Located in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, Bethlehem is a charming American city rich in industrial history. Known as the ‘Christmas City,’ Bethlehem is home to many art and music festivals, including Musikfest and Christkindlmarkt. You’ll find fine dining, sophisticated shopping, and challenging golf courses all just minutes away.

There are a few fun October attractions in the Lehigh Valley:
1. At this time of year Dorney Park holds it’s annual Halloween Haunt and Boo Blast and all rides are in operation. Please note that guests are not permitted to wear costumes or makeup.

Dorney Park is open every weekend from September 25 to November 1. Friday evening hours are 6 PM to midnight. Saturday hours are noon to 11, and Sundays are noon to 10.

If you’re looking for a good scare, the Halloween Haunt is for you! Due to the scare factor, this event is not recommended for children under 13.
Admission to the Halloween Haunt on Friday nights is $22.99. Saturday and Sunday admission is $30.99

Boo Blast is an alternative for the younger children. From noon to 5 on Saturday and Sunday, there are only friendly ghouls haunting the midway and there are scare-free zones too!
Children can use their artistic skills to paint pumpkins and make masks. The Magical House on Boo Hill is a fright-free funhouse.

2. Sands Casino – The newly constructed Sands Casino was constructed on the historic  site of the old Bethlehem Steel Mill.   In 2007, Sands Casino Resort purchased the Bethlehem property. Construction began that spring, and the casino opened on May 22, 2009. A hotel, event center and shopping mall will open in a later phase.

3. Martin Guitar Factory hosts FREE tours Monday through Friday.
For well over a century and a half, The Martin Guitar Company has been continuously producing acoustic instruments that are acknowledged to be the finest in the world.

4. First Friday – Southside Shopping District
Oct 1, 2010  6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Primarily 3rd, 4th & S. New Streets, Bethlehem, PA
On the First Friday of every month from 6 to 10pm, participating members of the Downtown Bethlehem Association in SouthSide Bethlehem stay open late and host a monthly celebration featuring music, refreshments, art exhibits, in-store specials and more. Call (610) 841-5831 with any further questions.

5. Green Pond Country Club (less than 1 mile from wedding venue) is a public 18 hole golf course that has a full club house, great food and welcoming staff.

6. Promenade Shops – An upscale outdoor shopping mall, which has a variety of stores, resturants, and a large movie theater. Restaurants vary from fine dining at Melt, Shula’s Steak House, and White Orchids Thai Cuisine to the usual small delis, Subway, and Red Robin.  See the link to their website for a complete list of stores.

We are looking to take a FREE tour of the Martin Guitar Factory on the Monday following our wedding (Oct 4th). If anyone is interested, please post a comment here, call us, or message us on Facebook. Just know that we have never taken the tour because their tour hours are during our normal work day, but I hear that it is a great tour even if you are not a musician!
Hope you enjoy your time here in PA!