 3 hours 40 minutes (177 miles) to Monticello and about 4 hours 25 minutes (209 miles) to Hunter by map route.
Without a car, the Catskills have the edge on trains: Hunter notes Metro-North to Poughkeepsie (about 1.5 hours) and Amtrak to Hudson (about 2 hours), though you'll still need a car from the station. The Poconos have no passenger trains, but Martz Trailways buses run from Port Authority to Delaware Water Gap, Stroudsburg and Mount Pocono.
Sources: Jack Frost Big Boulder: getting here · Hunter Mountain: getting here · OSRM map routing (no traffic) · Martz Trailways: New York routes
Skiing
The Catskills have the bigger mountains. Hunter Mountain lists 1,600 feet of vertical and 67 trails, Windham (now Windham Mountain Club) about 1,600 feet and 54 trails, and Belleayre, run by New York's Olympic Regional Development Authority, 1,404 feet and 62 trails. Smaller areas like Plattekill and Holiday Mountain round out the region.
The Poconos have more than half a dozen ski areas, mostly smaller and closer together. Blue Mountain has the most vertical in Pennsylvania at 1,082 feet, Camelback has 46 trails, all lit for night skiing, and Jack Frost and Big Boulder share one pass a few miles apart. Blue Mountain bills its tubing park as the largest in the USA. If steep, long runs matter most, the Catskills win. If you want short drives from the house, night skiing and lots of beginner-friendly terrain for a family, the Poconos work well.
Sources: Hunter Mountain mountain info · Belleayre Mountain (Wikipedia) · Windham Mountain Club (Wikipedia) · Blue Mountain on the Ikon Pass · Camelback on the Ikon Pass
Indoor waterparks
This is the Poconos' clearest advantage. There are three big indoor waterparks, all open year-round at about 84 degrees: Kalahari in Pocono Manor (about 220,000 square feet), Aquatopia at Camelback, and Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun. Each sells day passes to visitors who aren't staying at the hotel, in limited numbers. In summer, Camelbeach adds an outdoor waterpark.
The Catskills have one: The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark in Monticello, which calls itself the only indoor waterpark in the Catskills and New York's largest.
Sources: Kalahari Resorts (Wikipedia) · Great Wolf Lodge Poconos day passes · The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
Lakes and water
The Poconos are lake country. Many rental homes sit inside private lake communities with beaches, pools and boat launches that renters can use with passes, such as Emerald Lakes, Arrowhead Lakes, Lake Naomi and Penn Estates. Lake Harmony allows powerboats and water-skiing, and Lake Wallenpaupack, more than 5,700 acres, has no horsepower limit.
The Catskills' biggest bodies of water are New York City's reservoirs. Cannonsville, Pepacton, Neversink and Schoharie allow recreational boating from May 1 to October 31, but only non-motorized kayaks, canoes, rowboats and sculls, with a free city permit and a steam cleaning before launch. Rentals of pre-cleaned kayaks and canoes are available at launch sites on those four reservoirs.
Sources: Lake Wallenpaupack (Wikipedia) · NYC DEP recreational boating
Hiking and nature
The Catskills win for serious hiking. Catskill Park covers about 700,000 acres, with more than 300 miles of trails and the Catskill High Peaks, and Kaaterskill Falls drops 260 feet in two tiers, one of the highest waterfalls in New York.
The Poconos have gentler, family-sized hiking: the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (about 70,000 acres along the river), Hickory Run State Park's Boulder Field, a National Natural Landmark, Bushkill Falls, a series of eight waterfalls, and state parks with swimming beaches like Tobyhanna.
Sources: Catskill Park (Wikipedia) · Kaaterskill Falls (Wikipedia) · Pocono Mountains (Wikipedia) · Bushkill Falls (Wikipedia)
Towns and things to do
Catskills towns like Woodstock, Phoenicia, Hunter and Windham are small mountain villages with cafes, shops and restaurants. Poconos towns lean toward family attractions: Victorian Jim Thorpe, Stroudsburg's Main Street, Pocono Premium Outlets, Pocono Raceway, Mount Airy Casino Resort and Camelback's summer coaster and zip lines.
Rental homes
Both regions have everything from cabins to big lodges. In the Poconos, many homes are in lake communities, and areas like Albrightsville are known for five- to seven-bedroom houses with hot tubs, theaters and game rooms for big groups. Community rules are common: passes, registration a few days ahead, and in some townships a 2-night minimum and a renter age of 25 or older.
Who should pick which
- Pick the Poconos if you're driving from Philadelphia or South Jersey, traveling with kids who want waterparks, want a lake beach and pool with the rental, are planning a big group trip, or want a race or ski weekend with short drives.
- Pick the Catskills if steeper, longer ski runs matter most, you want big hikes and High Peaks, you'd rather take the train part of the way from New York.
- Coming from New York City and can't decide? The drives are similar, so let the trip decide: waterparks, lakes and family fun point to the Poconos; mountains, hiking and quiet villages point to the Catskills.
