SteelStacks & The Legacy of Bethlehem Steel
Once the second-largest steel producer in America, the abandoned Bethlehem Steel Plant has been transformed into a breathtaking 10-acre cultural campus known as SteelStacks. Families can explore this massive, rusted industrial giant through elevated walkways, formal guided tours, and connected history museums.
Exploring the Blast Furnaces
For safety reasons, no visitors are permitted inside the actual blast furnaces, but the campus is designed to get you incredibly close to the towering architecture.
- The Hoover-Mason Trestle (Self-Guided): The city built an elevated walkway—similar to New York’s High Line—directly along the old railway tracks that once delivered iron ore. Walking this path puts you 46 feet in the air, right up against the machines. You can scan codes along the path for a free, GPS-triggered smartphone audio tour.
- The Guided ArtsQuest Tour: If you prefer an expert historian, you can book the formal “Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel Walking Tour.” A guide walks you across the campus, explaining how the site fueled the American industrial revolution, the Empire State Building, and both World Wars.
National Museum of Industrial History
Housed in the steel plant’s former electrical repair shop, this Smithsonian-affiliated museum features beautifully restored vintage machinery, including a massive, working Corliss steam engine.
The Lehigh Valley Itinerary
Bethlehem sits in a dense cluster of attractions, making it incredibly easy to build a full-day itinerary by pairing the steel plant with nearby sites.
| Destination | Distance | Experience Type |
| Historic Moravian Bethlehem | 5 Minutes | UNESCO World Heritage Site: Tour the 18th-century Colonial Industrial Quarter to see America’s earliest engineering. |
| Lost River Caverns | 10 Minutes | Nature: An underground natural cavern maintaining a constant 52-degree temperature. |
| Martin Guitar Factory | 20 Minutes | Industry: Walk the active manufacturing floor to see high-end acoustic guitars built from scratch. |
| The Crayola Experience | 25 Minutes | Amusement: A massive, highly interactive indoor activity center ideal for families with younger kids. |
Chol Hamoed Pro-Tips
- Weather Dependent: Because the Hoover-Mason Trestle is an exposed outdoor walkway 46 feet in the air, check the weather before you go. The trestle closes during severe thunderstorms, ice, or high winds.
- Photography: The juxtaposition of the modern campus against the rusting furnaces makes this one of the best photography locations in the Tri-State area.
Address: 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (Main Visitor Center).
Website: steelstacks.org and hoovermason.com.
Cost: Walking the Trestle and the outdoor SteelStacks campus is completely free. Guided tours and the indoor National Museum of Industrial History require separate paid admission.
Accessibility: The Hoover-Mason Trestle is fully accessible via elevators located at the Visitor Center.
