It was hard to narrow the list down to just five. There are so many great spots to visit in the Poconos. But, if you only have a short time here in the Poconos and need to prioritize, here is our list of the best places to visit in the Poconos for tourists!
If you’re an IndyCar or NASCAR fan, this one is for you. If there aren’t any races going on during your visit to the Poconos, ask if tours of “The Tricky Triangle” are back on schedule. Pocono Raceway hosts four NASCAR series races in June, a NASCAR Cup Series doubleheader race in the summer too, as well as an Indy Car Race, The Pocono 400, in August. The raceway also hosts other events, including the Pocono Air Show in August featuring the world-famous USAF Thunderbirds and the Geico Skytypers. The Thunderbirds squadron is an Air Combat Command unit with eight pilots doing solo routines and formation flying in F-16 Fighting Falcons. The Geico Skytypers Air Show Team flies six WWII-era planes while performing low-level, precision maneuvers and tactics.
Pocono Raceway
1234 Long Pond Road, Long Pond PA
1-800-RACEWAY
You can do a little bit of everything in Frances Slocum State Park. Nestled in the heavily forested Poconos, this scenic park is used year-round and is one of the best places to go in the Poconos. Fish, boat, hike, ski, whatever, you can do it all here, in a gorgeous setting. Fish for small and largemouth bass, stocked trout, catfish, muskellunge, perch and more in the lake. Plus there’s an ADA accessible fishing pier. Over 350 acres of the park are open for hunting for deer, waterfowl, turkey, rabbit, and squirrel. Hike on over 13 miles of trails winding through fields and woods, along streams and lakes, and through diverse habitats that include hemlock stands, mixed and hardwood forest, marsh, and wetlands. There are mountain bike trails in the west side of the park too, that vary in difficulty and length. In winter months, you can enjoy sledding, cross-country skiing, tobogganing, ice skating and ice fishing. You can swim in the lake and in the accessible swimming pool (open seasonally). Bring your own water craft or rent a rowboat, paddleboat, kayak or canoe to use on the lake.
Frances Slocum State Park
567 Mt Olivet Road, Wyoming PA
888-727-2757
This mountain lodge style casino has it all. Games, entertainment, golf, a spa, pools and several restaurants and bars. Play your favorite table game, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat or hit one of the 1,800 slot machines. The Poker Room has 12 tables on the main floor, so you can always get a seat. After a long day on the Casino’s lakefront 18-hole golf course, head to one of the four restaurants (including renowned Guy Fieri’s Mt. Pocono Kitchen) or the beauty spa. Then head up to Gypsies nightclub and bar, where the entertainment includes names such as Belinda Carlisle and Sinbad.
Mount Airy Casino
312 S R 45100, Mt. Pocono PA
570-243-4800
Blue Mountain isn’t just for skiing! There’s so much more to do at one of the best places to visit in the Poconos. Of course, if there’s snow, there will be skiing and snow-centric sports of all kinds. During those snowless months, you can do a little outdoor yoga, take paddleboarding and kayak lessons, or get serious with obstacle course race training. Head to the Adventure Park where you can try the ropes course and the Adventure Tower, do some rock climbing on their wooden climbing cliff, or enjoy a Night Time Zip & Climb. There’s Outdoor Laser Tag, Outdoor Archery Tag (an interesting combination of dodgeball, paintball, and Nerf War) and you can challenge yourself (and your family members and friends) and walk, run, or hike the Blue Burn Trail. For something a little different, take a Segway Tours for an off-road Segway trip through the woods. Try your hand at disc golf on their 18-hole or 9-hole courses, all while enjoying the views of Little Gap Valley. Take a Scenic Chairlift Rides for an amazing view of the Poconos! When it does finally does snow, you can ski on over 40 ski trails, snowboard, or snow tube on 34 tubing lanes.
Blue Mountain Resort
1660 Blue Mountain Drive, Palmerton PA
610-826-7700
During the summer, you can play in the air or in the water. Looking for water adventures for the entire family? Camelback’s Aquatopia is an indoor waterpark with 13 water slides, poolside amenities, and indoor private cabanas. Their Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark is the biggest outdoor waterpark in the state with 37 rides and slides. Need some speed – in the air? The Mountain Coaster takes you through the tree tops on a tiny roller coaster, try Euro Bungee, or you can just zip through on one of their ziplines. Back on the ground, the Switchback UTV Tours can go pretty fast too. Ski on over 39 trails, snowboard on 42 lanes, and snow tube when snow is on the ground. After a long day of adventure and fun, try one of the resort’s restaurants, including three that you can ski in to.
Camelback Mountain Resort
243 Resort Drive, Tannersville PA
570-629-1663, ext. 3