By: Samantha Bream on October 17th, 2019
What Makes The Lehigh Valley an Ideal Place for Retirement Communities?
There are countless options when looking for retirement communities in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. The city of Allentown is in the center of Lehigh Valley, which means that there are numerous opportunities for fun and plenty of entertainment. The Lehigh Valley contains everything from historic arts to scenic views, making it a great place for you to retire. Let’s take a look at some of the top reasons why.
Outdoor Activities
In the Lehigh Valley, the number of outdoor activities is astounding. An easy escape to enjoy the scenery, or a moderate hike through one of the state parks is a great experience for any outdoor enthusiasts.
Jacobson State Park, Nazareth
This state park offers endless opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation. This park is also home to Henry’s woods, one of the remnants of the oldest growing forests in Eastern, PA.
South Whitehall Township, Allentown
This open area provides a relaxing environment for all ages. It contains plenty of open space, seating areas, athletic fields, and picnic facilities.
National Canal Museum & Hugh Moore Historical Park, Easton
Take a 45-minute boat journey through the Lehigh Canal in Hugh Moore Park. These boat tours allow you to get the full experience of the history of these waters by observing reenactments of the golden years of these canals.
Trexler Nature Preserve, Schnecksville
This public park is the main area for land conservation efforts in the Lehigh valley, but it doesn’t end there. This preserve also leads to The Lehigh Valley Zoo.
Art and Music
The Lehigh Valley is known for its history, but it’s also known for its vibrant art and music scene. Since the industrial revolution, an appreciation for the arts has flourished. The Lehigh Valley features hundreds of local artists, galleries, museums and performing arts.
Allentown Art Museum, Allentown
Allentown Art Museum provides a world-class collection for visitors of all ages. There are about 17,000 works of art on display just in this space alone.
The Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Bethlehem
The oldest American Bach Choir performs at Central Moravian Church throughout the year and at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Allentown in the summer. The choir presents 32 concerts each year for more than 20,000 people. They also travel to Germany, New York, and London.
Banana Factory Arts Center, Bethlehem
The Banana Factory Arts Center is a great place to visit with family. This arts center is home to 30 resident art studios, three galleries, and multiple classrooms. They offer classes in ceramics, sculpture, photography, and more for children, adults and seniors.
Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown
Miller Symphony Hall is a 1,200-seat performing arts facility. Once home to Broadway shows, Burlesque, and the reoccurring Allentown Symphony Orchestra, this venue plays host to various performing arts genres. It celebrated its 65th anniversary in 2015!Award-Winning Wineries and Breweries
In the Lehigh Valley, there are a wide variety of wineries, breweries and distilleries for spirit connoisseurs to enjoy. The Lehigh Valley's climate makes the area a captivating spot for some of the region’s top vineyards.
The Colony Meadery, Allentown
This location’s mission is to produce the boldest meads in the world and is nationally recognized for more than five of their drinks.
Big Creek Vineyard, Jim Thorpe
This vineyard sits on the countryside allowing guests to enjoy a selection of flavors with an amazing view.
Allentown Brew Works, Allentown
This brewery produces over a dozen in-house craft beers that are available on tap or in bottles. It houses Fegley’s Brew Works – a full-scale production brewery.
Galen Glen Winery, Andreas
Named the Best Winery in Pennsylvania, Galen Glen has a magical landscape that you can enjoy while sitting in the tasting room or on the outdoor seating area.
Farmer’s Markets
The Lehigh Valley contains plenty of notable farmers markets where you can get fresh and local foods and get to know the community that surrounds you. With a large scale of farmer’s markets to visit in the Lehigh Valley, there are plenty of different vendors and locations that you can try.
Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market, Allentown
This Farmer’s market contains over 65 vendors. From Thursday-Saturday you can grab everything you need — and maybe even a fresh baked Amish pie!
Bethlehem Rose Garden Farmers Market, Bethlehem
This farmers market connects the community with its local farmers. Every Saturday these vendors provide the community with fresh and local produce. There is also live music and other fun activities
Leesport Farmers Market, Kutztown
This fun and group loving environment contains a variety of produce, plants, antiques and collectables, and clothing.
Saucon Valley Farmers’ Market, Hellertown
On Sundays from May to November, this locally sourced farmers market provides an upbeat experience. There are activities for all ages and plenty of free samples!
Lehigh Valley’s Historic Sites
The Lehigh Valley is known for its American, industrial, and pre-colonial era history. Bethlehem in particular has plenty of history. With over 60 locations to visit, you’ll never run out of historical places to explore in the Lehigh Valley.
1753 Bachmann Publick House, Easton
The house of Jacob Bachmann and his wife. This house, that was once used for local politicians to meet, is now open for programs, special events, parties and dinner theatres.Allentown and Auburn Railroad, Kutztown
This four-mile track runs from Topton, PA to Kutztown, PA. The stations operate passenger cars and allow visitors to purchase tickets to ride the historic railroad.
America on Wheels, Allentown
This exhibition is used to showcase unique automobiles and preserve the history of our earliest transportation.
Lehigh & Keystone Valley Model Railroad Museum, Bethlehem
This 5,000-square foot operating model features routes by the Lehigh Valley and Reading Railroads. All scenes are modeled from the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Thriving with activities from art to history to fine cuisine, retiring in the Lehigh Valley will ensure there's always something new to explore. At Westminster Village at Allentown, residents enjoy the independence that they need to live happy and comfortably, with care available as their needs progress. Check out our website to get more details! We love meeting new people and showing everyone around!
About Samantha Bream
Recently, Presbyterian Senior Living teamed up with the Communication/Journalism Department at Shippensburg University to provide students with professional writing experience. This opportunity allows students to not only learn the ins and outs of blog writing but also offers them a platform for published works. This author is a Communication/Journalism student at Shippensburg University.