The best classroom has no walls, a mountain view from the deck, and space for multiple families to gather around one table. And planning a homeschool trip to the Pocono Mountains gives families a unique opportunity to combine travel with hands-on learning, outdoor education, and memorable group experiences.
For homeschool families, the Pocono Mountains are more than a vacation destination. They are a living curriculum. Ecology, American history, geology, and art are all within a short drive of Lake Harmony and the surrounding mountain communities. When several families book one of our large, purpose-built homes, they can split costs, coordinate lesson plans, and create a full week of hands-on learning that simply does not happen inside four walls.
Here’s how to turn your stay at Pocono Mountain Rentals into a structured homeschool field trip week in the Pocono Mountains, organized by subject.
Nature & Ecology: The Great Outdoors as Your Science Lab
The Poconos sit at the intersection of several ecosystems, from hardwood forests and hemlock ravines to glacial boulder fields and mountain lakes. That makes it one of the best outdoor classrooms in the Northeast.
Your first stop should be PEEC — the Pocono Environmental Education Center. It’s one of the largest residential environmental education centers in the country, and it offers programming for all ages. In winter, their Animal Adaptations workshops teach kids how local species survive below-freezing temperatures. In January and February, the Eagle Watch Bus Tours departing from the Zane Grey Museum give families a chance to see bald eagles in their natural habitat along the Delaware River.
Spring brings its own curriculum. Visit a local sugarbush during maple season (March through May) for a lesson in the “sweet science” of how sap becomes syrup — chemistry, biology, and a taste test all in one trip. If your rental is near water, grab a clear plastic cup and do a vernal pool study. In spring, look for wood frog eggs. In summer, identify dragonfly larvae. It’s low-cost, high-engagement science.
And the Five Senses Hike is one of the simplest activities to run with a group of mixed ages. Pick a trail at Bear Creek or PEEC and have each student document the forest using only one sense at a time. What does the mountain smell like near the hemlocks compared to the lake? What do you hear when everyone stops talking for two full minutes? The observations make great journal entries back at the house.
History & Social Studies: Lessons Carved Into the Landscape
The Poconos region is rich in industrial and conservation history — the kind of stories that stick with kids because they can stand in the places where they happened.
Start at Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford. This was the home of Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service and a two-term governor of Pennsylvania. A visit here is a ready-made lesson on environmental policy, the Progressive Era, and the Gilded Age. Best for ages 10 and up, but younger kids will still appreciate the grounds and the architecture.
For something more visceral, take the group to the No. 9 Coal Mine and Museum in Lansford. Students go 1,600 feet into a mountain to learn about Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal industry and the hard lives of miners, including the story of the Molly Maguires. It’s geology and labor history in the same field trip.
And if your kids are into engineering, Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton covers the birth of the American railroad. The Wayne County Historical Society also has a replica of the Stourbridge Lion — the first steam locomotive to operate in the United States. Both are strong options for connecting transportation history to the broader industrial revolution.
Kitchen Science: Rainy Day Learning in a Well-Stocked Kitchen
Each of our properties features a chef-style kitchen with oversized islands, generous counter space, and large dining tables. On a rainy Pocono day, that space becomes your science lab and your group classroom.
With dual appliances and multiple refrigerators in many of our large homes, preparing meals for three to five families at once becomes simple instead of stressful. And most rentals already have the supplies you need. Honey, dish soap, and vegetable oil can be layered in a glass to study liquid density — a visual demonstration of how different layers of a mountain lake behave. If you find Epsom salts (common in rental bathrooms), dissolve them in warm water and grow stalactite crystals overnight, simulating how nearby caves like Lost River Caverns were formed over thousands of years.
For the simplest experiment, send the kids outside to collect pinecones from the yard. Bring them in and observe how they close up when it’s humid and open when it’s dry. Research the hygroscopic nature of seeds. No supply list needed — just curiosity and a table by the window.
Art & Creative Writing: Sketch the View
Use the rental deck for nature journaling. Have kids pick one subject — a single leaf, the ridgeline of the mountains, the pattern of bark on a tree — and sketch it in the style of naturalist John Muir Laws. Note the date, time, and weather conditions. Over several days, these entries become a record of the trip that’s more meaningful than photos.
For an art history connection, research Dorflinger Glass from White Mills, PA. The company produced some of the finest cut glass in American history. Have kids design their own “cut glass” patterns on paper using geometric symmetry — a lesson in math, design, and local craft heritage.
One Rental. One Week. Four Subjects Covered.
A Pocono Mountain Rentals property gives your homeschool group more than a place to sleep. Our large, purpose-built homes near Lake Harmony are designed specifically for group stays, with multiple living areas, oversized dining tables, game rooms, fire pits, and gathering spaces that make coordinating several families comfortable and seamless. After a full day of field learning, students and parents alike can decompress together under one roof.
Families planning large group stays consistently tell us the space and thoughtful layout make the difference. As one recent guest put it: “My family and I loved this house. Very beautiful and a big house with spacious rooms. We would love to come back and stay again.” Another guest traveling with a large family called it “a great spot for our big family to enjoy together.” That’s what our meticulously maintained, well-appointed homes are designed for — whether you’re here for a birthday, a reunion, or a week of field trips.
Browse our properties at poconomountainrentals.com or contact us about group bookings. And if you’re coordinating a trip for multiple families, download our free Group Trip Planning Toolkit for meal planning, packing lists, and expense tracking built for large groups.
Pocono Mountain Rentals — Building Big Homes & Bigger Memories Since 1999
Frequently Asked Questions About Homeschool Trips to the Poconos
How many families can stay in one Pocono Mountain Rentals home?
Many of our large homes are designed for multiple families, with spacious bedrooms, multiple living areas, and large dining tables ideal for group coordination.
Are our rentals close to major Pocono field trip locations?
Yes. Our properties near Lake Harmony provide convenient access to PEEC, Steamtown, Grey Towers, and other educational destinations throughout the Pocono Mountains.
What time of year is best for a homeschool trip to the Poconos?
Spring and fall are especially popular for ecology and history-focused trips, while winter offers unique wildlife and environmental learning opportunities.
Quick Reference: Local Education Hubs
PEEC: focuses on Ecology & Sustainability. Perfect for all ages.
Grey Towers: focuses on History & Forestry. Great for ages 10+.
Quiet Valley: features 19th-Century Farm life. Ages 5–12.
Steamtown: Engineering & Industrial Revolution. Ideal for ages 8+.
