Don’t look now, but the Lehigh Valley is the fastest growing region in the state, thanks to its status as a bedroom community for Philadelphia, New York City and parts of New Jersey. Weekend warriors will find an abundance of historical sites, arts and culture, indoor and outdoor activities, and unique places to stay, dine and shop. With a robust festival schedule and tree-lined streets and trails vibrant with seasonal colors, fall in the valley is a particularly special time.
Stay Here
Perched on two hilltop acres overlooking Bethlehem’s SouthSide Arts District, Sayre Mansion is a gracious B&B housed in a meticulously restored circa-1858 home and three carriage-house suites furnished with antiques. With its beamed skylight ceiling, the Conservatory suite offers loads of light by day and stargazing at night. A full custom breakfast is included with your stay, and the inn welcomes dogs. On Thursdays, the mansion hosts a 19th-century style afternoon tea. $169–$400. 250 Wyandotte St., Bethlehem, (610) 882-2100.
Restored to its original 1920s grandeur, the Historic Hotel Bethlehem is in the heart of the town. Rooms and suites fit the property’s elegant ambiance and offer expansive views of local landmarks like the shining Bethlehem Star on South Mountain. The hotel has two on-site restaurants and a full-service spa and salon. Starting at $219. 437 Main St., Bethlehem, (855) 264-2598.
Eat Here
In favorable weather, request an outdoor terrace table at ZEST bar+grille, a popular rooftop dining spot. The menu is seasonal, but look for the super-tender charred octopus. For hearty appetites, there’s a butcher’s-cut steak served with bone marrow butter and caramelized onion balsamic jam. 306 S. New St., Bethlehem, (610) 419-4320.
Spend a Sunday morning at the Hotel Bethlehem’s musical brunch. The elaborate buffet spread includes fresh salads and fruit, seafood, and desserts, plus made-to-order omelets and waffles and a carving station. Musical accompaniment may be a harpsichord, harp, piano, a jazz duo or even bagpipes (during the city’s Celtic Festival). 437 Main St., Bethlehem, (855) 264-2598.
In Allentown, the headliner at Henry’s Salt of the Sea is the Lobster Française—two tails egg-battered and sautéed with mushrooms, tomato and capers. The extensive selection of meat, pasta and other seafood dishes is sure to please. 1926 W. Allen St., Allentown, (610) 434-2628.
Easton’s family-owned Ashley’s Signature Restaurant has been serving guests from its cozy home setting since 1935. Upscale pub selections include a prime rib sandwich or cavatappi mac and cheese with blackened chicken and chimichurri. Recent entrée offerings include espresso-rubbed elk and pastrami-brined Atlantic salmon. 229 N. 11th St., Easton, (610) 253-1971.
Things to Do
One of eight National Historic Landmark Districts in the state, Bethlehem was founded in 1741 as a community for the Moravian Church. One of the best ways to immerse yourself in its culture is with a $30 combo pass that grants admission to both the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem and Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts. For travelers older than 21, the pass also includes a spirit tasting at the historic Sun Inn. For nondrinkers, a multi-pass is available for $20. Every first Sunday of the month through November, admission to both museums is free.
Don’t Miss! Bethlehem is nicknamed “Christmas City U.S.A.” for a reason. Held mid-November-December, Christkindlmarkt is an extravaganza of local, regional and international artisan-made ornaments and gifts. There’s ice skating, live performers, and plenty of snacks and beverages. Think strudel, Christmas cookies, beer and hot toddies. 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, (610) 332-1300.
To understand the religious beliefs and communal living style of the city’s earliest settlers, start at the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, a complex of buildings where they once lived and worked. 66 W. Church St., Bethlehem, (800) 360-8687.
Next, experience three centuries of furniture and clothing design, plus the nation’s largest antique dollhouse collection, at the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts. 427 N. New St., Bethlehem, (800) 360-8687.
Finish up with a spirit tasting at the Sun Inn, host to such illustrious guests as George Washington, Ben Franklin, John Adams and the Marquis de Lafayette. 564 Main St., #2, (610) 419-8600.
More than 20,000 works spanning 2,000 years make the Allentown Art Museum a must-visit destination. The permanent collection covers 18th-century British silver, contemporary pottery, pieces from the Tiffany Studios, paintings from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, American art dating to the mid-1700s, and more. 31 N. 5th St., Allentown, (610) 432-4333.
Don’t Miss! Historic Bethlehem River Tours offers half-day guided excursions that combine a paddle on the Lehigh River with a mountain bike ride along the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Trail. Tours run through September. Or explore on your own with a half-day bike rental. 240 River St., Bethlehem, (484) 894-2973.
On First Fridays, you can meet many of the more than 30 resident artists and artisans in their studios at the Banana Factory Arts Center. Disciplines include painting, photography, ceramics, glass blowing, sculpture, jewelry making, mosaics, illustration, stained glass, and fiber arts. 25 W. 3rd St., Bethlehem, (610) 332-1300.
The new family-friendly Da Vinci Science Center has over 50 interactive exhibits. Design your own flying machine, travel through the human body, meet an 11-foot dinosaur and four otters, and more. 815 W. Hamilton St., Allentown, (484) 664-1002.
If you make it out this month, you can still take a leisurely three-mile float where the Delaware and Lehigh rivers meet with Twin Rivers Tubing. Most of the trip is easy, with some rapids at the end. Kayaks are also available for seven-mile trips. One Centre Square Circle at 5 Lehns Court (inside Rivals Sports Bar), Easton, (484) 275-0054.
For a unique perspective of the fall foliage, take a one-to-three-hour private guided trail ride along the D&L Trail on the Lehigh River with Horses Unplugged. 4011 Wilson Ave., Bethlehem, (610) 680-8593.
Don’t Miss! Easton has been the home of Crayola since 1903. Families can participate in more than 25 colorful activities at the Crayola Experience. 30 Centre Square Circle, Easton, (610) 515-8000.
Musical interludes are easy to come by in the Lehigh Valley. At the Bookstore Speakeasy. Godfrey Daniels has been a live music hub since 1976. 7 E. 4th St., Bethlehem, (610) 867-2390. Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks offers free concerts through mid-September. 789 E. 1st St., Bethlehem, (610) 332-1300. Fall is also peak season for performances of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in Miller Symphony Hall. 23 N. 6th St., (610) 432-6715.
Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino & Resort is home to over 3,000 slot machines and 150 table games. It boasts the largest live-dealer gaming room in the United States. 77 Wind Creek Blvd., Bethlehem, (877) 726-3777. Bethlehem’s downtown area offers 24 boutiques and galleries selling gifts, clothing, antiques and much more. Around since 1745, the Moravian Book Shop is the oldest continuously operating one of its kind in the world. 428 Main St., Bethlehem, (610) 866-5481. Established in 1752, Easton Farmers Market is the oldest continuous open-air market in the country. Shoppers head to Scott Park every Saturday through Dec. 21 for local fruits and vegetables, meats, baked goods, specialty foods, flowers and plants, spirits, and arts and crafts. 128 Larry Holmes Drive, Easton, (610) 330-9942.
Allentown’s Museum of Indian Culture is devoted to the lifestyle and arts of the Lenape/Delaware nation, one of the oldest in North America, along with other tribes and early inhabitants of the region. On Native American Heritage Day, Sept. 28, kids can participate in hands-on workshops, games, a scavenger hunt and more. 2825 Fish Hatchery Road, (610) 797-2121.
6 Great Fall Festivals
The Lehigh Valley is always celebrating something—and Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton certainly know how to throw a party.
Sept. 14 and 15: Autumn’s most abundant fruit takes center stage during Apple Days at Bethlehem’s Burnside Plantation with apple treats galore, plus live music, farm tours, lawn games, pony rides, a petting zoo, locally made beverages, crafters, and baking and pie-eating contests. 1461 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem, (800) 360-8687.
Sept. 27–29: Downtown Bethlehem becomes a miniature Emerald Isle for the Celtic Classic Festival. Five stages feature traditional and modern music and dance. Check out the “Showing of the Tartan” parade and competitions in bag piping, fiddle playing, dance, haggis eating and shortbread baking. The festival also includes the U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships and its contests of strength and skill. Main and Spring streets, Bethlehem, (610) 868-9599.
Oct. 4–6 and 11–13: At Bethlehem’s 14th annual Oktoberfest, you can root for your favorite canine in the dachshund races, down a local beer, nab some noshes, peruse the works of area artisans and boogie to live music. 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, (610) 332-1300.
Oct. 5–6: The aromatic artistry at the Easton Garlic Festival might challenge your tastebuds, but it’s all good fun. Attendees judge the best dishes (including desserts) created by local restaurant chefs, and kids vie for first place in a garlicky pasta cooking contest. Youngsters keep occupied with a moon bounce, games, a face painter and more on “Little Stinkers Row.” Centre Square, Easton.
Oct. 12: During Harvest Fest, you can sample the best Bethlehem wines, beer and soups at restaurants and other shops along Main and Broad streets. Main and Broad streets, Bethlehem, (610) 739-3385.
Nov. 2–3: Go hog wild feasting on some highly unusual sweet-and-savory treats at the 13th annual PA Bacon Fest. Serious aficionados can participate in the bacon-eating contest. The event features cooking, hog-calling and costume contests, pig and wiener dog races, live music, bungee jumping, a climbing wall, and more. 325 Northampton St., Easton, (610) 250-6533.
Related: 4 Fall Foliage Getaways That Are an Easy Drive From the Main Line Area
