8 things to do in Allentown

Check out the coolest things to do in Allentown, the third largest city in Pennsylvania.

With a population of about 125,000 people, Allentown is the third largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Located in the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania, the city is roughly halfway between Philadelphia and the Pocono Mountains, offering easy access to a host of urban and rural delights. But Allentown is also home to its own diverse cultural attractions, outdoor opportunities, and a great local food scene. Read on for some of our favorite things to do in Allentown, the “Queen City” of the Lehigh Valley.

Catch a Lehigh Valley IronPigs game

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs may be a minor league team, but the team’s following is anything but minor. Last year, the IronPigs had the highest attendance numbers of any team in Minor League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies affiliate had a total of 588,788 fans heading to Allentown’s Coca-Cola Park throughout the season, an average of 8,066 fans per game. Expect to see more butts in the seats this season when pitching phenom Andrew Painter makes a pit stop in Allentown on his path to Citizens Bank Park. Bonus: Coca-Cola Park is also home to a wide variety of food and drink options, including the local favorite, scrapple. 

The Allentown Farmers Market is held Thursday through Saturday at the Allentown Fairgrounds. (keystricken/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Check out the Allentown Farmers Market

The massive Allentown Farmers Market is a year-round, indoor farmers market that pops up every weekend (Thursday through Saturday) at the Allentown Fairgrounds, and is one of locals’ favorite things to do in their town. At the market, more than 50 vendors sling fresh produce, Amish breads and pastries, farm-fresh meat, hot meals, as well as gifts and other trinkets! Some vendors even sell alcohol, a rarity for markets with many Amish sellers like Allentown’s. Of course, you can pick up your groceries here, but you’ll also want to browse and simply admire the goods or strike up a conversation with a local business owner. 

Soak up the art at the Allentown Art Museum

It’s always free to visit the Allentown Art Museum, a cultural hub of the Lehigh Valley. The museum has more than 20,000 pieces in its collection spanning textiles, photography, paintings, sculptures, and even a library designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Special exhibits featuring historical as well as contemporary artists help ensure a new experience every visit, from art films to rotating American works. Plus, the museum regularly hosts art programs and other events for both kids and adults.

See a show at the Archer

Allentown welcomed a brand new entertainment venue in March when the Archer Music Hall opened downtown. Live Nation is operating the Archer, and the live entertainment giant plans to offer 200 shows a year in Archer’s 1,600-capacity main room and smaller, 500-capacity room, the Arrow. Upcoming shows include Lake Street Dive on May 18, Band of Horses on June 10, and the Queen tribute Killer Queen on July 2.

Eat your way around the world at diverse restaurants

Allentown may not be a major city, but its food scene is quite diverse, especially for the city’s size. You’re especially lucky if you love Latin American food. Latino residents make up nearly half—40%—of Allentown’s population, and local entrepreneurs have opened restaurants serving stellar Latin American food that’s difficult to get elsewhere in Pennsylvania.

You can try traditional Mexican food like Sweets Grill at the Allentown Farmers Market, as well as Dominican at El Rincon Del Sazon Restaurant. You can get Venezuelan food at La Bicicleta Arepa Bar, Colombian at Las Orquídeas, Jamaican at Winston’s Jamaican Restaurant, and fusion dishes at restaurants like Cuchifrito Restaurant. Allentown is also home to restaurants serving food hailing from Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Plus, you can’t miss out on Pennsylvania Dutch food!

Soapbox cars are displayed at the transportation museum America on Wheels. (Klaus Nahr/CC BY-SA 2.0)

See the America on Wheels transportation museum

At the museum known as America on Wheels, you won’t just learn about the long history of the American car, but you’ll dive into all overland transportation, including bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, and even Segways! The small museum, open year-round, packs a big punch with its rotating exhibits, a special tour where visitors can watch a car be restored, and an extensive gallery of classic cars. And for rail fans, rumor has it that a model train will soon be a permanent feature!

Little Lehigh Creek in the Lehigh Parkway is a popular spot for fishing, running, and generally enjoying the great outdoors. (Stuart/CC BY-NC 2.0)

Visit the Lehigh Parkway

You can explore the outdoors in the heart of Allentown at the city’s premier public park, the Lehigh Parkway. The 629-acre urban park hugs the Little Lehigh Creek and is chock-full of activities and attractions. History lovers will appreciate the park’s historic covered bridge, as well as the Museum on Indian Culture located on the park grounds. Fishing enthusiasts will enjoy the creek, a popular stream for trout. Anyone else interested in wild sights will also flock to the Lil’-Le-Hi Trout Nursery to gaze upon its thousands of trout. Park visitors regularly play disc golf, hike, bike, and search for birds among the trees.

A festival at the Museum of Indian Culture offers visitors a chance to learn about traditional shelters (wigwams) of the Lenni Lenape. (Discover Lehigh Valley/CC BY 2.0)

Learn the area’s history at the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum

Like many regions, the Lehigh Valley has its own heritage museum, but the Lehigh Valley Historical Society’s space in Allentown is something special. Indeed, the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is home to one of the largest heritage societies in the United States, and the expansive space has six well-curated galleries covering the Lehigh Valley’s relation to the Lenni Lenape, manufacturing and industrialization, immigration, and the growth of the country itself. The museum is also home to a collection detailing how an Allentown church was instrumental in protecting the Liberty Bell by secreting it away during the Revolutionary War.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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