Tour Through Historic Bethlehem
We are excited to welcome you to our beloved city and share our sites and history through our many programs, and most importantly, our wonderful tours! The Moravian Bethlehem Landmark District was recently named to the U.S. Tentative List for World Heritage Designation and is one of only 12 cultural sites in the U.S. eligible for designation including Ellis Island, Mount Vernon, and the Brooklyn Bridge.
At present, many of the guided tours are temporarily on hold (as noted below in the descriptions) to address operational needs to assure the health and safety of all participants. However, there are a host of self-guided walking tours you can enjoy by downloading tour content directly to your smartphone as well as Audio Tours available through the Visitors Center (a modest fee applies). Just look for the links in the tour descriptions below for further information. If you are already here in town, then just be sure to stop at the Visitor Center for assistance. And as always, it’s a cinch to visit our sites and museums by just strolling around the 14.7-acre settlement and National Landmark District with its 14 buildings and ruins, all of which are beautifully presented through informational placards to help you learn about the rich heritage of Historic Bethlehem.
Group and Custom Tours
Take a look at the featured tours to see if any pique your interests. Let us help you create a memorable visit customized to your interests, time frame, and budget. Please make appointments for any custom tours at least 24-48 hours before your trip. here!
Christmas City Strolls
Discover the story of Bethlehem’s unique beginning in 1741, the tales of a candle-in-every-window, and the renowned Bethlehem Star. Historic highlights include Bethlehem’s exquisite Victorian and colonial architecture, including two National Historic Landmarks, the 1741 Gemeinhaus and the Bethlehem Waterworks.
Horse Drawn Carriage Ride
Enjoy a cozy, serene horse-drawn carriage rides through beautiful downtown North Bethlehem are the perfect way to enjoy the lights, sights, and sounds of Christmas City with your family and friends!
The Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel – Guided
Learn how blast furnaces operated, why men needed brass checks to enter the gates, and which buildings housed the operations of Bethlehem Steel. This on-site walking tour gives groups insight into the daily life of a steelworker.
Heritage Trail – Self Guided
Learn about early Moravian medicine, cooking, education and more at the only remaining 18th-century residence for Christianized Native Americans in eastern Pennsylvania.
Hotel Bethlehem History Tour – Guided
Enjoy learning about the Hotel History on our weekly Hotel History Tour! Join us in the Main Lobby on Saturday Mornings at 10AM for a tour of Historic Hotel. Our Guest Experience team will lead the journey fro the time period of Bethlehem’s founding Fathers through the Renaissance of the Hotel that you see today. We will share the most interesting stories of the days Bethlehem Steel through how the Hotel was saved in the 1990’s. Learn about the Former Famous Guests that have graced our hotel since it opened in 1922!
Seasonal Guided Tours
Church & Chapel Tour – February through March
Discover the traditions behind the Moravian worship service, including the long-standing emphasis on music in Bethlehem.
1752 Apothecary Tour – April
The apothecary supplied medicines not only for Bethlehem but also for the surrounding areas; it developed into one of the most successful enterprises for the Church. Learn about how the Moravians planted herbs in the garden outside the Apothecary to build the their pharmacy.
John Adams Bethlehem Walking Tour – June & July
See Bethlehem through John Adams’ eyes on this tour led by a costumed guide & discover the role historic Bethlehem played during the American Revolutionary War.
Colonial Industrial Quarter Walking Tour – June & July
Explore the Colonial Industrial Quarter with our costumed guide and learn how it has changed throughout the centuries, beginning as America’s earliest industrial park, developing into an automotive junk yard, then transforming into the bucolic site it is today!
Death & Dying Cemetary Tour – September & October
Take a walk – if you dare – on our “Death & Dying” cemetery tour! The Death & Dying tour is the only cemetery tour in Bethlehem to take guests through the 1741 Gemeinhaus, a National Historic Landmark as well as the oldest standing building in the city.
Related Area Tours
Historic Nazareth Walking Tour – March through September
Enjoy a stroll through beautiful, historic Nazareth, Pennsylvania. This family friendly walk through downtown will show stories of Nazareth and its residents through the colonial, victorian, and modern periods. Highlights include visits to several exquisite and original 18th century Moravian buildings.
Martin Guitar Factory Tour
The Visitors Center is where you will check in for your guided factory tour. It also houses the Martin Guitar Museum and 1833 Shop. Guests are also invited to visit the Pickin’ Parlor to play some of Martin’s high-end and Limited Edition models.
