The seat of Lehigh County, Allentown (pop. 106,632) spreads west of Bethlehem, across a bend in the Lehigh River. The downtown area has two very worthwhile stops, the bigger and better of which is the Allentown Art Museum (closed Mon.; $6; 610/432-4333) at 31 N. 5th Street. Here you’ll find a good general collection of paintings and photography as well as an entire library moved from the Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Little House. Allentown’s other main attraction lies two blocks west at Church and Hamilton Streets: the Liberty Bell Shrine (Mon.–Sat. noon–4 pm; free), an old church which houses a replica of the famous bell that was hidden here for safekeeping during the Revolutionary War battles at Philadelphia.
Allentown boasts some great places to eat, thanks to the multiple branches of Yocco’s: The Hot Dog King; these local landmarks, like the one at 625 Liberty Street (610/433-1950), have been serving up wieners (and a few burgers) bathed in a top-secret chili sauce since 1922. Allentown also has one of the country’s oldest, largest collections of roller coasters (and a fine old carousel), in Dorney Park (daily in summer; around $35; 610/398-7955). There’s a water park, too.
