Poconos Attractions

Often referred to as the "Niagara of Pennsylvania" the 1000-foot-tall Bushkill falls are admittedly less dramatic, but they are definitely worth a visit if you are out exploring the Poconos. Actually a series of eight waterfalls, they are accessible by means of a series of walking trails and bridges. The Bushkill Falls area is also home to shops, small lakes where you can fish and paddleboat, a snack bar, a trading post and mini-golf. It's a great place to stop and have a family picnic, as there is access to grills and picnic tables.

This modest, outdoor animal park is open from May to mid-October and is home to more than 120 species of animals -- including lions, tigers, bears, alligators, giraffes, snakes and reptiles -- that will wow children. They will also enjoy the daily scheduled animal feedings and shows, as well as the petting zoo and fossil hunts.

The Poconos are home to several indoor and outdoor water parks, including Camelbeach, Great Wolf Lodge and Split Rock. The outdoor Camelbeach is open late May through early September and has 22 waterslides, a FlowRider surf/boogie board ride, a lazy river, family slides, two family play areas, a wave pool, two bowl slides, a swimming pool, mini-golf and bumper boats. Great Wolf Lodge has the northeast's largest indoor water park. The 78,000-square-foot space is open all year, and there is also a smaller outdoor pool area open in summer. The indoor park has an interactive treehouse water fort with 12 levels, a giant wave pool, a lazy river, an area to shoot water hoops, two whirlpools (one for adults only) a water roller coaster, four tube slides, two body slides and kiddie slides. Split Rock Resorts' indoor water park, H20ooohh!! opened in October 2008 and has a 54,000-square-foot indoor park with a wave pool, indoor Flow Rider, Family Raft Ride, several water slides, an activity pool and a water play structure. Costa's Family Fun Park in Hawley also has two small slides, but it would be quite a stretch to call it a water park.

If you've got any NASCAR fans in the family, a stop at Pocono Raceway should probably be on the itinerary. Known as one of NASCAR's most competitive race tracks, it's also family-friendly. Daily tours are available, and kids 12 and younger, who are accompanied by a paying adult, are free on Fridays and Saturdays.

Just a couple of hours from New York, Philadelphia and central New Jersey, the Poconos are popular and affordable if you're looking for a family ski vacation close to home (if you live in the greater New York/Philadelphia area). You'll find most of the ski resorts in the area are family-friendly, and several offer lessons, as well as snow-tubing and childcare. Our favorite Pocono family ski resorts include Shawnee, Camelback, Sno Mountain, Blue Mountain, Jack Frost, Alpine and Big Bear.

See our Poconos Ski Resorts article for more information on these resorts.

Open during the summer months, Quiet Valley Farm is an educational and fun way to spend an afternoon with the kids. Children will learn from the period-dressed actors, who re-enact the lives of a family who lived on the farm from the 1760's to 1913. You can also take a wagon ride, learn a 19th-century craft and tour the barn and farmhouse. Quiet Valley consists of more than 100 acres of pastures, woods and fields, and both the barn and farmhouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm is home to rabbits, horses, chickens and turkeys, as well as goats, sheep and pigs.

If your children are into trains, The Steamtown Railroad historic site is worth a visit. Trains run April through early December. The Scranton Limited short excursion rides are great for families, as they are frequent and inexpensive at just $3 for ages 6 and older. Kids, ages 6 to 12 can take part in the junior ranger program, where they explore and answer questions about the history of the area and the trains. Older kids will enjoy the two on-site museums, which teach about the history of steam engines through artifacts, movies and photos.