Right across the Northampton Street bridge from New Jersey at the intersection of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers is the picturesque downtown of Easton, Pennsylvania. Easton has stunning views of the bridges and the Lehigh Dam that can be seen from parks along the waterway. There are people out enjoying picnicking, the bike trails, walking, fishing and rafting. Scott Park has a playground and a statue celebrating the boxer Larry Holmes and a sign claiming Easton as the spot of America’s first Christmas tree in 1816.
A few blocks away the town center feels like a return to the past. There are clothing shops where men can have suits custom tailored and coffee shops where the hosts remember guest’s names. The historic Easton Public Market is the place to enjoy contemporary fresh local food culture. They also offer live events including music and a children’s kid’s zone.
Easton is also the home of Crayola. Although they do not offer factory tours at their headquarters their facility in downtown is an entertainment venue known as the Crayola Experience. Think of it as a children’s museum about creativity and color that smells like a new box of crayons. There are multiple exhibits and playful ways to interact with crayons including melting, drawing, and making custom colors, labels and all. Crayola’s digital products are transformed into experiences that are fun to immerse in. There is also a stage show that explains the process of manufacturing crayons. The National Canal Museum is another museum to learn more about the local waterway history, culture, science, and technology. It is filled with hands on exhibits and scale models that interpret canal life and industries.
