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Fall in Love with Bethlehem This Season
October 19th, 2015 |
By Adelle Mantle, Guest Blogger, Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites
The leaves softly shift into burning shades of scarlet and gold. The smell of mulled apple cider and pumpkin spice lingers in the air, and the growing nights take on a deeper chill. Autumn has announced its return. Here are three things that will have you falling in love with Bethlehem this season.
Go for a Stroll
Enjoy the crisp air before the weather gets frosty and meander down Main Street, quaintly decorated with pumpkins, bales of hay, cornstalk-wrapped street lights, and fall-inspired window shops. If it gets a little too cold for your liking, escape into one of downtown Bethlehem’s many cafés and warm up with a deliciously brewed coffee or hot cocoa.
Not in the mood for something warm? Stop by the Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe for a perfectly spiced apple treat including apple muffin mix, apple pumpkin mix, apple butter and more!
Perhaps you enjoy a little less street and a little more tree. Bethlehem has some great trails to get you closer to nature and history. Why not take the dog for a walk along the scenic Monocacy Creek? Delight in the crunch of leaves underfoot as the creek rushes beside you. The sylvan surroundings brim with a quiet serenity.
Listen to some of Bethlehem’s fascinating history with the use of handheld audio devices on the Heritage trail. Liven up your walk, run, or bike ride through multiple historic sites. And the best part? There are several trails to choose from. Pick the Moravian Founders trail to discover how the city’s first settlers built from the ground up as you travel through the center of Historic Bethlehem. The Monocacy Valley trail will lead you along the creek past Burnside Plantation, Luckenbach Mill, and the Colonial Industrial Quarter. Choose the Westward Expansion trail to learn about Bethlehem’s suburbs and fallen Revolutionary soldiers. The Victorian Bethlehem trail will take you past the gorgeous homes of Bethlehem’s wealthy industrialists. Hear about how farms transformed into factories, canals, and railroads during the 1800s with the Farmland to Industry trail. Follow the SteelStop path to the rise of Bethlehem Steel as the United States’ second largest producer of steel.
Get Spooky with It
Go on a tour! Bethlehem is flush with rich history, historic buildings, and multiple ghost sightings, so why not learn a little as you trek across the city by candlelight. Who knows what you might see…?
Historic Bethlehem’s Death and Dying Cemetery Tour starts in the oldest building in Bethlehem, the 1741 Gemeinhaus, where your certified costumed guide will tell you about how the early Moravians lived and how they buried their dead. Your guide will then take you past an original 18th century dead tray, where settlers were laid before their burial, through one of the Corpse Houses, and finish in God’s Acre, Bethlehem’s oldest cemetery. Tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday until November 4.
Go to the Parade
On October 25 at 2 p.m., the Bethlehem Halloween Parade will march from 15th Avenue onto Broad Street, then turn onto Main and end at Lehigh Street and Spring Street. Dress up and watch the parade go by as parade participants toss candy and other sweets into the crowd. Want to get more involved with a chance to win cash prizes? Sign up to march in the parade in your costume. If you’re feeling extra creative, construct a scare-tastic Halloween float. There are several categories to choose from, but be warned, the deadline to register is October 19.
While at the parade, don’t forget to say hi to our docents for a sweet surprise! Stop by the museums on Halloween for a spooky good time. Kids can Trick-or-Treat at the museums for free on October 31 and will receive JustBorn candy, and a coupon to visit the museums again for Kid’s Club.
Armed with a couple more ideas on how to savor the Bethlehem experience, get out there and start falling in love. And as the coming months grow cold and dark, you’ll find that’s when the city really shines. In fact, I can almost hear the soft chiming of bells just around the corner, can you?
See what’s in store for this Holiday season at Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites!
