Lehigh Valley InSite

City of Allentown Trash Cans

The main mission of this blog is to talk about our local experiences in Lehigh Valley to benefit the tourism industry and to spread the word about the exciting things our region has to offer. Whether it’s a play we’ve seen, a restaurant we’ve dined at, a quaint shop where we found that unique gift for that special someone, or an adventure we had at one of Lehigh Valley’s many attractions … you’ll pretty much read about it on our blog. But, for this post, I needed to reflect on tourism in general in Lehigh Valley.

Here’s the scoop on tourism in our region:

Tesla @ The Peak

If you’re a fan of Tesla you’ll definitely know the rest. This hair-metal band from Sacramento, CA invaded Penn’s Peak just over a week ago and I wasn’t going to miss it. Thanks to some long time friends, I found myself with some great tickets. My wife and I, along with a few buddies (Raven, Kratzke and Hec, told them I’d give them a shout out), found ourselves a driver and hit the highway for a night at “The Peak.” It had been quite a long hiatus since I was at the mountain, in fact it was for a wedding (I’m happy to report the couple is still married and doing well).

The acoustic show was fabulous as they played a few songs off their current album, Twisted Wires, and a ton of songs from their catalog over the years, like Modern Day Cowboy, Hang Tough and the all too familiar Signs … to name a few. The venue is a great place to see a show and the capacity crowd of almost 1,500 wasn’t disappointed as these guys really rocked this night. I’ve had the luxury to see them about 10 times over the years and I would put this show up against any. From the venue – to the crowd – to the friends I shared the evening with, it was a great night all around. The best part was having that designated driver for the trip back into Lehigh Valley.

Sitting Area

I’m always looking for creative ways to show my valentine how much I love him (and how awesome I am), so this year, I decided to take him on a weekend long getaway in Lehigh Valley. There’s nothing more romantic than a bed and breakfast, and the Lafayette Inn in Easton seemed like just the place. I spent a few weeks planning, so naturally something had to go wrong. It turned out we wouldn’t be able to check in until after 1 am, but after a frantic phone call, someone calmly assured me that it was no trouble.

She gave me the front door code, left our key and a lovely note on the table, and we were set. Everything was gorgeous of course, from the parlor to the grand staircase. Our room, Room 10, even had its own fireplace, perfect for a chilly weekend. The huge bathroom and soaking tub in that room is described as “every girl’s dream”, and that is 100% correct, as I dreamed about it for probably a week before arriving.  Even better, there was hot breakfast every morning and a wine and cheese reception every afternoon.

LVGP Racing - Not me, just a stock photo

He’s off and flyin’ as he guns the car around the track He’s jammin’ down the pedal like he’s never comin’ back Adventure’s waitin’ just ahead… Go Speed Racer!

On Tuesday, right after a stimulating staff meeting at Discover Lehigh Valley, I took a short drive over to Lehigh Valley Grand Prix in Allentown for my first ever indoor racing experience. This was my first time at LVGP, but I had driven their outdoor counterparts before and I figured I was somewhat prepared.

Globetrotters

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to take my wife, son and nephew to see the Harlem Globetrotters at Stabler Arena. It was a first for us. Sure we’ve seen them on TV over the years, but seeing them in person was something special. Even through Curly Neal and Meadowlark Lemon are no longer on the circuit, the new breed still offers the flare of the old guard. From the water and confetti trick – to the “pantsing” of the referee, they still make the crowd roar.

Stabler Arena always offers an intimate feel, and with our seats that were courtside we really got a great feel for this exhibition. Yes we all know who wins (well us adults do) in the end, but these guys have some basketball skill.

SnowBall-2012

Having been born and raised in Lehigh Valley for 43 years, and working for Discover Lehigh Valley for the last 13 years, I’ve been awarded the opportunity to explore quite a few attractions and attend many events. At this point it’s not too often that I can say I did something for a first time in Lehigh Valley; however that was not the case this past Saturday night. For this particular night, that holds true for the location AND the event itself, which is even rarer. So, where’d I go you ask? I attended the 23rd Anniversary Small Business Council of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Snow Ball 2012.

This was not your typical monthly mixer by any means. This year, the event took place at University Center at DeSales University, Center Valley. This was a new venue for the event and one of the buildings I had never been to before. As we pulled into the enormous campus there were luminaries that lined the roads to direct the traffic which was a nice touch being that there are so many buildings on campus.

Liberty Bell Museum

Of course we learn about the Liberty Bell in school, but how cool is it that it was kept hidden during the American Revolution right here in Lehigh Valley?!

In my quest to become more familiar with the area, I finally got the chance to visit the Liberty Bell Museum in downtown Allentown. The Museum, which offers free admission, contains permanent exhibits dedicated to The First Defenders, the Declaration of Independence, and a replica of the original Liberty Bell. It even has the identical crack painted on it!

Who Shot Rock & Roll

As you know, we never run out of cool things to write about in Lehigh Valley, but every so often the synergy in the valley comes together and well…rocks!

That is the case with the latest exhibit at The Allentown Art Museum of the Lehigh Valley: “Who Shot Rock & Roll.” I’m sure you’ll hear a lot more about that after tomorrow night’s preview party. I’m going to tell you about one of the other Rock Through the Valley events.

Mayflower

Mayflower is a small restaurant located on Broad Street in Bethlehem, a few block down from KNBT and several blocks up from Historic Bethlehem. If you blink, you’ll miss it. Actually, you’ve most likely driven past in a zillion times and have had no clue.

When deciding where to go for lunch today Marc asked, “Have you ever been to Mayflower?” Me: “No.” Marc, “Well that’s where we’ll go!” As he took off in a light sprint – this could have been out of excitement or to dodge oncoming traffic. Turns out they don’t take cards there, so that KNBT came in handy because I never have cash. Yep, no cash on this girl, no sense in trying to rob me. Ever.

Potato Pancake

Last week, I was introduced to Carnegie Deli, located at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem. It has the essence of a great New York City deli, except for one thing: I’m pretty sure their meals are designed for giants, easily some of the biggest in Lehigh Valley. As I sat down, I started noticing sandwiches stacked about a mile high being delivered all around me.

I was going to try and conquer one, but I opted for the “Zorba the Greek” salad instead. Before our meals arrived, we enjoyed some potato pancakes that were about the size of my head and extremely tasty. When my salad arrived, I had to take a minute to assess how I was going to tackle this thing. The fresh veggies, feta cheese, and Greek dressing were absolutely delicious and seemed never ending, to the point where I thought someone was refilling it when I wasn’t looking. To say I had plenty of leftovers is an understatement (and I wasn’t complaining)!