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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 |
| 8 km (5 mi) taxi or rideshare5 mi (8 km) 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
- 10 km (6 mi) northeast of downtown; Allegiant, American Eagle, Delta and United serve it. LANTA bus and rental cars at the terminal.6 mi (10 km) northeast of downtown; Allegiant, American Eagle, Delta and United serve it. LANTA bus and rental cars at the terminal.
- PHL · Philadelphia International
- 114 km (71 mi) south; more flights, then bus or car to Allentown.71 mi (114 km) south; more flights, then bus or car to Allentown.
- EWR · Newark Liberty International
- About 129 km (80 mi) east; useful for international arrivals, with bus service to Allentown.About 80 mi (129 km) 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)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
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.