The Poconos has a bunch of things to do whether you live here or vacation here. The Winter months especially offer a large variety of things to do.Here is my Top 5 list of of Winter things to do in the Poconos.Some of these are really obvious, and others are not so obvious, but all of them are a ton of fun!
1. Skiing/ Snowboarding
This is probably the most obvious and a large reason that many people visit the Poconos during the winter months. The Poconos are about a 2-3 hour drive from most parts of New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia so it makes it very convenient for a weekend trip. There are 5+ places to ski and snowboard in the Poconos, that number varies because some of the ski resorts (namely Alpine Mountain and Tanglewood) have undergone some economic hard times in the past few years. Although I believe they’re both operational this year I would still double check locations before making plans. Some of the bigger names are: Jack Frost Big Boulder, Shawnee, Jack Frost, Camelback, Blue Mountain and Big Bear.
2. Snow Tubing
Most of the locations that offer skiiing/snowboarding also offer snow tubing. I listed this separate since it’s something that is really cost effective, requires little/no skill and is fun for all ages. With “magic carpets” at many locations to take your tube back to the top it sure beats sledding in your backyard!
3. Shopping
The Poconos offers great shopping including The Crossings Premium Factory Outlets with stores offering 25%-50%+ discounts on designer and name brands like Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, BCBG Max Azria, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Coach, Cole Haan, Gap Outlet, J.Crew, Liz Claiborne, Movado, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. There are also a bunch of great places to see things made like House of Candles and Callies Pretzel Factory and also to some unique stores like Switzerland Old World Gifts (with a $1300 beer stein) and Stained Glass Creations (both located next to each other on Route 611).
4. Dog Sledding
Here is where it gets interesting…Dog Sledding! What is a more fun, unique and cool thing to do then to try Dog Sledding. I think even for the teen that thinks its “so uncool” to hang out with their family on vacation they couldn’t resist getting excited about a trip to the Poconos if you threw in dog sledding. Artic Paws Dog Sled Tours offers dog sledding at the Inn at Pocono Manor and at $50/person/hour it is a bit expensive but it’s completely worth it for a once in a lifetime experience.
5. Indoor Water Park
If the thought of being outside in the cold and snow doesn’t excite you then a trip to an indoor waterpark might just do the trick. Great Wolf Lodge offers year round indoor fun at their indoor water park. There are a ton of things to do including the waterpark with a four story treehouse water fort, “MagiQuest” a mystical based game, a spa, a game room with the most popular console platforms and tons more!
Don’t see your favorite winter activity listed? Be sure to leave a comment and share what you love to do in the Poconos in the winter!
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