Best of Allentown Pennsylvania

Also see:

Allentown Restaurant Guide
Our 35 page dining guide profiles everything from delis and fast food restaurants to historic inns and trendy martini bar restaurants.

Best Restaurants of Allentown
A brief feature on Allentown's most famous restaurants, and a digest of the best rated restaurants in the city compiled from numerous online sources.

10 Best Things to do in Allentown
Our feature article on what to do, what to see, and where to go when you visit Allentown, or when you move to Allentown. We also feature the best of the Lehigh Valley attractions that are a short drive from downtown.

AOverview:

Allentown is one of the best cultured cities in the entire Eastern Pennsylvania and Western New Jersey area. It is also the largest city in the area. The biggest and best roads in the region pass through or on the outskirts of the city. The arts and entertainment offerings here are the best in the region, with a better selection than any other local community. There are more restaurants in Allentown than anyplace outside of Philly or New York City.

Location/Population:

Allentown in Eastern Pennsylvania, is located two hours west of New York City on Interstate 78 and an hour and fifteen minutes north of Philadelphia on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. With a population of over 100,000 people, Allentown is part of the larger metropolitan area often referred to as ABE, or the Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton metropolitan area. This region called the Lehigh Valley has a combined population of over a half a million people. Allentown is Pennsylvania's third largest city.

Geography:

The city of Allentown is cradled in a valley along the Lehigh River surrounded by two mountains on the north and south sides of the city. To the south is South Mountain, and to the north is Blue Mountain. Coming into Allentown from NYC and New Jersey on Interstate 78, you get a striking view of the city and the landscape that makes it unique. The city is located at GPS coordinates of 40.601697, -75.477328 (according to the 200 Census Gazetteer Files) or 40.602484,-75.467834 (Google Maps coordinates)




Transportation:

The largest and best known roadway in Allentown is Interstate 78 that runs from New York City through New Jersey to Interstate 81 near Fredricksburg PA. Running along the northern edge of the city is US Route 22 that runs from Easton to Allentown. This is one of the most heavily traveled roads in the region because of it's convenient location to downtown Easton, the regional airport, numerous shopping areas and industrial parks. Other main roads that run through Allentown are Route 309 that runs from Philadelphia and Fort Washington through Montgomeryville and Quakertown to Wilkes Barre and Bowman Creek in the Poconos. The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 476) runs just west of Allentown from Interstate 95 in Philadelphia to Scranton in the Pocono Mountain resorts.

Allentown and the entire Lehigh Valley also has a decent public transportation system. LANTA has busses that run from downtown to major shopping centers and the neighboring cities of Bethlehem, and Easton. In Easton, connections can be made with Transbridge Bus Lines that offers service to Newark and New York City and other destinations.

Allentown also has two airports: Lehigh Valley International Airport and the smaller Queen City Municipal Airport.

Arts + Entertainment + Media:

Allentown is home to Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown Symphony Orchestra at Allentown Symphony Hall, Civic Theatre of Allentown, Baker and Trexler Centers at Muhlenberg College, The Allentown Art Museum, Museum of Indian Culture (Lenni Lenape Historical Society Museum), Da Vinci Science Center, Baum School of Art, The Allentown Band, The Pioneer Band of Allentown, Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra, Mayfair Festival of the Arts, The Great Allentown Fair, The Morning Call, Channel 69 News and Public TV Station WLVT, Public Radio 88.1 WDIY, Christian Radio 89.3 WJCS, Soft Rock Station 100.7 WLEV, Hit Radio 104.1 WAEB, News/Talk Radio 790 AM, Latin/Spanish Radio WTKZ 1320 AM, Oldies Radio WKAP 1470 AM, Latin/Spanish Radio WHOL 1600 AM.

Industry + Business:

Allentown is home to these corporations: Agere Systems, Air Products and Chemicals, Mack Trucks, Olympus and PPL (Pennsylvania Power and Light). The city also is home to Lehigh Valley Hospital (a major regional hospital), St. Luke's Hospital, South Mall, Lehigh Valley Mall (in Whitehall Township, just outside the city limits), The Allentown Fairgrounds and more.

Best of Allentown: 10 Best Things to do in Allentown PA

Allentown is an incredibly diverse city with a wide range of activities to entertain and educate the hundreds of thousands of visitors that pass through the city and those that live here and in the surrounding Lehigh Valley and Delaware Valley regions. Our feature on the ten best things to do in Allentown started very small, but as we wrote the piece, we realized that this story deserved it's own special feature page.

Our "Best Things to do in Allentown" page features the museums, amusement parks, classical music concerts, dance and theatre performances, film series and sporting events that make living in, or visiting Allentown worthwhile. We also cover attractions and destinations that are not in Allentown but are a short drive or busride from the city.