Camelback Resort: Tips for Visiting in the Summer and Fall

Camelback Resort may offer ski slopes and an indoor water park in the winter, but you can take advantage of the outdoor water park, zip line, and rides during warm-weather months.
 

Last winter, I visited and wrote about my visit to Camelback Resort, where my family and I spent time on the ski slopes and in the indoor water park. I returned to Camelback this summer for a very different experience. The resort, located in the Pocono Mountains town of Tannersville, PA, has expanded its warm-weather activities. Just a 1.5-hour drive from New York City, it’s one of our active family’s favorite getaways.
 

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Summer Activities at Camelback

Camelbeach: Camelback’s Outdoor Water Park

As a guest of the hotel, we received vouchers for each person in our party to use at Camelbeach, an outdoor water park, for a day. The water park is also open to the general public, so you don’t have to stay at the hotel to visit Camelbeach.

There is a shuttle bus from the hotel to Camelbeach, or you can drive. Once we entered the park, we were amazed to see how they transformed the mountain from a ski resort to a sprawling water park full of slides and rides that we couldn’t wait to try.

We rented a cabana there and used a shaded beach hut as home base throughout the day. Our group included kids ranging from 6 months to 6 years old, so having this cabana—and using it as a dedicated meeting spot—was really helpful. Included with the rental are a fruit basket in the morning and cookie platter in the afternoon, which was a huge hit with all of us.

We began our adventure at Pharaoh’s Phortress, a kiddie area fairly close to the entrance. All of the slides in Pharaoh’s Phortress are accessible to kids 42 inches and up. For those under the height requirement there are still many options, and all the kids in our group had fun there.

We then set out to explore all the other offerings on the mountain. We raced with the bigger kids down Checkered Flag Challenge, relaxed on the lazy river, splashed with the younger kids in Mummy’s Oasis, and laughed uncontrollably as we slid down on the longest slide we’ve ever been on, the Titan. Other favorites were the Sidewinder and the Triple Venom, which a couple of us actually caught some air on. My personal favorites were the raft rides where several of us rode together: the Dune Runner and the Sandstorm.

It’s surreal being on a mountain ski resort, seeing the ski lifts and runs at the top of the mountain, yet basking in the sun and splashing in the refreshing water and slides at the bottom of the mountain.
 

Tips for Visiting Camelbeach

Aquatopia: Camelback’s Indoor Water Park

The following day we spent at Aquatopia, the indoor waterpark, which happens to be the largest indoor waterpark in the Northeast. You are allowed access each day to this water park included with your stay, and it’s open year round. We visited Aquatopia last winter and enjoyed both the tropical climate indoors as well as skiing outdoors.
 

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Appalachian Express Coaster at Camelback Mountain Adventure Park

This coaster is open year-round, weather permitting. We rode in a cart much like something you’d ride at an amusement park, each of them able to seat one or two people. It slowly totes you to the top of the mountain. Once you are at the top, you glide down on rails and can only use hand brakes, which you control as needed. This was very exhilarating and our 5-year-old wanted to do it over and over again (she also wants to live here, so we have to draw the line sometimes). It offers a great view of the area and gorgeous views of the changing leaves.
 

Tips for Visiting the Appalachian Express Coaster

Fall Activities at Camelback Resort

TreeTop Flyer Scenic Chairlift at Camelback Mountain Adventure Park

One of the more unique activities you can do only at Camelback and only during the fall is the scenic sky ride. This is a ride on the TreeTop Flyer Chairlift that takes you 800 feet from the valley to the peak of Camelback Mountain. The lifts hold up to four riders. The summit offers spectacular views of the changing of the trees and sometimes you can even spot deer and turkeys. This is a really fun family activity and thrilling being 800 feet in the sky.

Tips for Visiting the TreeTop Flyer

Soaring Camel Twin Zip-Flyers at Camelback Mountain Adventure Park

Another fall favorite is the thrilling side-by-side zip line adventure, which takes you flying from the summit of Camelback Mountain all the way down to its base. It’s also the longest Zip-Flyers in North America! In order to get to the zip lines, you ride a chairlift or bus to the top. Guides help secure you into the zip flyers, then you soar down the mountain flying at speeds up to 60 mph! The zip line is 4,000 feet long and takes you over Camelback Mountain and the waterslides of Camelbeach. This also gives you fantastic views of the changing leaves.

Tips for Visiting Soaring Camel Twin Zip-Flyers

Kartrite’s Kurse at Camelback Mountain Adventure Park

This new, not-so-scary haunted house is designed for kids ages 6-16 years old. Kartrite’s Eerie Expeditions creates an atmosphere where your kids will find themselves in the middle of a land filled with pirates, skeletons, and flying, crawling, and slithering creatures. The kids escape each of the themed rooms filled with animatronic simulations which are designed to recreate the real adventures taken from Kartrite’s own journal entries. It’s set to on October 6. 

Other fall activities include:

Main image: Pharoah's Phortress is the kiddie area with slides and water play equipment at Camelbeach.

RELATED: Our Free Guide to Fall Activities in the New York Area

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