What To Do In Poconos In Winter

The Poconos in winter look like someone shook a giant powdered sugar donut over a mountain range. It’s cold, yes, but it’s also a playground for anyone who owns a puffy coat and a sense of humor. Here’s what to do when the temperature drops and your inner child starts yelling, “Sled!”

Skiing and Snowboarding: Falling with Style

First, let’s address the elephant in the ski lodge: you might fall. A lot. But that’s fine, because the Poconos has slopes for every skill level, from “I’ve seen a ski movie once” to “I can do a black diamond while eating a pretzel.”

Hit up Camelback Mountain, Blue Mountain, Jack Frost, Big Boulder, or Shawnee Mountain. Rentals and lessons are available, so you don’t need to own gear or pretend you know what a “fall line” is. Pro tip: book ahead on weekends, unless you enjoy waiting in lines that feel longer than winter itself.

Surprising fact: Blue Mountain has 40 trails and 16 lifts, which is a lot for a place that’s basically a very tall hill with ambition. After a few runs, reward yourself with hot cocoa and the smug feeling of not breaking anything.

Tubing, Sledding, and Other Ways to Scream Happily

Snow tubing is the great equalizer. You sit. You slide. You scream. Then you do it again.

Places like Camelback, Blue Mountain, and Shawnee have dedicated tubing parks with conveyor belts, so you don’t have to hike back up like a medieval peasant. It’s basically a water slide, but your butt gets a frosty reminder that you’re alive.

For a cheaper thrill, find a public sledding hill. The Poconos is full of them. Just avoid the tree at the bottom. That tree has seen things.

Indoor Water Parks: Because Hypothermia Is Optional

When your fingers go numb and your nose starts running for Congress, head indoors. The Poconos is home to massive indoor water parks like Kalahari, Great Wolf Lodge, and Aquatopia.

Kalahari’s Poconos location is one of the largest indoor water parks in the U.S., spanning around 220,000 square feet. That’s bigger than some small towns, and it’s full of slides, wave pools, and lazy rivers. You can wear a swimsuit while it snows outside, which feels both wrong and gloriously right.

The 10 best things to do in the poconos in winter – Artofit

Cozy Cabins, Fireplaces, and Pretending You’re a Hardy Pioneer

After all that activity, you’ll want to collapse somewhere warm. Rent a cabin with a fireplace, a hot tub, and enough blankets to smother a bear.

The Poconos has more than 150 lakes, so many cabins come with water views that turn into snowy wonderlands. Build a fire, play board games, and eat s’mores until you forget what a treadmill is.

If you’re feeling fancy, book a resort with a spa. A massage after a day of falling on ice is not a luxury; it’s survival.

Non-Snow Adventures: Casinos, Breweries, and Culture

Not everyone wants to freeze for fun. The Poconos has plenty of indoor action, including Mount Airy Casino Resort for gambling, shows, and people-watching.

Local breweries like Barley Creek, ShawneeCraft, and Wallenpaupack Brewing offer craft beer and warm food. Wineries and distilleries dot the region too, so you can sip your way through a snowy afternoon.

Visit Jim Thorpe for historic shops, cozy cafes, and the old jail museum. Surprising fact: Jim Thorpe, the famous athlete, never actually lived there. The town renamed itself after his death and convinced his widow to bury him there. History is weird.

The 10 best things to do in the poconos in winter – Artofit

Winter Hiking and Frozen Waterfalls

If you like quiet beauty and slightly dangerous footing, try snowshoeing. Hickory Run State Park has trails, including the bizarre Boulder Field, a 16-acre pile of rocks that’s a National Natural Landmark.

Frozen waterfalls around the Delaware Water Gap are stunning, but check conditions first. Ice is slippery, and gravity is not your friend.

For something calmer, go ice fishing on a lake like Promised Land State Park. Just make sure the ice is thick enough. No one wants to become a winter legend for the wrong reason.

What to Pack (and How Not to Die of Cuteness)

Quick Tip

Layer up like an onion with anxiety. Wear waterproof boots, gloves, a hat, and hand warmers. Bring a camera because the Poconos in snow looks like a holiday card that got carried away.

The region can get 50+ inches of snow, so check the forecast. Bring snacks. Always snacks.

So yes, winter in the Poconos is cold. But between the skiing, tubing, indoor water parks, and cozy cabins, you’ll be too busy having fun to complain. Much.