Ever since our trip to Mexico, I’ve had a real spark for adventure. Ziplining through the jungle, snorkeling through coral reefs, and rappeling through caves into the cenotes below will do that to a person. So when we took our family to the Poconos last August, we came ready for adventure and we left with a new appreciation for the nature within our own backyard!
WHERE TO STAY
The Poconos are about three hours from where we live and we knew that we could manage a relatively inexpensive family vacation if we planned things right. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, a family of seven is best fit in a rental home rather than a hotel. With a vacation rental site, you can find much more reasonable prices for your stay. We stayed at a rental home in the Poconos once before and knew we wanted to do that again this time.
We rented a large three-bedroom home with a loft, finished basement, and patio with a grille plus bonfire spot. We love bonfires because we’re all s’mores addicts! (Many of the homes at the Poconos have rules about bonfires because of the hazard, so you may want to check into that.) The house actually felt humongous compared to our little rancher we own. The development had all kinds of wildlife and lots of bear warnings. If you leave food out or a trash can open, you can pretty much guarantee the bears will come. The last time we stayed in the Poconos, there was actually a bear digging through someone’s trash can nearby while we were all outside. The person set off their car alarm to make it go away. Anyway, the house was a perfect place to rest in between activities but we kept the schedule pretty packed!
HIKING FOR THE FIRST TIME
Bushkill Falls was our very first hiking experience as a family. I feel like it’s a very good beginner’s spot because a lot of paths are very clear and straight forward, to include having tons of stairs rather than a lot of climbing rocks or through trees. Bushkill has several beautiful waterfalls and amazing views. I couldn’t get over the sight of the rainbow that appeared through the mist of the falls. Stunning!
Bushkill is incredibly easy to navigate, though some of the staircases are steep. I think it was pretty kid-friendly and we particularly enjoyed the hunt to stamp our map at each lettered post. Each route had different letters and you got a prize if you got every stamp. We didn’t because there were a few routes we didn’t make it down.
THE BEST SIGHTS WERE FREE
Bushkill Falls was such a good place to start but with five kids and paying per person, it got pricey. State parks are typically free and we discovered quite the amazing gem: Hickory Run State Park. Hickory Run State Park was out of this world! Actually, it was quite in this world and that’s what made it so phenomenal.
Hawk Falls were a short walk from the road and unlike those at Bushkill, you could actually swim in these! We walked around at the top of the falls, peering over the edge. At that point, I was talking about moving in and living there forever. The water was ice cold despite being August, by the way. That didn’t make it any less magical for me though. With a bit of climbing, we were able to get to the bottom of Hawk Falls and splash around together. Every angle of that waterfall is absolutely breathtaking! The kids definitely loved it more than any pool or even the beach.
After we hiked to and from Hawk Falls, we headed over to Boulder Field (which is still part of Hickory Run). Boulder Field is a huge section of sandstone rocks that are all pretty much level and perfect for hiking through. They occur due to weather and land formations and Boulder Field is the largest one in this area. It’s quite a cool sight to see and pretty great to hike across. The kids were nervous because of all of the spiders but I’m actually looking forward to going back for just Hubby and I to trek across. The sight is amazing and I think it’d be a great workout!
Another spot to swim at Hickory Run is the lake. It’s got a spot for treats, picnic tables, a beach, and of course, a huge lake. We could have brought some floaties or they actually sell them at the stand near the lake. The depth is similar to that of the ocean except without the dangerous undertow. It’s a nice spot to cool down and refresh after all of the hiking.
INDOOR CLIMBING
We also did some indoor exercising and activities at this adorable little rock climbing placed called Pocono Rocks. There were a lot of rock walls for a variety of skill levels. Everything is marked with a certain color tape to show you where to go next. It also has a bunch of inflatable slides that the kids really got a kick out of. We paid for a day’s worth and played for hours while also snacking on the very delicious homemade treats at the cafe. It was really a nifty little find, especially for a rainy day when you can’t go hiking.
THE COUNTY FAIR
We got lucky in that Carbon County was having their annual carnival and I was so eager to catch a demolition derby! The kids enjoyed the rides and farm animals but I was all about that derby! There are one or two near me but I’ve never been to one! It was neat to watch cars deliberately smashing into each other and still moving with nothing left but a wheel. Although, it left me wondering how I can crash into a bush and have my car totaled while these cars don’t stop until they’re nothing but dust. Clearly, I need one of those cars!
OUR FIRST ESCAPE ROOM
The last leg of our trip was Legoland, which I mentioned, and our first experience with an escape room, 5Wits. 5Wits has several locations, one of which being in the Plymouth Meething Mall. That mall itself rocks, it’s got a ton of awesome stuff inside, unlike the drab malls near me. 5Wits was a crazy elaborate escape room, to include an animatronic dragon in the one room. We did two of their rooms and I 100% recommend them, I wish I could travel to some of their other locations where they have other themes too. An escape room is only as good as the effort put in by the people creating it and I can tell there was a lot of care put into this one. The kids couldn’t figure out the puzzles too well but they enjoyed themselves anyway.
BEST FAMILY TRIP SO FAR
Most of us have agreed that the Poconos was actually our best family vacation trip to date. Yes, it even beats the amusement parks and plane rides. It was extremely inexpensive and very priceless. There was a lot of bonding and some real appreciation for the world around us. I look forward to going back next year and seeing what else the area has to offer because I bet we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of the magic that is the Poconos!
I love this. 🤗 Looks like you had a great time. It’s not easy traveling with a big family. I look forward to reading more of your adventures my friend.
What a beautiful area! Looks like a great time to get outdoors and spend quality time with your family! Looks like yall had a great time.