Road Trip - Jim Thorpe PA
Jim Thorpe is a quaint little town in the Pocono Mountains with charming Victorian buildings, cute little shops and restaurants, and scenic surroundings.
Sights to See:
- Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway – It is about a 70-minute ride along Lehigh Gorge. Costs range from $32 for the glass dome rail car to $22 for the Standard Coach seating. We rode the glass dome rail car and views were awesome. Since it was the end of September, the leaves were just starting to change. We wished wish there was more color, but it was still a beautiful ride.
- Asa Packer Mansion – The mansion was the home of Asa Packer, the railroad magnate that built the Lehigh Gorge Railway. It sits on the top of the hill behind Broadway Street and overlooks the Jim Thorpe Rail Station. This mansion was used as the model for Walt Disney World’s Haunted Mansion ride. They have daily tours for $15 adult, with discounts for Seniors and Children.
- Old Jail Museum – The Old Jail was built in 1870 and is known to be haunted. It once held imprisoned and executed members of the Molly Maguires, a group of Irish coal miners that committed crimes against owners of the railways. Tours run about 35 minutes and cost $15. There are no online ticket sales. Reservations are needed for weekday tours (We did not know this when we took our trip, so we were not able to do the tour). Weekend tours are first come first served, 11am-4pm. There are also Ghost Tours offered on weekend evenings. Check the website for specific days/times because they vary depending on season. Due to the subject matter discussed about the jail and its paranormal history, children under 12 are not allowed on the Ghost Tours. (They can do the regular day tour, but I would not recommend it for small children.)
- Broadway Street – The “main street” of Jim Thorpe, with a large number of cute little specialty shops and restaurants. The Rainbows End is an old-fashioned candy store and ice cream shop. The Jim Thorpe Olive Oil Company has flavors of vinegar, pasta, and soup mixes, in addition to a large variety of olive oil varieties. Douglas House Marketplace is a two-story building with a number different shops under the same roof, including a coffee house.
- Country Junction World’s Largest General Store – On your way out of town, in Lehighton, this is an unexpectedly fun place to visit. It has EVERYTHING from candy and baked goods to home décor, kitchen gadgets, cute gifts and lawn and garden supplies. Plus they have a petting zoo and arcade with mini-bowling. They also have special events like the Pumpkin Festival and Great Christmas Adventure Show.
Restaurants:
- We ate at:
- Antonios Pizzeria, on Broadway Street, for lunch – great sandwiches and pizza, very affordable
- PJ Whelihan’s Pub and Restaurant, outside of town in Lehighton, for dinner- nice sports bar with very good food (wide variety of appetizers, wings, burgers, salads and sandwiches). Highly recommend their Buffalo Chicken Dip!
- Additional options:
- Broadway Grille, on Broadway Street – wide variety of options from burgers to steaks.
- Molly Maguire’s Irish Pub and Steakhouse, across the street from the Lehigh Gorge Railway – Not really much Irish food on the menu (fish & chips and shepherd’s pie), but has reasonable prices and variety of burgers, wraps, and sandwiches
Hotel: Country Inn & Suites (Lehighton/Jim Thorpe), 1619 Interchange Rd, Lehighton PA – very nice, relatively new, convenient location about 10-15 minutes from Jim Thorpe
Some things to consider:
- Hours – Check the hours of places you want to go – there were a number of shops and restaurants that were closed on Mondays (we didn’t know that until we got there)
- Parking – It is much easier and cheaper during the week.
- Carbon County Jim Thorpe Municipal Parking lot, very convenient, next to the Railway Station. $8/day on weekdays, $25!/day on weekends
There is also metered Street Parking on Broadway, with a five hour limit. It is much cheaper ($2/hr) but very limited.
