Lehigh University, located on a beautiful wooded campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is home to approximately 7,000 students. Spanning across 2,300 acres, it's one of the largest private campuses in the States. Much of student life is centered on campus and Greek life is huge. The university is an easy drive from either New York or Philadelphia.
Visitor Information: Tour Lehigh
Stay: The Sayre Mansion is a beautiful B&B in the heart of Bethlehem. If you are looking for a full service, large hotel check into The Bethlehem Hotel or the Wind Creek Bethlehem.
Coffee: Loaded with charm, Deja Brew is filled with students and faculty. You’ll get a good feel for the Lehigh energy while sipping your morning coffee.
Breakfast: Go to Alexandra’s Bistro for a classic diner experience. There’s nothing formal here, just good food and wonderful service. If you love having eggs for breakfast, head to The Flying Egg (they also have a great tofu scramble.) Right on campus, Johnny’s Bagels opens at 7AM. In addition to their excellent bagels they also make specialty omelets. For fresh orange juice, Greek style iced coffee and a delicious breakfast, go to Billy’s Diner.
Lunch: The People’s Kitchen is an excellent café serving favorites like mac and cheese, shrimp and grits and cheese steak sandwiches. You should definitely try the Salmon and Avocado Bowl at Playa Bowls. Check out the great offerings on campus at the University Center. You will find great subs and soups at Goosemen.
Dinner
Casual: For great brick oven pies head to The Brick or Sal’s Brick Oven Pizza (aka Anna’s.) Step back into the Prohibition era at The Bookstore Speakeasy. Serving American cuisine with an extensive beer selection along with live jazz on select evenings, this is a great choice for dinner. With indoor and outdoor seating, head to Apollo Grill. Make a reservation ahead of time, as this is a popular destination.
A Step Up: Restaurateur, television personality and chef, Emeril Lagasse has two restaurants in Bethlehem Emeril’s Fish House and Emeril’s Chop House. As the names suggest, Emeril’s Chop House serves up classic steak dinners. Voted “Best Dining” in Bethlehem, Edge delivers an excellent dining experience with Asian and French influences. With bubbling fondue pots filled with delicious menu selections, The Melting Pot will have something for everybody. Set in a former stagecoach, Bolete is where many students take their parents for an upscale farm to table meal. A parent recently recommended trying the Blue Grillhouse.
Local Attractions: Bethlehem Steel Stacks is a great place to see a concert or show. Check their event schedule before visiting. If you want to extend your stay, head to Hershey Park, about an hour and a half away.
Notes From the Tour: From Parents from Our Facebook Group
Lehigh is literally built into the side of a mountain. The entire tour is either uphill or up steep stairs. I was exhausted as we had gone to Villanova first and Lehigh second. The dorms are at the top of the hill, which was a deterrent to us.
Lehigh is hilly, but we did fine on the tour and there were no complaints from the teenagers. It's a gorgeous campus with really friendly kids. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes!
If in Bethlehem at lunchtime try the Goose.
I’m a Lehigh alum. It’s a beautiful campus and you don’t see a lot of it on the official tour. Make sure to drive up the hill through the fraternities and sororities and over the back side of the mountain to the football stadium.
Apollo Grill in Bethlehem is an amazing restaurant.
*** For more info on where to eat, check out Lehigh's list here.
— Quotes From Campus —
“When I visited the school senior year of high school, what stood out to me was how beautiful the campus was. It was one of the main reasons I applied early decision. I like the fact that it is not too big, and you can basically walk from one side of campus to the other in 15 minutes or less.”
“Lehigh - Lafayette week is one of the best weeks of the whole year leading up to the big football game.”
LEHIGH FAST FACTS
Established
1865
Mascot
Clutch
School Colors
Seal Brown, Brown & White
Acceptance Rate
26%
Common Application
Yes
Supplement Essays
Yes
Early Action/Decision
Early Decision
SAT
Average - 1440
ACT
Average - 31
Type
Private
Size
Medium - 5,000 Undergraduates
Website
Region
Admissions Office
27 Memorial Drive West
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(p) (610) 758-3100
(f) (610) 758-4361
admissions@lehigh.edu
Sports Divisions
NCAA Division I
Greek Life
Yes
Noteworthy Alumni
Don Most
Lee Iacocca
Rabih Abdullah
SHOP
LEHIGH
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