Hotels with Indoor Waterparks in Pennsylvania
The Poconos are a legendary tourist destination, a place where people come in droves every year to camp, ski, fish, sight-see, hike, and even gamble. The fun goes on year-round, which makes this northeastern tourist mecca ideal for hotels with indoor water parks. Splashing around in a temperature-controlled water park is a sweet way to top off a day of outdoor activities, especially if you have young kids who may not be contented with slower-paced recreation.
Fortunately, there are two good-sized indoor water parks in the Poconos to choose from. Better yet, they’re both connected to resorts that offer lots of other activities in addition to slipping and sliding.
Great Wolf Lodge (Scotrun, PA)
You can find Great Wolf Lodge resorts in 11 different locations in North America, each one featuring a northwest lodge theme and an extensive indoor water park. If you’ve been to one of the other resorts, then you will know what to expect when visiting the one in Scotrun. Otherwise, you’re in for a treat. Being part of a premiere indoor water park chain means having some world-class water attractions. These include a thrilling group raft ride called the Double Barrel Drop and Coyote Canyon, a tube slide that caps off with a 40-foot drop. There are lots to do outside of the water park, too – much of it geared toward kids.
The Great Wolf Lodge chain of resorts is known for its massive indoor water parks, and the one in the Poconos does not disappoint. Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains has a wide selection of attractions – both in and out of the water – that have made the resorts so popular among families with small kids. While a lot of the other resorts are in major urban areas, this location in Scotrun, Pennsylvania has the unique advantage of being situated in the scenic Poconos. It’s a perfect spot for a lodge-style hotel and water park like this.
Accommodations
The accommodations at Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains run the gamut from basic rooms to expansive premium suites. Many of the rooms are decorated in a rustic style befitting the resort’s theme, while others are more modern in appearance. A neat feature of this and other Great Wolf resorts is the option to rent a room with a small kid’s cabin in it. If you’re vacationing with young children, they’ll be in heaven as they bunk up in their own little “Wolf Den.”
There’s lots more fun to be had for the kids, too. There’s a fantasy adventure game, arcade with redemption prizes, and summer camp-type activities. Great Wolf Lodge also has a unique spa for tweens where your little princess can get her nails done and enjoy some free ice cream afterward. But of course, the real reason to visit Great Wolf Lodge is the water park.
Slides and Rides
The main attraction at any Great Wolf Lodge location is the water park. The one in the Poconos is 79,000 square feet – pretty large even by national standards. If you’ve been to an indoor water park before, you’ll find many familiar features here. However, you can also count on a few surprises, as there are a few set-piece attractions that are unique to the Great Wolf Lodge franchise. Here’s a sampling of what the indoor water park at Great Wolf Lodge in the Ponocos has to offer:
- Water Coaster (a cross between a water slide and roller coaster)
- Family Raft Ride
- Multiple Tube and Body Slides
- Kiddie Play Fort
- Lazy River
- Activity Pool
- Water Agility Course
- Hot Tub Area
- Outdoor Pool with Beach Entry
H20ooohh! Indoor Waterpark (Lake Harmony, PA)
If you think the name is fun, you should see the actual water park. While not as large as the one at Great Wolf Lodge, the H20ooohh! Indoor Waterpark at Split Rock Resort has all the attractions you look for in an indoor water park – big slides, wave pool, kiddie play fort, hot tubs. There’s even a surfing simulator, one of the hottest features in indoor water parks. There are plenty of other attractions at the resort as well, including a top-notch golf course. Booking a room at Split Rock will give you easy access to the indoor water park, which is especially convenient during the colder months. However, you can also purchase separate day passes if you’re staying elsewhere.
Located in the Pocono Mountains, the creatively named H20ooohh Indoor Waterpark provides year-round recreation for visitors to this popular tourist area. You can stay at the attached resort for maximum convenience, or purchase a day pass separately. Either way, a trip to an indoor water park offers a nice complement to a day sightseeing, fishing, skiing, or whatever it is that draws you to the Poconos.
Accommodations
The H2Ooohh Indoor Waterpark is part of the Split Rock Resort and Golf Club, a large hotel featuring over 500 rooms with a variety of amenities (and price tags). The decor ranges from rustic to modern, with many of the rooms and suites resembling the accommodations at a classic bed and breakfast. As you’ve probably guessed by now, the indoor water park is not the only activity that draws in guests – the Split Rock Golf course is another big attraction. There’s also a bowling alley, arcade, and movie theater on site.
Fortunately, there are seasonal specials and a discounted rate for observers, giving you a couple of options to save money while visiting the water park. Unfortunately, H2Ooohh may not be open every day of the week, so if using it is important to your trip, make sure you check with the resort before making plans. One other thing to keep in mind is that there’s no towel service here, so you need to bring your own if you want to avoid paying for one at the gift shop.
Nearby Attractions
Obviously, there’s a lot to do in the Poconos – otherwise, all the tourists wouldn’t be flocking there every year. Lake Harmony, in particular, features the Big Boulder Ski Area, which doubles as a hiking area during the warmer months. The area has a lot of outdoor activities at all times of the year, which makes it an ideal place for a water park that’s open at all times of the year.
Slides and Rides
The H2Ooohh Indoor Waterpark is 48,000 square feet – not one of the larger indoor water parks, but decent-sized nonetheless. You can get packages that include both room and discounted water park passes, or buy the passes separately. The admission price seems a bit steep for a water park of this size, but then the facility is clean and modern with a lot of popular water attractions. Here are the major features:
- Multiple Body and Tube Slides
- Surfing Simulator
- Wave Pool
- Kiddie Play Fort with Tipping Bucket
- Hot Tub Area (Lava Springs)
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More than just indoor water parks, these resorts offer a complete vacation experience without ever leaving the premises. If you’ve got children, booking a room at one of these resorts will keep them entertained throughout your stay in the Poconos. Of course, once you see everything the indoor water parks have to offer, you’ll want to join in, too.