Page 8 - Indulge August 2017

WEEKENDERS DIVERSIONS CLOSE TO HOME ByJackRomig
Aplace as culturally varied and historically rich as the Lehigh
Valley is bound to produce relaxing, interesting and enjoyable
ways to spend time. Some of these local attractions draw national and
even worldwide attention — Dorney Park, the Crayola Experience or
the Sands Casino, for instance.
In truth, what’s available is kaleidoscopic — all kinds of
experiences for all kinds of tastes. Here are a few places to try in the
Valley — or just a little beyond.
Limeport Stadium, 1488 Limeport Pike, Limeport, www.limeportstadium.org
Allentown’s not the only place to catch a game of baseball. To
those encountering it the first time, this superb brick, concrete and
wood ballpark deep in the countryside can loom improbable as a
mirage. It dates to the 1930s, when local player and mega baseball
fan Howard “Lefty” Fegley pulled together $75,000 in scarce money
during the Great Depression for its construction.
Visitors can expect well-played, from-the-heart baseball on a field
that perfectly recalls the game’s pastoral roots.
Lil’-Le-Hi Trout Nursery, 2901 Fish Hatchery Road, Allentown, www.allentownpa.gov/
Parks-and-Recreation/Parks/Park-Inventory/Lil-Le-Hi-Trout-Nursery
This unusual nursery — founded in 1883 and said to be the
nation’s oldest — is nestled in a leafy park setting and remains
a favorite family destination. Kids who feed the beautiful young
trout are happy to see that they’re almost always hungry. A bag
of food costs just a dollar.
The nursery produces thousands of fish for stocking nearby Little
Lehigh Creek and other streams in the Allentown park system. With
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8 | indulge • August 2017
its large ponds, wide walkways and benches, it’s a lovely place — both
soothing and engaging — to spend a few hours.
Strange Brew Tavern, 1996 S. Fifth St., Allentown, www.strangebrewtavern.co/
Strange Brew is the “anti-gastro pub,” according to owner Scott
Anderson. “If you want a $17 cheeseburger, this isn’t the place for
you.” Instead, he aims to please customers looking for the best in bar
food, including cheese steaks, handmade chicken fingers and the bar’s
signature Brewben sandwich.
Patrons can drink their way to immortality through the tavern’s
Century Club. Sample a hundred selected beers (not at one sitting) and
earn a pewter mug. Do it five times and Anderson will name a sandwich
after you.
Lafayette Inn, 525 W. Monroe St., Easton, www.lafayetteinn.com
Easton’s pretty College Hill neighborhood is home to the Lafayette
Inn, an inviting hotel/bed-and-breakfast for a quiet, unhurried weekend
away. Suites in this Georgian-style hotel include fireplaces and oversized
tubs. For many years, the inn has catered to families visiting Lafayette
College and other Easton landmarks. It’s about 20 minutes from the
center of Bethlehem.
Laura Di Liello, owner and innkeeper, promises “a peaceful setting
with calming spaces and delicious food.” The Lafayette’s parlor is an
especially warm and homey common space, with comfortable seating by
the fire, a games table and a grand piano.
Old Jail Museum, 128 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe, www.theoldjailmuseum.com
Understanding the life of a jail inmate a hundred years ago isn’t
the stuff of a lighthearted jaunt. This museum, with its original cells,
full-scale gallows and well-versed tour guides is better called memorable
and informative. It can impart a certain shiver as the scene of an
unforgettable legend.
1n 1878, seven Irish coal miners convicted of labor-related murders
were hanged here. Questions linger about their guilt. One man is said to
have stained the wall in Cell 17 with his muddy hand, vowing that the
mark would proclaim his innocence forever. There’s still a handprint there,
despite (so folklore relates) all efforts to remove it.
Imagi Nation, 3313 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown, www.imaginationexp.com
Imagi Nation is a venue for play with a purpose. Here, kids ages
three to 12 get to role-play 40 different grownup careers, spend mock
money and decide what happens in a make-believe city scaled to them.
It’s a welcoming introduction to real-life concepts worth knowing.
The higher aims at Imagi Nation, according to owner Wendy Pitts,
include the fostering of financial literacy, personal responsibility and
social development. Making it fun for children who take part is just as
Becky’s Drive-In, 4548 Lehigh Drive, Walnutport, www.beckysdi.com
Drive-in theaters once were commonplace in the U.S. landscape.
Most of those big screens have long since closed, but not at Becky’s,
where movies alfresco are still going strong and nostalgia’s not the
only attraction.
Cindy Deppe, current co-owner and a daughter of the founding
Beck family, said it’s easy to understand why people still steer to the
drive-in. “You can bring the whole family,” she said, “and we allow
dogs. You don’t have to be quiet like an indoor theater.” Many guests
set up folding chairs to take in first-run films under the stars.