Camelback Resort’s Exciting Summer Adventures
We all know Camelback Resort is famous for their popular wintertime offerings, but did you know how much fun it can be in the warmer months too? The folks at Camelback invite guests to switch out their snowsuits for swimsuits in the summertime, when they trade ski slopes for epic mountainside water slides.
Located in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, Camelback Resort is less than a two-hour drive from NYC, making it a great destination for a weekend getaway or even a day trip. Families with children of all ages – toddler to teen – will have a great time. I brought my own kids, ages 11 and 15, and found this to be true. They both had a blast! And, as a thrill-seeker myself, so did I.
Every kid loves water parks, and Camelback has two! Their indoor water park, Aquatopia, is 125,000 square feet and features a transparent roof to allow sunlight in all year round, as well as 14 exciting water slides – tube slides, body slides, mat, bowl and aqua launch slides as well as kiddie slides for the young crowd – plus a wave pool, underground adventure river, multilevel play and spray structures, toddler area, simulated surfing experience a, swim-up bar and more.
Their outdoor water park, Camelbeach, is a quick, two-minute shuttle ride from the resort and features over 37 twisty mountainside water slides and rides. We visited the park on a cloudy weekday and, although the weather was disappointing, the rides (and absence of lines) were definitely not. Our favorite was the High Noon Typhoon, where we were launched into a six-story funnel together, emerging in fits of laughter and ready to go on again.
Other exciting highlights of Camelbeach include the Blue Nile Adventure River with its waterfalls, geysers and bubbling water; Dune Runner that accommodates up to four guests per tube; Titan, the world’s largest water slide of its kind; and Mummy’s Oasis for family play with boogie boards and flow boarding. And celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, Camelbeach recently unveiled its latest water attraction, the Rival Racer, where sliders race each other to the bottom of a 400-foot slide with a vertical drop of 54 feet.
If your plan is to stay dry for a little while, Camelback’s Mountain Adventures will keep your family busy. My kids rode the 1000-foot double barrel zipline, where they soared through the trees eight stories above the ground, side-by-side. There’s also 4000-foot ziplining, where riders can dangle 180 feet in the air and take in the beautiful Pocono Mountain views. Other mountain adventures include the Mountain Coaster, a scenic thrill ride where you control your own speed, UTV tours through the mountain and sun bowl tubing (it’s like snow tubing – without the snow!).
Back at the lodge, there’s a rock-climbing wall, ropes course, laser tag and VR experiences, plus a 7D Dark Ride multi-sensory immersive experience, a mirror maze, a bumper car course, pottery painting, an escape room, axe-throwing and the Arcadia Mega Arcade with over 100 games.
Dining at Camelback is laid back and family-friendly. You’ll find breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options. You truly don’t need to leave the resort for anything at all. Side note, I highly recommend the giant pretzel at Trails End Pub & Grill, which I think my kids and I loved as much as our favorite water slide!
Suites are available in many shapes and sizes, the largest of which can sleep up to 14 people, and many are equipped with fireplaces, balconies, spacious lofts and full kitchens. Families who just want to spend the day can purchase a day pass.
Our summertime adventure at Camelback Lodge was even more fun than expected, and I plan to return in the winter for some skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing.
Camelback Resort is located at 193 Resort Drive, Tannersville, PA. For more information, call 570-629-1665 or visit camelbackresort.com.
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