We are lucky. We get to wake up every day, look out our windows, and take in all that gorgeous Pennsylvania landscape! Some days we even wake up to unexpected visitors: a doe with soft eyes watching over her frolicking fawn, bushy-tailed squirrels doing acrobatics on the bird feeders designed to keep them away from the food inside, even colorful cardinals providing a bright spot of red on a summer’s day. There are multiple reasons as to why the Poconos are such a popular vacation area, but one of the more visible reasons is all around us. If you can’t be lucky enough to live here full time, this guide to your sightseeing, nature, and wildlife Poconos day trip is guaranteed to give you an adventure you won’t ever forget!
If you accomplish nothing else but a visit to Big Pocono State Park during your stay in the Poconos, you will have done more than most people! This 1300-acre state park offers the best of everything Pennsylvania’s landscape has to offer. Hike along paths that lead you through the trees, pack a picnic and enjoy a meal al fresco, or hike to the top of Camelback Mountain and savor a delicious meal from Kartrite’s Summit House!
While the chances of running into deer or other wild animals are higher during some seasons than others, if you really want 100% assurance that you will come across wildlife during your stay with us, a visit to Claws n’ Paws Wild Animal Park can make your dreams come true! Offering exhibits of animals that include artic foxes named Twinkie and Krumpet, alpacas who answer to Paula and Lady Gaga, and a warthog named Pumba (of course!), this “zoo-in-the-woods” is the perfect Poconos family trip when you are feeling a little wild.
Close enough to your vacation hideaway, the Austin T. Blakeslee Natural Area offers a variety of outdoor adventures you won’t want to skip. Whether you are taking family pictures with Hawks Falls in the background, fishing for dinner in the river that leads to the falls, or simply enjoying a hike along the wide paths, this natural area is naturally attractive!
Protecting our natural resources is very important to us, and the Lacawac Sanctuary and Biological Field Station’s purpose is just that! Offering over 550 acres of protected land on the shores of Lake Wallenpaupack, the field station offers a visitor’s center, environmental education center, and a science laboratory for studying the natural landscape even closer. Lake Lacawac, a 52-acre glacier lake included within the boundaries of the sanctuaries, is completely development free and one of our favorite natural resources. Hike the trails that surround the area, take the annual Christmas card photo by one of the lakes, or bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Just remember to bring out what you bring in; we want to keep this area pristine!
Whether you choose to rent a kayak and canoe and glide down the river or are sampling taking some time to hike along side, the wildlife viewing from this beautiful part of the Poconos is guaranteed to change your life. This area is a natural habitat for our nation’s symbol, the American bald eagle, and if you look up, chances are you will find at least one perched high in the trees. In the fall, the deer come out to play, sipping delicately at water’s edge creating a photo opportunity that is definitely frame-worthy! Everywhere you step during your time in the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River offers a breathtaking picture of nature that will linger in the quiet corners of your heart.
When your wildlife (otherwise known as your kids!) start growling for some relief to their hunger pangs, a visit to the Apple Valley Family Restaurant will quiet the roars! Offering the hearty comfort food your stomach craves after a day of exploring the wilder side of the Poconos, most families end up with leftovers that taste even better by the light of the stove in the middle of the night! Apple Valley has been a local fixture since the 60s, serving as a pancake house, hotel, and for the last 30 plus years, a home away from home for hungry diners and if you are feeling extra thirsty, their specialty beverages menu will quench it! Cancelled Plans, created with Godiva White and Dark Chocolate Liqueurs, Dark Crème de Cocoa, Whipped Cream Vodka, and Grenadine is one of our favorites and if you have just one, you will definitely understand the name!
With homes that look as if they could disappear into the foliage that surrounds them, the natural beauty of a Pocono Mountain Rentals vacation home away from home is designed to make you feel one with nature. Reserve yours today!