Best places for family photos in Allentown
Planning family photos in Allentown? These are the spots worth shortlisting, chosen for the light, the backdrop, and how easily a session comes together.
12 places to shoot family photos & videos in Allentown
Malcolm W. Gross Memorial Rose Garden
Gazebos, a small bridge, and a scatter of ponds break the rose garden into enough separate corners that a few kids can range across all of them without ever leaving the frame far behind. Weekday mornings keep the paths clear of tour groups, so nobody restless has to wait for a stranger to clear a shot.
For family photos: room for the whole group to spread out.
Lehigh Parkway & Bogert's Covered Bridge
Six hundred acres of trail give kids somewhere to actually run before anyone asks them to hold still for the camera, with the red truss of Bogert's Covered Bridge as the payoff at the end. Several lots along the parkway spread visitors out, so the bridge rarely has more than your own group standing on it.
For family photos: an easygoing setting that keeps kids engaged.
Cedar Creek Parkway (Cedar Beach)
Open lawns run the length of the creek here, wide enough for kids to chase each other between footbridges while the adults find the actual backdrop. It sits far enough from the Rose Garden's foot traffic that a family session rarely has to share a lawn with anyone else.
For family photos: a backdrop that still feels like home year after year.
Trexler Memorial Park
The meadow around the pond gives young kids room to wander off and get called back into frame rather than being asked to stand still the whole time. Weekdays keep the lawns close to empty, so a family session rarely competes with anyone else's picnic or dog walk.
For family photos: space to run without wandering out of frame.
West Park
The bandshell lawn is sized for exactly this: a group spread out across the grass with the historic homes framing the edges rather than crowding in. It is built for families and small groups specifically, and weekday visits mean the walkways rarely have another group crossing through.
For family photos: somewhere the grandparents can reach and sit comfortably.
Muhlenberg College Campus
The main quad has enough open lawn for a big family group to spread out in a real arc instead of a tight line, with the Haas College Center tower giving smaller kids something to point at. Weekend mornings, once classes clear out, keep the quad down to just your group and whoever else is walking a dog.
For family photos: a spot that holds a large group without a crowd behind them.
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Union Terrace
The lawns wrap the pond wide enough that kids can circle the fountain while the rest of the family waits closer to the water's edge. It stays an uncrowded pocket close to downtown, so a session rarely has to pause for anyone passing through.
For family photos: enough going on to keep toddlers cheerful between frames.
Lehigh Landing & America on Wheels Waterfront
The promenade runs wide and open along the river, room enough for kids to range ahead toward the bridges without disappearing from the shot. Weekday visits beat the queues that build on weekends for the America on Wheels museum next door, leaving the plaza mostly to your group.
For family photos: open ground for the classic everyone-together shot.
Jordan Creek Parkway
The trail follows the creek far enough that kids can range ahead to the next footbridge and back without losing the group. Weekdays keep this greenway close to empty, so the quiet stretches of water rarely have another family working the same spot.
For family photos: corners for the smaller, quieter groupings.
Cedar Beach Park
Open lawns and ball fields give a big family group enough room to actually spread out, not just line up shoulder to shoulder. Weekday visits skip the crowd that fills the beach section on weekends, so the mature trees along the edge stay yours for the session.
For family photos: a setting that suits repeat visits as the family grows.
Arts Walk & PPL Center District
The murals along the pedestrian alleys give kids something to actually look at between setups instead of standing around waiting. Weekday mornings, before downtown fills in, keep the corridor close to empty, so the string lights and facades stay uncluttered by anyone but your group.
For family photos: forgiving light for a group with mixed heights.
Cedar Crest College & Curtis Arboretum
A hundred and thirty tree species and a sunken quarry garden give small kids plenty to explore between the brick academic buildings, with room to wander that a smaller park would not allow. It stays calm on weekends specifically, so a family with young children rarely has to share the lawns with campus traffic.
For family photos: a backdrop that reads as your city, not anywhere.
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Shooting family photos in Allentown
It depends on the spot. Public streets and sidewalks usually don't, while many parks, gardens, and landmarks require a permit for professional sessions. Each location above notes what we found on permits — confirm the current rules and any fee with the venue or city before you book.
Golden hour — the hour after sunrise or before sunset — flatters almost every location, and each spot above lists the light that works best there. Early morning also means thinner crowds at the popular ones.
Snappr pricing is flat and set before you book, with no travel or editing surprises. Most sessions run one to two hours; you can see current rates and what each tier includes on the pricing page.
Pick your date and shoot type and we match you with a vetted local photographer who shoots in Allentown. Booking takes a couple of minutes, and you can reschedule for free if plans change.
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