|
|
|
Holiday season / Bethlehem, PA 2024: Great vendors, small businesses, live music (Sun Inn Courtyard) Saturdays only, Live Advent Calendar, Christmas Putz, seriously over-rated Hotel Bethlehem, carriage rides. Before I forget: Tree w/ white lights + Moravian Star @ Payrow Plaza, one weekend live pageant (Rose Garden), Christkindlmarkt. That was a very long sentence. If it sounds pretty fucking boring, it is, very serious. Forgot about trails (get wasted for the holidays), I actually saw people drunk by 2 p.m. on a Saturday. Historic trees of Bethlehem and tours. Yeah, now I hit everything.
Bethlehem, Pa. is one of the most boring / over-rated / worst places to get you into the holiday mood / spirit, in the ENTIRE COUNTRY!!!!! White lights everywhere, seriously stuck in the past with the Moravian History. Reason for white lights everywhere. Even a local business owner agreed with me on this one. We are 2024, not 1894!!!!! Keep the history but learn how to evolve, at least into late 20th century.
You may be like me and noticed high praise for this small town (they call it a city) in other media. Including that over-rated hotel winning an award (how much did they spend on advertising?). Every time I see an article about Best Place one thought comes to mind. You have not spent more than 10 minutes in Bethlehem.
There are great vendors and businesses on Main St. You can check them all out in about 3 hours tops. Hungry? Bring the paycheck for a family. Eating on Main St. is not cheap. By the time you leave, "Moravian Star" may be one of the last things you want to hear during the holidays.
Make sure you LOVE white holiday lights! Due to Moravian history, all you see (like I said, Fucking Boring!!!!!). South Side has colored lights on street for a different reason. Talk about a seriously divided town. Another reason they need to evolve into last millennium. It will take another hundred or so years to make it into this one.
Christkindlmarkt is on far end of South Side (different review). Definitely bring at least one paycheck to this one. I dropped around $250 in 3 Saturdays without even eating here. Holiday shopping / can't resist Stroopies and other holiday treats. Have to do something for yourself this time of year, you earned it! One glass of wine, 2 diet cokes round out that total. Yeah, bringing the kids and hungry, around 1 paycheck. 2nd one for shopping / supporting all the incredible vendors here.
Bethlehem, PA is called the "Christmas City". It has a very long way to prove / earn that title. The worst part: City government / Chamber of Commerce / Downtown Association could easily do so much more. I can hear it while typing this article: "We don't have the money..." Even before ArtsQuest completely fucked up Musikfest (like they do every time something is handed to them), it was a huge success!!!! Sponsors / money can be raised to turn Bethlehem into a true holiday experience. Without handing it to ArtsQuest for them to destroy.
Holiday season: Bethlehem, PA is a one and done visit. Very little, if anything changes from year to year (5 years / decade / half century...). Check it out, especially if you are a history professor or have a serious obsession with white, non-blinking, lights. Very serious here: have your expectations very low.
In case you are wondering, visit Bethlehem, PA every holiday season for at least 10 years.
There are other and better places to spend time / money during the holiday season (Lehigh Valley) including Downtown Easton / Illumination (different review) Coca-Cola Park / Lehigh Valley Zoo. From experience: Philadelphia, New York City have great holiday markets / experiences. Pretty much anywhere but this small town (city).
Bethlehem, Pa. is one of the most boring / over-rated / worst places to get you into the holiday mood / spirit, in the ENTIRE COUNTRY!!!!! White lights everywhere, seriously stuck in the past with the Moravian History. Reason for white lights everywhere. Even a local business owner agreed with me on this one. We are 2024, not 1894!!!!! Keep the history but learn how to evolve, at least into late 20th century.
You may be like me and noticed high praise for this small town (they call it a city) in other media. Including that over-rated hotel winning an award (how much did they spend on advertising?). Every time I see an article about Best Place one thought comes to mind. You have not spent more than 10 minutes in Bethlehem.
There are great vendors and businesses on Main St. You can check them all out in about 3 hours tops. Hungry? Bring the paycheck for a family. Eating on Main St. is not cheap. By the time you leave, "Moravian Star" may be one of the last things you want to hear during the holidays.
Make sure you LOVE white holiday lights! Due to Moravian history, all you see (like I said, Fucking Boring!!!!!). South Side has colored lights on street for a different reason. Talk about a seriously divided town. Another reason they need to evolve into last millennium. It will take another hundred or so years to make it into this one.
Christkindlmarkt is on far end of South Side (different review). Definitely bring at least one paycheck to this one. I dropped around $250 in 3 Saturdays without even eating here. Holiday shopping / can't resist Stroopies and other holiday treats. Have to do something for yourself this time of year, you earned it! One glass of wine, 2 diet cokes round out that total. Yeah, bringing the kids and hungry, around 1 paycheck. 2nd one for shopping / supporting all the incredible vendors here.
Bethlehem, PA is called the "Christmas City". It has a very long way to prove / earn that title. The worst part: City government / Chamber of Commerce / Downtown Association could easily do so much more. I can hear it while typing this article: "We don't have the money..." Even before ArtsQuest completely fucked up Musikfest (like they do every time something is handed to them), it was a huge success!!!! Sponsors / money can be raised to turn Bethlehem into a true holiday experience. Without handing it to ArtsQuest for them to destroy.
Holiday season: Bethlehem, PA is a one and done visit. Very little, if anything changes from year to year (5 years / decade / half century...). Check it out, especially if you are a history professor or have a serious obsession with white, non-blinking, lights. Very serious here: have your expectations very low.
In case you are wondering, visit Bethlehem, PA every holiday season for at least 10 years.
There are other and better places to spend time / money during the holiday season (Lehigh Valley) including Downtown Easton / Illumination (different review) Coca-Cola Park / Lehigh Valley Zoo. From experience: Philadelphia, New York City have great holiday markets / experiences. Pretty much anywhere but this small town (city).
Video review
Ready for reliable and friendly service in a towing company? Combined with competitive rates? Call Force 1 Towing and Auto Body in Catasauqua at 610-266-6721