BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Whether you’re satisfying a sweet tooth or shopping for sneakers to run it off, Bethlehem’s Main Street has got you covered: with unique boutiques and one-of-a-kind dining.
“We always say that within the historic district footprint, you can quite literally dine around the world,” Evelyn Caron, Assistant Manager with Downtown Bethlehem Association, said.
“It’s a trifecta,” Kelly Ronalds, General Manager of Historic Hotel Bethlehem, said. “We have the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is adjacent to Historic Hotel Bethlehem, which is the number one historic hotel in America five years in a row, sitting on the number one Main Street in America.”
That’s probably why it was just nominated for a second year in a row as USA Today’s Best Main Street.
“Just having that name, like number one or top 10 Main Street, it brings folks in here who otherwise wouldn’t know we exist,” Sheena Wells, Owner and General Manager of Aardvark Sports Shop, said.
“We’re going to crush it,” Sheena’s husband and co-owner, Andy, added.
The city took the big win last year.
“It was such a huge honor just to be nominated,” Rachel Bell, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites Visitor Experience Manager, said. “But to actually win was a huge excitement to the community.”
The city took some steps to secure the big win last year.
“Last year we did a lot of spreading the word within the local community, but this year, we took it one step further,” Bell said.
“Oh, we’re go big or go home in Bethlehem,” Caron said. “This year, something a little different is the hotel made t-shirts.”
The shirts sport the slogan “Our Star Shines All Year Round.”
“While Bethlehem is well-known as ‘The Christmas City,’ we want the world to know that Historic Bethlehem has wonderful experiences to unwrap all year long,” Ronalds said.
Bethlehem is currently ranking number one out of 20 finalists, which include Ocean City, New Jersey and Salem, Massachusetts.
But it’s not a done deal yet. Voting goes until April 6. And you can vote once a day on each device of yours.
You can vote here: votemainstreetbethlehem.com.