Bushkill Falls - the Niagara of PA

Many people visit the Poconos in Pennsylvania each year. The Poconos is a well known vacation spot in the summer as well as in the winter. In the winter, skiing is all the rage. With lots of different ski areas to chose from, an avid skier would never get bored. In the summer, there are so many things to do that you couldn't fit it all in if you tried. One attraction that is a must is Bushkill Falls. It has been referred to as the Niagara of PA because of its beautiful falls and scenery.

When you go to Bushkill Falls, make sure you were comfortable clothes and walking shoes. In order to see the falls, you must do a little hiking. There are different trails to chose from depending on how much walking you care to do as well as your fitness level. The shorter trail only will take you about 20 minutes to complete while the longer trail takes about two hours to complete and includes many stairs to climb. Kids and adults of all ages will love the adventure that they take there. You can even buy an adventure map that you stamp along the way to prove that you were all over the area.

The main falls area is not too far in so anyone and everyone can see them. They are majestic and the scenery and nature all around is a sight to see. If walking is not a problem and you have time to kill, I suggest taking the longer trail. You get to see so much more of nature and more falls. While we were there recently, a raccoon was fishing for his lunch right out in the open. We named him Rocky. The kids loved seeing nature in its natural habitat and so close up, yet not too close. You could also see some of the fish that were swimming around near the surface. That is always exciting as well.

Once you are well into the longer trail, the scenery of trees and flowers was just amazing. Even the kids found the beauty in it. There are park benches all around so when a break is needed, you can rest for a few minutes. While out on the trail, we saw people from all over the world. We talked to people from Canada as well as people here on vacation from Europe. People from all over just love the beauty of Bushkill Falls.

When you are done with your hike and sight seeing, there are plenty of other things to keep you busy at Bushkill Falls. There is miniature golf, paddle boats, a museum, gift shop and playground for the kids to enjoy. The playground is the newest addition to the Falls. When you are hungry, and you will work up an appetite hiking, there are plenty of options to chose from. Their cafe is now trans fat free. That is awesome when keeping with the healthy attitude that you just adopted from the healthy hike you just took. With options such as grilled chicken breasts, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, sweet potato fries, chicken fingers, hot dogs and BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, there is something for everyone in your family. When you are ready for a little desert, there is ice cream, shakes and fudge to choose from.

Make sure to bring your camera on your trip. There is plenty to take pictures of. There is a bear that walks around, named Yoo Hoo. He loves to pose for pictures with your little ones. There are plenty of opportunities to take pictures of nature at its best as well. Plus, you might want to capture your kids playing mini golf or fishing in the lake as well.

The price to enter the falls area is $9 for adults and $4 for kids. If you live in the area and your zip code begins with 183.., you can get in for free by showing your drivers license. The food was affordable. For our lunch, for my family of six, we paid about $35. There are small fees to fish, play mini golf and ride on a paddle boat as well. There are free BBQ pits if you chose to bring your own food. You can make a whole day out of your trip to Bushkill Falls.

It is a must see for anyone that is visiting the Poconos. There is a lot to do during your visit but this is the one nature type adventure that I truly feel that you will enjoy. The whole family will enjoy the memories.