Amid the South Side’s 10 acres of massive industrial buildings that once housed Bethlehem Steel, you’ll now find an innovative campus that includes the striking SteelStacks concert venue, the Hoover Mason Trestle elevated pedestrian path and a captivating National Museum of Industrial History. There’s a little something for every kind of traveler in these parts, including a fascinating mix of colonial and industrial Victorian attractions in Bethlehem, which is home to such noteworthy arts attractions as the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts and the offbeat Banana Factory art center, as well as the engaging Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites.
Surrounded by several acres of fragrant gardens and lawns and located about 4 miles south of New Hope, the LGBTQ-owned Pineapple Hill B&B ( ) dates to the 1790s and contains nine gorgeously appointed guest rooms.Ĭentered around the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, the Lehigh Valley ( ) is one of the state’s fastest-growing and most dynamic regions. Stay: Set in an exquisitely converted early 1800s structure by the esteemed Bucks County Playhouse and overlooking the Delaware River, the Carriage House ( ) has three upscale, contemporary rooms with spa-inspired baths and plush Italian and French linens-it’s the ultimate hideaway for celebrating a special occasion. Nearby in the largest town in Bucks County, Fonthill Castle, Moravian Pottery, the Michener Art Museum, and the Mercer Museum all merit attention. George Washington famously led his troops across the Delaware River. Nearby draws include the historic Delaware Canal Towpath Trail, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, and Washington’s Crossing Historic Park-where Gen. The village of New Hope and its neighbor across the Delaware River-Lambertville, New Jersey-form a pedestrian-friendly cluster of gay-friendly businesses and first-rate restaurants, including the rustic-chic Salt House gastropub, the funky cafe and brunch favorite Under the Moon, and the elegant Cajun-Creole-inspired Marsha Brown.Ī little outside New Hope’s tiny village center, the gay-owned Raven Resort is a hot spot for nightlife, with a bar and dancing, a piano cabaret, a good restaurant, a fun seasonal pool scene, and overnight accommodations.
Whether you have just a weekend or several days to explore this part of the Keystone State, consider these noteworthy neighborhoods, attractions, events, and places to stay.įor decades, quaint New Hope ( ) and bucolic surrounding Bucks County ( ) have appealed to artists, writers, actors, and LGBTQ vacationers from New York City and Philadelphia. And in the traditional heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the increasingly hip and energetic city of Lancaster hums with cafes, cocktail bars, art galleries, and indie-spirited shops.
With former industrial sites that have been transformed into museums and cultural spaces and one of the state’s largest LGBTQ populations, the Lehigh Valley is currently undergoing an impressive renaissance, while the capital city of Harrisburg has a steadily evolving art and food scene along with several noteworthy points of interest. In more recent years, however, this region characterized by lush river valleys, pastoral farmland, and several smaller diverse cities and college towns has developed increasing queer resonance in less expected places. By: Andrew Collins*/TRT Travel Columnist-Īnchored by urbane and culturally rich Philadelphia, and home to the charming river hamlet of New Hope, southeastern Pennsylvania has long been popular with LGBTQ travelers.