Discover 15 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Bethlehem (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: The Outlets at Sands Bethlehem, Moravian Museum, and National Museum of Industrial History. Also, be sure to include Burnside Plantation in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Bethlehem (Pennsylvania).
Table of Contents
The Outlets at Sands Bethlehem
Shopping mall in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem is an indoor shopping mall located inside the Wind Creek Bethlehem casino resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It opened on November 1, 2011 and connects the casino and the hotel. The outlet center is located under the Minsi Trail Bridge.
The Outlets at Wind Creek Bethlehem comprises 133,000 sq ft (12,400 m2) of retail space. Retailers located there include clothing, electronics, household, jewelry, and specialty-item stores, as well as Europa Spa & Salon, Joli Bakery & Cafe, and Kids Quest/Cyber Quest - a childcare and family entertainment center. At the east end of the mall is a food court, next to the casino entrance.[1]
Address: Bethlehem, 77 Wind Creek Boulevard
Moravian Museum
Building. The Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, also known as the 1741 Gemeinhaus and the Lewis David de Schweinitz Residence, is a historic house museum at 66 West Church Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Built in 1741 to house the early Moravian community as well as the community's place of worship, the Saal, it is the oldest surviving building in Bethlehem, the largest surviving log house in continuous use in the U.S. and also significant for its association with the botanist and mycologist Lewis David de Schweinitz. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975. The building is part of the Historic Moravian Bethlehem Historic District which was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 2012 and later named to the U.S. Tentative List in 2016 for nomination to the World Heritage List.[2]
Address: 66 W Church St, Bethlehem
National Museum of Industrial History
The National Museum of Industrial History, housed in the former facility of Bethlehem Steel, is a museum affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution that seeks to preserve, educate, and display the industrial history of the nation. It holds a collection of artifacts from the textile, steel and iron, and propane gas industries. The NMIH holds a significant collection of industrial machinery on loan from the Institute's National Museum of American History. The museum also has a large collection of documents, machinery, photographs, and other archival material from Bethlehem Steel.
The museum made its debut in August 2016 with the goal to "forge a connection between America's industrial past and the innovations of today by educating the public and inspiring the visionaries of tomorrow". The $7.5 million museum has four exhibitions each focusing on a different aspect of industrial history that affected both Pennsylvania and the rest of the country. The museum showcases the nation's industrial past by highlighting the machinery and the lives of workers at that time period.[3]
Address: 602 E 2nd St, 18015-1354 Bethlehem
Burnside Plantation
Historical landmark in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Burnside Plantation is a 6.5-acre plantation in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. It is also known as the James Burnside Plantation and Lerch Farm. The plantation is located 0.2 miles southeast of the intersection with Eaton Road, on Schoenersville Road.[4]
Address: 1461 Schoenersville Rd, 18018-1889 Bethlehem
Colonial Industrial Quarter
Museum in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Colonial Industrial Quarter of Bethlehem, PA is considered America's earliest industrial park. Established by the colonial Moravians along the banks of the Monocacy Creek, the ten-acre site contains historic buildings such as the 1762 Waterworks, 1761 Tannery, 1869 Luckenbach Mill, 1748/1834 Gristmiller's House, reconstructed 1764 Springhouse and 1750 Smithy, as well as ruins of the original 1749 Pottery, 1752 Butchery, 1765 Oil Mill, and 1771 Dye House. This location was chosen to take advantage of a spring that supplied potable water and the power supplied by the Monocacy Creek's flow for the craftsmen and trades of early Bethlehem.
The Colonial Industrial Quarter is part of the Historic Moravian Bethlehem Historic District which was designated as a National Historic Landmark District in 2012 and later named to the U.S. Tentative List in 2016 for nomination to the World Heritage List. The Colonial Industrial Quarter is also known as the location of several annual events and festivals including the Historic Turkey Trot 5K, Musikfest, and Celtic Classic.[5]
Address: Main & Church St, USA Bethlehem
Wind Creek Bethlehem
Hotel in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Wind Creek Bethlehem is a casino hotel located in the Bethlehem Works development site in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is owned and operated by Wind Creek Hospitality, an entity of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.[6]
Address: Bethlehem, 77 Wind Creek Blvd, Bethlehem, PA 18015-7705
Hill to Hill Bridge
Arch bridge in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Hill to Hill Bridge is a road crossing of the Lehigh River linking the south and north sides of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1924, the bridge carries Pennsylvania Route 378 from Wyandotte Street on the city's south side to a series of ramps and viaducts on the north side. It replaced a two-lane covered bridge and eliminated several grade crossings of three railroads on the two banks of the Lehigh River. The Hill to Hill Bridge is located in the Central Bethlehem Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, with a Boundary Increase in 1988.[7]
Packer Memorial Chapel
Packer Memorial Chapel is a historic church on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States.[8]
Address: 18 University Dr, 18015 Bethlehem
1810 Goundie House
The Goundie House is a historic building located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Constructed in 1810 for the Moravian town brewer John Sebastian Goundie, it is believed to be the first brick residence in Bethlehem and the first private home to reflect the American Federal style. The house is now used as a museum and exhibition space and for pop-up vintage shops. It is a contributing property to the Historic Moravian Bethlehem Historic District, which was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2012 and later named to the U.S. Tentative List in 2016 for nomination to the World Heritage List.[9]
Address: 501 Main St, Bethlehem
Dutch Springs
Lake in Pennsylvania. Dutch Springs is a spring-fed lake located north of the city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Since 1980, a commercial recreation area, with facilities for scuba diving, has operated at the location. Dutch Springs is currently planning on selling the property to a warehouse company and it is expected to close operations. An official date hasn't been set yet, but comments from the manager suggest it may be as early as January 2022.[10]
Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge
Bridge in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Lehigh River in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It is locally known as The Fahy Bridge, The Fahy, or The New Street Bridge. It carries New Street in the city of Bethlehem across the river.[11]
Martin Tower
Building in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Martin Tower was a 21-story, 101.2 m building at 1170 8th Avenue in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was the tallest building in both Bethlehem and the greater Lehigh Valley, 8 ft taller than the PPL Building in Allentown.
Martin Tower was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 28, 2010. Originally built as the headquarters of now-defunct Bethlehem Steel, the building, which once dominated Bethlehem's city's skyline, was completed in 1972. It stood vacant from 2007 until its eventual demolition on May 19, 2019 at 7:03 AM EDT.[12]
Address: 1170 8th Ave, Bethlehem
Banana Factory
Museum, Shopping, Art gallery
Address: 25 W 3rd St #300, 18015-1238 Bethlehem
Hoover Mason Trestle
The Hoover-Mason Trestle is a 1650-foot elevated linear park in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on the reclaimed industrial site of Bethlehem Steel. The trestle is 46 feet high and was originally an elevated narrow gauge rail line for raw materials, built around 1905.
The reclamation work was designed by Wallace Roberts & Todd and was a $15 million project opening in 2015. The walkway connects Levitt Pavilion to Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem.[13]
Address: 711 E 1st St, 18015-1369 Bethlehem
Bethlehem City Hall
City hall
Address: 10 E Church St, Bethlehem