Rediscovering the Charms of Easton, Pennsylvania

The city of Easton, Pennsylvania may best be known as the home of both Crayola and Lafayette College but it’s also where I grew up. The history of Easton is in many ways the history of the United States.  Easton is one of three cities the Declaration of Independence was read after it was signed in 1776. Later on access to natural resources, a location at the crossroads of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers and proximity to New York and Philadelphia led to the rise of manufacturing that attracted generations of immigrants. Nearby textile and steel plants drew workers from Italy, Eastern Europe, Lebanon and Puerto Rico (among others) making this small town surprisingly diverse. That diversity also extends to the architecture; working class row homes, centuries old stone farmhouses and grand Victorian mansions all have a place here. More recently Easton has attracted artists, chefs and other creatives looking for a place offering room to grow and a community that will allow them to flourish. Easton has always been a close knit community, a place where there are no strangers, everyone says hello and the high school football team and marching band are the religion of Friday night. After 20 years away I figured it was time to come back to Easton and rediscover the town I grew up in.

I was a guest of Discover Lehigh Valley but all opinions and calories consumed remain my own. This post may contain affiliate links, when you make a purchase or book a hotel through these links the Casual Travelist receives a small commission that helps support this site at no additional cost to you.

Downtown Easton

I was spending the weekend with my friend, fellow travel blogger and fellow Lehigh Valley native Brianne Miers of A Travelling Life. It was a beautiful Friday evening so we decided to head downtown to check out Easton Out Loud, a community event held the fourth Friday of every month featuring live music and entertainment throughout downtown. Most events in Easton take place in Center Square which has always served as a front porch of sorts for the town and is now anchored by the Crayola Experience, a multimedia museum dedicated to all things colorful (Crayola crayons have been produced in Easton since 1903). Creativity extends beyond Crayola and can be seen in the gorgeous murals and street art peppered throughout town.

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What I had heard about the most with downtown Easton’s revitalization was the food scene and I was more than excited to dig in. Our first stop was 3rd & Ferry Fish Market, featuring one of the best raw bars in Pennsylvania and a gorgeous copper bar with 16 craft beers on tap. Our group started with a flight of four ceviches and as a fan of spanish food I couldn’t pass up a bowl of steamed clams and chrorizo. Afterwards we headed over to Oak, a sleek steakhouse to meet up friends for drinks. A beautiful industrial-chic interior and expertly crafted cocktails awaited us, both of which have made Oak one of the hottest spots in town.

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The next morning Brianne and I met up for caffienation at Three Birds Coffee. Located in a stunningly renovated Victorian mansion dating back to 1862 Three Birds is easily one of the most beautiful coffeehouses I’ve visited outside of Europe and this extends to the menu as well. A perfectly pulled cappuccino and a yogurt and granola parfait so glorious that no less than five people inquired about my order on my way back to my table was my introduction to Three Birds Coffee. Three Birds also hosts an art coworking space in the back.

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After coffee we stopped by the Quadrant and Connexions Art Gallery, two downtown Easton standards that have been around since my high school days. The Quadrant is a used book store and cafe with over 50,000 books including many that are rare and out of print and there is a pretty good chance that the Quadrant is where my 16 year old self had my first sip of coffee in an attempt to seem cosmopolitan in front of my artsy friends. Connexions Art Gallery had been a fixture of Easton’s art community since 1990 featuring contemporary artists and hosting a variety of events including painting and poetry readings.

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In operation since 1752, the Easton Farmers’ Market is the the longest running open air market in the country (and Bon Apeitit Magazine calls it one of the 13 markets worth traveling for). I enjoyed perusing the small family owned stands (over 32 in total) with offerings ranging from organic produce and scratchmade pastries to artisinal pickles and Korean dumplings. I brought home a few edible souvenirs in the form of Crimson Gold apples from Scholl Orchards and cheese from Valley Milkhouse.

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We then headed over to Easton Public Market, a modern food hall that would be at home in any big city. Stalls feature everything from fresh produce and seafood to woodfired pizza, bbq, craft coffee and artisinal chocolate but I joined the line at Mr.Lee’s Noodles for their out of this world fried chicken ramen.

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Fueled up for the afternoon we strolled along Riverside Park enjoying the views of where the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers meet. I’m flooded by memories of fishing, swimming and tubing down both of these rivers in my youth. After reminiscing at the river we made our way back up Northampton Street (Easton’s Main thoroughfare) and could not resist the temptation of Khanisa’s Pudding Bar where I discovered pudding shots are a thing (and they are glorious). We ended our afternoon’s explorations with a couple of pints at Two Rivers Brewing Company. Housed in an old Victorian with original stamped tin ceilings Two Rivers has made a name for itself in the craft beer world. I’ve been on a hazy IPA kick lately and Two Rivers Save the Steeple IPA definitely hit the spot.

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Easton Silk Mill

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I lived in several homes and neighborhoods growing up in Easton and I made a point to drive past each one while I was in town. Imagine my surprise when I found that the abandoned textile plant across the street from the stone house I spent most of my high school years in has been transformed into one of the hottest spots in Easton. A mix of residential and commercial spaces the Silk Mill exudes a modern industrial vibe. I absolutely loved my visit to Tucker Silk Mill, a gorgeous Aussie cafe that makes a spot on flat white. While I didn’t have time to fully explore the Silk Mill some of the other businesses include an art gallery, ice cream shop and an urban winery .

Karl Stirner Arts Trail

I spent my last morning in Easton walking along the Karl Stirner Art Trail. This beautiful nature trail winds along Bushkill Creek and connects to the larger Two Rivers Trail network. Inspired by sculptor Karl Stirner who heavily influenced art community, the trail features contemporary sculptures among the beauty of the natural environment.