I received a complimentary stay for social media content, however, all opinions are my own.

We just got back from our first visit to Kalahari Resorts in the Poconos, PA and it was a blast! You guys have sent me quite a few questions while I was there so I wanted to make this post to answer all questions and break it down for you on how to plan a trip to Kalahari Resorts.

When should I visit and how long should I stay?

Kalahari is open year round but the outdoor waterpark is obviously only open during a specific season. We arrived on Monday and checked out on Wednesday and that was a perfect two night stay! In my opinion, 2 nights give you plenty of time to experience everything Kalahari has to offer. The check in is at 4pm but if you arrive earlier you have access to the water park as soon as it opens, which is 10am. We were very lucky and our room was ready when we arrived which was 12pm. We had lunch, let the kids take their nap and went to the park to enjoy the rest of the day. The next day we went to the park as soon as it opened at 10am. We stayed until 12pm went back to the room for lunch and then back to the park around 2-5 pm The older your kids are, the more likely they are to want to stay longer! But with a toddler in town, we went back for lunch/nap time and to be honest, that break was a perfect time to reenergize… for all of us! Then the park is open until 8pm!

What are the things to do in the Resort?

The most obvious answer is, it’s a waterpark! But there are so many different attractions, there’s something for everyone. There are waterslides, lazy river, play areas, basketball pools, hot tubs, swim-bar, Flowrider body surfing, wave pool and much more! Outside of the waterpark there’s an arcade with video games and virtual reality experiences. There is also a SPA that needs appointments. I’m hoping next time I visit I can enjoy some relaxing time!

What about food? Can I bring my own food? Is there restaurant options available?

You can’t bring outside food or drink into the waterpark, but they have a ton of options on property. There’s a restaurant in the waterpark as well as multiple other options in the hotel. You can also use your wristband to pay so you don’t need to carry around cards or cash with you!

In your room there is a microwave and mini fridge with a sink. So you can always pack a few things with you. We brought our cooler with things like milk, yogurt and juice for the kids. Also brought some paper plates, plastic cups and things to facilitate breakfast. The coffee maker were taken from all rooms due to covid but you can bring your own. We love coffee so we always bring our coffee maker but there is also a Starbucks in the resort in case we prefer to buy it!

Did you feel safe with the safety precautions?

In my opinion, Kalahari did a phenomenal job coming up with a plan to host guests safely. There were markers where to stand in line, sanitizing stations, masks required unless using an attraction inside the waterpark, etc. But it all depends on your comfort level. I felt that in Monday it started to get a bit crowded and some people were not really following the social distancing guidelines and I was starting to get a little uncomfortable. So I wore my mask most of the time since I wasn’t really playing inside the water and was there just watching the kids. But Tuesday it was a lot less crowded. I think a lot of people checked out on Monday from the wknd. So if you consider visiting now, I’d say a mid weekday is a better option.

What should I bring?

These are some of the things I read other people saying to bring and I’m glad I did. They do offer towels (they are very small) but is one less thing to carry! They also have different sizes life vests. All kids under 48” has to wear one and you can also bring your own.

Waterproof phone case: A waterproof phone case or Fanny pack is an absolute necessity if you plan on taking pictures throughout the park! I got my bag on Amazon and it fits my phone, masks and baby pacifier.

Water shoes: I brought water shoes for the boys and they were it the entire time to protect from slippery floor. My husband and I just had our flip flops.

Paper and cleaning products: I packed our own plates, cutlery, paper towels, lysol, cleaning wipes, etc.

Hand sanitizer: There are sanitizing stations throughout the park but I brought some to have in the room and bag all the time.

Masks: They’re required for guests 10 and older while walking in the hotel, lounging in the waterpark, playing in the arcade, etc.

First aid/medicine: I always pack a first-aid kit with some medicine for kids and adults.

I hope this helps you plan your trip to Kalahari! We had such a great time and it was fun way to escape the cold winter temps of February!

Let me know if you have any question and check out my stories highlights for a full room tour and all details of our stay!