Poconos (Waterfalls/Ski), Pennsylvania
3-Day Itinerary for Young Families
“Waterfall Mist & Mountain Air: 3 Slow Summer Days in the Poconos”
Mist rises off Bushkill Falls before the first tour bus arrives, and somewhere above the tree line Camelback's chairlifts creak into their summer rhythm. This is Poconos mountain time — slow mornings, cool green shade, and just enough adventure to tire out small explorers by nap time.
At a Glance
Highlights
- Sunrise-quiet overlook at Bushkill Falls before the crowds arrive
- Chairlift rides over summer-green ridgelines at Camelback Mountain
- Barefoot wandering through Hickory Run's glacier-carved Boulder Field
- Waterfall mist cooling hot summer afternoons
- Kid-paced trails with splash breaks and moss-cushioned paths
- Early dinners with mountain-lodge comfort food
- Three days, zero rushing — built around nap windows and little legs
Day-by-Day Plan
Day 1: Settling In at Bushkill Falls
A gentle first day centered on one easy, stroller-manageable waterfall loop with plenty of splash breaks — under a mile of walking total, low-key energy.
The thunder of the main 100-foot falls reaches you before the view does — a low rumble through the trees that makes toddlers point and squeal. Arrive by 9am and the boardwalk overlook is nearly empty, mist drifting cool across your face while morning light catches the spray in soft rainbows. Stick to the main paved loop and lower trail; it's the gentlest route for strollers and small legs, with several benches for breaks and shallow pools where kids can dip toes safely under supervision.
The day starts easy: settle into the rhythm of the mountains with a walk along Bushkill Falls' gentlest trail loop. The forest smells of fern and damp moss, and the roar of falling water grows louder with each turn in the boardwalk. Early arrival means you'll have long stretches of trail with just the sound of water and birdsong — perfect for small children still adjusting to a new place.
After lunch, keep things low-key — this is a settling-in day, not an adventure day. Head back to your lodging for quiet time or a nap, letting the sound of falling water from the morning still echo pleasantly in tired little legs.
Dinner stays early and unhurried, in keeping with mountain-town rhythm — most lodges and restaurants wind down service by 8pm. An early night sets everyone up well for the more active day ahead at Camelback.
Day 2: Mountain Air at Camelback
A morning on Camelback Mountain's summer slopes with chairlift views, followed by a lodge lunch and a lighter, nap-friendly afternoon — roughly 1 mile of walking total.
In summer, Camelback trades snow for green — the chairlift still runs, gliding quietly over forested slopes with the Delaware Water Gap unfurling in the distance. Kids light up at the height and the breeze; keep the visit to the lift ride and lower, flatter paths near the base rather than steep summit trails. Arrive right at opening for the calmest lift line and softest morning light across the ridgelines — by mid-morning, families with older kids and thrill-seekers start to arrive in numbers.
The morning belongs to the mountain — a slow chairlift climb over green slopes, cool air moving past, small hands pointing at hawks circling below. Keep the pace unhurried: this is about the ride and the view, not a summit push. Arriving early means an easy, uncrowded lift line and soft light for photos.
Lunch at the base settles everyone before the pace shifts down. With nap windows in mind, afternoon stays light — a slow return to your lodging rather than a second big activity, letting the morning's mountain air do its quieting work.
Dinner comes early again, mountain-style — casual, filling, and done well before dark. It's a good night to let the day's excitement settle over a relaxed meal before resting up for tomorrow's boulder-field wandering.
Day 3: Boulders, Moss, and Last Mountain Light
A relaxed morning exploring Hickory Run's Boulder Field and lake overlook, capped with an easy afternoon before departure — under 1.5 miles of walking.
The Boulder Field arrives almost without warning — a moss-softened sea of glacier-carved rock stretching wider than expected, cool and quiet under mixed forest canopy. Kids naturally want to hop from stone to stone; stick to the field's edge and the flatter lake loop paths for the safest, stroller-friendlier stretches. Come by 9am for dappled early light and a nearly empty field — weekend crowds build steadily through late morning.
The last full day moves slow and close to the ground — literally, as kids clamber along the mossy edges of the Boulder Field, discovering just how strange and vast this glacier-scattered landscape feels. Morning light slants low through the canopy, and the quiet here is different from the falls: less roar, more hush.
With travel ahead, the afternoon stays deliberately unstructured — a easy lunch, maybe a last short walk near the lake, and time to let the trip's rhythm wind down naturally rather than squeezing in one more big stop.
An early, simple dinner closes out the trip in the same relaxed mountain rhythm the whole visit has followed — no rush, just a last quiet meal before the drive home, kids already half-dreaming of boulders and waterfalls.
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