Pocono Mountains Travel Guide - 2008-2009 - (Page 13) GETTING HOOKED: A father fishes with his son at a mountain lake. - Photo by Russ Schleipman canoeing in rivers or lakes for the kids to fishing for dad, this region is full of the kind of freshwater fun you can’t find at the beach. Don’t miss Bushkill Falls (the Niagara of Pennsylvania), which boasts eight stunning waterfalls and scenic overlooks. Take the little ones on water rides at Shawnee Place, or for the more adventurous, try the outdoor water park at Camelbeach. And kids of all ages can even soak themselves year ’round at an indoor waterpark resort. Local parks for go-karting, mini golf, carnival rides and roller skating have a way of making parents feel like kids again. Same goes for the zoo in the woods at Claws ‘N’ Paws Wild Animal Park. TIME OUT WITH THE KIDS 8 a.m. Start with a morning bird walk before breakfast 11 a.m. Try a guided trail ride on horseback for a new view of the Pocono Mountains hillsides 3 p.m. Play a game of miniature golf 9 p.m. Camp out under Learning can be fun too. There’s plenty of the stars heritage in these parts, via a rail ride down into the No. 9 Mine & Museum and the artifacts used by the Delaware Indians at the Pocono Indian Museum. Visitors can see the mysterious handprint left by one of the Molly Maguires in the Old Jail Museum, then visit the Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm where guests can pet the animals and witness a slice of 19th-century life with farmhands in period dress. The wild outdoors become a classroom setting at the Pocono Environmental Education Center, where family nature weekends take place in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area with animal studies, nature crafts and guided hikes. But the Pocono Mountains region is understandably most famous for the mountains. In winter, the ski areas make the most of the slopes with something for every age and thrill level, from skiing to snowboarding and snow tubing to dog-sledding. More of a no-thrill seeker? Give snowshoeing a whirl for an invigorating winter walk, or introduce the little ones to ice skating. And in the warm weather, come back for some of the most enviable mountain biking in the state. Family fun here can be as outrageous or as mellow as you like. But if you like it outdoors, you’ll like it in the Pocono Mountains, where together time can be a four-season affair. Tracy Thompson is a freelance writer who covers parenting, travel and frequently, parenting while traveling. Her kids enjoy her job almost as much as she does. BUTTERFLY KISSES: A beautiful Monarch Butterfly at the Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary in Jim Thorpe. 800POCONOS.COM 13 http://www.800POCONOS.COM
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