Easton’s unique location at the crux of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers sets it in the center of rich history and culture. Settled in 1739 on 1,000 acres owned by Thomas Penn, this city is now home to over 27,000 people. Only about 55 miles from Philadelphia, Easton was the third site in the newly formed United States to have the Declaration of Independence read aloud. Today, Crayola crayons are still made in Easton, and visitors can check out plenty of dining and historical sites around the four districts.
Karl Stirner Arts Trail, Easton, PA
Named for the local Easton sculptor Karl Stirner, who spent a good part of 25 years encouraging an assortment of artists to bring their talents to Easton, the Karl Stirner Arts Trail is a wonderful destination for art and nature lovers to explore. As you make your way along the scenic outdoor trail you will come across more than 15 individual pieces of art across a variety of genres. Examples include sculpture, horticultural exhibits, poetry and even neon lights. Each exhibit has been designed to form a link between art and nature and to encourage beholders to think outside the box. You can do a virtual tour of the trail before you visit to learn about the individual artists. Map
State Theatre Center for the Arts
In 1873, the Northampton National Bank was constructed. When the bank was demolished, the theatre that is now known as the State Theatre Center for the Arts was built. Though it has changed to include updated features, modern technologies, and new halls, the European-style architecture of the theatre is still recognizable. In 2003, the State Theatre held the first FREDDY Awards, which recognizes high school theater productions. Today’s visitors can catch live concerts and comedy shows. Those who plan far enough in advance can purchase tickets for one of the traveling Broadway shows. DVDs of many shows and the FREDDY Awards are available for purchase.
State Theatre Center for the Arts, 453 Northampton Street, Easton, PA 18042, Phone: 800-999-7828
National Canal Museum
One of America’s first transportation methods were canal ways. These manmade waterways allowed people and heavy products to move from one city to another much further away. Today, visitors to the National Canal Museum can take the 45-minute canal ride to experience canal travel firsthand. Rain or shine, two mules pull the ferry down the canal as was done centuries ago. Before or after the boat ride, guests can check out the technology center and museum, which houses canal archives and exhibits. Both permeant and special exhibits give looks into the life of those who lived and worked the canals.
National Canal Museum, 2750 Hugh Moore Park Road, Easton, PA 18042, Phone: 610-923-3548, Facebook
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, called the D&L by locals, is a 165-mile trail that spans over five counties. This attraction is a one-of-a-kind, all-encompassing treat for guests. While hiking the whole 165 miles is most likely out of reach for visitors, those who want to experience local life throughout the Easton and local areas can find fun activities along the trail. Towns dot the 165-mile trail, and each town has its own unique culture and heritage to explore. For Easton visitors, a trip to local restaurants, the National Canal Museum, and a boat ride on the only mule-drawn canal boat is a must.
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, 2750 Hugh Moore Park Road, Easton, PA 18042, Phone: 610-923-3548
Nurture Nature Center, Easton, PA
If you’re visiting Easton, you may want to consider adding the Nurture Nature Center (NNC) to your itinerary. The NNC probes environmental risks and seeks programs for solutions. The NNC educates the community while showcasing current and future technologies to watch for floods and other natural hazards. Along with science and art exhibits, NNC offers classes and workshops to get visitors and the community involved in protecting the earth. Visitors should be sure to check out the urban recycle garden located in the parking lot, which shows gardening techniques in an urban setting, both vertically and horizontally, using recycled materials.
Nurture Nature Center, 518 Northampton Street, Easton PA 18042, Phone: 610-253-4432
Bushkill Park
Bushkill Park opened in 1902 and remains a minor amusement park for Easton guests. This park harkens to an older time when amusement parks were simple, clean fun for the whole family. The Bar’l of Fun, opened in 1935, is one of America’s oldest standing funhouses. Though the park has been devastated several times by floods and heavy snowfalls, the owners continue to revive the park. The skating rink and other smaller rides are still open for guests. The Bushkill Park has been featured twice on television, once on the Discovery Channel for the Bar’l of Fun, and once on American Pickers for all the original folk-art banners still standing.
Bushkill Park, 2100 Bushkill Park Drive, Easton, PA 18040, Phone: 610-258-6941
Crayola Experience
Both kids and adults can have fun at the Crayola Experience in Easton. Kids are expected to get their hands on all 25 interactive exhibits. Families can watch production of actual crayons, learning how they are made. On top of that, kids can create their own crayon wrappings to take home. Along with personalized crayons, guests can paint with melted crayons, make melted crayon spin art, and melt down old crayons to make new items, like crayon rings or animals. The Crayola experience wouldn’t be complete without a stop in the store, where kids can find stuffed animals of their favorite crayons, Crayola products and apparel, and even choose their own crayons for a pack – every kid’s dream!
Crayola Experience, 30 Centre Square, Easton PA 18042, Phone: 610-515-8000, Facebook
Marblehead Chowder House
For those looking for a place to eat, the Marblehead Chowder House is that place to go for authentic New England seafood. Serving lunch and dinner, patrons can enjoy classic New England recipes, like clam chowder, a raw oyster bar, and lobster rolls. Because all the food is made with the freshest seafood, daily blackboard specials offer the best options, like soft shell Po Boys and New Orleans Catfish. For those looking for something other than seafood, the menu does offer chicken and beef, though the seafood dishes really shine. Marblehead has a full bar, and there are happy hour specials throughout the work week.
Marblehead Chowder House, 4101 William Penn Highway, Easton, PA 18045, Phone: 610-258-4301
Mesa Modern Mexican, Easton, PA
Combining American, Spanish, and Mexican-style food is what Mesa Modern Mexican is all about. Driving inspiration from their sister-restaurant, Tapas on Main, Mesa Modern offers small plate options of menu items to share with the whole table. For those interested in tacos or quesadillas, several options are available: vegetarian, pork, chicken, beef, cod, salmon, mushroom & quinoa, and even falafel. If you’re more interested in a full meal, look into one of the full entrees, like the enchiladas or chicken roulade. Along with a large bar selection, Mesa Modern offers many tequilas and margaritas to try.
Mesa Modern Mexican, 42 S. 3rd Street, Easton, PA 18042, Phone: 610-829-2101
Eaton Area Public Library, Easton, PA
Though patrons must be members of the library to take out books or use the computers, the Eaton Area Public Library is a historic delight for visitors. The plans to expand the original library were approved and funded by Andrew Carnegie, not once, but twice. Today, the architecture of the building harkens to a time when detail and grandeur were key. The main library system is built on an old graveyard, with two flights of stairs taking visitors up the hill to the front doors. If you intend on a long stay in Easton, you can sign up for a 3-month membership.
Eaton Area Public Library, 515 Church Street, Easton, PA 18042, Phone: 610-258-2917
Easton Farmer’s Market
If you love the concept of farm to fork cooking and would like to stock up on the freshest local ingredients, you are sure to love the Easton Farmer’s Market. This delightful market has been bringing fresh seasonal produce to the Easton Community for more than 260 years and is the oldest market of its kind in the US. Every Saturday from May through September, local farmers bring their best products to sell at the market. You can expect to find freshly-harvested fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meats, eggs, baked goods, and several specialty food products. In addition, a number of crafters display their hand-made goods and brewers and distillers also bring their finest products to town.
Easton Farmer’s Market, 123 S. 3rd Street, Easton, PA 18042, 610 250 6600, Facebook
The Tap Room at Weyerbacher Brewing
Weyerbacher Brewing Company first opened their doors in a former livery stable in downtown Easton in 1995. Their high-quality, full flavored products were so popular that they soon had to find larger premises at their current location in Line Street. Beer enthusiasts can come and taste their products from Monday to Friday at the Tap Room which hosts Happy Hour from 4pm to 6pm. If you would like a tour of the brewery you can sign up to join their regular Saturday and Sunday tours which take place at 12.30pm. The master brewers at Weyerbacher like to experiment with new ingredients and techniques and always strive to produce a product that will make beer lovers sit up and take notice.
Weyerbacher Brewing Company, 905 Line Street, Easton, PA 18042, 610 559 5561
Sigal Museum
The Sigal Museum is the proud custodian of a priceless collection of artifacts, arts, crafts, farming implements and much more, all of which illustrate the fascinating history of Northampton County. Here you can learn a great deal about the history of the county, both prior to and after the arrival of the first European settlers. Visitors to the museum are welcome to explore the museum on a self-guided tour or to join a guided docent-led tour, which will unveil all the stories behind the various exhibits. You can also learn about the museum by taking a virtual tour on their website or joining one of their guided historic walking tours.
Sigal Museum, 342 Northampton Street, Easton, PA 18042, 610 253 1222
Klein Farms Dairy and Creamery
Pennsylvania is full of farmland and lush pastures. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to find a dairy farm like Klein Farms Dairy and Creamery. Established in 1935, Klein Farms has been working with cattle for three generations. Today’s farm sells raw milk in the store, as well as house-made cheese and yogurt. The farm store transitioned to selling beef by the pound, and eventually took in locally grown items, like eggs and honey, from other farms to sell. Now, visitors to Klein Farms can try out one of the twenty homemade ice cream flavors, made with farm fresh cream.
Klein Farms Dairy and Creamery, 410 Klein Road, Easton, PA 18040, Phone: 610-253-8942, Facebook
