The Poconos are house country: a lake, a fire pit and a garden beat a hotel corridor with kids. Dates, prices and cancellation terms are shown on each listing. Booking through this link costs you nothing extra.
Browse family houses in the Poconos on Vrbo
We spent three nights in the Pocono Mountains in mid-September with our kids, based near Arlington Heights just outside Stroudsburg. Days were slow in the best way: mornings on the lake, a half day kayaking on the Delaware River, and evenings around a campfire outside the house while the kids ran around the garden. It is a rural, green, quiet part of Pennsylvania, about two hours from New York City, and it works very well as a first nature trip with young children.
Quick facts
| Where | Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Stroudsburg and Delaware Water Gap area is about two hours by car from New York City. |
|---|---|
| Best season | Late spring to mid-fall for lakes, rivers and trails. Bushkill Falls is closed December through March. Fall foliage peaks around mid-October. |
| Bushkill Falls | General admission $22, children 4 to 10 pay $12, children 3 and under free. Parking included. Open daily from 9am, seasonal closing times vary. |
| Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area | No entrance fee, says the National Park Service. Swim beaches, picnic areas and boat launches carry a small amenity fee in season. |
| River trips with kids | Minimum age 3 at Edge of the Woods Outfitters. Children 3 to 12 pay half price on rafts ($26.50 on the 6-mile trip). |
| Indoor backup | Great Wolf Lodge day passes from $35, Kalahari day admission, Aquatopia at Camelback. Book ahead for weekends. |
Our weekend: what actually worked
The house did half the work. Ours sat by a lake, so the day started on the water before anyone had to be anywhere. The kids threw stones, we drank coffee on the porch, and nobody looked at a screen.
The campfire was the other win. Most rental houses in the area have a fire pit outside, and an evening around it, with marshmallows and a sky full of stars, was the part our kids talked about for weeks after. Bring long sleeves: September nights get cool fast once the sun drops.
For the one "big" activity we picked kayaking on the Delaware River. The water near Delaware Water Gap is calm, class 1 at most on the family stretches, and the outfitters run self-guided trips and handle the shuttle, so there is no logistics puzzle with children.
Kayaking the Delaware River with kids
Two outfitters near Delaware Water Gap work well for families:
Edge of the Woods Outfitters runs self-guided trips from its Delaware Water Gap river base. The 6-mile trip takes about 2.5 to 3 hours of paddling, with departures every half hour from 10am to 2pm and free parking at the base. You leave the car at the base, the outfitter shuttles you to the launch point, and the trip ends back by the base at the water gap. Children must be at least 3 years old on any trip. On rafts, children aged 3 to 12 ride at half price ($26.50); in a canoe, a child riding as the third or fourth passenger pays $15. Rafts suit first timers; canoes and kayaks suit anyone comfortable paddling.
Adventure Sports runs a 10-mile canoe and kayak trip from Bushkill Access down to Smithfield Beach. The water is calm with a few class 1 rapids, actual paddle time is about 3 to 3.5 hours, and You can make a full day of it with swim and picnic stops on the islands with swim and picnic stops on the islands.
Check the river conditions for your dates with the outfitter before you book, especially after heavy rain.
Bushkill Falls: the waterfall walk
Bushkill Falls, about 25 minutes north of Stroudsburg, markets itself as the Niagara of Pennsylvania. It is a private park with wooden walkways and stairs along the falls, which makes the main viewpoints reachable with young kids who can handle steps.
Admission is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 62 and older, $12 for children aged 4 to 10, and free for children 3 and under; parking is included. The park opens daily at 9am, trail entry closes before the park does, and the whole park is closed December through March. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to go.
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
The national recreation area wraps around the river gap itself. The National Park Service says there is no entrance fee; swim beaches, picnic areas and boat launches charge a small amenity fee in season. Families can also pick up the free Junior Ranger program, where kids complete activity pages and earn a badge, a good way to structure a short park visit with children.
Rainy-day backup: the indoor waterparks
The Poconos are also the indoor waterpark capital of the Northeast, which is exactly what you need when it rains on day two. Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun sells day passes from $35, Kalahari sells day admission to its waterpark, and Camelback Resort sells all-day tickets to Aquatopia. Passes can sell out on weekends and holidays, so book ahead rather than waiting until you arrive, so book passes ahead rather than at the door.
Where to stay: the houses we would book
We stayed in a rental house by the lake, and it is the format we would choose again with kids: a kitchen, a garden, a fire pit and space to spread out. Three houses that match what worked for us, all bookable on Vrbo:
Lakefront with kayaks and a fire pit, Emerald Lakes. Three bedrooms, sleeps a family comfortably, rated 9.6 Exceptional. This is the closest match to our weekend: lake at the door, kayaks included, fire pit outside. See the lakefront house on Vrbo
Four-bedroom house with a game room in a gated lake community, near East Stroudsburg. Nine beds, a sauna and a game room for the rainy hours, rated 9.2 Wonderful. Suits two families traveling together. See the game-room house on Vrbo
Waterfront cabin with a canoe, Pocono Mountain Lake Estates. Three bedrooms, rated 9.2 Wonderful across 249 reviews, dog friendly. The simple cabin version of the same weekend. See the waterfront cabin on Vrbo
Booking through these links costs you nothing extra. Dates, prices, house rules and cancellation terms are shown on each listing.
Questions parents ask
How much does Bushkill Falls cost for a family?
General admission is $22, children aged 4 to 10 pay $12, and children 3 and under enter free. Parking is free. The park is closed December through March.
What is the minimum age for kayaking on the Delaware River?
Edge of the Woods Outfitters at Delaware Water Gap sets a minimum age of 3 on all its river trips, whether canoe, kayak or raft. On rafts, children aged 3 to 12 ride at half price; in a canoe, a child riding as the third or fourth passenger pays $15. No separate child rate is listed for kayaks.
Does Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area charge an entrance fee?
No. The National Park Service says the park has no entrance fee. Some swim beaches, picnic areas and boat launches charge a small amenity fee in season.
Can you visit the big indoor waterparks without staying overnight?
Yes. Great Wolf Lodge Poconos sells day passes from $35, Kalahari sells day admission, and Camelback sells all-day tickets to Aquatopia. Book ahead for weekends and school holidays.
How far are the Poconos from New York City?
About two hours by car to the Stroudsburg and Delaware Water Gap area, which makes the Poconos an easy weekend trip with kids.
Sources checked 10 October 2026
Bushkill Falls, official admission fees
Bushkill Falls, official park hours
Edge of the Woods Outfitters, Delaware River trips and child prices
Adventure Sports, Bushkill to Smithfield Beach trip
National Park Service, Delaware Water Gap fees
National Park Service, Junior Ranger program
A lake house with a fire pit is what makes the Poconos work with kids. Dates, prices and cancellation terms are shown on each listing. Booking through this link costs you nothing extra.
Browse family houses in the Poconos on Vrbo