Family-friendly Activities and Affordable Packages in the Pocono Mountains This Summer

POCONO MOUNTAINS, PA – Families looking for a affordable, close-to-home summer vacation should look to the Pocono Mountains, where they can enjoy numerous fairs, festivals, attractions, exciting events, and more! Plus, area lodging facilities offer affordable lodging packages perfect for a family stay.

Families can visit Camelbeach Waterpark to ride the Checkered Flag Challenge, a complex of eight new racing slides. Camelbeach now offers 22 waterslides, the most in Pennsylvania. Besides waterslides, families can raft lazily down the Blue Nile Adventure River, cool off in Kahuna Lagoon, play miniature golf, and much more. Or, visitors can go to Shawnee Place where families can enjoy two great waterslides, splash-down pools, a toddlers area, kids venture river ride, and more.

In addition to waterparks, the Pocono Mountains offers great attractions sure to please such as Claws ‘N’ Paws Wild Animal Park, where kids can see over 120 kinds of exotic animals including a rare white tiger, wolves, big cats, monkeys, reptiles, tropical birds, giraffe and more.

The Pocono Mountains also hosts numerous fair and festivals this summer. NASCAR fans can visit Pocono Raceway for NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Weekends, with the Pennsylvania 500 July 22-24.

Visitors should also head on over to Honesdale for Great Train Robbery Runs July 10, 17, 24, 31; and Sundays in August, where they can board the Stourbridge Line Rail Excursion. Masked marauders on horseback ambush the Stourbridge Line during this round-trip from Honesdale to Hawley. This three and a half hour train ride along the Lackawaxen River includes entertainment and a one hour stopover in downtown Hawley for shopping and sightseeing.

A favorite destination for outdoor activities, the Pocono Mountains is home to seven state parks, including the 70,000-acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Families can take advantage of great outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, and paintball. Whitewater rafting, kayaking, and canoeing are available at one of the outdoor that are situated along on the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers in the Pocono Mountains.

Or, families can take a trip to Lake Wallenpaupack, which features 52 miles of shoreline, and indulge in great watersports, recreational activities, fishing, boating and more. Visitors can also go to Bushkill Falls, "The Niagra of Pennsylvania," and view magnificent waterfalls.

To experience the thrill of racing on a smaller scale, families can enjoy go karts at Pocono Go-Karts or S&S Speedways Indoor Go-Karts. For even more fun on wheels, bring the kids to Big Wheel Family Roller Skating Center or hit the skateboard ramps at Starting Gate Action Sports and Skate Park.

For a complete listing of affordable, family-friendly visit 800poconos.com and click on "Places to Stay" or call 800-POCONOS for more information. The Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau, Inc. is the official destination marketing organization for the four counties of Carbon, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne in northeastern Pennsylvania.
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