Things to do in the Poconos in the Winter

shawneehdless on December 1, 2023

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Poconos in the winter is skiing, right? While the slopes at nearby Shawnee Mountain Ski Area are incredible for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing, there are a variety of other things to do in the Poconos in the winter.

Check out this list of our favorite things to do once the snow starts to fall! 

Skiing

Family at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area in the Poconos.

The Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is located just three miles from Shawnee Inn. With 25 trails across 125 skiable acres, two terrain parks, and 100% snowmaking, it’s the perfect place for beginner skiers and seasoned skiers alike. Skiing is one of the most popular things to do in the Poconos in the winter, and this ski area is dedicated to making sure everyone is safe while they enjoy this awesome winter activity – ski patrol is on the mountain at all times during opening hours. Pick from these Poconos ski resorts packages to add an extra bonus to your visit!

Snow Tubing

Want to have some snowy fun without worrying about taking a dive? Hop aboard a snow tube at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area and glide down the hills created just for snow tubing. No need for practice or equipment with this winter activity in the Poconos – just reserve your ticket in advance (no in-person ticketing for tubing) and show up ready to have fun! Two surface lifts are available to whisk you back to the top of the hill for another go, and tubes that accommodate an adult and child are available – but kids must be 4 or older to ride. 

Snowboarding

Also available at Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is snowboarding, another classic winter activity in the Poconos. The variety of trails at the ski area mean you can shred the slopes at high speed or take your time down gentler declines. No matter what snowboarding adventure you choose, the Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is the place to do it! 

ShawneeCraft Brewery

Beers and glasses at the ShawneeCraft Brewery in the Poconos.

Visit ShawneeCraft Brewery for an inside look at the process followed by the property’s brewmasters, offering up to 16 housemade craft beverages on tap at a time. The brewery also offers a variety of cans and bottle-aged beers, delicious local wines, and merchandise so you can rep your new favorite brewery after your visit, where you can stay warm from the inside with craft brews. Book a tour, or stop by to enjoy the expansive Beer Garden and a bite from their farm-to-table menu. 

Snowshoe

Looking to get out in the snow on foot? Rent snowshoes and hit the trails! There are many trails around the area to explore, with local companies offering guided tours and curated itineraries to make your snowshoe adventure a hit. After a long day outdoors, hit the Shawnee Spa and Salon for a relaxing massage or facial. 

Christmas Tram Tour

Take the Shawnee Inn’s version of The Polar Express this winter in the Poconos! Ride along a beautifully-lit trail to Santa’s Workshop in a cozy, heated tram. You’ll hop out at Santa’s Workshop and enjoy a toasty warm fire pit, singing carols, s’mores and hot chocolate, cookies, and more! 

Shawnee Holiday Market

Christmas tree adorned with Christmas ornaments.

Still have some holiday shopping to take care of? Visit the Shawnee Holiday Market, open Wednesday through Sunday from December 6th through December 23rd. The magic of the season comes to life with talented local vendors, business owners, and artisans offering special treasures and the perfect gifts for everyone on your Nice List. 

Holiday Tea

Treat yourself to the tradition of Holiday Tea at Shawnee Inn this winter. This timeless event lets you savor a delightful selection of teas, from seasonal to classic flavors with delicious treats to supplement them. The tea room is decked out in festive decor, with Christmas cheer and charm around every corner, making this one of the best things to do in the winter in the Poconos. 

Breakfast with Santa

With three opportunities to meet the jolly man himself, Breakfast with Santa at the Shawnee Inn is the ultimate winter activity in the Poconos – if you still believe, that is. You can enjoy a magical morning with Santa Claus and a delicious breakfast while you create lasting memories with the whole family. Santa will be at the Shawnee Inn for breakfast on December 2nd, 9th, and 16th from 9 am to 11 am. 

Pocono Beverage Trail

Romantic couple enjoying glasses of wine.

The Pocono Beverage Trail is a beer trail, wine trail, and spirits trail all in one! Check in with your mobile “passport” at various locations along the trail to earn points, and enjoy various discounts and deals the more locations you visit. Check out our curated Pocono wine tour. Find family-owned breweries, inventive distilleries, farmhouse brews, and more when you explore the whole trail – and you can start at ShawneeCraft Brewery!

ShawneePlayhouse

When you’re ready to spend some time out of the snow, book your tickets for a show at ShawneePlayhouse. This winter’s show, A Christmas Story, brings the classic 1983 movie to life on stage as a musical rather than your living room television. Early bird tickets to ShawneePlayhouse’s 2024 shows are available now. 

When it’s time to plan your winter trip to the Poconos, let your first decision be your Pocono resort accommodations – and choose Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort for easy access to the area’s best winter activities, plus a host of on-site holiday activities that can’t be beat. We look forward to seeing you this winter!

Pocono Ski Resort with Shuttle Service

shawneehdless on December 28, 2021

The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is the closest resort to Shawnee Ski Mountain, only 3 miles away! Don’t feel like driving yourself? No problem! Did you know that the Shawnee Inn is the only Pocono ski resort to offer shuttle service? Our team offers a complimentary shuttle and private rides to and from Shawnee Mountain. Keep reading to learn more about the shuttle service only offered at Shawnee.

Stay at Shawnee, Catch a Ride to Shawnee Mountain

When you book an overnight stay at Shawnee, you can utilize our complimentary shuttle service to Shawnee Mountain. Our shuttles depart the Inn at 8:30am, Noon and 4:00pm daily. You can return to the Inn on the 12:30pm, 4:30pm or 8:30pm shuttle. Shuttle service must be booked with a 24 hour advanced notice, and all trips are considered “one way”, so be sure to reserve both a departure and pick up time.

Private Rides

Looking for more privacy or possibly a different time to go to or from the Mountain? You can book a private shuttle with our team as well. Private shuttle service is available for $50 one way, runs every hour, and must be booked with a 24 hour advanced notice. If private round trip service is needed, make sure you reserve both a departure and pick up time with our team.

Are you ready to book your Pocono ski vacation? Check out all our great Poconos ski resorts packages.

To reserve shuttle service, please contact our reservations team at 570-424-4000

Ski Lift Ticket = Beer

shawneehdless on November 26, 2021

It’s time for a getaway, and a Pocono ski trip is exactly what you need! The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is conveniently located just 3 miles from Shawnee Mountain, and offers all the amenities you could want in a resort destination. While Shawnee Mountain offers 23 slopes & trails, 2 terrain parks, night skiing and snow tubing. You can make it a simple overnight trip, or a week long affair. Perfect for the whole family, or make it a couples only getaway.  Our reasonable ski and stay package is made to fit any budget.

Lift Ticket = Beer Promo

Staying at Shawnee? Skiing or snowboarding at Shawnee Mountain? How about 2 free ShawneeCraft brews while your here? Show your same day lift ticket at The Gem and Keystone Tavern and receive one complimentary ShawneeCraft draft. Then show that same ticket to the Beertender at the ShawneeCraft Taproom and receive a second complimentary draft!

The Gem and Keystone Tavern offers both indoor dining and heated outdoor dining. Known for our mouth-watering steaks, chops, burgers & our smokey oak-infused grill flavors, its the perfect spot for a hearty meal after a day on the mountain. The ShawneeCraft Taproom (open 7 days a week) offers live music Thursday – Sunday. Enjoy a beer in the indoor taproom or outdoors in the Beergarden where you can stay cozy by the heaters, or reserve one of several firepits! (Must be 21+ to participate in beer offer)

Ski & Stay Packages and Discounted Lift Tickets

Our ski and stay package includes overnight accommodations, a full hot breakfast, a GUARANTEED all-day lift ticket to hit the slopes skiing or snowboarding at Shawnee Mountain, and of course our lift ticket equals two beers promo.

Overnight guests of The Shawnee Inn will get the best prices on Shawnee Mountain lift tickets, and will also enjoy shuttle service to and from Shawnee Mountain!

View all of our Pocono Resort Deals here. 

Ski Resort with Brewery

shawneehdless on November 16, 2020

The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort is the closest lodging near Shawnee Mountain. Shawnee Mountain is #1 for families and is the first ski resort near interstate 80 from New York & New Jersey. The ShawneeCraft Brewing Company is one of the Shawnee Inn’s many fun and unique amenities. In operation since 2009, The ShawneeCraft Brewing Company is perfect for après ski. The brewery and taproom are open 7 days a week and offer live entertainment Thursday through Sunday. During winter, the ShawneeCraft Taproom offers outdoor music in the afternoon. Surrounded by warm and inviting firepits and outdoor heaters, the ShawneeCraft Taproom’s outdoor space provides a completely fun & unique experience available nowhere else in the Poconos.

The ShawneeCraft Brewing Company and Taproom serve skiers, the public and Shawnee Inn guests delicious ales and lagers brewed right on property. Small food plates are also available to accompany our brews. While the brewery maintains a generous offering of reliable beers that welcomes a familiar palate of flavors, our brewery also creates special releases that are only offered seasonally – some rare beers are only offered once. Our perfect blend of familiarity and freshness keeps our relationship with our customers both welcoming and exciting.

More than anything else, we provide a really fun experience after a day skiing at Shawnee Mountain. Feel free to relax, listen to music and taste our delicious beers.

Choose from our Poconos ski resorts packages to jumpstart your ski trip!

 

Learn to Ski at Shawnee

shawneehdless on November 15, 2018

 

The leaves have fallen, there’s a chill in the air, and snowflakes are starting to drop from the sky. The perfect time to start thinking about the upcoming ski season! Don’t know how to ski? Don’t worry we have that part covered! Something to think about…January is national learn to ski month and our close friends at Shawnee Mountain can offer advice, lessons, and equipment rentals (just in case you’re not ready to fully commit).

Shawnee Mountain (located just 3 miles from The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort) has 23 trails, 2 terrain parks, and the Pocono Plunge Snow Tubing Park, offering fun for the whole family. Trails range from easy to freestyle for all types of skiers and snowboarders.

Our close relationship with Shawnee Mountain allows us to score some awesome discounts and pass them along to you our special guests! Our Learn to Ski package includes overnight accommodations, a hot and hearty breakfast to keep your energy up, ski or snowboard rentals, an all-day lift ticket, and up to a 90-minute group lesson! This package is valid December-March (during Shawnee Mountain’s Ski Season).

Still not convinced that skiing is right for you? Let’s address a few more things that might have you concerned? Is skiing dangerous? Statistically, skiing or snowboarding is no more hazardous than bicycling or playing a round of tennis, and there is safety equipment available to make you more comfortable. Do you need to be in good physical shape to ski? You don’t have to be an athlete to ski, but you might tire faster. You will fall down, so being in shape or used to some sort of physical activity will allow you to bounce back quicker. How cold will it be? It depends on the conditions. We suggest dressing in layers. It’s easier to remove layers of clothing than add it. Jeans and sweatpants are not recommended, because you will get wet. Make your outer most layer waterproof. Last bit of advice for a new skier of any age, is to understand that you will fall when learning to ski, and you might even get frustrated or be embarrassed, but all skiers have been there, trust us! What’s most important is that you get back up and try again, and before you know it, you’ll be racing down the slopes, and looking forward to ski season every year!

Top Rated Ski Instructors at Shawnee

shawneehdless on December 17, 2014

Planning on learning to ski this winter? The Pocono Mountains is the perfect place to suit up and click in for the first time. Shawnee Mountain is one of the Pocono Mountain’s sought after ski and snowboard destinations and is just minutes from The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort. Shawnee Mountain sits just outside the 70,000 acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and is Pennsylvania’s beginner friendly mountain and #1 for families. With nationally recognized Ski-Wee program to professional Ski and Snowboard instructors – Shawnee Mountain has been the Poconos’ leader in safely getting people on the slopes for decades.

It gets even better, leading the learn to ski initiative at Shawnee Mountain is a man who travels here each winter from Austria. Heinz Oberhauser will be turning 77 years old this March. He has been with Shawnee Mountain for over 35 years, and is a level 3 PSIA instructor which he has maintained his whole career at Shawee Mountain. He spends the winter here in the Pocono Mountains from October to March and when the ski season wraps up, he travels back to Austria. Heinz is a ski instructor for all ages wishing to learn the sport, an instructor for the mountain and also teaches Shawnee Mountain’s staff of the safety and instruction of the sport every winter. Learning to ski and snowboard can turn into a lifelong hobby and it is an experience Shawnee Mountain is proud to create for their guests.

There is no better place in the Poconos to experience winter recreation so come learn from the best. The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort offers overnight accommodations or visit here for tailored Ski and Stay Packages for you and your family. We will see you on the mountain!

Top 5 Ways to Save with Ski Travel

shawneehdless on November 13, 2014

When the weather gets colder, and especially after the first snow fall of the season, winter sports enthusiasts begin to get that itch. You know what we are talking about. It starts with seeing that first brisk fog and is quickly followed by early morning defrost sessions in your car. After that, it doesn’t take long for you to keep the pulse of your favorite ski mountain’s snow reports. By this time, it is too late and that itch has turned into jubilant excitement barely containable until you can get onto the slopes.

Here are The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort’s Top 5 Ways to Save for Ski Travel

1. Travel in Groups
You wouldn’t believe the savings that are available when traveling with a group. Resorts, like the Shawnee Inn, absolutely love it when we can sell chunks of guaranteed business; so much so that we are willing to offer very competitive pricing.

Another benefit of traveling in groups is that the Shawnee Inn makes organizing your trip easy. We have a team of highly trained experts who can organize everything from discounted lift tickets and transportation to custom meals and even spa appointments. Call 800-SHAWNEE or e-mail Sales@ShawneeInn.com to learn more about traveling in groups.

2. Travel Mid-Week
The weekend is a very busy time for travel to the Poconos. Our supply of accommodations is limited and the popularity of weekend travel restricts our ability to discount our rates. Traveling Sunday through Thursday, or mid-week, is the best time to save on rate for both accommodations and lift tickets.

3. Book Direct at ShawneeInn.com
The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort offers a Best Rate Guarantee when reserving directly on our website or by calling our reservations office at 800-SHAWNEE. We offer the best rates available anywhere and can provide services third-party booking engines (expedia, hotwire, hotels.com, etc) can’t match.

Our team of reservation professionals are capable of answering any of your travel questions to the Pocono Mountains and The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort. If you’re looking for the best possible rate and excellent concierge service, book directly through the Shawnee Inn.

4. Package Your Vacation
In an effort to anticipate your needs The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort has built travel packages that are discounted and inclusive of several popular offerings. Packaging your winter travel empowers you to focus on all of the fun you will have on your trip to the Pocono Mountains rather than planning and coordination.

Click here for The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort’s winter travel packages.

5. Join Social Networks and E-mail Club
The best way for the Shawnee Inn to communicate to our guests is through e-mail and social networks (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). These venues are the first places we turn to when sending upcoming travel deals. Whether they are last-minute specials or early-bird savings – there is no better place to find travel deals in the Poconos. You can join the Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort’s e-mail club on the bottom of our homepage. Like us on Facebook by clicking here.