Poconos continue to be a top family destination

Pennsylvania made a mark as the eighth “Most Fun” state in a recent Wallethub survey, though one could easily see how the Pocono Mountains could top the list with a wide variety of family friendly options.

Wallethub compared the 50 states in two key categories, Entertainment and Recreation along with Nightlife, in order to make the ranking. Those categories contained 26 relevant metrics – including restaurants per capita, amusement parks per capita and access to national parks – on a 100 point scale. Weighted averages were determined for each state based on the scores, which determined the final rankings that ranged from “Most Fun” (1) to “Average” (25).

Pennsylvania managed to perform well above average in several categories, taking sixth place for restaurants and performing arts centers or theaters, seventh for movie theaters and fitness centers, and eighth for amusement parks.

Of course, those familiar with the classic vacation destination that is the Poconos know that the area is home to a variety of fun attractions, especially for young families.

“The one unique thing about the Poconos is that we have not only the classic family trip, but we have the new and exciting family trips,” Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau executive vice president and chief marketing officer Brian Bossuyt said. “We really embrace the outdoors; there are so many things you can do outside with your family, and there’s enough to do inside when the weather’s not great.

Natural attractions, including lakes, rivers, parks and more provide a spectrum of options for families to enjoy the outdoors affordably. From the Delaware River to Lake Wallenpaupack, there are numerous opportunities to hike, bike and tube you way around the Poconos.

“We have a lot of free options for children, a lot of different activities from our state parks and national parks,” Bossuyt said. “There are a lot of things they can do with their families there: going to waterfalls, going to the river, going to the beaches and lakes. It’s a nice, fun day outside with your family.”

For the active family looking to entertain on a dime, there are countless venues to keep the kids and parents happy. Kid-friendly venues abound, with rides and attractions for everyone from toddlers to teens.

In the winter, hot spots like Shawnee Mountain Ski Area draw countless customers to the powdery slopes for skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing and more, covering the whole spectrum for family entertainment.

Come summer, water parks like Camelbeach can entertain everyone with a variety of wave pools, water slides and other exciting attractions. Even if you run into a rainy day, the Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark provides plenty of options to enjoy a wet and wild ride at Camelback Resort.

Bossuyt said that the culinary realm of the Poconos has grown significantly over the past few years, with a wide variety of options to suit just about every taste.

“We have people who are trying to pair more things with healthy dining options, and they’re also looking at different ways to pair local wineries and breweries together with their food,” Bossuyt said. “Farm to table, sourcing locally grown ingredients from farmers’ markets, we’ve seen that uptick a lot, too.”

Dining options such as Barley Creek Brewing Company, which provide plenty of kid friendly options, also offer great selections in the category of adult-oriented fare for mom and dad. Desaki’s hibachi and sushi restaurant provides a show with dinner, entertaining both kids and adults with the incredible culinary acrobatics of their chefs. Area resorts have a culinary rainbow of great options.

And for those families looking for a classic all-inclusive experience, the area offers a number of resorts that can cater to any need.

According to Bossuyt, it’s easy to see how the Poconos excels when it comes to fun, weaving together the old-school vacation destination aesthetic with plenty of new and exciting options for young families.

“I think we have a very good mix of things to do, and that’s why I think it’s a viable choice for families,” Bossuyt said. “There are so many options for them to choose from, and they can really pick and choose what suits their family and what they’re looking for.”