The Poconos work well for families because there's something to do in every season. Three indoor waterparks stay at about 84 degrees all year, the state parks have sand beaches in summer, and winter brings snow tubing at several mountains.
Renting a whole house means the kids get their own rooms and the adults get a kitchen, a game room or a hot tub at the end of the day. Hours and seasons change, so check each place's website before you go.
Rainy days and cold days (indoors)
- Kalahari Resorts in Pocono Manor: a 220,000-square-foot indoor waterpark kept at 84 degrees, plus an arcade, blacklight mini golf, laser tag and escape rooms. A limited number of day passes are sold to non-guests.
- Aquatopia at Camelback in Tannersville: an 84-degree indoor waterpark with slides, a wave pool and a lazy river. Day tickets are sold online in advance.
- Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun: an 84-degree indoor waterpark with a wave pool, lazy river, water coaster and the four-story Fort Mackenzie treehouse. Day passes are sold online and are capacity-limited.
Outdoors, spring to fall
- Hickory Run State Park: kids can walk across the Boulder Field, a National Natural Landmark. The park also has a sand beach (late May to mid September), a visitor center and disc golf.
- Tobyhanna State Park: a sand beach and rowboat, kayak, paddleboat and canoe rentals, daily from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day.
- Bushkill Falls: a privately run waterfall park with trails and bridges, a playground, gemstone mining, a maze and paddle boats, open roughly April into the fall. It's on the east side of the Poconos, so it's closest to our East Stroudsburg and Cresco homes.
- Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe: a vintage train ride along the Lehigh River, with fall foliage trains and holiday Santa trains.
- Blue Mountain Resort in Palmerton, in summer: Summit Adventure Park (ropes course, zipline, rock climbing, laser tag) and scenic lift rides.
- Claws 'N' Paws Wild Animal Park in Lake Ariel: more than 120 species, a petting area and giraffe feeding, about late April to late October. It's farther north, so plan it as a longer day trip.
Winter
- Snow tubing at Camelback (more than 40 lanes, 2-hour sessions, signed waiver required), Blue Mountain's Adventure Center and Shawnee Mountain (reserve ahead).
- Big Boulder's tubing park was closed for the 2025-26 season. Check before you go whether it reopens.
- Ski or snowboard at Big Boulder, Jack Frost or Camelback; Jack Frost and Big Boulder sell group lessons with tickets and rentals. The Pocono season typically runs about December to March, depending on the weather.
- Skate for free at the outdoor TLC Park rink in Tannersville (bring your own skates, weather permitting).
