WEEKEND TRIP · BETHLEHEM · PENNSYLVANIA
An Advent weekend in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: arrival, where to stay and a two-day plan
A weekend between 20 November and 20 December lets you see both Christmas markets with one main location per day. Spend Saturday on the South Side at Christkindlmarkt and Sunday in the historic district at Christmas City Village. On December weekends, the 5:30 pm Advent Calendar can close the trip.
How do you plan a weekend at the Bethlehem, PA Christmas markets?
Choose a weekend between 20 November and 20 December 2026, when both markets open. Give Saturday to the South Side: the National Museum of Industrial History in the morning, then Christkindlmarkt, open until 8 pm. Give Sunday to the historic district: Christmas City Village from 11 am and one cultural stop. On 5 to 6, 12 to 13 or 19 to 20 December you can add the Live Advent Calendar at 5:30 pm. Stay on the side where you want to spend your main evening.
- Both markets open
- Weekends, 20 Nov – 20 Dec
- With Advent Calendar
- 5–6, 12–13, 19–20 Dec
- Nearest airport
- Lehigh Valley (ABE)
- LANTA bus
- US$2 single, US$4 day pass
How do you get to the Bethlehem Christmas markets?
Plan the journey to your actual address, not just to Bethlehem in general, and check it again for the return.
Lehigh Valley International (ABE)
The airport's transport page lists rental cars, taxis, hotel shuttles, scheduled buses and rideshare. Rideshare pickup is at the sheltered outdoor waiting area on the Second Level of the Main Terminal. If you want a hotel shuttle, confirm with the hotel that it runs on your date and how to request it.
Parking at SteelStacks
ArtsQuest lists free public parking next to the Christkindlmarkt grounds, first come, first served. Municipal garages have their own rates: Polk Street Garage at 418 PA-412, Riverport Garage at 13 West Second Street and South New Street Garage at 324 South New Street. Photograph the entrance and level.
LANTA between the two sides
The Blue and Green EBS routes connect the North and South Sides, with stations including Downtown Bethlehem, Riverport, Southside and Hayes. A single fare is US$2 and a day pass US$4, with digital tickets via ValleyRide and the Transit app. Route 601 is a Saturday downtown circulator, not a market shuttle.
Where should you stay for the Bethlehem Christmas markets?
Pick the area around your main evening. The guide recommends no specific hotel.
Near SteelStacks
A natural base for Christkindlmarkt and the industrial museum, and convenient for a Saturday evening at the market until 8 pm or a free Friday evening from 5 pm. Check the real walk or journey back after dark rather than relying on a listing that says central.
Near Main Street
Suits the courtyard market, Main Street, the museums and the Advent Calendar at 5:30 pm. It works well if your main evening is the December Sunday in the historic district. Ask about parking and any accessible entrance before you book.
What to check when booking
Compare the total price for identical dates, including taxes, parking, breakfast and extra charges, as well as cancellation terms. For a one-night stay, ask about luggage storage on departure day, so you can explore the second district without carrying bags.
How do you plan departure day in Bethlehem?
Sunday has shorter hours, so leave room for luggage, parking and the transfer.
Earlier closing times
Christkindlmarkt closes at 6 pm on Sundays and the Village at 7 pm. The Kemerer and Moravian museums normally close at 4 pm on Sundays, and the Putz at 5 pm. Do not rely on Saturday's longer hours when planning the last afternoon.
Check the last connection
A route's published operating span is not a departure time at your stop. Note the stop, direction and last suitable service separately, and plan the return before an evening visit. Route 601 finishes in the late afternoon and will not bring you back after the market.
Skip the evening slot
If you depart early on Sunday, leave out the Advent Calendar and keep the morning simple. The option that worked on arrival may not suit an early flight, so check the airport journey again and keep the hotel address and pickup point saved.
Two markets across two days
Based on the guide's Route 6 for a weekend in the shared season. Confirm all hours for your dates.
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Saturday 10:00
Industrial museum
Optional start at the National Museum of Industrial History, 602 East Second Street, open 10 am to 5 pm.
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Saturday afternoon
Christkindlmarkt
After a break, browse PNC Plaza with one craft focus. Extra activities need their own confirmation.
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Saturday evening
Market lights
The market stays open until 8 pm. Plan the journey back to your accommodation beforehand.
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Sunday 11:00
Christmas City Village
Start in the Sun Inn Courtyard, free entry, with time for Main Street.
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Sunday afternoon
One cultural stop
Choose the Moravian Museum, the Kemerer Museum (both normally until 4 pm) or the Putz (until 5 pm).
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Sunday 17:30
Live Advent Calendar
On December weekends only. The courtyard market closes at 7 pm; then begin the trip home.
Weekend checklist
Your weekend, already mapped out
The guide's six routes include this two-day plan, a free Friday evening and a family day on one side of town. Arrival, parking, buses, accommodation and budget are covered in their own chapters.
- Route 6: two markets across two days
- Airport, parking and LANTA details
- Budget examples with published prices
Frequently asked questions
Which weekend is good for both Bethlehem Christmas markets?
Any weekend between 20 November and 20 December 2026, when Christkindlmarkt and Christmas City Village both open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you want the Live Advent Calendar as well, choose 5 to 6, 12 to 13 or 19 to 20 December, because it does not run in November.
Can you visit Bethlehem, PA on a day trip at Christmas?
Yes. On a short visit, focus on one district: Christkindlmarkt and the industrial museum on the South Side, or Christmas City Village and Main Street in the historic district. Save the other for another day rather than rushing the transfer.
How do I get from ABE airport to Bethlehem?
Lehigh Valley International Airport lists rental cars, taxis, hotel shuttles, scheduled buses and rideshare. Rideshare pickup is at the sheltered waiting area on the Second Level of the Main Terminal. Plan the transfer to your accommodation, allowing time for check-in before your first market visit.
Is there a shuttle between the two Bethlehem Christmas markets?
Not as such. LANTA's Blue and Green EBS routes connect the North and South Sides; check the stop and direction for your journey. Route 601, the Saturday Downtown Circulator, is not a shuttle between the markets and finishes in the late afternoon.
What does a weekend at the Bethlehem Christmas markets cost?
The guide's example for two adults: the industrial museum (US$36) plus Saturday market admission (US$33) comes to US$69, plus US$8 for two LANTA day passes. Accommodation, food, parking, shopping and extras are additional, while Christmas City Village is free and Christkindlmarkt is free on Friday evenings from 5 to 8 pm.
More for your Advent trip
Research status 29 October 2026; Tabiara is an independent guide, not an official publication, so check the organiser and venue sources before you travel.