As certified arborists, we’re awfully fond of trees, and that gives us a passionate appreciation for healthy Tree top canopies that provide bounteous shade during the summer months. Who among us hasn’t enjoyed a picnic under a beautiful Ash tree, or an afternoon on a tire or plank swing with friends? Yes, trees are essential to cooling off in the summertime but they aren’t the only way to pass a hot afternoon.

5 Cool Destinations To Visit When Temperatures Rise Around Allentown

To help you enjoy the hottest summer days without having to succumb to the temptation of air conditioning, television or video games, we’ve put together a list of 5 cool things you can do in and around Allentown and the surrounding areas of beautiful Pennsylvania.

1. The Allentown Fish Hatchery. If you grew up in Allentown, or nearby, odds are you visited the fish hatchery at least once via field trips with your school, scout troop or youth group. The hatchery is fun for family members of all ages, plus it’s located in a gorgeous park with plenty of mature shade trees. There’s a covered pavilion with plenty of picnic benches so you can enjoy a picnic lunch. We recommend eating first, before heading over to purchase your $1 bag of fish food and feeding the trout…cleaner hands and all. Once you’ve had your fill, or the fish have had theirs, set off to explore numerous hiking trails that extend out from the park. The Allentown Fish Hatchery is located at 2901 Fish Hatchery Rd in Allentown.
2. Jacobsburg State Park. Okay, let’s see here – you can walk, hike, picnic, fish, mountain bike, horseback ride, skip rocks by the creek or immerse yourself in the Jacobsburg Environmental Center. If that doesn’t sound like a day’s or a week’s worth of fun things to do, we give up! This is one of our favorite places to spend a day with the family. The center is run by rangers, staff and enthusiastic volunteers who deliver educational presentations on all aspects of our natural flora and fauna. These presentations are never boring and are geared for all ages.
3. Pick a Museum – Any Museum. Your museum opportunities in the Lehigh Valley area abound. We have the America On Wheels Museum. Then there’s the Mack Trucks Historical Museum as well. You can visit the Allentown Art Museum or learn a little more about our area before and during its European settlement at the Sigal Museum or the Moravian Museum, which is housed in Bethlehem’s oldest historical building. You can get outside at the National Canal Museum where, in addition to tours of the canal, they also offer summertime, daylong kids camp programs. Regardless, you will benefit from someone else’s air conditioning bill and a whole lot of learning as well.
4. Get your feet wet. If your children have finally moved to the “big kids” line, you’ll have to visit Dutch Springs Aqua Park, which is a recreational facility located at 4733 Hanoverville Rd., in Bethlehem. In addition to swimming, sliding and a ton of water-themed play equipment, you can also go snorkeling or learn to scuba dive. Camping is available as well as plenty of grassy areas for lounging or for little ones to crawl and toddle around. Once you’ve exhausted the Dutch Springs amenities, you can plan a day at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, which combines an amusement park and water slide park in one. Groups sales are available and families with small children and/or babies can Click Here for more information regarding how to survive the park with the small fry in tow.
5. Lost River Caverns. The Lost River Caverns and the store at the cave have been a Hellertown staple “place you gotta visit” since 1930. Our grandparents went, they took our parents and now we’re taking our kids and grandchildren. Cavern tours allow you to explore a magical underground cave system that has been in continuous formation for more than 250,000 years. Tours of the well-lit caverns are about 45 minutes long. The gift shop is filled with curiosities and the artists and crafters among you will love the tools, lapidary and jewelry making materials – including precious and semi-precious gemstones that are available.

What are your favorite things to do around Allentown and Bethlehem when you need to cool off? Share your ideas and recommendations in the Joshua Tree comment box below.