Pocono Summit drops you into the heart of the Pocono Mountains, where waterparks, mountain coasters, animal encounters, and some of Pennsylvania’s most stunning waterfalls are all within a short drive. The region sprawls across forests, lakes, and resort towns like Tannersville, Mount Pocono, and Lake Harmony, so no two days here need to look the same. Pair it with an Endless Stays property and you have a home base worthy of the adventure around it.
This guide is built for parents who want a real itinerary, not a loose list of maybes. Every pick includes the address, hours, and what guests rave about, so you can map out a long weekend or a full week with confidence. These are the family-friendly things to do in Pocono Summit that earn their spot on the list.
Top Waterparks Near Pocono Summit for Families
If you are bringing kids to the Poconos, a waterpark day is almost a tradition. The region has both massive indoor parks that work in any weather and an outdoor giant for sunny summer afternoons. Here are the three families build their trips around.
Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark
Pennsylvania’s largest outdoor waterpark is a 15-minute drive from Pocono Summit and stacks more than 37 slides, rides, and pools into one mountainside campus. Toddlers have their own splash zones and zero-depth pools, while older kids and teens chase the high-speed slides and the wave pool.
- Rating: 4.4 (5,933 reviews)
- Address: 301 Resort Dr, Tannersville, PA 18372
- Phone: (570) 629-1661
- Best for: Sunny summer days with kids of every age
- View on Google Maps
Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark
Aquatopia is Camelback Resort’s all-weather sister to Camelbeach, kept at a comfortable 84 degrees year-round. It is open 10 AM to 8 PM every day, which makes it a lifesaver on rainy or cold days when the outdoor parks are closed. The lazy river is the parent favorite, while the Venus SlydeTrap and the FlowRider keep older kids entertained for hours.
- Rating: 4.4 (5,465 reviews)
- Address: 193 Resort Dr, Tannersville, PA 18372
- Phone: (570) 629-1665
- Hours: 10 AM to 8 PM, daily
- View on Google Maps
Outdoor Adventures and Mountain Coasters
Some of the best family friendly things to do in Pocono Summit are not behind a ticket window, they are out in the woods and along the rivers. The next set of picks gets kids moving, and most of them work for ages five and up.
Camelback Mountain Adventures
Camelback’s adventure park sits next door to Camelbeach and turns the mountain into a year-round playground. Families come for the Pennsylvania-built mountain coaster, the high-speed twin ziplines, the TreeTops Adventure ropes course, the Segway tours, and the chairlift scenic ride. There is a height-and-age requirement on the coaster, but younger kids can ride the kid-only obstacle course.
- Rating: 4.4 (2,123 reviews)
- Address: 243 Resort Dr, Tannersville, PA 18372
- Phone: Available via the website
- Best for: Active families with kids age 6 and up
- View on Google Maps
Pocono Guided Zip TreeVentures
If your kids are nervous about a 4,000-foot zipline, TreeVentures is the gentler entry point. The course winds through the trees with progressive heights, so first-timers can warm up on lower elements before committing to the longer rides. Guides handle every transfer, which means parents can relax instead of double-checking carabiners.
- Rating: 4.4 (653 reviews)
- Address: 1575 Fairway Blvd, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302
- Best for: Confidence-building first ziplines, ages 7 and up
- View on Google Maps
Pocono Raceway
NASCAR fans skip ahead, this one needs no sales pitch. For everyone else, Pocono Raceway runs ride-along experiences, racing schools, and family days that turn the “Tricky Triangle” into a hands-on stop. Even on non-race days, the on-site events and tours give kids a behind-the-scenes look that is unusual for a vacation itinerary.
- Rating: 4.6 (4,071 reviews)
- Address: 1234 Long Pond Rd, Long Pond, PA 18334
- Best for: Older kids and motorsport-curious families
- View on Google Maps
Waterfalls, State Parks, and Easy Family Hikes
Even kids who claim they hate hiking change their tune in the Poconos because the trails end at waterfalls, beaches, or boulder fields. These are the picks parents recommend for first hikes and lunch-on-a-rock kind of days.
Bushkill Falls
Known as the “Niagara of Pennsylvania,” Bushkill Falls is eight cascades connected by a network of bridges, boardwalks, and viewing platforms. The Green Trail is the easy 15-minute loop that hits the main falls, the Yellow and Red trails go longer for older kids who want the full network. It is a working tourist site with paid entry, snack stands, mini golf, and a fudge shop near the parking lot.
- Rating: 4.6 (10,177 reviews)
- Address: 138 Bushkill Falls Trail, Bushkill, PA 18324
- Phone: (570) 588-6682
- Hours: 9 AM to 4 or 5 PM, daily (seasonal)
- Best for: First-time waterfall hikes, all ages
- View on Google Maps
Promised Land State Park
Promised Land sits high on the Pocono Plateau and is the favorite for families that want a quiet beach day without paying resort prices. The park has two lakes with sandy swim beaches, paddle boat and kayak rentals, picnic pavilions, and a small environmental learning center. The hiking trails near the lakes are flat and stroller-friendly.
- Rating: 4.7 (2,873 reviews)
- Address: 100 Lower Lake Rd, Greentown, PA 18426
- Best for: Beach picnics, kayaking, free family days
- View on Google Maps
Animal Encounters and Educational Stops
Animal parks are the under-the-radar Pocono experience and a perfect rainy-morning swap when the weather is dicey. The next three places give kids close-up access to creatures they will not see at home.
Claws ‘N’ Paws Wild Animal Park
Often called the “Zoo in the Woods,” Claws ‘N’ Paws is a 25-acre walkable park with about 130 species of exotic and native animals. Daily shows include the educational reptile show and the deer feeding, plus the petting zoo with goats, sheep, and a few miniature donkeys. Allow three to four hours.
- Rating: 4.4 (2,477 reviews)
- Address: 1475 Ledgedale Rd, Lake Ariel, PA 18436
- Best for: Ages 3 to 12, full-day visits with a packed lunch
- View on Google Maps
Pocono Snake and Animal Farm
This one is a smaller stop, but kids who love reptiles will not want to leave. The collection runs from local Pennsylvania snakes to imports like pythons and tortoises, plus a fenced area with goats and rabbits the kids can hand-feed. It is a good one-hour stop on a route between Stroudsburg and Bushkill.
- Rating: 4.4 (1,950 reviews)
- Address: 424 Seven Bridge Rd, East Stroudsburg, PA
- Best for: Reptile-loving kids, quick visits
- View on Google Maps
Pocono Indian Museum
A small but well-curated museum that walks visitors through Lenape (Delaware) Indian life from before European contact. The exhibits are hands-on enough to keep school-age kids engaged for 45 to 60 minutes, and the gift shop has reasonably priced crafts. Pair it with Bushkill Falls, the museum is just up the road.
- Rating: 4.6 (960 reviews)
- Address: 5905 Milford Rd, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302
- Best for: Rainy-morning learning stops, ages 6 and up
- View on Google Maps
Year-Round and Seasonal Family Activities
The Poconos has four real seasons and the activity menu shifts with each one. The next two picks are about timing your trip well.
Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway
A vintage train ride out of historic Jim Thorpe that runs about 70 minutes round trip, hugging the Lehigh River through the gorge. Kids love the open-air cars and the bridges. The fall foliage trains are the famous run, but the summer family rides and the holiday Santa trains are easier to book and just as fun.
- Rating: 4.5 (7,446 reviews)
- Address: 1 Susquehanna St, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
- Best for: Train-loving kids, fall foliage trips
- View on Google Maps
Jack Frost Big Boulder
Winter is when the Poconos turns into a snow-sport playground, and Jack Frost Big Boulder is the family-first option. The tubing park accepts kids age 3 and up with conveyor belts up the hill, the beginner ski runs are wide and gentle, and the whole resort is geared for first-timers and lessons rather than serious skiers.
- Rating: 4.2 (1,914 reviews)
- Address: 434 Jack Frost Mountain Rd, White Haven, PA 18661
- Best for: First skis, snow tubing, December through March
- View on Google Maps
A Sample 3-Day Family Itinerary
If you have a long weekend, here is one way to stack it without driving more than 25 minutes between stops on any given day.
- Day 1, water and motion: Camelbeach (or Aquatopia if it is rainy or cold), then dinner near Tannersville. Camelback Mountain Adventures for the coaster if there is daylight left.
- Day 2, animals and falls: Claws ‘N’ Paws in the morning, picnic lunch, and Bushkill Falls in the afternoon for a 1.5-mile loop. Stop at the Pocono Indian Museum on the drive back.
- Day 3, lake and wind-down: Promised Land State Park or Lake Wallenpaupack for swimming and kayaking, light hiking, ice cream in town, and home.
In winter, swap day 1 for Jack Frost tubing, day 2 for Great Wolf Lodge or Kalahari, and day 3 for the Lehigh Gorge holiday train.
Plan Your Pocono Family Trip
Pocono Summit is one of those rare destinations where you can hit a waterpark in the morning, a waterfall in the afternoon, and a quiet lake at sunset, all without leaving the region. Whether the trip is a long weekend or a full week, the family friendly things to do in Pocono Summit map cleanly into an itinerary that works for toddlers, teens, and tired parents alike.
When you are ready to lock in the home base, browse our Poconos vacations rentals collection. Every property is professionally designed with resort-level amenities and the extras that turn a trip into a story your kids will tell for years. Where every stay feels endless.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pocono Summit known for?
Pocono Summit is a small village in Tobyhanna Township in the heart of the Pocono Mountains region. It is best known as a base camp for families because it sits within a 30-minute drive of the major waterparks, ski resorts, state parks, and adventure parks like Camelback, Camelbeach, Great Wolf Lodge, and Kalahari, while still feeling residential and quiet at night.
Are there free family friendly things to do near Pocono Summit?
Yes. Hickory Run State Park and Promised Land State Park are both free to enter, with hiking, beaches, picnic areas, and ranger-led programs. The Pocono Mountains Visitors Center on Lake Wallenpaupack is free as well, and many town parks and lake access points around Mount Pocono and Lake Harmony are open to the public.
What is the best time of year to visit the Poconos with kids?
Summer (mid-June through August) is the all-around easiest with kids because the outdoor waterparks, beaches, and adventure parks are at full capacity. Fall is the prettiest, especially the foliage trains and pumpkin patches in late September and October. Winter (mid-December through early March) is for ski and tubing trips. Avoid the muddy stretch in early April if you can, the trails take time to dry out.
How far is Pocono Summit from major cities?
Pocono Summit is about 90 miles from New York City (about 1 hour 45 minutes), 110 miles from Philadelphia (about 2 hours), and 80 miles from Allentown. That short drive from major Northeast metros is one big reason families return year after year.
