About Us

Welcome to RAINBOW MOUNTAIN RESORT in the Pocono Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania.  We are a gay-owned and operated resort, restaurant and nightclub that has been serving the gay, lesbian and transgender communities since 1981.  Nestled high atop a mountainside on 26 private acres, including a 2 acre pond, we boast a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. Welcoming both men and women, we are open year round with our friendly and helpful staff ready to serve you. On-site amenities include an Olympic size swimming pool and sundeck; a year-round, 10-person hot tub with an adjacent, heated changing room - open 24 hours-a-day; an exercise facility; a sauna; tennis, volleyball, badminton and shuffleboard courts; a hill for snow sledding and tubing; and our pond with paddle boats, fishing, and ice skating.

HOT TUB AND SAUNA ARE ALWAYS OPEN!

We are near many warm weather activities such as boating, canoeing, rafting, kayaking, water skiing, and golfing. In the winter, there is snow skiing (downhill and cross country), snow boarding, tubing, and snowmobiling. All year long there is great hiking, horseback riding, antiquing, and outlet shopping. Browse these pages for awhile and get acquainted.
Call 570-223-8484 today to book your room, and join the party!

A Little History

Amanda hasn't been around all that long (one cannot profess youth and history), so some of this is second (or more)-hand information.

The earliest documentation Amanda has found is a guest sign-in book dated July 3rd, 1913, when we were known as the North View House (presumably, because of the spectacular view to our north). It was also an operational farm (our nightclub doesn't look like a barn for nothing - it was the barn!).

We operated as Sky Hi Lodge through the 50s, 60s and 70s. Our Cherry House, cabins, and the pool have been around the entire time (in fact, there was a second Cherry House - behind the one remaining - that burned down). The Deluxe rooms were added in the 60s.

Like most small resorts in the Poconos, the hey-day was the 50s and 60s - as folks escaped the big cities for the cool country air. Air conditioning and affordable air travel led to a decline in the industry. In fact, Sky Hi Lodge had ceased operation by the late 70s.

Laura Irish and Georgeann Moses were vacationing in the Poconos and, sitting on a porch, soaking in the beauty of nature, thought aloud that the area would be a wonderful place for a gay and lesbian getaway. That very same weekend, they went driving around the area and came upon what was to become Rainbow Mountain Resort.

Laura and Georgeann opened Rainbow Mountain Resort in 1981. Over the years, they made countless improvements to turn the seasonal facility into the year-round getaway it is today.

Amanda will be combing the files for older pictures and documents to share; but, next time you're here, set for a spell in the Lobby and travel back in time to the early days of Rainbow Mountain compliments of a bevy of scrapbooks.