Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
CNN Travel profiles Bethlehem as a former steel city that showcases its industrial heritage alongside a picturesque Main Street. Settled by Moravians in the mid-1700s, the city was later shaped by the steel industry, which drew thousands of immigrants who built churches and brought their food and culture, including polka music. Bethlehem Steel ceased production there 31 years before the report, and the site of the defunct plant, with its rusting blast furnaces, now forms a backdrop to street festivals and an industrial history museum. The report presents the city as a Christmastime destination and home to one of the newest UNESCO World Heritage sites in the United States.
- Former Bethlehem Steel plant and blast furnaces
- Moravian Church settlement, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Hotel Bethlehem on Main Street
- Bolete, a James Beard-nominated restaurant
- Bethlehem Christmas Shoppe
Lehigh Valley setting
CNN's report places Bethlehem at the centre of the Lehigh Valley, a fast-growing part of eastern Pennsylvania roughly 90 minutes by car from both New York City and Philadelphia. The city sits halfway between Allentown to the west and Easton, on the Delaware River border with New Jersey. Split by the Lehigh River and surrounded by rolling hills and farmland, the valley is described as a microcosm of the US for its mix of urban and rural cultures and its bellwether politics. Its attractions include wineries, restaurants, America's oldest continuous open-air farmer's market and a 10-day free music festival each August that draws more than a million people.
- Located in the Lehigh Valley, eastern Pennsylvania
- About 90 minutes by car from New York City and Philadelphia
- Between Allentown and Easton
- Divided by the Lehigh River
America's Best Towns to Visit 2026
The Bethlehem profile forms part of CNN Travel's America's Best Towns to Visit 2026 series, which ranks and explains its selections. Bethlehem appears fourth on the published list. The series page also invites readers to submit suggestions for the 2027 edition.
- 1. Sarasota, FL
- 2. New Haven, CT
- 3. Greenville, SC
- 4. Bethlehem, PA
- 5. Fort Collins, CO
Place-based reporting across CNN
Bethlehem coverage sits within a wider set of geographic and destination sections on CNN's site. The World section carries international news and video from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, with a dedicated Africa section covering countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. Travel strands such as Quest's World of Wonder explore individual destinations, while CNN International is distributed in over 200 countries and territories.
- World section covering Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas
- Africa news section
- Quest's World of Wonder destination programming
- CNN International distribution in over 200 countries and territories
Sources
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Business News - Latest Headlines on CNN Business | CNN Business https://www.cnn.com/business Verified 16 Aug 2026
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Latest sports news, videos, interviews and comment | CNN https://www.cnn.com/sport Verified 16 Aug 2026
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World news - breaking news, video, headlines and opinion | CNN https://www.cnn.com/world Verified 16 Aug 2026
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Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: A former steel town with Christmas spirit | CNN https://www.cnn.com/travel/bethlehem-pennsylvania-best-towns-america-2026 Verified 16 Aug 2026
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Africa news - breaking news, video, headlines and opinion | CNN https://www.cnn.com/world/africa Verified 16 Aug 2026
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Call to Earth: Reporting on conservation solutions protecting our planet | CNN https://www.cnn.com/world/call-to-earth Verified 16 Aug 2026
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Quest’s World of Wonder | CNN https://www.cnn.com/travel/quests-world-of-wonder Verified 16 Aug 2026
Last verified 16 Aug 2026. This entry is compiled from the public web pages listed above. Nothing here is stated that those pages do not, and each of them was read on the date shown.