There are plenty of great things to do in the Poconos. Click on one of the activities below for more details and contact information for local attractions. If you are traveling to the Pocono Mountains be sure to spend some time in the great outdoors. The Poconos give you the opportunity for outdoor adventures like rafting, biking, hiking and more!
Adventure Center Activities at Whitewater Challengers
If you are looking for things to do in the Poconos you don’t have to look any further than Whitewater Challengers. All from one central location you enjoy whitewater rafting, inflatable kayaking, camping and more!
Biking
Whitewater Challengers Adventure Center is located within minutes of the Lehigh Gorge State Park where you can ride along the historic D&L Trail. Bring your own bike or rent one from the Lehighton Outdoor Center. Pedal out and within minutes, you’ll be right on the trail.
Bowling
Looking for an evening activity in the Poconos. Check out a nearby bowling alley with family and friends.
- Bowl Arena (Hazleton) – 570-501-9482
- Back Mountain Bowling (Dallas) – 570-675-5026
- Chacko’s Lanes (Wilkes Barre) – 570-208-2695
- Stanton Lanes (Wilkes Barre) – 570-824-4661
If you are looking for things to do in the Poconos you don’t have to look any further than Whitewater Challengers. All from one central location you enjoy whitewater rafting, trail biking, camping and more!
Disc Golf
Disc Golf combines a favorite recreational pastime – frisbee throwing – with one of the world’s great sports – golf. Book now with an instructor from Whitewater Challengers or play a course nearby in the Poconos on your own:
Golf Courses
Are you looking to spend the day on the greens in the Poconos? You can enjoy the rolling hills of a golf course or swing your club on the driving range.
Mountain Laurel Golf Club:
Located just outside White Haven, PA in the Pocono Mountains. This club offers a natural grass driving range and a short-game area that has a putting green, chipping area and bunker. Mountain Laurel Golf Club is a brief 10 minute drive from Whitewater Challengers Adventure Center. Click here for more info.
Fishing
For avid anglers, check out these great locations (Pennsylvania fishing licenses are required):
- Hickory Run State Park
- Lehigh Gorge State Park
- Nescopeck State Park
- Lehigh River
Fitness/Health Clubs
Don’t break from the routine on your getaway in the Poconos. Although we recommend skipping the gym and starting your day with an outdoor adventure (like rafting or biking), here are a few nearby fitness clubs so you can get in that morning work out.
- Core Fitness (Hazleton) – 570-455-7818
- Crossfit (Drums) – 570-690-0859
- YMCA/YWCA (Hazleton) – 570-455-2046
- YMCA of Wilkes Barre (Wilkes Barre) – 570-208-9622
- Athletic Club (Wilkes Barre) – 570-823-2124
- Odessy Fitness Center (Wilkes Barre) – 570-829-2661
Hiking Trails
Whitewater Challengers is located in the scenic Pocono Mountains region. With vast areas of wilderness the Poconos are home to several State Parks filled with hiking & biking trails, scenic vistas and historic areas.
Hickory Run State Park:
Less than a half hour from Whitewater Challengers Adventure center in the Poconos is one of the most popular state parks in Pennsylvania. With an elaborate hiking trail systems with more than 40 interconnecting trails lead to a variety of impressive overlooks and special geological features of the Pocono Mountains.
Boulder Field is a popular destination in the park. Unchanged since glaciers receded from the area 20,000 years ago, this area is striking for its absence of vegetation, and for the sea of boulders strewn like a lake over a massive area. You can walk out onto the “sea” of boulders, some up to 25 feet in length. If you request it in advance (570-443-0400) a Hickory Run State Park naturalist can meet with your group.
Learn more about Hickory Run State Park
Lehigh Gorge State Park:
Just a couple of minutes from Whitewater Challengers Adventure Center, the Lehigh Gorge State Park provides one of the Commonwealth’s premier bicycling trails, with over 25 miles of gentle (2%) downhill grade when starting in White Haven and biking towards Jim Thorpe, PA. The park is also home to wonderful hiking trails and fishing opportunities.
Historic Sites
The Poconos is rich in history. There are great activities for adults and children who wish to learn more about the history and culture of the area. Visit an old mining village or travel down into the coal mines for yourself.
Eckley Miners Village (Weatherly):
Eckley Miners Village is a living history site dedicated to the lives of the immigrants who toiled in the coal fields at the height of the anthracite boom. Eckley Miners’ Village, surrounded by black-silt ponds and strip-mining pits, is alive with the unique heritage of the anthracite region just west of the Pocono Mountain Region of PA. Settled in 1854, the community remained a privately owned company “patch” town until 1971. Now a National Register District, Eckley is home to more than fifty residents – retired miners, their widows and children. Its 58 buildings, 100 acres, furnishings and exhibits preserve the everyday life of the coal miner and his family. Call 570-636-2070 for more info.
Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour (Scranton):
Explore 300 feet beneath the earth. Meet a miner in the winding caverns of the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour. Travel down three different veins of hard coal and see for yourself how men slaved on hands and knees to harvest black diamonds. Learn about life and hard-coal times in the Shifting Shanty. Enjoy photo-mural exhibits, mining artifacts, tools, and video presentations. Visit the Pennsylvania Anthracite Heritage Museum and the Company Store Gift Shoppe. Call 800-238-7245 for more info.
Jackson Mansion Tour (Berwick):
Tour the Jackson Mansion and learn about Clarence G. Jackson who was the youngest son of the of the self-made railroad equipment manufacturer, M. W. Jackson. Call 570-759-8726 for more information on tours of the Jack Mansion.
Horse Racing
Visit Mohegan Sun in the Poconos to watch horse racing. Call 570-831-2100 for more info.
Miniature Golf
Bring the whole family or a few friends for a fun-filled round of miniature golf in the scenic Pocono Mountains.
- Mickey’s Golf Center & Driving Range (Drums) – 570-788-9888
- Split Rock Resort (Lake Harmony) – 570-722-9111
- Camelback Resort (Tannersville) – 570-629-1661
Movie Theaters
If you are looking for an indoor activity for the family there are a few nearby cinemas in the Poconos.
- Cinema & Drafthouse (Hazleton) – 570-455-2455
- Regal Cinema (Hazleton) – 844-462-7342
- RC Theater Movies 14 (Wilkes Barre) – 570-825-4444
- Cinemark at Montage Mountain (Scranton) – 570-961-5943
Roller Skating
Get some wheels on those feet and visit a nearby roller skating rink in the Poconos. Check out either Skate-a-Way in Wilkesbarre (570-829-1236) or Strand Roller Rink in McAdoo (570-929-2224).
Shopping
Looking to do some shopping while on your Pocono Mountains Getaway. Visit factory outlets at the Crossings or check out a nearby mall for more shopping opportunities.
- Laurel Mall (Hazleton) – 570-454-2100
- Crossings Outlets (Tannersville) – 570-629-4650
- Wyoming Valley Mall (Wilkes Barre) – 570-823-1224
Swimming
If you are looking to spend the day in the water, visit nearby Hickory Run State Park. Just 20 minutes from the Adventure Center at Whitewater Challengers in the Poconos. One of the park’s favorite attractions is it’s large swimming area at Sand Spring Lake.
Tennis
Get on the courts during your stay in the Poconos.
- Kingston Indoor Tennis (Wilkes Barre) – 570-288-1434
- Odessy Fitness Center (Wilkes Barre) – 570-829-2661
- Split Rock Resort (Lake Harmony) – 800-255-7625
Theater
Add a little arts and culture to your trip to the Poconos. There are several theaters near the Adventure Center at Whitewater Challengers.
- F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts (Wilkes Barre) – 570-826-1100
- Little Theatre of Wilkes Barre – 570-823-1875
- Music Box Dinner Playhouse – 570-283-2195
Water Parks
Water parks are a fun family attraction in the Poconos.
- Kalahari Resort (Pocono Manor) – 570-580-6000
- H2Oooohh Indoor Waterpark (Lake Harmony) – 570-722-9111
- Camelbeach Waterpark (Tannersville) – 570-629-1663
Whitewater Rafting
Whitewater rafting in the Poconos is a family favorite! The Lehigh River offers exciting class 1, 2 & 3 rapids. Choose from various rafting trip options and add on other outdoor adventures like inflatable kayaking, trail biking, camping and more at the Adventure Center at Whitewater Challengers in the Poconos. Click here for more information.