Drive time: Less than 3 hours.
Legendary early-20th-century film director D.W. Griffith let the spectacular scenery of this out-of-the-way Pocono foothills town speak for itself in his silent epics. Milford still offers all of the adventure and romance that spoke to him way back then.
Bordered by New York and New Jersey at the northern end of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, this peaceful town—with its historic homes, quaint shops and museums—is the perfect foil for a dramatic natural backdrop of soaring bluffs and waterfalls. Committed to preserving its gorgeous greenery and other precious natural resources, Milford is nationally recognized as the “birthplace of the American Conservation Movement.”
Stay Here
Built in 1882, Hotel Fauchére is a former summer retreat for the rich and famous. It offers 16 elegantly appointed guestrooms, all pet-friendly. On-site restaurants include the upscale Delmonico Room (seasonal tasting menus $85-$115) and the neo-clubby Bar Louis ($18-$26, two-course fixed-price lunch $16). $215-$265 (includes continental breakfast). 401 Broad St.; (570) 409-1212, hotelfauchere.com.
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Eat Here
A local favorite, the Waterwheel Café boasts an eclectic menu featuring many Vietnamese-inspired dishes, plus veggie selections. Dinner $18-$22, lunch from $5.95, breakfast from $2.35. 150 Water St.; (570) 296-2383, waterwheelcafe.com.
If you’re hungry for it, you’ll find it on the Milford Diner’s gigantic menu. Breakfast from $3.75, lunch under $10, dinner from $11.95. 301 Broad St. (at Routes 6 and 209). (570) 296-8611, milforddiner.com.
To-Do List
• Guides from Pecks Pond Backwater Adventures will take you on a one-with-nature guided float tour on a remote stream or river ($129/six hours) or fishing in waters where boats can’t go. Or rent your own a kayak ($29), canoe ($39) or motorboat (from $59). 1270 Route 402, Pecks Pond, Dingmans Ferry; (570) 775-7237, peckspond.com.
• Built in the 1880s, Grey Towers National Historic Landmark is the home of Gifford Pinchot, father of the American Conservation Movement. It’s furnished and landscaped as it was when his family lived there in the 1920s. $6. Pine Acres Lane and Old Owego Turnpike; (570) 296-9630, greytowers.org.
• Spend your Columbus Day Weekend viewing the best in cutting-edge independent films while meeting industry insiders at one of the area’s biggest annual events, the Black Bear Film Festival. Venues and ticket prices vary. (570) 409-0909, blackbearfilm.com.
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Thrifty Tips
• At Dingmans Campground, choose a rustic campsite by the river or one with water and electric in the woods. $30-$37. 1006 Route 209, Dingmans Ferry; (570) 828-1551, dingmanscampground.com.
• Head to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area for a self-guided hike to 105-foot-high Raymondskill Falls (the tallest in the state and only 4 feet shorter than Niagara) or 70-foot-high Dingmans Falls. (570) 426-2452, nps.gov/dewa.
• Browse the galleries along Broad Street in Milford, including the Artisan Exchange (507 Broad St.; 570-296-5550, theartisanexchange.com), the ARTery (210 Broad St.; 570-409-1234, ARTeryonline.com) and the Highlands Photographic Guild (224 Broad St.; 570-296-2440, highlandsphotoguild.com).
• The Columns may be best known for its Lincoln Room, featuring the bloodstained American flag that pillowed the president’s head after he’d been shot. But this circa-1904 architectural wonder also houses 11 rooms of memorabilia from the Civil War through WWII. $5. 608 Broad St.; (570) 296-8126, pikecountyhistoricalsociety.org.
