Allentown Travel Guide

The city of Allentown, made famous by the Billy Joel song, "Allentown," is home to many of Pennsylvania's best attractions, amusement parks, museums and night clubs.

Thrill seekers can enjoy the heart pounding roller coasters and thrill rides in Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom. The amusement park, split into two sections, is Allentown's largest attraction and Pennsylvania's most famous amusement park.

Dorney Park features stage shows and nine thrill rides including Hydra, Pennsylvania's first and only floorless rollercoaster. Smaller rides like bumper cars and smaller roller coasters cater to younger children.

Camp Snoopy, inspired by the comic strip PEANUTS™, is a family playland with rides and attractions for children. Some of the rides in Camp Snoopy are smaller versions of the adult rides in the rest of the park.

Wildwater Kingdom, Dorney's sister amusement park, is a great place to cool off and experience more heart pumping adventures at the same time. Water slides, lazy river rides, wave pools, waterfalls and fountains dominate the park. Riders can go down the slides on body mats, on their backs, or in inflated tubes.

Wildwater Kingdom's Aquablast is a family-friendly slide that can fit five or more people in one large tube. The slide curves and twists at unexpected moments until it finally lands in the pool at the bottom.

One of Wildwater Kingdom's kid-friendly attractions is Lollypop Lagoon. It is a water playground that has several water slides, water guns, and fountains.

For tourists that have interests in culture and history, Allentown offers many historical sights and museums to explore. The Baum School of Art, located in center of Allentown, holds art classes throughout the year. Artwork created by students and local artists are featured in the school's galleries.

The Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum, owned and run by the Lehigh County Heritage Society, has a research library, galleries, and museum sites that display historical artifacts, documents, and vintage photographs. Other museums in the area include the Allentown Art Museum, the Liberty Bell Museum and the Museum of Indian Culture.

Allentown isn't a big city like Philadelphia or New York but it still boasts a vibrant and busy night life. The Sterling Hotel's Long Bar and Irish Pub is the longest bar east of the Mississippi River. Rock bands perform concerts in the Rock Room and clubbers hang out in YES Nightclub, a dance floor and bar combination. The Crocodile Rock Café, located in the heart of Allentown, is the largest multiplex club in the area. Many famous and local musical groups such as Gaven Degraw, Jucifer, Tantric, and Fuel have graced the stage of the Café. The Café doubles as a night club for those with an itch to sing karaoke or reminisce in the music of the 80's in the 80's Retro Room.

With such a variety of events, places, and attractions available, tourists may find that one trip to Allentown isn't enough.