The Lehigh Valley is made up of many different towns, each with their own personality and fun things to do and see. During this new feature, my kids and I play tourist for the day in one of the Lehigh Valley's own cities. First up... Bethlehem! Bethlehem has amazing character and history, and made the perfect place to spend the day exploring this past Monday. Read on to hear all about what we did on our day.
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First Stop: Bitty and Beau's
The first stop on our day of fun was obviously coffee! I love Bitty and Beau's because of their mission and will take any opportunity to support their business. I had a delicious latte and the kiddos each sugared up with a hot chocolate and yummy baked goods. The kids especially love the giant map, covered in push pins, that shows where visitors came from all over the world!
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Next Stop: Main Street Bethlehem
You could spend an entire day wandering up and down Main Street in Bethlehem. It's something that I often take for granted living in the area, but on this particular day I decided to take it all in. We window shopped, we walked up and down the little side streets, and we popped into the Moravian Book Store so the kids could each pick out a book. And of course we stopped for many a photo op! Main Street is home to quite a few unique restaurants and shops. If you decide to play tourist for the day, carve out at least a couple of hours to stroll along and enjoy.
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On this particular day, the Bethlehem Library was closed, but luckily it was unseasonably warm, so we enjoyed the outdoor offering. The space in front of the library has a fantastic painted playground that is perfect for burning off energy. Your kids can hop, run, jump, and play along the obstacle course and in the different themed areas. There is also a permanent story walk feature surrounding the library that is changed out often. If the weather does not allow for outdoor play, the library has a great children's area and great themed story times. This is a great place to spend a few hours without spending any money.
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Lunch Stop: Dinky's Ice Cream Parlor
Dinky's Ice Cream Parlor was already a popular stop with my family, and now that I've met the sweet owners, I love it even more! If you haven't been to Dinky's Ice Cream Parlor yet, there are two locations: One in Bangor and one in South Bethlehem. The South Bethlehem location has a great throwback theme! There is a juke box, bright colors, a variety of seating, and great kid-friendly food. They also have a wide selection of board games that you can enjoy while you're waiting for your food. My kids had so much fun with the games that I had to constantly remind them to eat! In addition, Dinky's has fantastic ice cream, including vegan options!!! This is what initially drew me to Dinky's, and I can say that each flavor is absolutely delicious. I highly recommend this as a pit stop for a delicious low-cost meal on your day out!
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SteelStacks
After lunch we headed to the SteelStacks to take a walk up along the furnaces. This is another spot that I think I take for granted living in the Lehigh Valley. It really is an amazing area to visit for festivals, concerts, or even just a spontaneous day out. The kids enjoyed climbing the steps to the raised walkway and looking down on the entire area. If you have extra time, the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas often features family-friendly movies and there are great food and beverage options inside.
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Sand Island Park
We were hardly standing by this point of the day, but it was too nice outside to not visit a playground! And believe it or not, we had never been to the Sand Island Park before. The kids somehow mustered up the strength to run around and play on the two play sets while I enjoyed the view of the river. It was a great ending to a great day, and I am happy to report that I successfully wore my kids out on this fantastic day playing tourist!
