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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Sterling, Wayne County
Half a day to one night: enough for a meal, a walk, and one attraction. Use as a quiet stop between Scranton and the Delaware Water Gap.
Sterling is a small town in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, best known for a handful of historic inns and its position on Route 191. Most visitors pass through on the way to larger Poconos destinations or stay overnight at one of the area's lodges. The town itself has no major sights; its value is as a base for hiking, fishing and exploring nearby state parks.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–October
- Avoid
- January–February (cold, many businesses close)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $80–120 excl. bed · Mid $120–200 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911 · Wayne County Dispatch (non-emergency) 570-253-1111
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–4 |
| Lunch sandwich | $8–14 |
| Dinner entrée at inn | $20–35 |
| Beer (draft) | $5–7 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3.50–4.50 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AVP · Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
- About 45 min drive; rental car needed
- EWR · Newark Liberty International Airport
- About 1.5 h drive; rental car needed
Typical fares
- AVP to Sterling
- about 45 min drive, rental car
- EWR to Sterling
- about 1.5 h drive, rental car
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential. No public transport within Sterling. Route 191 runs north–south; most services are along it.
See and do
Known for
- Historic inns (The French Manor, The Sterling Inn)
- Proximity to Promised Land State Park
- Route 191 corridor through the Poconos
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Promised Land State Park | Drive north on Route 191, about 10 min | 15 min |
| Shawnee on Delaware | Drive south on Route 191 then I-80 E, about 30 min | 35 min |
| East Stroudsburg | Drive south on Route 191 then I-80 E, about 25 min | 30 min |
| Stroudsburg | Drive south on Route 191 then I-80 E, about 30 min | 35 min |
| Tannersville | Drive south on Route 191 then I-80 E, about 20 min | 25 min |
| Hawley | Drive north on Route 191, about 20 min | 25 min |
Sleep
- Route 191 corridor (South Sterling)
- Clusters of inns and B&Bs; car required.
- Near Promised Land State Park
- Cabins and campgrounds; about 10 min north.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Many restaurants and shops close early (by 8–9 PM) or are seasonal.
- Cell service can be spotty in the surrounding state parks.
- Winter driving: Route 191 is plowed but can be icy.
Very low crime. Main risks: wildlife on roads at dusk, winter driving conditions, and limited cell service in parks.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Sterling, Wayne County yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Historic inns (The French Manor, The Sterling Inn)
- Proximity to Promised Land State Park
- Route 191 corridor through the Poconos
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Sterling (Wayne County), revision 4784271 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4784271
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Sterling, Wayne County
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
- Wayne County Dispatch (non-emergency)570-253-1111
Embassies in Washington, DC; consulates in New York and Philadelphia.
English is the primary language; no special phrases needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sterling-wayne-county). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.