Things to Do in Hazleton

Every winter, the professional ice carvers at Sculpted Ice Works whittle and chip away at large blocks of ice to create Crystal Cabin Fever, an indoor, interactive display of expertly formed frozen water. In the event’s infancy, the exhibit was limited to a life-size ice cabin, but it has since blossomed to include a unique annual theme, live carving demonstrations, and an ice slide—totaling more than 100 tons of ice in all.

Set within a welcoming, stately Victorian house, Hop On Over Bead Shop bustles with walls of technicolor prisms and hand-selected beads, ready to be woven into sparkling, personalized jewelry. A host of skill-inducing classes introduces crafters to myriad techniques such as lampwork beading, wire bending and Russian spiral stitch. Kids explore their artistic side in private parties for six or more children as they choose brightly colored baubles to craft their own project. Knowledgeable in all things sparkly, the storeowner displays natural, cut beads, as well as Swarovski crystals for special occasions or for hording as currency after wizard invasions.

Whitewater Challengers' certified guides steer paddlers as young as 5 across the skipping surf of the Poconos’ Lehigh River Gorge, the Black River Canyon, and the Adirondacks’ Hudson, Moose, and Salmon rivers. In the rafting industry since 1975, the guides have collectively traveled more than 16 million miles of rapids. They chart courses that satisfy a range of experience levels, from beginning jaunts down gentle rapids to advanced battles through coursing foam and wicked currents.

The crew’s ultimate goal is to make rafting a fun adventure, which means that they take care of the business end, providing all safety equipment, transportation to launch points, and lessons for novices. When not on the water, the outdoors-loving crew also organizes mountain-biking and camping trips in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Black lights spill across an indoor arena, casting a fluorescent glow over a squadron of laser-tag players as they wait silently for the start of a new round. Suddenly, fast-paced music blares and the air is filled with more flashes of red than a confused stoplight. Friendly battles like these are everyday occurrences at Fun Station. The sprawling family-centric center houses everything from air hockey, to skee-ball, to a miniature bowling alley. Laughter emerges from within colliding bumper cars, while pizza and hotdogs anchor the snack shop's menu. The family attractions also extend outside, where visitors are often found settling land disputes at a miniature-golf course or speed across a tire-lined go-kart track.