HAWLEY, Pa. — Despite the pandemic, plenty of people will likely flock to Lake Wallenpaupack to soak up the sun and get a change of scenery this Memorial Day Weekend.
But what you're allowed to do there will depend on what side of the lake you're on.
If you're sitting at Silver Birches Resort near Hawley this weekend, you'll be in a county that's still under a stay-at-home order.
But if you look across Lake Wallenpaupack, it's a different county, with different rules.
Wayne County is set to move to the yellow phase of the state's reopening plan on Friday, but Pike County is still in the red phase.
"It's going to be difficult. It's hard for the businesses that are in Pike County to be just down the road and see all of the businesses in Wayne County operating," said Holly Przasnyski, Executive Director of the Chamber of the Northern Poconos.
Hotel company Settlers Hospitality will certainly be feeling the effect.
"I think as hotel operators in both Wayne and Pike County and just being three miles apart, with guests normally enjoying privileges with one key at three properties, we probably have a good perspective on what it's like to be half-yellow and half-red," said Justin Genzlinger, CEO of Settlers Hospitality.
At Ledges Hotel, which is in Wayne County, guests can eat and drink on the deck by the waterfalls.
The same goes for the courtyard outside of Settlers Inn, also in Wayne County.
But just a few minutes down the road, at Silver Birches Resort, things will look a little different.
"There's a whole list of things they can do. But they're not gonna jump in the pool; they're not gonna hang out at the bar, but they will one day," said Genzlinger.
In terms of enforcement, Brookfield Renewable, the company that owns Lake Wallenpaupack, tells Newswatch 16:
"We hope people enjoy the holiday weekend and encourage the use of our recreation sites, we only ask that everyone is respectful of each other and the respective Federal, State & Local directives that are in place for everyone's safety. Failure to do so may result in the closure of said sites until activities can be safely resumed."