Check back on June 22, 2023 when this blog will be updated! Where will you travel in 2022? It's never too early to start planning your summer vacation! While the Pocono Mountains offers memorable family fun throughout all four seasons, our region is a particularly great for escapes during the warm weather months. Get out of the city and enjoy fresh air, wide open spaces and quality together time on the water, up in the trees, gathered round a campfire, or out and about in our charming small towns.
There's something for all ages to enjoy in the Poconos! Start daydreaming about the fun you'll have on your summer trip: take a look at eight activities the whole family will love.
Explore the Great Outdoors
1. Explore the Great Outdoors
The Pocono Mountains is home to 2,400 acres of pristine natural beauty, which have made our region a beloved summer getaway destination for generations of families. Reconnect with nature and enjoy the sunshine in our area's national, state and local parks. Whether hiking or biking is more your group's style, there are hundreds of trails to explore, leading to expansive mountain views and stunning hidden waterfalls. Visitors to Bushkill Falls, known as the “Niagara of Pennsylvania,” can explore eight different cascades, plus a mini golf, paddle boats, a snack bar and more. You'll find the two tallest waterfalls in Pennsylvania, Raymondskill Falls and Dingmans Falls, both located within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
State & Local Parks
Experience Pocono fun among the 2,400 square miles of natural areas including state and national…
Hiking Trails
Explore the beautiful Pocono Mountains' 2,400 square miles of the outdoors on one of our…
Biking
Bring your own wheels or rent a bike from local outfitters, and start pedaling your way through…
Waterfalls
From roadside cascades to the “Niagara of Pennsylvania,” the region is home to some truly stunning…
Splash the Day Away
2. Splash the Day Away
Nothing says summer like a day at the beach! Feel the sand in your toes and float on the waves at beaches with kid-friendly swimming at Mauch Chunk Lake Park, Promised Land State Park, Tobyhanna State Park and Palmyra Township Public Beach on Lake Wallenpaupack. Lush, green hills and trees rising up above the blue, sparkling water of our lakes and rivers is the perfect background for a relaxing and fun family summer day.
Beaches
Splash in the water and soak up the sun: trade screen time for shore time at a Poconos sandy beach.
Mauch Chunk Lake Park - Beach
Update: Closed July 1-4, local residents only. Splash and play the day away at Mauch Chunk Lake Park…
Promised Land State Park - Beach
Two sand beaches are open daily from late May to mid-September, 8am to sunset. Enjoy swimming and…
Tobyhanna State Park - Beach
Relax on the shores of Tobyhanna Lake! The 170-acre lake at Tobyhanna State Park features a sand…
Palmyra Township Public Beach on Lake Wallenpaupack
Beautiful, lake beach open to the public during the summer. Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor…
Up the ante on your water adventures with a visit to impressive local indoor and outdoor waterparks. Take on dozens of water rides, wave pools and more at Camelbeach Mountain Waterpark, the largest waterpark in Pennsylvania, or try Costa's Family Fun Park, which has go-karts, bumper boats, miniature golf and more in addition to pools and water slides. Don't let bad weather get you down: the enormous indoor splash utopias at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Great Wolf Lodge, Split Rock Resort, and Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark are full of lazy rivers, dump buckets, multi-story slides and much more that are ready for action even on stormy days.
Waterparks
On your next visit, enjoy an exciting Poconos water park experience with water attractions for all…
Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark
Whether you like adrenaline-filled waterslides or just lounging poolside on a hot summer day, you’ll…
Costa's Family Fun Park
The perfect place to make memories with family and friends. Located near Lake Wallenpaupack in Pike…
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions
With 220,000 square feet of wet and wild indoor fun featuring a retractable roof, no matter what the…
Great Wolf Lodge
Splash and slide, the adventure of a lifetime awaits. This massive, 84-degree indoor waterpark…
H2Oooohh! Indoor Waterpark at Split Rock
One visit to Split Rock Resort and you'll be hooked! H20ooohh! is a family-friendly indoor waterpark…
Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark
A thrilling year-round adventure hotel in the Pocono Mountains! With 453 rooms in 16 various suite…
Float Your Boat
3. Float Your Boat
Whether a pontoon, canoe or kayak, stand-up paddleboard, tube or raft is your vessel of choice, grab your paddle, don a life jacket and prepare to explore the 170 river miles and 150 lakes in the Pocono Mountains. Local outfitters offer boat rentals as well as day trips with guides available and transportation to and from the launch site provided. For great fishing and untouched scenery, navigate the winding bends of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. If you're looking for a truly exhilarating trip, give whitewater rafting a try! The Lehigh River is home to Class I, II and III rapids which provide fun outings for all skill levels, from dam release events to more gentle family trips.
Canoeing & Kayaking
Explore the open waters by kayak or canoe! Enjoy the sunshine, views and wildlife you may see on the…
Boating in the Poconos
Enjoy a day of sun and fun on the waves! Explore boating and water recreation in the Poconos.
Pocono Mountains Fishing
With thousands of waterway acres, get hooked on fishing in the Pocono Mountains.
Whitewater Rafting Fun
Take on the popular adventure sport of whitewater rafting.
Travel into the Past
4. Travel into the Past
From the ancient ice age landscape at Boulder Field National Natural Landmark to the home of the "Father of the American Conservation Movement," Gifford Pinchot, at Grey Towers National Historic Landmark in Milford, from Victorian mansions in Jim Thorpe to the birthplace of the American Railroad in Honesdale, there's so much history to discover in the Pocono Mountains. Visit a museum to dive into the region's rich past, or experience a bygone age for yourself during an interactive tour, including train rides on The Stourbridge Line or Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway or trolley tours with the Jim Thorpe Trolley Company or the The Pocono Historic Trolley Tour.
Poconos Museums
Dive into the rich history of the Poconos region with a visit to our many museums.
The Stourbridge Line
All aboard The Stourbridge Line! Scenic passenger trains through the Pocono Mountains. Experience a…
Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway
Experience a ride the whole family will enjoy! Comfortable, vintage coaches built as early as 1917…
Jim Thorpe Trolley Company
Discover and explore Jim Thorpe aboard an open-air trolley! The Historic Trolley Tour Pass is a…
The Pocono Historic Trolley Tour
The Pocono Historic Trolley is an elegantly restored trolley the harkens back to a bygone era with…
Play in the Treetops
5. Play in the Treetops
Fly through the sky and climb up in the branches: Pocono adventure parks offer aerial fun for all. Cross the forest canopy high above the ground on rope bridges, navigate a woodland obstacle course, or soar down the mountainside on a zipline. If you've never tried an adventure park before, it's the perfect way to make memories with loved ones. Get outside at Adventure Center at Skytop Lodge, Summit Aerial Park at Blue Mountain Resort, Camelback Mountain Adventures, or Gorilla Grove Treetop Adventures.
Adventure Parks
Ride, slide, climb and glide through the adventure parks of the Pocono Mountains!
Adventure Center at Skytop Lodge
Discover an uplifting array of adventures with your friends and family. Soar through Skytop's…
Blue Mountain Resort- Summit Aerial Park
Take your next adventure to new heights at Blue Mountain Resort's Summit Aerial Park! With five…
Camelback Mountain Adventures
Your adventure starts here at PA’s biggest outdoor adventure park offering the best views of the…
Gorilla Grove Treetop Adventures
Get ready to take your sense of adventure to new heights at Gorilla Grove Treetop Adventures!…
Go Horseback Riding
6. Go Horseback Riding
If your kids have been begging you to let them try horseback riding, the Pocono Mountains is the perfect place to do it! Make a new friend at local stables and explore peaceful paths and pastoral fields in the saddle. Bushkill Riding Stables and Happy Trails Stables welcome beginners and offer guided scenic rides, while Daisy Field Farm and Mountain Creek Riding Stables offer wagon rides and pony rides for little ones as well.
Horseback Riding
Horseback riding is another great way to see the natural wonders of the Pocono region.
Bushkill Riding Stables
Explore the Pocono Mountains on horseback. Take a scenic trail ride around beautiful wooded forests…
Happy Trails Stables
The leader in horseback riding. Open year-round, seven days a week from 9am-5pm. Over 100 acres of…
Daisy Field Farm
Enjoy a peaceful ride on a private, Pocono Mountains family farm. Daisy Field Farm is a picturesque…
Mountain Creek Riding Stable
Mountain Creek Riding Stable is a beginner-friendly, no-experience-required horseback riding stable…
Encounter Critters of All Shapes & Sizes
7. Encounter Critters of All Shapes & Sizes
Take a walk on the wild side and meet animals from around the world face-to-face in the Poconos. From alligators to lions to warthogs, Claws 'N’ Paws Wild Animal Park is home to many different members of the animal kingdom, including Jethro the friendly giraffe. Admire the big cats basking in the sun, laugh with the monkeys, or even help feed the parrots. At Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary, visitors can enter the "Fluterrarium" and discover exotic frogs, axolotls, turtles, glow fish and more. You can even arrange a visit to the farm with Pohopoco Creek Alpacas to meet the alpacas that live there.
Claws 'N' Paws Wild Animal Park
Get close to the animals at the "zoo-in-the-woods" located in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. See…
Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary
Experience the wonder of live butterflies and exotic frogs in Jim Thorpe's unique, seasonal…
Pohopoco Creek Alpacas
Pohopoco Creek Alpacas is a sustainable alpaca farm located on some of the most breathtaking land in…
Head to the County Fair
8. Head to the County Fair
Pocono Mountains communities put on four classic county fairs each summer throughout August and early September. Featuring big-time carnival rides, delicious food, animal exhibits, live entertainment, demolition derbies and so much more, many of these fairs have been going for over 100 years. The fairs are just the beginning when it comes to family-friendly Pocono summer events!
Fairs
Head to the fair! Enjoy all the fair favorites like demolition derbies, rides, and funnel cake.
161st Annual Wayne County Fair
- 08/04/2023 - 08/12/2023
An agricultural fair building memories for 161 years. Enjoy a huge midway with over 26 big-time…
Carbon County Fair
- 08/07/2023 - 08/12/2023
Family-oriented fair with agricultural displays, great food, rides, arena events and musical…
The West End Fair
- 08/20/2023 - 08/26/2023
Come explore the 101st West End Fair! Enjoy food, fun, games, rides, and entertainment for the whole…
Greene Dreher Sterling Fair
- 08/25/2023 - 09/03/2023
Head to the fair! Enjoy vendors, games, music, rides, agricultural exhibits, great food and so much…
Anticipation is half the fun: start planning your summer trip to the Poconos! Research places to stay, places to eat and things to do with kids. Look forward to an amazing vacation this year!
Family Vacations
Numerous national surveys all point to an increased desire for time with family. Family vacations in…
Summer in the Pocono Mountains
Summer sparks endless ways to play in the Pocono Mountains.
Places to Stay
From cozy bed & breakfasts to adults-only romantic escapes; the Pocono Mountains host a variety…
Restaurants & Dining
Grab a bite to eat and experience the many flavorings the Pocono Mountains has to offer!
Family Fun
A Pennsylvania family vacation in the Pocono Mountains will whisk you away from the stress of…
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