O little town of Bethlehem, how we see thee as just a place to visit during the holidays. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s true that the former steel city, tucked between Allentown and Easton along the Lehigh River, leans into \u2014 and has built a whole tourism industry around \u2014 its Christmas-themed name and roots, but there\u2019s much more to Bethlehem than carols and holly. <\/p>\n
The forest and river beckon in summer, and the city\u2019s position along the Delaware and Lehigh Trail, which parallels the Lehigh Canal, puts visitors within easy access of both. <\/p>\n
There\u2019s an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, a grand historic hotel, a blueberry festival, even a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And if you really, really need a dose of holiday spirit, Christmas in July is right around the corner. <\/p>\n
Start the car.<\/a><\/p>\n Bethlehem\u2019s main street (literally, Main Street) twists up from the Lehigh River and stretches like taffy into a long straightaway lined in shops and cafes. At the foot of this drag is Hotel Bethlehem, built atop the 1741 foundation of the First House of Bethlehem and later the 1823 Golden Eagle Hotel. It has operated as Hotel Bethlehem<\/a> \u2014 through periods of both glamour and neglect \u2014 for more than a century. Today, its crimson neon sign glows above the brick facade, while its rooms blend industrial touches with classic historic design. Across the street, a collection of modern suites houses the hotel\u2019s spa. The property has been named the nation\u2019s best historic hotel by USA Today, for five years running.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd 437 Main St., Bethlehem, Pa. 18018<\/p>\n Cross the river to the South Side Historic District for breakfast \u2014 think vanilla-cinnamon French toast or loaded home fries bowls \u2014 or lunch, with options like a Cuban sandwich or cheddar-jalape\u00f1o burger. Cafe the Lodge<\/a> is more than a charming cafe with a courtyard garden and art gallery. Since opening in 2012, it has provided transitional employment and housing opportunities for adults living with mental health diagnoses.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd 427 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem, Pa. 18015<\/p>\n See: Moravian Church Settlements<\/p>\n Long before the Protestant Reformation, the Moravians were establishing a religious movement in Central Europe. Fast-forward a few centuries, and the Moravian church established an American foothold in Bethlehem whose well-preserved 18th-century buildings, cemetery, and museum now form part of the only transnational UNESCO World Heritage Site in the U.S. (sister settlements in Ireland, Denmark, and Germany comprise the collective). The Moravian Church Settlements tour<\/a> explores this fascinating history, whether you\u2019re interested in religion or simply great storytelling.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd 66 W. Church St., Bethlehem, Pa. 18018<\/p>\n Celebrate: Bethlehem Blueberry Festival<\/p>\n You gotta love a small-town summer fruit festival, and Bethlehem goes all in on blueberries every July. The 39th annual Bethlehem Blueberry Festival<\/a> returns to Burnside Plantation the weekend of July 18 with blueberry pie, ice cream, coffee cake, lemonade, doughnuts, strudel, and just about every other indigo-colored treat imaginable. There are also live musicians, blacksmithing demonstrations, baby-goat snuggling and, naturally, a pie-eating contest. Resist the urge to yell, \u201cViolet, you\u2019re turning violet, Violet.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd 1461 Schoenersville Rd., Bethlehem, Pa. 18018<\/p>\n Move: Historic Bethlehem River Tours<\/p>\n There\u2019s no need to decide between a paddle down the Lehigh River or bike along the Delaware and Lehigh Trail with Historic Bethlehem River Tours<\/a>. Their Glendon Dam Discovery package, which launches from the Nagy\u2019s Landing trailhead just east of downtown, pairs a peaceful two-mile downstream paddle with a six-mile bike ride to the dam\u2019s overlook. It\u2019s beginner-friendly and unguided, meaning you can go at your own pace, with HBRT providing all the equipment (and a shuttle back if you\u2019re feeling lazy). <\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd Wilson Avenue trailhead, Bethlehem, Pa. 18020<\/p>\n