Jim Thorpe Travel Guide

Just went to see the band '38 Special' at Penn's Peak and was thoroughly impressed! A beautiful facility with multiple decks, a restaurant, and spectacular views!
I only wish I had brought a camera.

Dress Code: Concert attire - I guess it would depend on the particular type of concert.

There are some tour buses that take tourists on daytrips to Jim Thorpe. And if you're rafting down the Lehigh from White Haven, then your raft will get you to Jim Thorpe also!

If you're not coming into town one of those 2 ways, you'll have to drive.
This steam locomotive use to have short trips up the tracks a few miles (and then it would go in reverse back to Jim Thorpe). I think they use diesel locomotive's now. They have special trips during the fall foliage season also.
Jim Thorpe is a small place, just hoof it the exercise will do you good.

The Country Junction is a huge country store featuring items that you would normally see in a country store. It was built to cater to tourists. It has a general grocery section. It also has a restaurant area, lumber section, antiques, clothing, home furnishings, and furniture. The thing about this store is that it is bigger than most Wal-Marts

What to pay: Average prices

It seems logical that for a town to bear Jim Thorpe's name that he would show up somewhere in the history of the town-was he was born there, grew up there, died there, slept there, rode through on a train? The answer is none of the above, Jim Thorpe didn't even pass through the town while he was alive.

So how did the town of Mauch Chunk come to be renamed Jim Thorpe? Turns out there was a positive economic benefit for both the town and his widow, she got a memorial to her husband, denied in his native Oklahoma, and the town got an economic boost from having the remains of the former Olympic and professional athlete buried there.

All in all I was disappointed that our visit happened to coincide with the Fall Foliage Festival. The restaurant we ate at was not as good as usual, the train ride not as long as normal, there was a long line of traffic to get into Jim Thorpe and parking was scarce.

There was a small area by the train station where local folks were selling baked goods and crafts but it wasn't enough to be something that should draw you here on that weekend.

And to add insult to injury, the foliage hadn't started turning yet so even that was a little disappointing.

Unique Suggestions: I could understand why my brother in law enjoys this town so much, it's historic and quaint with a lovely setting in the Lehigh Valley. I'd just skip the Fall Foliage Festival.