Happy (almost) fall break, Lafayette! If you’re staying on campus, don’t sweat it. You have four whole days to explore all Easton and the Greater Lehigh Valley has to offer! Being from Allentown and having the knowledge of a local, I can assure you that you will never be bored. Here are some fun things to do, and the best places to do them.
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Visit a pumpkin patch. It is fall break after all, isn’t it? Head on over to Grim’s Orchard and Family Farms for pumpkin and apple picking, hayride tours, and an impossible, but fun corn maze!
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See a sports game. If you’re a sports fan, the newly built PPL Center in Allentown is home to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (the Philadelphia Flyers affiliate team). They have a game October 6th at 7:05 PM against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (the New York Islanders affiliate team). The PPL Center is also surrounded by many great restaurants to take care of your appetite after cheering for two hours. (I highly recommend Queen City BBQ).
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Explore history outside of school. Yes, I know, the sound of doing anything slightly educational outside of school sounds repulsive. However, Bethlehem, PA (about 20 minutes from campus) used to be one of the leading towns in steel production. You know the Billy Joel song “Allentown”? That’s talking about Bethlehem! Bethlehem has turned there old steel mill into “SteelStacks”, which is not only a museum but also an event center dedicated to the arts. Go and see one of their many free concerts!
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Go shopping!!! Who doesn’t love shopping, dinner, and a movie? You can do all of this at the Promenade shops (around 25 minutes from campus). I recommend Bar Louie for dinner. If you just want to shop, you can always go to the Lehigh Valley Mall for almost any store you could think of.
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Go to the Crayola Factory. I know you have heard this many, many times. But this is seriously one of the only things to do in Easton that isn’t eating, and it does not disappoint. You can even make your own crayon! One student on campus said that she loves the Crayola Factory because not only is it “very interactive and hands on” but also “extremely interesting to see how crayons are made.”
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Visit an amusement park. Okay, seriously. This is hands down the best part about the Lehigh Valley. There is Hersheypark in Hershey, DisneyWorld in Florida, and Dorney Park in Allentown, PA? I am not really sure what possessed people to build an amusement park in Allentown, but I am not complaining. Dorney Park transitions into “Haunt” every night, which is basically haunted house meets amusement park (which is terrifying, but amazing).
As you can see, you never have to be bored over Fall Break. Use this opportunity to go out and explore all the Lehigh Valley has to offer!