The Poconos have a growing wine and craft beer scene: hilltop vineyards with views, brewpubs that make their own beer and spirits, and small taprooms in Jim Thorpe. Most are an easy drive from the homes on this site, so they make a relaxed afternoon between hikes or ski days.
Hours change with the seasons, so check each website before you go, and plan a driver or a ride: nobody should drive back to the house after a tasting. You must be 21 to drink in Pennsylvania.
Blue Ridge Winery ↗Barley Creek Brewing Co. ↗Pocono Brewery Company ↗Mountain View Vineyard ↗Big Creek Vineyard ↗Cellar Beast ↗
Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery (Saylorsburg)
- 239 Blue Ridge Road, Saylorsburg, PA 18353 · (610) 895-4205. A hilltop winery with deck seating and views over the vineyards.
- No admission fee. Tastings are $15 for 5 wines served as a flight you take back to your table, with a glass to keep. Pick from dry whites, dry reds, off-dry/semi-sweet or sweet.
- No reservations: seating is first come, first served, and your whole group should be there to get a table.
- Brick-oven pizza, cheese platters and snacks are for sale, plus beer and soda. You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks (no sternos, grills or crockpots), but no outside alcohol.
- Family friendly, with kids supervised by an adult (no high chairs). Leashed, friendly dogs are welcome, but not on chairs, benches or tables.
- Bring a real ID: Pennsylvania doesn't accept digital driver's licenses or photos of an ID.
Sources: Blue Ridge: general information
More wineries
- Mountain View Vineyard, 2332 Walters Rd, Stroudsburg ((570) 619-0053): a winery with an indoor bistro and covered porch. Reservations have a 2-hour limit, with separate rules for larger parties.
- Big Creek Vineyard, 120 Keller Road, Kunkletown (610-681-3959): open every afternoon from noon, with outdoor seating and a family-style wine and antipasto experience for groups.
- Cellar Beast: a tasting room inside The Y on Broadway hotel in Jim Thorpe (Wednesday to Sunday) and the main winehouse in Andreas (Friday to Sunday).
Breweries and brewpubs
- Barley Creek Brewing Co., 1774 Sullivan Trail, Tannersville (570-629-9399): a brewpub open since 1995 that brews beer and distills spirits on site, with brewery tours and a play area for kids. Near Camelback and the Pocono Premium Outlets.
- Pocono Brewery Company, 2092 Route 611, Swiftwater (570-839-1500): craft beer, wine and spirits with pizza and made-from-scratch food, and live music on some nights. Closed Tuesdays.
- Hairy Guys Brewing, 204 Center Street, Jim Thorpe ((610) 714-7441): small-batch craft beer, Wednesday to Sunday.
- Bright Path Brewing, 1215 North St, Jim Thorpe: a craft brewery taproom, Thursday to Sunday.
Plan the day
- Pair a tasting with something nearby: Barley Creek with the outlets in Tannersville, and the Jim Thorpe taprooms with a walk around town.
- Several tour and limo companies run Pocono wine tours (Blue Ridge lists some on its website), so nobody has to drive.
- Big group? See our bachelorette and big-group guides for house rules and larger homes.
