Our family had never visited the Poconos area, and I wanted to maximize our experience in the few…read moredays we would be in the region...so I decided to enlist a guide. What a good decision. Tom has quite a few tour options...something for most interests and levels of physical ability. He was quite willing to adapt/customize any of the tours to suit our needs. We did a two day tour combo, going hiking in Hickory Run State Park on the first day and learning about the coal mining history of the area on day two. The coal tour included a trip into an actual mine, a mini-tour of the surrounding communities, and finished up with a bike ride down the old switchback gravity mine car trail. What stood out to me, in addition to the interesting locales we visited, was the passion that Tom has to share the history of this area. He wanted to put the mine tour into the context of what it was like to have actually lived as a miner. He added his own information at the mine tour to what the tour operator told us. He shared about how the topography, geography, and geology all played into the story of the coal industry's history. And the mini-tour of the communities helped us learn about the economic impact (past and present) of the industry. Tom not only displays passion for the history of the region, he is congenial and a good communicator. And he is also very observant of everyone on the tour, doing his best to give individual attention to assure each person as a good experience. I only wish we had more time to learn about other aspects of Jim Thorpe's history. I guess we have something to look forward to on our next visit.

Simply, this is the best tour we have ever been on. We were hoping to get in nice hike and the…read morebasic lay of the land of Jim Thorpe. Instead, our guide Tom created a tour and hiking excursion that also told a story with every step. From the history of the town on the street level to an expansive view of the valley from above, Tom made sure every minute was interesting and filled with new information, We left not only informed, but with a feeling of being a part of the community. We can't give a higher recommendation than we can give Tom and JTX.

I still cannot believe that this was an active jail until 1995 and they shut down the dungeon…read more(solitary confinement) in the 1970s. The conditions were truly not extremely modern to any standard of today and I guess this is what was expected when the jail was built over several decades earlier. The opening video which seems like a high school AV club production did explain about the Molly Maguires and the hangings at this jail. We then toured the cells, dungeon, and had free reign to check out the Warden's quarters and kitchen. Didn't take long and you could be in and out in less than an hour or so. Very interesting history. There is one bathroom for public use. The kitchen is supposedly the next major restoration project going to be started. A lot of the displays and signage needs some TLC, too. If you're in law enforcement or into this kind of history, I'd recommend it. They also have a gift shop. $13 each for us today, 8/7/2026.

If you have extra time, I recommend stopping by for a tour. The video at the beginning will make…read moreyou aware of the life back in the early 1900's. Be prepared to listen, this was my favorite part. It was rough, in which will also be described if you do the No 9 Coal Mine tour, which I highly recommend. It also clues you into that many people in the town were poor, despite the revenue and millionaires that lived there. Walking through the jail was standard fair, though it was in worse shape than most middle age castles in Europe. Also, I didn't appreciate the fiction about someone going through a four inch window slot or the protected hand print comes back on its own when the wall is replaced.

Built in 1861, this Victorian Italianate architecture-style home was constructed over a span of two…read moreyears at a total cost of $14,000 dollars. The Asa Packer Mansion listed as a National Historic Landmark was the home of philanthropist, railroad magnate, and founder of Lehigh University, Asa Packer, from Oct. 16, 1861, to Oct. 29, 1912. Located in Jim Thorpe, this building is recognized by a red-ribbed tin roof and a central cupola proudly atop Packer Hill with the commanding stunning views of the surrounding Pocono Mountains, where my partner, his aunt and I came for a tour today. Tickets were easily available and reasonably priced for the 1pm tour, which covered the entirety of the first and second floors. Our tour guide was a young lady (she mentioned she is a senior in high school) who obviously loves her job and is personally interested in the history of the mansion and family. From the furniture, woodwork, and stained glass to the artwork, she spoke about the history or significance. The mansion is not a restoration where pictures and video are prohibited inside. An amazing walk back in time, for which we can recommend this place.

This was absolutely the highlight of our day in Jim Thorpe! Such a stunning home with amazing…read morehistory and it's incredibly well preserved. Our tour guide was very passionate about the subject and brought the story of the home to life. We learned so much about Asa Packer and his family as well as his contributions to the town itself. I highly recommend visiting the mansion. It's very affordable and you won't regret it. The setting is very scenic as it's set atop a gorgeous hill overlooking the region. Bonus points if you have the opportunity to visit during the fall season. You'll be surrounded by the most beautiful foliage. But very important to note, accessing the museum means walking up the hill and some stairs. It's a short walk but could be taxing for some. Very much worth your efforts though!

We took the Ghost and Graveyard tour. Cassie was the best tour guide. She made it worth every penny…read morespent!!

What an amazing tour! Our driver, tour guide, and owner, Ed, was very entertaining and…read moreknowledgeable about the history of Jim Thorpe. I learned so many things I never knew before! The speaker system was also excellent--you could clearly hear and understand every word he said. I highly recommend this tour!

This was actually a really cute little visitor center inside the train station. It was cold when we…read morevisited and it was warm inside with clean bathrooms. They had some visitor information pamphlets and they sell the tickets for the historic trolley tours inside, but if you are looking for a train ticket, be sure to go to the booth at the North end of the building. They do not allow dogs inside, but we were able to take our dog on the train, so my husband and I had to take turns standing outside in the cold with her while the other went to the restroom and looked around. We didn't find much to do in the city and we didn't love our train ride, but as far as visitors centers go, this one is solid.

Burned 20 minutes here reading a little about the history of the town and surrounding area while…read morewaiting for the train to leave. It's interesting but lacking in some key details such as why the town was renamed from Mauch Chunk to Jim Thorpe. Was the Olympian originally from the area? According to Google he never set foot in the area but is buried here. Weirdly one of the staff members spent the entire time almost shouting into her phone which was quite distracting .

Scenic bike train review:…read more - call ahead of time for accurate timing (online says 9, but in person their latest sign says 9:30) - Be prepared for the train to leave ON TIME - you can bring your own bike or rent one of theirs (you get fitted very quickly) - it's an all or nothing event - you cannot get dropped off half way or go back on the train if you don't ride it back - I'd pack a lighter lunch to make a pitstop rest to eat, but if you don't bring a full lunch MAKE SURE YOU BRING SNACKS + FLUIDS (There is Renee's cold cut but but you need to find her before the train ride to get the food so I think it's easier to bring your own) Train ride - I'd recommend sitting on the right to see more things, every window is open so you get a nice breeze and less Covid concerns, the conductor is informative, everyone is very friendly, you don't see any crazy interesting things but it's a nice outdoors experience Trek bike rental - very quick to get situated with a bike, and helmets are offered but definitely not needed Trail - very flat and fairly wide lanes, it's a 2% decline so slightly downhill but you can't stop pedaling and expect to continue downwards, there are mile markers to give you an idea how far you've traveled; feel free to interact with other bikers that are clearly more knowledgeable as everyone is very friendly and can give you tips/tell you how many miles you've traveled/etc. Stops along the way - there are many opportunities to have picnics at tables or in the grass and random informational/historical signs along the way, there are mini waterfalls and you bike along the water and/or train tracks for many portions of the path For someone who NEVER bikes, this was long but doable. With multiple breaks it took over 4 hours, and I think would be great if you have no plans for the day and can casually bike the whole event and make stops along the way. I've been more sore playing other sports than this bike ride so even though I was sore it wasn't crazy despite 25 miles sounding very intensive. Interested in checking out the white water rafting in the future Tl:dr - long but doable ride, friendly staff and other bikers, nice casual scenic train ride, wish there was a midway point for those not interested in doing all 25 miles

I rarely write negative reviews, but after more than six months I still cannot fully express the…read morefrustration I feel after paying $270.00 for services that were never rendered and the humiliating experience with the rude and threatening demeanor of "Tom," the apparent business owner. I was under the impression that I was booking with the bike rental business across from the train station, which I now know is a common mistake, and only realized the mix‑up when I brought my guests into that shop and was told my reservations were not with them. As I was trying to understand what happened, my phone rang and it was Tom, who apparently knew this was a frequent confusion. Instead of helping resolve the situation, he told me I was too stupid to read a Google map and that he would not subject his "on‑time VIP customers" to my supposed stupidity. Honestly, a business owner said this. I was stunned and deeply embarrassed, especially standing there in front of my guests. Only afterward did I look up his reviews and see that I was not the only person subjected to this kind of behavior, and I also noticed that some of his positive reviews were clearly intended for the other bike rental business. I am sharing this to warn potential bike riders: Jim Thorpe is a beautiful scenic tour and can be a wonderful experience, but choose your rental company carefully so your day is not ruined before it even begins.

The first floor of this place is a museum is only worthwhile to tour if you have extra time on your…read morehands. I believe the guide was tired that day and our time downstairs was cut short. For the most part she explained how coal was moved through an N gauge layout similar to what the town used to have. The coal cars were pushed up a hill with a cable and then gravity brought them down. I wanted to dig into that, but didn't feel the our tour guide was the right person to ask. She went on to say the cars could reach 60mph, it was also used as one of the first rollercoasters in the country. The 2nd floor ballroom has a Firefly exhibit, which is why this review is five stars. This is where we spent most of our time as a Nigerian artist painted florescent canvas scenes around three sides of the front stage for the main attraction. That painting was enjoyable in both regular and black light. In many ways all of the paintings followed the qualities of better traditional artists such as Vincent Van Gogh. The stories flowed and artwork captured peoples thoughts and lives quite well. I mentioned it may be worthwhile for someone from Sotheby's Auction house to stop by and check them, though I more recently found out that the exhibit took 1st place in the United Nations International Arts Competition.

Stop here first when visiting Jim Thorpe! You'll hear how to pronounce Mauch Chunk! The guy that…read morewas there was more then happy to take us through the two small rooms/areas of memorabilia and artifacts, and proudly describe the rich and fascinating history of what is now called Jim Thorpe. So much to learn about and the perfect start to our time here in this charming little Swiss-inspired town. The museum is in a former church which in recent years has had lots of painstaking restorations. Admission was 7.50 if you don't care to see the video. We were pressed for time so we skipped that part. I think full price with the video is 10.00.

Vlad was our pilot and he was extremely friendly and kind. I really enjoyed the ride and felt like…read moreit was a memorial experience. The airplane was also very comfortable but do take your motion sickness pills if you get nauseous easily. 10/10 would recommend

Vlad is awesome! We had an incredible, unforgettable and unique experience and tour of the Poconos…read moreon his plane. The views were magnificent and absolutely beautiful. Vlad is a skilled pilot, and showed us a lot about the area and even taught us a little bit about how the plane and flying work. The flight really inspired us. Vlad is also friendly and kind, and made sure we were okay and comfortable the entire time. Thank you, Vlad, and Hop On Air company!

We love visiting Eckley and have been here multiple times. Just to visit and for events. Today was…read moretheir first ever Hooch Wagon Brew Fest. We purchased two tickets for a little over $80 with fees. We arrived at opening at checked in, showed our ID's and were given wrist bands. The woman at the table started to hand us small plastic cup. We said we were supposed to receive actual glasses. The other lady said there wasn't anything 'special' on our tickets to receive the small tasting glass. Not sure why there would be when you read what they posted. Another lady scanned our tickets - again. According to all of the Eckley posts (photo attached) you were to receive a tasting glass as long as you purchased tickets ahead of time, which we did. Finally after back and forth between 4 different women we were given the small glass. It was a hastle and didn't need to be. The two older women didn't want to give them to us, but eventually did with hesitation. That was definitely not a good start to the event. We feel that everyone going should receive the small glass, especially when paying over $40 per ticket. There were probably a dozen breweries/wineries. Two food trucks and one table selling cookies. We were familiar with most of the breweries and were surprised there weren't more involved. We have a lot of great local-ish breweries. I understand it's their first time having this event. We would attend again if there's not the hastle with the glass and if there are more vendors there.

Nice, relatively small museum with an informative video describing the era. The "open" buildings…read morehave a clear front door that is locked. I was not on a guided tour as they were not available when I visited so that experience may be different. The photo I uploaded was from my iPhone placed against one of the windows. It came out great considering I couldn't see anything but the plates from outside looking in. There is a cellphone tour you can take to describe the buildings in the patch.