Discover Allentown: Parks, Culture and Local Flavors

Allentown combines expansive green spaces with museums, theater, science attractions, and a large Farmers Market. This gives you a range of options when planning your trip: time in the park, insights into automotive history, live theater, or local food. Which vacation rental in Allentown is right for you also depends on which of these experiences interest you most.

Parks with Different Features

West Park is Allentown’s oldest park. Its features include green spaces, walking paths, and a historic fountain; there is also a bandshell for concert events. This brings together walking paths, a notable historic feature, and a stage designed for events in one place. If you want to include nature experiences when choosing your accommodation, you can add West Park as one of the city’s green attractions to your plans.

Lehigh Parkway has a different focus: This 629-acre public park lies along Little Lehigh Creek and includes scenic trails for walking and other activities, horseback riding trails, and fishing spots. This combination sets it apart from West Park, with its walking paths, fountain, and bandshell. When planning your day, it’s worth considering whether you’d rather explore different park features or focus specifically on exercise, horseback riding, or fishing. The park’s size and range of activities give Lehigh Parkway its own character.

Museums and Automotive History

America On Wheels is open year-round: Sundays from 12:00 to 16:00 and Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:00. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. These hours can help you fit a visit into your weekly plans. The offerings include a guided tour of the Restoration Center. There is an exhibition space for classic vehicles; you can also watch restorers repair and restore classic vehicles. A museum visit therefore includes both vehicles on display and a look at the work involved in restoring them.

The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is open to visitors Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00 and is closed Sundays and Mondays. If you’re considering visiting several museums, you can compare the opening days of both venues: America On Wheels is also open on Sundays, while the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum is closed that day. The two museums also differ in their stated areas of focus: America On Wheels centers on classic vehicles and their restoration; the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum offers another museum stop in Allentown.

Theater, Science, and Speed

Since its founding in 1927, the Civic Theatre of Allentown has continuously produced live theater. The Civic Theatre includes the historic 19th Street Theatre, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Here, a long theatrical history and the theater’s historic status come together. The Da Vinci Science Center complements the cultural and entertainment options with award-winning STEAM programs and events. If you’d like to include different kinds of discoveries in your trip, you can treat theater and science as separate activities.

Lehigh Valley Grand Prix offers a much more active option: The indoor track is 1/4 mile long and features gas-powered karts that can reach speeds of up to 45 mph. This is a clear contrast with a museum visit or a walk in the park. The track and top-speed details describe what’s on offer without stating anything about the duration of a particular ride. When choosing accommodation, you can therefore first decide whether activities like these matter for your trip or whether you’d prefer culture and green spaces.

Local Choices at the Farmers Market

The Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market has more than 65 vendors. Offerings include meat, poultry, produce, specialty foods, baked goods, and seafood, as well as local wines and spirits. Amish vendors bake pies and other pastries on site. The selection therefore ranges from fresh and prepared foods to drinks and baked goods. If you enjoy exploring a variety of offerings at one market while traveling, this selection is another reason to visit during your stay. Together with the parks, museums, theater, and science attractions, it shows how varied a day in Allentown can be.

More destination pages: Upper Saucon Township, Laurys Station, Breinigsville, Whitehall, Coopersburg.

For the broader travel overview: Lehigh.