12 Best Things To Do in Poconos

When it’s cold outside, make a splash in a tropical indoor oasis at one of the area’s awesome waterparks. With wave pools, splash pads and water slides, it’s a fun day out for all ages. You can give surfing a go on the Flowrider five-foot wave simulator at Kalahari Resorts. Great Wolf Lodge has numerous water slides to keep you entertained, and an adults only hot tub when you need some time out. In spring and summer when the temperature warms up, the Poconos’ largest outdoor water park opens for business at Camelback Mountain, full of waterslides, pools, rapids and all kinds of other entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

Jim Thorpe is a picture postcard-pretty town known for its well-preserved Victorian architecture and historical significance. As well as gorgeous boutiques and a burgeoning food and drink scene, the town has galleries, museums, and historic landmarks that offer a unique perspective on the region’s past. The Asa Packer Mansion, once the home of a coal and railway magnate, is one of the best examples of an Italianate villa in the country. For something different you can take a tour of the Old Jail museum, an active jail through the 19th and 20th centuries with a story to tell. Or, pop into the Big Creek Vineyard and Winery store and tasting room where they can help organise a local wine tour or a trip to their nearby vineyard. Of course, as the Poconos is ultimately all about nature, Jim Thorpe is also the starting and ending point for the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway train tour. It’s a scenic tour on vintage trains where you’ll see the Poconos in all their glory, passing by the Lehigh River, through Glen Onoko, and the landscape of the beautiful Lehigh Gorge State Park.

The Poconos has more than 150 lakes and rivers to choose from, with many offering a range of activities, from tubing and kayaking or boating through to adrenalin-pumping whitewater rafting. You’re bound to find the one that’s right for you depending on your vibe. Lake Wallenpaupack, also known as Lake Wally, is the biggest man-made lake in Pennsylvania and offers public beaches, hiking trails, boat slips, and jet ski hire. It’s also home to several marinas offering boat rentals and boat tours.

Various ziplining and adventure parks in the Pocono Mountains will leave you feeling on top of the world. Make like the bald eagles and fly down a mountain at speeds up to 60 mph at Kittatinny near the Delaware River, whizz through the air on a 4,000-foot skyflyer at Camelback Mountain Adventures, or fly between trees at the Treetop Adventure Course at Skytop Lodge, a web of elevated bridges and challenging yet exhilarating obstacles.

Feeling the need for speed? Car racing fans will love the Pocono Raceway. Known as the ‘tricky triangle’ for its tight turns, NASCAR fans can take in a race, do a tour of the track, or even get behind the wheel for an off-road experience to remember. Expect NASCAR races every summer, and other great events held here throughout the year.

It’s a simple and beautiful walk through the Pinchot State Forest before you arrive at the Seven Tubs Recreation Area. Dotted with natural pools filled with glacial water from the Wheelbarrow Run stream, the ‘tubs’ are a unique place to cool down in the crisp, clean waters on a hot summer day. It’s a picture-perfect place to spend a day exploring the forest’s natural beauty.