The Home Depot — Allentown South

Sitting just off I-78 on the outskirts of Allentown, this Home Depot is all about convenience first and everything else second, with quick highway access and a medium-sized, well-worn lot that stays busier than you might expect for an overnight stop.

While my review from a few years ago provides a ton of detail, I thought I would follow up that review with a topline of HIGHLIGHTS and LOWLIGHTS along with a smattering of new photos.

HIGHLIGHTS:(1) Excellent proximity to I-78 makes this an easy in-and-out stop for travelers passing through the area;(2) Surprisingly quiet at night due to the store sitting slightly below highway grade, limiting road noise despite being so close to the interstate;(3) Flat parking lot overall, making setup relatively easy compared to more uneven overnight options;(4) Decent lighting throughout most of the lot, providing a baseline sense of visibility and awareness;(5) Access to nearby essentials within a short drive, including quick eats like IHOP, Wawa, and Plaza Azteca.

LOWLIGHTS:(1) Parking lot condition is worn and heavily used, giving it a slightly rundown feel;(2) Can be quite crowded depending on time of day, making it harder to find a more tucked-away overnight spot;(3) Surrounding area feels a bit rough around the edges, which may raise some safety and security concerns for some travelers;(4) Very limited immediate amenities within walking distance, requiring a drive for most food or supplies;(5) Lacks any real charm or“destination” appeal, this is purely a practical overnight stop rather than a place you’d linger.

Happy Overnighting!

The upside to this Home Depot? Simply put, the proximity to the major 78 highway is certainly the highest attraction point of this iconic orange home fixer-upper, and given its location, which sits a bit lower sea level than the higher altitude main thoroughfare that likely you exited to arrive here means little to no noise. The lot itself is just medium-sized and when we passed by, it was pretty jam packed, which we were not surprised by, given the nearby larger population of Allentown along with all of the drive-by traffic coming off of 78.

This paved piece of parking paradise is not new, in fact, it’s a bit worn, albeit flat. There’s decent lighting, but given the somewhat rough surroundings that you’ll find yourself placed in, we definitely had our radar up on the safety & security front. Given the specific location of the store, there’s not a ton immediately surrounding this shop, so if you need anything, it’s going to be a bit of a haul, but again, you’re just on the outskirts of a fairly decent town, so finding what you need shouldn’t be all that difficult of an endeavor.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best spots here at this Home Depot are those that are furthest west along the 1-lane road that brought you to this place, which while positioning you closer to 78, again, given the elevation, there’s little to no residual impact, as at least for us, it was surprisingly quiet; (2) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is in your onboard mini-fridge or you just want to try out some local fare, then your pickings are slim in that there’s only really 3-4 options near you, including IHOP, Plaza Azteca Mexican and Wawa; (3) Should you be RV'ing with your four-legged friends with you, then you’ll be in luck as just due east of here you’ll discover a nice patch of nature called South Mountain Trail, which has a number of really good bike trails and hiking paths for you and your pet to stretch your legs; (4) If you have a canoe or kayak and want to dip the beak of your vessel into some fresh water, then head due northwest to Little Lehigh Creek where you can not only get some decent oaring in, but drop a line or two as well to grab a nice dinner of blue gill; and (5) Looking for a fun diversion for the kiddos? Then head on over to Bogert’s Covered Bridge for some turn-of-the-century kind of fun and after that wears off, then head nearby to the Mack Trucks Historical Museum, which will definitely get them off their smart phones and imbibing some local history.

While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:

Convenience: 4 

Safety & Security: 3 

Quality: 2 

Peace & Quiet: 4 

Amenities: 1 

Overall, I scored this location a 3. 

Happy Overnighting!