Need good advise (Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton: new home, transfer, school district)

[needgudhelp]

Relocating to the Lehigh Valley. Husband will work in Allentown near the airport. We have no children, in our 40's and want to live near shopping, restaurants, entertainment. I can't figure out which area is best.....Allentown, Easton or Bethlehem. We own a boat would love to live near the water as well!!! Would prefer a new home. Please help.

[toobusytoday]

The boat certainly adds a quirk to the home search! Best shopping and night life would probably be Bethlehem. Easton is a nice little city but with the husband working in Allentown and Bethlehem right there I would not think too much about Easton. Would you store your boat or do you plan to park it at your house? Do you want to live right in town or would you prefer to have a little land?

[KristyLiz]

My aunt and uncle live in Easton and they love it there!

[FLhereIcome]

I'm partial to Bethlehem. The only place I know of for boating (and storage if needed) is Lake Nockamixon, which would be closest to Easton. Something to think about if you plan to store your boat on your property is to check local ordinances. I know Bethlehem has an ordinance against parking RV's on your own property, but I don't know if boats apply.

[toobusytoday]

Actually, I think Bethlehem is closer to Nockamixon. I'm fairly clueless about a boating lifestlye and trying to live in a city. Do you park it at a lake all summer and then bring it home or put it in a dry dock storage area in the winter? How often do you use it that would make it worth a longer commute just so you could be close to a lake? There is a big boat storage area between Coopersburg and Quakertown, which would be on the way to Nockamixon.

How about boating at Delaware Water Gap? Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Or Beltzville State Park? Here's the park finder for NE PA Pennsylvania State Parks - Find a Park Alphabetically - PA DCNR

[needgudhelp]

We would like a nice subdivision, 1 acre would be great, to meet people. As far as storing the boat, haven't really checked into that because I can't figure out which lake is the closest. On the map, Easton downtown area looks like it's on the water, are they just starting to revive that area or is it as develpoded as its going to be as far as shops and restaurants? I was favoring Easton just because of the Delaware River. You think Easton is too far away from Allentown to commute? Thank you so much for all this information!!

[needgudhelp]

Can you tell me why your Aunt and Uncle like Easton so much? I'm really favoring that area site unseen!! Is it the community, the water, or the downtown area? Without a visit yet, I'm favoring Easton just because it's near the river.

[FLhereIcome]

Originally Posted by needgudhelp

We would like a nice subdivision, 1 acre would be great, to meet people. As far as storing the boat, haven't really checked into that because I can't figure out which lake is the closest. On the map, Easton downtown area looks like it's on the water, are they just starting to revive that area or is it as develpoded as its going to be as far as shops and restaurants? I was favoring Easton just because of the Delaware River. You think Easton is too far away from Allentown to commute? Thank you so much for all this information!!

Downtown Easton is right on the water. Easton needs to be revitalized, but it's not there yet. I'm probably going to take some heat from some people here but I personally wouldn't walk around downtown Easton at night if you paid me to (I wouldn't even walk below 15th street during the day). I grew up there and still have family there and it's not what it used to be. There really isn't any great shopping or restaurants IMO, but it is on the water. I would love to see downtown Easton come back to life. It really has a lot of potential. It's about about 18 miles from Allentown.

If you live in the Allentown/Bethlehem area you would be near the Lehigh River, which connects to the Delaware River in Easton.

[oz2008]

If I may add my 2 cents, we will be transferring in from out of state sometime in the near future. I have visited the area a couple of times and I have to say, Bethlehem is a really neat town! I have lived in Atlanta and currently live in a neat town in Metro Detroit and Bethlehem is on my list of a neat "downtown" area. Restaurants, whimsical stores, beautiful, older buildings that add so much character to the town. Moravian College is on the North side (I believe) and is a beautiful campus...I haven't been to Easton, but I hear that it isn't the safest place to be. Like I said though, I haven't been. If I didn't have to worry about schools for the kids, I would have urged my husband to move to Bethlehem. Really neat town.

[needgudhelp]

Great advise!! Thank you!!

Now I'm looking at Hellertown...........any thoughts? I see it's closer to Nockamixon and The Promenade Shops. Any ideas on nice subdivisions? Not worried about school district - no children. Thank you!!!!