15 Fun Family-Friendly Things to Do in The Poconos with Kids
There is no doubt that the Poconos will enthrall you and your family.
These mountains will provide your group with a wealth of unforgettable experiences thanks to their exciting combination of pristine natural beauty and family-friendly attractions.
The Poconos are brimming with great year-round activities, from world-class waterparks to new forested summits.
And by spotlighting the best family-friendly activities in the Poconos, we’re assisting you in making this trip one to remember.
- Camelback Lodge & Indoor Waterpark — Tannersville
Without a doubt, Camelback is among the top family-friendly attractions in the Poconos.
This cartoon resort is a few miles from Interstate 80.
Why We Recommend This Activity
At Camelback Lodge, the adventure never ends.
This Pocono hideaway provides year-round entertainment for teens, children, and adults with various indoor and outdoor attractions.
This resort features all the amenities you could want for an excellent family holiday, including waterparks, skiing instruction, and laser tag.
Recommended Ages
For children of all ages, Camelback Lodge offers a lot of delightful experiences.
It’s also a rejuvenating experience for parents with a baby because of the abundant lodging and spa.
- Claws ‘N’ Paws Wild Animal Park — Lake Ariel
This incredible animal paradise in Lake Ariel, known as the “Zoo in the Woods,” is accessible from May through October.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Are you looking for animal-loving family activities in the Poconos?
Then, remember to include Claws ‘N Paws to your list of family-friendly activities in the Poconos.
This little zoo, home to over 120 animals, allows visitors to get up and personal with giraffes, goats, and sheep.
It also lets you see powerful animals like reptiles, snakes, alligators, bears, tigers, and lions.
Additionally, the zoo offers daily live performances, animal feedings, quizzes, and face painting.
Recommended Ages
Children who enjoy animals will have a great time exploring this Pocono zoo.
- Costa’s Family Fun Park — Hawley
This energetic seasonal park is a paradise of summertime enjoyment for families. It is open from June until Labor Day.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Your summer days will be traditional family fun at Costa’s Family Fun Park.
The park has a wide variety of family-friendly activities, including laser tag, arcades, and water slides.
Additionally, it features a snack bar where you may indulge in delectable hand-dipped Hershey’s ice cream.
Recommended Ages
The attractions and rides of Costa’s Family Fun Park are suitable for teens, adults, and kids of all ages.
- American Candle — Bartonsville
American Candle was a candle store in 1978.
It is now a mainstay in the Pocono Mountains and renowned for its unusual retail finds.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The usual candle store is not American Candle.
You’ll find a variety of shops selling women’s clothing, home decor, jewelry, and Disney collectibles as you explore this 30,000-square-foot store.
Meanwhile, the Candy Room and famed Rolley’s Rolled Ice Cream Shop are guaranteed to be favorites with children.
Recommended Ages
Adults, teenagers, and children aged three and up will enjoy American Candle shops and snack bars.
- Greene Dreher Sterling Fair — Newfoundland
Since 1917, this friendly fair has been held in late August to give visitors a flavor of the area’s history and way of life.
Why We Recommend This Activity
This fair offers delicious food and live entertainment, making it a true feast for the senses.
Even better, the animals, competitions, rodeos, tractor pulls, and demolition derbies will keep the whole group entertained.
Recommended Ages
The gourmet treats and events at the Greene Dreher Sterling Fair will dazzle adults, teenagers, and children of all ages.
- Pocono Environmental Education Center — Dingmans Ferry
Look no further than PEEC this weekend if you’re seeking informative family activities in the Poconos.
The local ecology is emphasized at this center, situated within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.
Why We Recommend This Activity
PEEC offers educational environmental-based programs that will fit your family’s schedule, whether you’re seeking 1-hour classes or week-long sessions.
An added plus is that the neighborhood has kid-friendly, secure nature trails.
Recommended Ages
Children ages six and older are welcome and should use PEEC’s courses and programs.
- Callie’s Candy Kitchen — Mountainhome
Since Callie’s Candy relocated to Mountainhome in 1972, locals and tourists frequent the establishment.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Pay a visit to the renowned Callie’s Candy Kitchen to satisfy your sweet taste.
It has long been the go-to place in the Poconos for those yearning for some handcrafted desserts.
Along with the traditional candies, the store also carries some unusual treats like cream cheese and licorice encased in chocolate. For a free demonstration, try to stop by on a Saturday afternoon.
Recommended Ages
Children ages three and up will love stopping by Callie’s Candy Kitchen.
- Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm — Stroudsburg
This living museum expertly captures the Pennsylvania German agricultural history of the 19th century with costumed interpreters.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Quiet Valley, located on 114 acres of breathtaking meadows, will give you a glimpse of life in the 1800s. Touring this living museum, you’ll encounter clothed actors who will provide fascinating anecdotes about the bygone era.
The farm also has a variety of adorable animals, such as horses, pigs, and rabbits.
Recommended Ages
Children ages three and up can enjoy a unique and informative experience at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm.
- Country Junction — Lehighton
Country Junction is a shopping center in Lehighton but has several other amenities.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The World’s Largest General Store, Country Junction, is more than just a place to go shopping. Following your retail therapy session here, you can visit Pappy’s Farm to feed the gorgeous bunnies, llamas, peacocks, and birds.
Did we also mention that the mall hosts a variety of year-round family-friendly occasions, such as the City of Horrors?
Recommended Ages
This large shopping mall has amenities for people of all ages, including adults and children.
- Old Jail Museum — Jim Thorpe
The Old Jail was built in 1871 and served as a jail until the middle of the 1990s.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The first place that typically comes to mind when considering a family-friendly attraction is a prison. The Old Jail is not your typical crumbling jail; it has even been turned into a museum.
For families that like history and the paranormal, it’s a great attraction because of its exciting past and reported ghost sightings.
Recommended Ages
We suggest visiting the Old Jail Museum (9 years old and above) for families with older children.
- Promised Land State Park — Greentown
This 3,000-acre park, which is 1,800 feet above sea level, is wonderfully bordered by 12,464 acres of the lush Delaware State Forest.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Are you looking for free, family-friendly activities in the Poconos?
Go to the Promised Land State Park as a favor to yourself.
This state park offers inexpensive family-fun activities, such as hiking and boating.
Recommended Ages
Children of all ages will enjoy the outdoor activities and events at the Promised Land State Park.
Many people consider it among the best family-friendly activities in the Poconos.
- Great Wolf Lodge — Scotrun
With Great Wolf Lodge, a list of the top family-friendly activities in the Poconos is complete.
Great Wolf Lodge is renowned for its indoor waterpark and provides nonstop family fun, rain or shine.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Unique kid-friendly activities abound at Great Wolf Lodge.
It features a vibrant indoor waterpark in addition to storytimes, character presentations, arcades, and pajama parties.
Day passes are offered if you are not a guest at the resort and would like to visit the kid-friendly attractions.
Recommended Ages
Children of all ages, teenagers and adults will enjoy visiting Great Wolf Lodge.
- Camel Mountain Adventures — Tannersville
Families can experience thrilling experiences and fresh air at Camelback Mountain near Tannersville.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Visit Camel Mountain for some adrenaline-inducing activities, including its zipline, roller coasters, and treetop excursions.
The resort also offers entertaining children’s programs like CamelCare Adventurers.
Additionally, this mountain resort offers skiing and snowboarding in the winter.
Recommended Ages
Most of Camel Mountain’s activities and programs are appropriate for guests ages three and above.
- Poco Snake & Animal Farm — East Stroudsburg
This second-generation zoo has been a favorite family destination in the Poconos for more than 40 years.
Why We Recommend This Activity
Children will have several opportunities to feed wild creatures at Snake and Animal Farm, including pigs, bears, lemurs, and monkeys.
In addition, the farm is home to powerful reptiles like an enormous python in the nation and king cobras.
Recommended Ages
Families with children three and older can take a fun pit stop at Poco Snake & Animal Farm.
- Shawnee Playhouse — Delaware
Undoubtedly, Shawnee Playhouse is one of the best family-friendly activities in the Poconos.
This fantastic location was constructed in 1904 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Why We Recommend This Activity
The Shawnee Playhouse offers enticing theater offerings all year long that will please the whole gang.
The theater promises to provide you with a beautiful night of pure family-friendly fun and entertainment with skilled local actors and excellent plays.
This theater features everything from “Cabaret” to more family-friendly productions like “A Year with Frog and Toad” and “Mary Poppins.”
Recommended Ages
Kids ages three and older will enjoy and learn from the plays and performances at Shawnee Playhouse.
