By Rachel Camaerei • Special to The Current
No matter the season, you can make a splash in the Pocono Mountains. The region’s four indoor waterpark resorts provide a fun-filled escape for couples and families alike. They offer everything from exhilarating water slides and lazy river rides to wave simulators and even hot springs for soaking.
In addition to the waterparks, each of the resorts also has fun-filled amenities that include first-run movie theaters, mind-boggling escape rooms, and virtual reality experiences as well as a wide array of lodging options. Plan an unforgettable getaway at one of the thrill-filled waterpark resorts in the Poconos.
Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark
It’s always summer at Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark. A toasty 84 degrees year-round, Aquatopia offers the perfect temperature. Engineered to thrill, Aquatopia is loaded with fun-filled features, including the Bombora FlowRider, Lost River tubing adventure, obstacle-loaded Croc-O-Nile Crossing, Great Ka-na-gawa Wave Pool and 13 innovative waterslides, that include bowl slides and thrilling aqua-launch capsule-style slides. If you need a break from the action, Aquatopia has reservable poolside cabanas, a swim-up bar, restorative hot springs, and plenty of tasty bites at the Colonial Commons.
Beyond the waterpark, adventurous guests at Camelback Lodge can try to outsmart the Game of Stones escape room, tackle the K2 Climb ropes course, or scale The Ascent, a towering indoor rock climbing wall. There’s even an on-site spa that offers a range of treatments from massages to facials. The range of lodging options at the resort makes it easy to plan a couple’s getaway or a family reunion. They have cozy single bedroom suites, two-bedroom lofts, and three-bedroom condos, equipped with perks like toasty fireplaces, panoramic balconies, and spacious kitchens.
Split Rock Resort & Golf Club
Split Rock Resort is brimming with family-friendly adventures year-round. Aptly nicknamed H2OOOOhh!, the resort’s crowd-pleasing indoor waterpark offers everything from exhilarating drops to tot-friendly play areas. For thrill-seekers, there are three slides with four-story drops as well as a rip-roaring wave pool and features Pennsylvania’s first FlowRider surf machine. There’s plenty for younger visitors too, including Jungle Falls, Leapin’ Lillypads, and a kid-friendly activity pool.
If you are staying at Split Rock Resort there are a smorgasbord of other on-site attractions to choose from, including cosmic bowling, a nostalgic arcade, and a movie theater that showcases first-run feature films. When booking lodging, you can choose among suites, cottages, villas, and rooms in the historic lodge, which overlooks Lake Harmony.
Great Wolf Lodge
Great Wolf Lodge includes a 79,000 square-foot waterpark that stays a summer-y 84 degrees year-round. It has 13 water slides and a four-story, tree house-style water fort. Tiny tots can splash around in the kid-friendly activity pools and explore the pint-sized Whooping Hollow playground while older kids can cruise Crooked Creek or surf the swells in the Slap Tale Pond Wave Pool. Of course, there are also plenty of thrills on Alberta Falls, a tandem-tube ride with an exhilarating four-story drop. For a more mellow experience, rent a cabana or take a soak in one of the resort’s two different hot springs.
After a day of splashing around in the waterpark, you can continue the fun outside the waterpark. Great Wolf Lodge is loaded with family-friendly activities, including an on-site Build-A-Bear Workshop, nightly story time, and Howl at the Moon Glow Golf. There’s even a Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream parlor. The resort also treats guests to newly renovated suites that cater to families of all sizes, and include everything from tent and cave themed suites to fireplace-equipped loft suites.
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions
In the heart of the Pocono Mountains, the 220,000-square-foot indoor waterpark at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions is the largest in the country. Themed after an African safari, the park has many unique features like the 270-foot Elephant’s Trunk corkscrew water slide, the leisurely Lazy River, and the zero-depth entry Coral Cove aquatic play area. You can also explore vivid underwater worlds with the resort’s virtual reality experience, or take advantage of the waterpark’s family-friendly lessons and become a curious great white shark or a graceful mermaid for the afternoon. When you are ready to kick back and relax, you can indulge in the waterpark’s party cabanas, swim-up cocktail bar, and indoor and outdoor spas.
Beyond the waterpark, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions offers a buffet of family-friendly perks and amenities. After a day of water slides and lazy river rides, take a wild ride in the 7-D Motion Theater, gather family and friends for a game of laser tag, or challenge yourself at the resort’s ancient Egyptian-themed escape room, Wrath of Anubis. When it’s time to call it a day, the resort has multiple accommodation options from single rooms to five-bedroom suites.
Waterpark resorts are just the beginning. With 2,400 square miles to explore, the Poconos has hidden gems all throughout the region. While visiting, be sure to check out our towns, outdoor adventures, activities, restaurants and so much more!
We recommend calling ahead to your destination before traveling to ensure nothing has changed. When you’re ready to visit, we’ll be here to welcome you.
Rachel is the Communications Manager for the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. As a native to the Poconos, Rachel works to rediscover the beautiful place she calls home. Blogging for the bureau since 2017, she’s able to pursue her passions for writing, learning and traveling. When she’s not sharing her stories, this Penn State alum enjoys hiking, yoga and photography. Keep up with her blog posts on our website and social media platforms, or reach out to her at rcamaerei@poconos.org.
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