Northampton: Nature, Trails and Living History
Accommodation in Northampton
Northampton combines expansive landscapes, exceptional trails and a diverse history. The Northampton County park, trail and open-space system includes 24 parks, trails and conservation areas. Ridges, rivers, forests and agricultural land shape the scenery. When choosing a vacation rental, it is therefore particularly interesting to consider whether you would prefer to fill your trip with nature experiences, active days, or culture and local history.
Landscapes and trails for different kinds of travel days
Louise W. Moore Park has walking and hiking trails with exercise stations, as well as a trail for cross-country skiing and horseback riding. Wy-Hit-Tuk Park provides access to the 60-mile Delaware Canal State Park and serves as a starting point for the D&L Trail. Those who enjoy exploring on foot or by bicycle can take these different landscape experiences into account when planning their trip without making every day the same.
Bear Swamp Park & Archery Complex also has its own distinctive character. The 251-acre natural area includes forests, wetlands and bodies of water connected to East Fork Martin's Creek. A roughly 0.8-kilometer loop boardwalk leads through Bear Swamp. The archery facilities also include a target area, the Hunt Course and Olympic Field. At the Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, 1,168 acres of forests, fields and streams await you. A trail made up of interconnected loops links Henry's Woods with the remains of the village of Jacobsburg on State Park Road.
History to See and Experience
Jacobsburg combines landscape with industrial history: at the Jacobsburg National Historic District, visitors can learn about a colonial arms manufactory; the famous Henry rifle was once made here. The Environmental Education Center also offers guided outdoor activities, hands-on programs, environmental education and special events for all age groups.
In Easton, the Sigal Museum's 45-minute Historic Easton Walking Tour presents the roots of the Lenape, the colonial beginnings, the Victorian heyday and Easton's development as a diverse urban community. The Sigal Museum is considered the leading institution for local history in Northampton County. Its collections include artifacts from before European settlement, decorative art and textiles, agricultural equipment, and colonial furniture. Interactive exhibitions, self-guided and docent-led tours, special children's programs and lecture series provide various ways to engage with history.
Other notable landmarks include the stone M. Opp Bridge over Fry's Run, built in 1824, and the Gray Cottage of the Moravian Historical Society, built in 1740. It is considered the oldest surviving Moravian building in North America. The society offers tours, exhibitions and public events; daily opening hours are scheduled from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. In Bethlehem, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites manages eight buildings that belong to the Moravian Church Settlements–Bethlehem World Heritage Site or are considered associated properties, and preserves 20 significant historic sites. Burnside Plantation and the Heritage Trail can be explored independently.
Special Destinations for Cultural and Nature Days
The National Museum of Industrial History is housed in the former Electric Repair Shop on the Bethlehem Steel site. Dynamic exhibitions, interactive offerings and programs convey industrial history and the present day. The Atlas Cement Company Memorial Museum shows the impact of more than 5,000 employees at five plants built between 1889 and 1982, and houses more than 2,000 donated artifacts.
For quieter nature observation, Minsi Lake offers an accessible fishing pier for people with disabilities. Non-motorized boats and electric-motor boats are permitted on the lake; there are also two launch ramps with associated parking areas. The Archibald Johnson Conservation Area lies within the Dutch Springs Natural Heritage Area and the Monocacy Creek Greenway. It features information panels, a bird-observation blind, and historic remains of a spring and a pump house.
Places for Further Planning
Depending on your preferred focus, you can combine your search for accommodation with nature trails, museums or historic town centers. Bethlehem, Easton and Wind Gap also offer additional points of interest for trip planning. The Northampton Farmers' Market adds locally grown food and specialty products to the cultural and nature program. It takes place under the pavilions in Municipal Park, 1401 Laubach Avenue in Northampton; street parking and parking spaces are available near the historic Block House.
This allows you to tailor your choice of vacation rental to your own travel days: active trails, bodies of water and natural areas are available alongside tours, museums, self-guided walks and regional history.
For the broader travel overview: Pennsylvania.
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