Northeastern Pennsylvania Roadtrip

Northeastern Pennsylvania is well known for its' artsy towns, history, and ample outdoor explorations. I started my road trip journey through the small towns of northeastern Pennsylvania in Bethlehem, Pa, home of the steel industry.

I was thoroughly looking forward to stopping in Nazareth, PA to visit Martin & Company Guitar, home of the renowned Martin guitars. Unfortunately, due to construction, I did not make it there in time to visit their museum. With hours Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and guided tours from 11 am to 2:30, there is plenty of time to plan your visit and see the history behind the guitar the helped create music legends. However, plan ahead for traffic around the area, as it can become quite congested.

I did make it to Bethlehem, however, just in time for Musikfest, which is a huge live music event right in town. This event is a great economical draw for a town that has been battered by the fall of the steel industry. Art vendors, food fairs, and tons of knick knack shops make themselves at home along Main Street and at different "Platz"es setup throughout the area. 11 of the stages this year were completely free, and I was able to view several different musical acts such as Dina Hall and the Backbeat, and Three Legged Fox, for no charge. Be aware of an obscene amount of drunks, and teeny-boppers, but overall Musikfest was a good time.

I had the great joy of staying at the Comfort Suites in Bethlehem, just a short walk from the Musikfest events. The hotel was well prepared for the Musikfest events, with the staff sporting Musikfest t-shirts, posting promotional items, and selling novelty refill mugs. My room was stocked with water, a letter from the manager, and was quite large, with a whirlpool. It was the definition of a suite, and the staff was extremely likeable. Their complimentary morning breakfast came with tons of options, even a Belgian waffle maker.

The next day I drove about 50 minutes Northwest to the artsy town of Jim Thorpe, quite well known, and once the second most popular tourist attraction in North America besides Niagara Falls. Jim Thorpe became popular thanks to coal, railroads, and the infamous Molly Maguire hangings.

My first stop was at the Asa Packer Mansion which sits atop one of many lovely hills of Jim Thorpe, overlooking the town. It is a beautiful setting, but one that was questioned by the Irish who felt that Mr. Packer was looking down upon them keeping a critical eye on his town. Asa Packer founded Lehigh University, and did you know that at that time he paid the entire tuition for every student enrolled? Quite a difference from the exorbitant amount of money the school charges these days. As Ava, our phenomenal tour guide explained, Mr. Packer would probably roll over in his grave knowing the price of his university's tuition. Most of his wealth came from running a strict railroad, but he was known to treat his servants fairly, and his engineers tough.

The mansion features everything from embossed wallpaper, sand and pebble detailed walls, and even a Welte Orchestrian "band in a box" that still plays quite well throughout the entire home. The house is filled with lovely details including hand carved rosettes in the trim, a chandelier that was later replicated for "Gone with the Wind" and many other custom details. The estate was eventually left, in total of $54 million, to Mrs. Cummings, Packer's daughter. She married later in life Mr. Cummings, to whom she signed what would now be known as a pre-nuptial agreement. They divorced and he was left exactly $100,000, and she was finally able to become a full heir to her father's fortune, as without marrying, she could not. She then became the second wealthiest person in the world, and the wealthiest woman in the United States. The tour was filled with great details on the history, and the staff was incredibly well versed. The was one of the major highlights of my trip.

After my visit to the Asa Packer Museum, I went to Flow Restaurant for lunch which was recommended by many, with advertisements throughout the town. I waited 20 minutes until I received service, and decided after looking at their meager menu, that I would leave to go elsewhere. You may want to give it a try for dinner or their brunch which may offer better service and food options.

The Old Jail Museum is another popular venue in Jim Thorpe. I met with the owner, Betty Lou McBride, who was happily greeting her 250,000^th visitor at the same time I came to visit. It was a local family who had came to view the museum a few times before, and they were quite excited. The jail has only ended operation as a prison in 1995. We were led through our tour by a high school student, one of my whom Mrs. McBride employs to give public speaking experience and learn proper work ethic. The building itself it down to bare bones with a few manikins and cell displays. The entire tour is a buildup to the story of the Molly Maguire hangings, of which 7 supposedly were hanged at this very jail. The gallows have been recreated, and you can view the handprint of a man who claimed he was innocent. I was disappointed by some discrepancies in the information that was given during the tour versus what was printed on postings around the jail. However, if you focus on the ghost allure of the Molly Maguire hangings, and the intense Irish prejudice history, you will be well entertained on this tour.

The rest of my time in Jim Thorpe, I enjoyed touring the streets of this quaint mountain town. I found two locally owned businesses where I made some purchases. The first was Soapothecary which makes organic soaps. I purchased the 'rain' scent and have been enjoying it ever since. Another great place I found was The Country Cottage, featuring a local woman who is a 4x prize winning pickle maker, and her dill does not disappoint.

That night I checked into the Inn at Jim Thorpe, a lovely Victorian Inn featuring clean rooms, with a lovely New Orleansesque balcony for all to enjoy. I was greeted with a complimentary bottle of wine, bottled water, and the staff was accommodating. After checking in, I went down to the Broadway Grille & Pub (http://www.broadwaygrillepub.com/), which is located inside the front entrance of the Inn and has been recently renovated. The atmosphere was warm and friendly with a fireplace and lovely decor. I rarely order pork, but the sound of a pork chopp topped with gorgonzola cheese and espagnole sauce was too appealing to pass up; afterwards, I was glad I ordered it. It was by far the tastiest pork chop I have ever eaten, and reminded me of a steak. The quality of service was superb, management was friendly, and the atmosphere provided me with tasteful music and surroundings. If you go to Jim Thorpe, you must eat here. The following morning I enjoyed another amazing meal of a crescent stuffed with mascarpone, bananas, and topped with berry sauce. Yet again, it was one of the tastiest breakfasts I have ever consumed.

I completed my tour of Jim Thorpe with a 16 mile trip on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway which follows the Lehigh River. With different pricing and seating options, I chose the "Summer Wind" open air car which allowed me to move about to view the lovely scenery of the Lehigh Valley. This is a great option for families and those looking to sit back and enjoy the view.

From Jim Thorpe, I traveled northeast another 1.5 hours to the Delaware Water Gap area, and the town of Milford, Pennsylvania. My first stop was to the Grey Towers National Historic Site which showcases the former mansion home of Gifford Pinchot who was the first chief of the United States Forest Service and two times Governor of Pennsylvania. Pinchot was known for his excellent conservation education in the United States and frequented with the likes of John Muir and John Kennedy.

All of the wood from the home was provided by the surrounding ridgeline, including oak panels, and butternut wood. It was built by local farmers, and the original pictures of the mansion surrounded by the clear cut hills, versus the current wooded views, were vastly different. Gifford went to Europe to learn forestry, for there was no official training here, and he was one of the fathers of conservation and forestry. His children donated his mansion to John Kennedy strictly to be used for conservation use. It is now home to the U.S. Forest service where they keep their offices and hold meetings.

The town of Milford, Pa is quaint and was voted by Arthur Frommer as one of the "cool towns" to visit for it's lovely tree lined streets, and history throughout. There are many arts and craft shops, and historical places such as the Hotel Fauchere which features both historical beauty and modern interior design.

If you're in the area and love the outdoors, do not forget to visit any portion of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The Appalachian Trail passes through the area, and you will find many things to do such as kayaking, hiking, fishing, and camping.

The small town charmy roadtrip, which is one of many road trips featured on the State of Pennsylvania website, was a great pleasure to experience. Thanks to the Pennsylvania Department of Tourism, Comfort Suites Bethlehem, Asa Packer Mansion, Old Jail Museum, The Inn at Jim Thorpe, and Grey Towers National Historic Area for their accommodations and help in keeping the history of Northeastern Pennsylvania alive and well.