Allentown serves as a home to many more museums – the Allentown Art Museum located at 31 North 5th Street, offers tremendous variety and quality in its collection and exhibitions, educational and popular programs, and its busy calendar of public events. The museum’s collection of more than 17,000 works of art offers the opportunity to experience nearly 2,000 years of cultural heritage, in an accessible and visitor-friendly environment. More information can be found at www.allentownartmuseum.org or by calling 610-432-4333.

The America On Wheels museum, at 5 North Front Street, opened in 2008 and features more than cars. As a museum of over-the-road transportation, it is home to all modes of wheeled transportation, including bicycles, trucks, and carriages in addition to their car collection. In the interactive exhibits, visitors can have photos taken in the driver’s seat of a mini-Indy race car, find out what type of vehicle they are most naturally suited to, test their knowledge of auto tools and their functions and even design their own car. Visit www.americaonwheels.org or call 610-432-4200 for more information.

Civic Theatre located on 19th Street in Allentown’s West End, is the Lehigh Valley’s home for Broadway-styled stage shows with community sensibility, in addition to being the area’s only independent and foreign film-house. Their annual production of A Christmas Carol is a Lehigh Valley holiday tradition. Visit www.civictheatre.com or call 610-433-8903 for more information.

With a mission to promote learning about science, math, and technology through hands-on problem solving, the Da Vinci Science Center, located at 3145 Hamilton Boulevard Bypass, is a facility that contains more than 200 fun, interactive, hands-on exhibits that stimulate curiosity and intellectual exploration. One of the many impressive exhibits that can be found is: View Space, which features electronic images direct from NASA on a large screen and breathtaking still images of the Orion Nebula taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The Da Vinci Science Center is the only organization in northeastern Pennsylvania authorized to display the images which reveal a tapestry of star formation. Call 484-664-1002 or visit www.davinci-center.org for more information.

Right here in downtown Allentown you’ll find the commercial and cultural heart of the Lehigh Valley – the Hamilton District. Our unique ethnic restaurants, our historical arts district, our businesses – and our people – make this a vibrant center of activity. Here, visitors can discover a wide array of taste, culture, entertainment and history. Eat your way through the Hamilton District at such staples like the Allentown Brew Works, Made in Brazil, Pasta Alla Rosa, Cosmopolitan, Sangria and many more! We’re also proud to boast such assets as the Allentown Art Museum, Allentown Symphony Hall, Zion’s “Liberty Bell” Church and many more! Visit us at www.hamiltondistrictmainstreet.com and see what “starts here”!

One of Allentown’s signature assets is its historic districts. These neighborhoods are noted for their beautiful architecture and the stories that comprise their history. Old Allentown, Old Fairgrounds and the West Park are supported by neighborhood groups who preserve the buildings, organize events and make them great places to live and visit. More information about walking tours, annual house tours and more can be found on the following websites: www.oldallentown.org, www.oldfairgrounds.org and www.westpark-ca.org.

Lehigh Valley Grand Prix is the premiere indoor karting venue in the Mid Atlantic Region. New to indoor karting? Prepare for an adrenaline rush! Indoor karting is the new wave in entertainment, get the blood pumping with vehicles that reach speeds nearing 45mph on an indoor 1/4 mile road course style track! We guarantee a high-speed adrenaline rush…every time. Whether you’re an experienced racer or a first-time driver, LVGP is the place to go for indoor racing excitement on the planet! Visit www.lehighvalleygrandprix.com or call 610-432-7223.

Located at 432 W. Walnut Street, the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum’s new 30,000 square foot headquarters is a state-of-the-art climate-controlled facility that houses one of the finest historical research libraries in the state of Pennsylvania. The Heritage Museum includes four galleries with more than 10,000 square feet of exhibits. For exhibit and event schedules, phone 610-435-1074 or visit www.lchs.museum.

Allentown is also home to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Class AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They play at the beautiful, state-of-the-art, Coca-Cola Park. Their 2008 inaugural season proved exciting and entertaining for all ages. In addition to the baseball game itself, there are many ways for the crowd to interact and enjoy themselves at the ballgame. Visit www.ironpigsbaseball.com or phone 610-435-3001 for more information.

Allentown was originally incorporated as Northamptontown; German settlers played a key role in its development. The city later adopted the name of its founder, Colonial Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice William Allen. Allentown contributed to several aspects of American history. After the Battle of Brandywine in 1777 George Washington had no hope of saving Philadelphia from the British. The Liberty Bell and the bells of Christ Church were secretly removed to be hidden in Zion’s Church. Today visitors can experience a bit of history in the Liberty Bell Shrine Museum located in Zion’s Church. Call 610-435-4232 or visit www.libertybellmuseum.org for more information.

Lights in the Parkway is an annual Allentown holiday tradition. This event transforms beautiful Lehigh Parkway into a winter wonderland with thousands of twinkling lights and accompanying music. Animated displays delight visitors who view the sights from the comfort of their vehicles. Lights in the Parkway is the perfect opportunity for families to enjoy time together during the winter season. After a journey through the spectacular displays, visitors can stop by the Gift Barn which hosts vendors selling everything from candies to handmade treasures. For more information visit www.lightsintheparkway.com or call 610-437-7530.

The Mack Trucks Historical Museum is the repository of historical documents and artifacts from Mack’s long and storied history as the leading American truck manufacturer and world-renowned brand name. The collection and curators at the Mack Museum connect Mack enthusiasts and casual visitors alike to the rich legacy of “The Greatest Name in Trucks.” Among the antique vehicles in the Museum’s collection is one of the original sightseeing buses built by Jack and Augustus Mack in the first decade of the twentieth century. The gas-operated, open-air bus carried up to 26 tourists at a time around the streets and sights of Chicago in the summer and New Orleans in the winter for 25 years and more than a million miles of service, before returning to Mack as the anchor of its antique truck collection. Call 610-351-8999 or visit http://www.macktrucks.com/default.aspx?pageid=40.

Mayfair Festival of the Arts is an annual “rite of spring” held Memorial Day weekend in scenic Cedar Beach Park; it includes such entertainment as art exhibits, concerts, dancers and storytellers. Mayfair Festival of the Arts is recognized as one of the region’s premier performing and visual arts festivals. Call 610-437-6900 or visit www.mayfairfestival.org for more information.

The Museum of Indian Culture provides a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about the early history and culture of this Nation’s first Peoples. When touring our Northeast Woodland Room, imagine yourself knapping tools out of stone, making cordage from plant fiber, and calling fire using primitive tools. Learn about what items were commonly traded among American Indians and settlers during the Fur Trade. See authentic beadwork, pottery, basketry, etc. handmade by various Northeastern tribes such as the Iroquois, Passamaquoddy, and Lenape.

Guided Tours: Friday through Sunday, 12 Noon – 4:00 PM

Admission Fee:  $5 Adults, $4 Seniors (age 65) and Children ages 12 and over;
Children 11 and under Free;
Members Free

Allentown has 2,000 acres of beautiful expansive parks. In fact, Allentown has more acres of parks per resident than any other city of its size in the United States. Recreational opportunities abound: bike paths, hiking trails, golf courses, rivers and streams for plentiful fishing, there’s no shortage of fun and relaxation. The Old-Fashioned Garden and the Rose Garden, located at Parkway Boulevard and 27th Street, contain more than 100 varieties of roses, water plants and many other flowers. Peak bloom seasons are spring and fall. Allentown’s West Park, which celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2008 is home to more than 200 species of trees and hosts band concerts throughout the summer.

Pines Dinner Theatre is the Lehigh Valley’s premier dinner theatre. They invite guests to join them and step back to a simpler time where everyone will treat you like family. They state that “even though we’re in the heart of Allentown, when you’re our guest, we’ll treat you to real down-home hospitality and authentic rustic elegance.” From the moment you walk in the door, until the final curtain call, you’re promised fabulous food and a spectacular show. Visit http://www.pinesdinnertheatre.com/ or call 610-433-2333 for more information about Pines Dinner Theatre.

The historic Symphony Hall, located at 23 North 6th Street, maintains a full production schedule of non-orchestral performances, including the new Symphony Hall Pops Series, Jazz Cabaret Series, Backstage Chamber Series, Musical Treasure Chest series for small children and their families, and a variety of special events. In addition to the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall also serves as home to the Pennsylvania Sinfonia, the Allentown Band, the Community Music School of the Lehigh Valley and the annual Nutcracker performance of Repertory Dance Theatre. Visit www.allentownsymphony.org or call 610-432-7961 for more information.

The Baum School of Art is a non-profit community art school located in center city Allentown at 510 Linden Street. It has enriched the lives of thousands of adults and children throughout the Lehigh Valley for the past 76 years. The Baum School is a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts. The school contains nine classrooms, a black and white photography darkroom, computer lab, metalsmithing studio, ceramics studio, gallery and more. The Baum School regularly hosts exhibitions and events in addition to offering classes in their beautiful facility. Visit www.baumschool.org or call 610-433-0032 to get more information on Baum.

The Great Allentown Fair, which celebrates its 160th year in 2012, offers a fun and educational experience for visitors of all ages. Dedicated to supporting the achievements of farmers, gardeners and homemakers, the fair enables children to learn the origins of their food while spending an exciting day riding rides, playing games and seeing shows. The young and young at heart will find tantalizing international cuisine, musical concerts, thrill shows, and the latest in gizmos and gadgets. Each year the fair brings well-known musical acts and performers to its grandstand! Visit www.allentownfairpa.org or call 610-433-7541 to learn more.