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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Give Allentown one full day, two if you add Dorney Park: base in the downtown core, drive to the museums, and skip it as a standalone overnight.
Allentown is the largest city in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, 63 mi (101 km) north of Philadelphia and 93 mi (150 km) west of New York City. It is a compact downtown of museums and a 19th-century industrial past, ringed by parks and one large amusement park. Most travellers see it as a day inside a wider Lehigh Valley trip, not a destination on its own.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, snow), Jul–Aug (heat and park crowds)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–110 excl. bed · Mid $120–200 excl. bed · High $220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Hoagie or sub sandwich | $9–14 |
| Sit-down dinner, main course | $16–30 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a store | $6–9 / $2–4 |
| 5 mi (8 km) taxi or rideshare5 mi (5 mi) taxi or rideshare | $15–22 |
| LANTA local bus ride | $2–3 (check) |
| Museum entry | $10–16 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ABE · Lehigh Valley International
- 6 mi (10 km) northeast of downtown; Allegiant, American Eagle, Delta and United serve it. LANTA bus and rental cars at the terminal.6 mi (6.2 mi) northeast of downtown; Allegiant, American Eagle, Delta and United serve it. LANTA bus and rental cars at the terminal.
- PHL · Philadelphia International
- 71 mi (114 km) south; more flights, then bus or car to Allentown.71 mi (71 mi) south; more flights, then bus or car to Allentown.
- EWR · Newark Liberty International
- About 80 mi (129 km) east; useful for international arrivals, with bus service to Allentown.About 80 mi (80 mi) east; useful for international arrivals, with bus service to Allentown.
Typical fares
- ABE airport → downtown Allentown, taxi or rideshare
- about $25–35, 15–20 min (check)
- LANTA bus, ABE → Allentown Transportation Center
- about $2–3, 30–40 min (check)
- Bus Allentown → New York City
- about $30–60, 2–2.5 h (check)
Get around
Downtown is small and walkable; park once and walk. LANTA runs the local bus network, and the Allentown Transportation Center at 110–112 N 6th Street is the hub for regional buses. For the museums, Dorney Park and the parks you want a car; I-78 and US-22 cross the north side of the city.
See and do
Known for
- Allentown Art Museum
- Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom
- Mack Trucks history
- Liberty Bell hiding place, 1777–78
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Drive US-22 east, or LANTA bus from the transportation center | About 30–40 min |
| Easton, Pennsylvania | Drive I-78 east, or LANTA bus | About 40–50 min |
| Emmaus | Drive PA-29 south | About 20 min |
| Hellertown | Drive I-78 east to PA-412 | About 25 min |
| Slatington | Drive PA-309 north | About 35 min |
| Fogelsville | Drive US-22 west to PA-100 | About 20 min |
Sleep
- Downtown / Hamilton Street
- Walk to the art museum, symphony and restaurants; best for a car-free day.
- West End / Tilghman Street
- Quieter, near the golf course and parks; you need a car.
- Airport area (ABE)
- Chain hotels and easy parking; only worth it for an early flight.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Excuse me | Excuse me |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the restroom? | Where is the restroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- US-22 jams at rush hour; I-78 is usually the better bet.
- Some downtown blocks are quiet after dark; stay on lit main streets.
- Dorney Park is seasonal: check the calendar before you build a day around it.
- Prices are shown before Pennsylvania sales tax.
Downtown Allentown is fine by day and on lit main streets at night. Use normal US city sense: lock the car, keep bags out of sight, and avoid unlit side streets after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Allentown yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Allentown Art Museum
- Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom
- Mack Trucks history
- Liberty Bell hiding place, 1777–78
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Allentown — Play: www.allentownpa.gov/Play
- Discover Lehigh Valley — Allentown: www.discoverlehighvalley.com/cities-towns/allentown/things-to-do/
- Lehigh Valley International Airport: www.flyabe.com/
- LANTA — Allentown Transit Center: lantabus.com/allentown-transit-center-guide/
- Wikivoyage: Allentown, revision 5310342 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5310342
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
AllentownAllentown, Pennsylvania
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Allentown; consulates-general are in Philadelphia and New York City.
English is the main language; Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese and Vietnamese are also spoken in the city.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/allentown). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.