Winning Entertainment at Mount Airy Casino Resort

Recently, a lot of new attractions have been added to the Poconos area. Because East Stroudsburg University is located in such a touristy area, students have a number of resources for fun at their fingertips.

Mount Airy Casino Resort is a new addition and the area’s first casino. For those who have never gone all the way to Atlantic City to try their luck, Mount Airy is a casino on a smaller, simpler scale. The casino has just been given the go-ahead to include card games to their initial repertoire of slot machines. Of course, students who are 21 may only take advantage of the games but students who are under 21 can still check out what the casino has to offer.

The casino also offers some dining including Red Steakhouse, Le Sorelle Cusina, Betty’s Diner and The Buffet at Mount Airy. Keep in mind that some of these restaurants are more expensive than others, but the buffet has an affordable seafood fest from 5 to 10 p.m. every Friday for $19.99.

Mount Airy also offers entertainment for all ages. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will be performing in the Gypsies Nightclub and Lounge at 8 p.m. on December 4. Tickets for the event are only $15. For a full list of headlining performers visit the Mount Airy website. The Casino also offers special events and a resort matinee series.

Take a (Day) Trip With Martz

If you’re itching to get out of the East Stroudsburg area and you have no means of transportation, taking a day trip to New York City may be easier than you think. Because the Poconos is a short distance right into the heart of the city there are various park and ride stations throughout the East Stroudsburg, Stroudsburg and Brodheadsville areas. The East Stroudsburg park and ride is located about seven minutes from campus within a reasonable taxi ride distance on Independence Road. A round-trip ticket to New York City and back is $58.

If New York City isn’t your thing and you’d still like to leave the area for a few hours there are a number of places you could visit. Philadelphia is another option with round trip tickets for only $31.

For more information on local fares and locations visit the Martz Trailways website.

Shop at The Crossings

Any resident living in the tri-state area is aware that the The Crossings Factory Stores lies right off exit 209 in Tannersville (it’s the same exit as Camelback). It’s a great place to find bargain prices on name brand prices, some of which are really well known.

The Crossings has been around for years and has exchanged some stores for others, but recently they have been upping the ante on name brands. Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Juicy Coutore and Cole Haan have all been added to the shopping list, stores that you would find on some of the most expensive streets in New York or Los Angeles.

In fact, until recently The Crossings has never served alcohol or had an actual sit-down restaurant with servers. The Log Cabin Bar and Grille opened in March and has taken major steps to be a top-seller of food in outlet stores. Soon, they will even have their liquor license making it the first establishment in the stores to sell alcohol, which should make husbands carrying shopping bags a little less anxious to visit The Crossings in the future.

A Waterfall at Your Fingertips: Sylvan Cascades

A great scenic spot to visit is the Sylvan Cascades located in Tannersville, about 20 minutes from campus. It’s waaayyy under the radar, even for residents that have lived here for years. Actually, it’s not a park of any kind. Sylvan Cascades lies on private property but the owner is aware of its beauty and lets visitors check out the falls (as long as you clean up after yourself). On a sunny day you can catch people jumping and swimming throughout the small waterfalls and pools of water. On a cooler day some people will start a small fire in the designated fire pit.

A friend and I visited the cascades in March one year and there was still much to be seen, even with snow covering the ground.

 Sylvan Cascades is a pretty easy spot to get to if you know your way around at least a little bit. Take Route 80 to Route 715 to Route 611 and at the first light make a left onto Route 715 North. Go all the way up until the road splits and bear right. The pull off and driveway for the Cascades are on your left about two minutes down the road.

Old School Movie Charm: Pocono Community Theater

The Pocono Community Theater has been a great asset to East Stroudsburg and its residents. The quaint theater was closed for a short period of time and was bought and re-opened due to popular demand. The theater is so close to campus it is a convenient past-time for students to grab a cup of coffee and watch a movie with friends.

The Pocono Community Theater is a non-profit organization, so they offer cheap tickets to seniors and students with ID.

The theater only has a few rooms for viewings so their list of movies is small, but it doesn’t deter costumers. Viewings being shown right now are: It’s Kind of A Funny Story, Life as we Know It, You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger and The Social Network.

A list of movies showings and their times can be viewed on their website or by calling 570-420-FILM. 

The theater also hosts a number of special events that can also be viewed on their website.

Tickets for movies are available to students with a valid ID for $8.

Jam Out at the Sherman Theater

The Sherman Theater on Main Street in Stroudsburg is a great spot for East Stroudsburg University students to get off campus and have some fun. The theater has been recently remodeled and has different concerts and shows every weekend ranging from comedians to popular signers and groups to orchestras and movie premieres.

As most students already know, Ke$ha will be preforming at the Sherman Theater on October 28. The show is sold out, but students were given the opportunity to buy cheap tickets through student services at campus.

Students may not know that student services and Sherman Theater team up quite often to offer this service to students. All you need to do is bring your student ID and a credit card to purchase tickets. The student services center on the third floor of student union usually has a list of events where students can purchase cheaper tickets.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is also a traditional event held every Halloween at the Sherman Theater. Participants even dress up in their Halloween costumes for the viewing. A pre-party begins at 10 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 30, and includes live music from several local area bands. Admission is $12.

For a complete list of Sherman Theater events visit their website.

Halloween Costumes Galore

Something fun to do outside of the East Stroudsburg University campus to get into the Halloween spirit is to try on Halloween costumes, or even make your own with friends. As poor college students, it’s no secret that we don’t have a lot of money to spare on something you’ll wear one or two nights out of the year. Going to a costume or Halloween store is a great way to get a few ideas to get creative or just have some fun with friends. 

There are a few stores in the area where you can try on outfits:

Party City is located in Bartonsville off of Route 611 within the Target plaza. Party City has hundreds of Halloween costumes for men and women ranging from $30 to over $100. They even have accessories to go with outfits so you can make your own and buy the lower priced items to go along with your creation.

Spirit Halloween is located within the Stroud Mall in Stroudsburg. Spirit Halloween is only available to mall patrons from September to October. They have hundreds of Halloween costumes for any occasion. 

Frazetta’s on Courtland Street in East Stroudsburg is famous for the hundreds of Halloween costumes they have in stock and it’s been a staple within the community for years. The costumes at Frazetta’s can be expensive, so if you’re on a budget it’s definitely just a stop to get a few ideas.