Nazareth

Eastlawn Gardens is a suburban neighborhood with traditional homes, community playgrounds and top-rated schools in the heart of the Lehigh Valley. “There’s a hometown feel where you know your neighbors and kids play together on the street,” says Mark Lutz, a Realtor with Re/Max Unlimited Real Estate with over 22 years of experience. “It’s got that American story where everyone wants to live on that picturesque street.” Situated on the eastern side of the Borough of Nazareth, residents are minutes from Route 33 and about 80 miles from both Philadelphia and New York City. Mature trees shade the neighborhood’s wide streets, but Eastlawn Gardens does not have sidewalks. Most single-family homes were built throughout the second half of the 20th century and sit on quarter-to-half-acre lots, with corner lots offering residents more space to enjoy the outdoors. Homebuyers can find traditional Cape Cod, Colonial Revival and ranch-style homes featuring attached or detached garages. Newer construction is also scattered throughout the neighborhood and includes new traditional homes built in the early 2000s. Prices range from about $235,00 for a three-bedroom Cape Cod to $605,000 for a newer four-bedroom Colonial Revival. The Borough of Nazareth is centrally located in Eastern Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. Residents are about 12 miles northwest of Easton and 16 miles north of Bethlehem. Eastlawn Gardens is less than 2 miles west of Route 33, which connects to nearby thoroughfares such as Interstate 78. “Jump on Route 33 and you can get everywhere,” Lutz says. “New York, New Jersey. I have clients that travel daily.” The Lehigh Valley International Airport is about 17 miles southwest and is the closest airport to the neighborhood. While Eastlawn Gardens is primarily residential, several restaurants sit in the center of the neighborhood along East Lawn Road. Zanette’s Nazareth Grill is a casual spot where locals can enjoy American classics for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If that isn’t enough, there are 24 soft-serve flavors for dessert. Down the street, Sicily Pizza & Restaurant serves Italian dishes in a homey environment, and Naz-O-Nut is a locally owned donut shop known for its sweet treats. East Lawn Road also connects residents to the commercial hub of downtown Nazareth. For groceries, Nazareth Plaza is about 2 miles south and includes a Giant. Eastlawn Gardens has two neighborhood playgrounds: Sycamore Park and Hillside Farms Playground. Sycamore Park sits in the northeastern corner of the community and features a basketball court and playset for kids to explore. Further west, Hillside Farms Playground includes a swing set, slides and climbing structures. Residents are also about a mile east of Nazareth Borough Park, which has a variety of sports courts, an off-leash dog park and a community pool. The western portion of the park features rolling hills, which are a popular spot for sledding on snowy days. Children attend the Nazareth Area School District, which was ranked the best school district in Northampton County by Niche. Kids in grades K-4 attend Shafer Elementary School before moving on to Nazareth Area Intermediate School for grades 5-6 and Nazareth Area Middle School for grades 7-8. All three schools earned an A-minus from Niche. Teens attend the A-rated Nazareth Area High School, which supports student artists with a public art gallery known as The Eagle Nest Gallery. Most homes in Eastlawn Gardens are within walking distance of all four schools. “You’re in close proximity to the schools, and Nazareth football games are right down the block,” Lutz says. The Borough of Nazareth is home to the headquarters of C.F. Martin & Company, a guitar manufacturer known for producing the renowned Martin Guitar. Artists such as Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan played Martins, and residents can visit the headquarters and tour the Martin Museum or the Martin Factory. The annual Martin on Main festival celebrates the borough’s musical history with live music, guitar displays and food vendors along the streets of downtown Nazareth.

Amid the cornfield-laden farmland of Northampton County is Lower Nazareth Township — a modest community characterized by its quiet nature and easygoing lifestyle. The township may be small, but Eastern Pennsylvania locals are flocking there for its endearing air and scenery. "Nazareth is more of an expanding area that's had a lot of growth, specifically since COVID-19 began," says local Realtor Lisa Wright of Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Realtors, who has sold nearly 300 homes in the area. "There are a lot of families moving into the area for the schools and the proximity to New Jersey." Lower Nazareth's winding streets primarily contain large, two-story homes with traditional colonial architecture and big, sprawling yards, though ranch and split-level homes are also common. Smaller, older homes often price between $300,000 and $500,000 while larger homes constructed in the 2000s can range from $500,000 to upwards of $800,000. "There's a lot of rolling hills with beautiful vistas," Wright says. "The lots are typically bigger than you can get in the city or even the suburbs, so it has a really pretty vibe to it." According to Wright, the housing market in the area is very competitive with many homes selling within two weeks of their initial listing. Students in Lower Nazareth go to schools under the Nazareth Area School District umbrella. Children from kindergarten through Grade 4 can go to Lower Nazareth Elementary School before advancing to Nazareth Area Intermediate School for Grades 5 and 6 while kids in seventh and eighth grade go to Nazareth Area Middle School. The elementary, intermediate and middle school all earn an overall grade of A-minus from Niche. Teens can attend Nazareth Area High School off East Center Street. The high school earns an overall grade of A from Niche and offers a host of extracurricular clubs and organizations from National Honor Society to jazz band. After school, kids flock to the playground at Lower Nazareth Township Park while sports lovers work on their jump shot at the basketball courts. The park also includes a full-sized football field and several baseball fields for batting practice. Locals frequent Surrey Glen Park to jog on the paved walking trail or fish along Monocacy Creek as well. Louise Moore County Park is another hot spot, containing a duck pond and a community garden for residents to show off their green thumb. Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center also sits 6 miles to the north, offering a large network of trails perfect for hiking and spotting wildlife. To book tee times, Green Pond Country Club sits just south of the township and offers golf lessons while also serving as a popular venue for weddings. Nazareth comes to life when the leaves change colors. The annual Nazareth Fall Festival is a key event for many of the township's residents, featuring pumpkin painting, trunk-or-treating and live entertainment. There are plenty of shopping options in Lower Nazareth. Locals typically head to the neighborhood Wegmans off Nazareth Road at Lower Nazareth Commons for fresh meats and produce. The shopping center also contains a Target and several fast-food restaurants. Additional shopping options can be found directly across the street at Northampton Crossings, which contains a Walmart Supercenter, Kohl's and a movie theater. For a meal out with the family, Diner 248 is a good place to try. The local diner is a staple in Lower Nazareth, offering a robust breakfast menu for Sunday brunch and various traditional American foods from burgers and fries to chicken wings. Hanoverville Road House, operating out of an old stagecoach stop built in the early 1800s, is another area favorite thanks to its unique historic feel. Lower Nazareth residents are typically car-dependent, though the township does offer excellent road and highway access. The Lehigh Valley Thruway serves as the township's southern border while Nazareth Pike cuts directly through the region. Locals are also a 15-minute drive from Lehigh Valley International Airport, which is stationed 7 miles to the west.

Sandwiched between the boroughs of Bath and Nazareth is the Upper Nazareth Township — a cornfield-laden region offering laid-back suburban living. Just 3 miles west of Nazareth's downtown area, Upper Nazareth Township sits in proximity to all of the borough's attractions while still boasting a rural and industrial feel in the heart of Northampton County. "People who come in from out of state, as soon as they move here, they just feel like they were welcome," says local Associate Broker Rebecca Miklas of Miklas Realty, who grew up in the township. "It has a welcome, home-town hospitality type of feel." Upper Nazareth Township's subdivisions primarily contain contemporary colonial homes with big front yards, though ranch-style and split-level dwellings can also be found along Bath Pike. A smaller home with three bedrooms can price between $200,000 and $350,000 while larger properties containing 3,000-plus square feet may range from $500,000 to upwards of $700,000. Upper Nazareth Township's housing market is fairly competitive with some homes selling within four or five weeks after being listed. Upper Nazareth Township students go to schools under the Nazareth Area School District umbrella. Children from kindergarten through Grade 4 may go to Lower Nazareth Elementary School before moving on to Nazareth Area Intermediate School for Grades 5 and 6. Nazareth Area Middle School serves children in Grades 7 and 8 while teens attend Nazareth Area High School, which offers a wealth of extracurriculars from a competitive athletics program to a strong fine arts department. Each school earns an overall grade of A-minus or better from Niche. In proximity to Nazareth proper, Upper Nazareth Township locals can visit the signature Central Square, which hosts the weekly Nazareth Farmers Market each Saturday from May to October, while Tuskes Community Park off Bath Pike is a hot spot for local athletes. The park contains several sports fields on top of basketball courts and a playground perfect for friendly playdates. It also hosts the annual Upper Nazareth Community Days carnival, which offers live entertainment, a beer tent and a fireworks show each summer. History buffs will never be bored in downtown Nazareth. The Moravian Historical Society's Whitefield House Museum on East Center Street draws lovers of theology while musicians can visit the Martin Guitar Museum and its 1833 Shop to uncover the story of Martin's classic acoustic guitars. Residents of Upper Nazareth Township have lots of food options to choose from. The roadside Slate Quarry Hotel serves as a hot spot to catch the big game with a burger and fries while Emily's Ice Cream in downtown Nazareth is a local gem, not only for its homemade ice cream, but also the antiquated Civil War-era building that houses it. For a home-cooked meal, locals can pick up fresh meats and produce from the nearby Giant off Nazareth Pike. Downtown Nazareth also offers small retail shops and additional restaurant options. "There's so much that you can do," Miklas says. "You stroll through it and you feel like you're walking through a Hallmark movie with all the shops and stores along the main drag." While downtown Nazareth is very walkable, Upper Nazareth Township residents will be better off with a car. Luckily, the township does have solid road access, offering locals easy drives along the area's farmland. Upper Nazareth Township is also under two hours from Philadelphia and New York, making for easy day trips to the big city.