Allentown area
Around Allentown area
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Greater area · Pennsylvania · 1.1M people
Allentown area
Locals say Lehigh Valley · “The Valley”
Where the steel valley meets a new day.
Lafayette Maroon
Welcome to the Lehigh Valley, where the rivers meet and history hums. Whether you're here for the IronPigs, the arts, or just a good pierogi, you'll find a friendly mix of old and new. So grab a coffee, explore the downtowns, and make yourself at home.
Clubs for Allentown area
No clubs for Allentown area yet.
The room
Allentown area is big: its rooms are its areas'. This is Lehigh Valley's; the others are below.
One room for everyone around Lehigh Valley. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Allentown area. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Bethlehem Steel Stacks Industrial ruins turned arts campus
- Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Amusement and water park in Allentown
- Coca-Cola Park Home of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs baseball
- PPL Center Arena for Phantoms hockey and concerts
- Lehigh Valley Zoo Zoo in Trexler Nature Preserve
- Allentown Art Museum Regional art museum with varied collections
- Outdoors Hike the Lehigh Gap
- Outdoors Kayak or tube the Delaware River
- With kids Crayola Experience
- With kids Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
- Evenings Live music at SteelStacks
- Evenings Brewery taprooms in SouthSide
- Locals love Farmers markets
- Locals love Craft breweries
Through the year
- Musikfest August 10-day music festival in Bethlehem
- Great Allentown Fair late summer Agricultural fair with rides and concerts
- PA Bacon Fest November Food festival celebrating bacon in Easton
- SouthSide Film Festival June Indie films in Bethlehem
- Lehigh Valley Beer Week February Brewery events across the valley
Humid continental with four distinct seasons; summers are hot and humid, winters cold and snowy. Best: Spring and fall for mild temps and foliage
Talk like a local
- “The Valley”
- The Lehigh Valley as a whole
- “The Burg”
- Bethlehem
Getaways
- Philadelphia Big-city museums, food, and history
- Scranton Coal mining history and the Poconos gateway
- Reading Outlet shopping and the Pagoda
- East Stroudsburg Hiking, waterfalls, and the Delaware Water Gap
Local flavour
Teams
- Lehigh Valley IronPigs MiLB Triple-A
- Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL
- Lehigh Mountain Hawks NCAA Division I
- Lafayette Leopards NCAA Division I
Also rooting for Philadelphia Eagles (NFL), Philadelphia Phillies (MLB), Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), Penn State Nittany Lions (NCAA football)
Eat and drink
- Shoo-fly pie A Pennsylvania Dutch molasses pie.
- Scrapple A pork and cornmeal breakfast meat, a PA Dutch staple.
- Pierogies
- Yocco's hot dogs A beloved local chain known for its tangy sauce.
- Whoopie pies A classic Pennsylvania Dutch treat.
Where people go
- Bethlehem Steel stacks Iconic remnants of the industrial era, now part of the SteelStacks arts campus.
- Historic downtowns
- Covered bridges Scattered across the countryside, a nod to the region's rural past.
- Delaware River waterfront Where the Lehigh meets the Delaware, offering recreation and views.
- Farmers markets Rooted in the agricultural heart of the valley.
Heritage and traditions
The Lehigh Valley is proud of its deep Moravian and Pennsylvania Dutch roots, its industrial might symbolized by the Bethlehem Steel Stacks, and its vibrant mix of old-world festivals and modern arts.
This time of year in Allentown area
- Apple picking Fall Visit orchards for pick-your-own apples in the fall.
Say it like a local: “wooder” — Water (pronounced with a 'wooder' sound)
Festivals
- Celtic Classic September Highland games, Celtic music, and dance in historic Bethlehem.
- Christkindlmarkt November–December A German-style Christmas market with crafts, food, and Moravian traditions.
- Bach Festival May Classical performances by the renowned Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
- Easton Heritage Day July Colonial-era reenactments and demonstrations in downtown Easton.
Landmarks with a story
- Central Moravian Church Founded in 1741, this is the oldest Moravian congregation in the Americas.
- Moravian Museum of Bethlehem (Gemeinhaus) The oldest building in Bethlehem, now a museum of Moravian history.
- Liberty Bell Museum Commemorates the hiding of the Liberty Bell in Allentown during the Revolutionary War.
- National Museum of Industrial History Located at the SteelStacks, it tells the story of America's industrial past.
- Sigal Museum Easton's local history museum, housed in a historic building.
- Burnside Plantation A restored 18th-century Moravian farm in Bethlehem.
Food traditions
- Lebanon bologna A smoked, semi-dry sausage brought by Pennsylvania Dutch settlers, often served on sandwiches with mustard.
- Birch beer A carbonated soft drink flavored with birch bark, a regional favorite for decades.
- Moravian cookies Thin, crisp spice cookies made from a recipe handed down by Moravian settlers.
- Chicken pot pie A Pennsylvania Dutch dish with broad noodles and chicken, not a pie with a crust.
- Funnel cake Fried batter dusted with powdered sugar, a fair staple at the Great Allentown Fair and other events.
Music and arts
- The Bach Choir of Bethlehem The oldest Bach choir in America, performing since 1898.
- Allentown Symphony Orchestra Professional orchestra performing at Symphony Hall.
- The Banana Factory An arts center with studios, galleries, and classes in Bethlehem.
- SteelStacks A music and arts campus at the former Bethlehem Steel plant, hosting concerts and events.
A little history
- 1741 Moravian settlers founded Bethlehem
- 1752 Easton founded by Thomas Penn
- 1762 Allentown founded by William Allen
- 1777 Liberty Bell hidden in Allentown during the Revolutionary War
- 1857 Bethlehem Iron Company founded, later became Bethlehem Steel
Rivalries
- Lehigh vs Lafayette The oldest college football rivalry in the nation
- Easton vs Phillipsburg High school football rivalry across the Delaware
- IronPigs vs Reading Fightin Phils Minor league baseball rivalry in the same division
- Game day High school football rivalries
- Game day IronPigs games with pig mascots
- Outdoors Visiting covered bridges
- Outdoors Fishing in the Lehigh River
- With kids Visiting the Liberty Bell Museum
- With kids Seeing the Christmas lights in Bethlehem
The Lehigh Valley accent blends Philadelphia and New York influences, with some Pennsylvania Dutch vocabulary. You'll hear 'youse' for 'you all', 'wooder' for 'water', and 'redd up' for 'clean up'.
Only here
- The Liberty Bell was hidden in Allentown during the Revolutionary War.
- Bethlehem is known as the 'Christmas City', with a star on South Mountain.
- The Lehigh Valley has many covered bridges, a scenic heritage.
- The IronPigs baseball team is named after the pig iron industry, with playful pig mascots.
New here? A few tips
- Embrace the four seasons: summers can be hot and humid, winters cold and snowy—be ready for both.
- Route 22 can get congested during rush hour; consider the D&L Trail for scenic commutes by bike.
- Try the local staples: scrapple, shoo-fly pie, and a Yocco's hot dog (with mustard and onions).
- Learn a few Pennsylvania Dutch phrases—locals appreciate the effort, even if you only use 'youse'.
- Don't miss Musikfest in August; it's one of the largest free music festivals in the country.
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Areas in Allentown area
Nearby
Every areaHemlock FarmsPennsylvaniaLakes, woods, and four seasons of calm.ReadingPennsylvaniaWhere the hills roll and the pretzels are always soft.PottsvillePennsylvaniaWhere the hills are black with historyScranton–Wilkes-BarrePennsylvaniaWhere the mountains meet the minesHonesdalePennsylvaniaWhere the mountains meet the lakes, and the quiet is loud.MontrosePennsylvaniaWhere the river bends and the mountains rollTrentonNew JerseyWhere the statehouse meets the Ivy LeaguePhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaWhere every corner has a story and every cheesesteak is a legend.
Allentown-Bethlehem-East Stroudsburg, PA-NJ CSA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.