Historic Bethlehem River Tours — Attraction in Bethlehem

Saturday 9 am - Aug 21st, 2021.

THIS TOUR COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH BETTER IF OUR TOUR GUIDE WAS ACTUALLY HELPFUL WITH SETTING UP OUR GROUP AND THE OTHER GUESTS WITH THE EQUIPMENT (KAYAKS AND BIKES)

INSTEAD WE WERE TASKED WITH LIFTING THE KAYAKS TO/FROM THE TRAILER AND THEN ONCE AGAIN TASKED WITH HAVING TO UNLOAD THE BICYCLES AND FILLING THE TIRES WITH AIR.

THE OWNER AND TOUR GUIDE SHOULD INSPECT THE EQUIPMENT AND PREAPARE THEM FOR THE TOURS BEFORE HAND.

THIS RESULTED IN ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR GROUP SUFFERING A BLOWN OUT TIRE MIDWAY ON A 5 MILE TRAIL. THE TRAIL IS VERY BUSY WITH SPEEDING CYCLISTS AND RUNNERS.

The Kayak and Bike riding session was very fun but our group was forced into some hard manual labor.

We were completely taken back after the tour guide Eric, asked the guys in our group to help launch the kayaks into the Lehigh river.

At first this request seemed normal, you know, carry our own kayaks down to the water and launch them - FINE!

However, after 5 miles of kayaking, our group was then asked to carry up all of the kayaks and then load those 15 kayaks onto a trailer.

THEN, we had to unload the 15 bicycles (for members of another group too) and then fill the tires of every bicycle with 50 psi of air.

The normal amount is 32 PSI of air for mountain bike tires. This resulted in one of the people in our group suffering a flat tire and having to walk the bicycle over 4 miles on a very busy trail.

We are frankly very shocked that Eric the tour guide did not have an assistant to help with the operation.

Instead he opted to put about 5 members of our party to work lifting/loading kayaks and then lifting and unloading all of the mountain bikes and filling them all up with air. He also did NOT inspect the bicycles before we road them resulting in a dangerous situation for one of the members of our group.

We would not recommend this tour for anyone that is looking for a straight forward kayak/bike tour.

If you are looking to do some hard manual labor, pick up 50 lb kayaks and then unload dozens of bikes and perform maintenance on them, this would be the place...

spent a lovely afternoon on the Lehigh river yesterday with this Tour company under the guidance of Eric and Eric, two very knowledgeable and professional guides for all things Bethlehem, Steel and the river. We combined the tour of 3 hours kayaking down the river past the Steel stacks and rode provided bikes back up the path. The tour would definitely qualify as a family activity, it doesn't require any kind of training so don't worry that you cannot make it. Yesterday the river ran at the pace of a lazy river at a water park and the few times it was running faster you definitely always felt well taken care off. Things good to know: the guides are awesome. the regular tour takes a bout 4 hours (there are several story time stops on the river when Eric tells you everything Bethlehem in a very entertaining fashion)so plan that in (40 minutes on the bike, flat path as well). Before you go in the river you are very well set up by Eric and he provides water and secures your valuables. One last thing: when they say there are no bathrooms they are not lying, so go hit a Wawa or a McDonalds before checking in. Now do it! you will...

Historic Bethlehem River Tours offers a gentle half-day adventure combining a bike ride and a kayaking trip — perfect for those who enjoy a relaxed pace and scenic surroundings. Our bike trail was an easy, pleasant four miles, and while the bikes weren’t high-end, they were in good repair and handled the route just fine. (Full disclosure: I’m a bit of a “pedal-bike princess” used to a cushier seat, but these got the job done!)

The kayaking portion took us down a calm stretch of river — very calm, in fact — making it ideal for beginners or anyone looking for a peaceful paddle rather than a thrilling one. The kayaks and life vests were clean, well-maintained, and ready to go. I noticed they had a two-person kayak for a mother-son duo, which was a nice touch.

Our guide, Eric, was friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to share local history during frequent rest breaks. If you’re after a mellow, family-friendly way to enjoy the outdoors and learn a bit along the way, this tour fits the bill. I’m glad I got to experience it and meet such...