As Eagles training camp begins its 2008 season, many Philadelphians will make the hour drive north to Bethlehem to support the team and see the players in action again after several months off. And probably the last thought going through their minds as they drive along the Northeast Extension is that the Lehigh Valley is a hotbed of sports and outdoor activities.

   But much to their surprise (and ours) we found several things that sports fans and those who love the outdoors can do when training camp ends for the day. Heck, they just might make it worthwhile to check out the rest of the two-county, three-city region during a separate day trip or weekend visit. If is, after all, just a one tank (round trip) drive away.

• As every dedicated Phillies fan already knows, the franchise moved its Triple-A Minor League team to Allentown this year and gave it new digs and a new name. The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs play ball in a cool new 10,000-seat stadium called Coca-Cola Park . And you might be thinking, “Why should I watch a minor league game when I can see the major leagues in my own back yard?? And the answer is, because this is where it begins. This is where the next major league players come from and where some have gone back to. You get to see the up-and-coming stars of tomorrow and watch their talent develop. Not to mention that you don’t need binoculars to watch the game; there isn’t a bad seat in the house. And with tickets starting at just $6 for lawn seating and $9 for stadium seating, it truly is an activity the average family can afford.   www.ironpigsbaseball.com
• If you’ve ever raced the little putt-putt race cars at the local fair or amusement park, rest assured that this is nothing like that. Lehigh Valley Grand Prix in Allentown is an indoor kart racing facility where the karts go up to 40 mph. The track isn’t the usual oval but instead has many road-gripping curves. And since it’s indoors, you can drive no matter what the weather is doing outside. Both adults and older kids can ride, albeit in separate heats since the kids drive slightly slower karts that go 30 mph max. There’s an introductory safety lesson before you hit the track. Be prepared to get addicted to racing. www.lehighvalleygrandprix.com
• If you’ve ever wanted to shoot a gun but the idea of shooting a live animal unnerves you, then shooting a clay pigeon at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in Coplay is the humane alternative. The outdoor course, build around a former limestone quarry, is set in nature with two automated firing stations at each stop. Shoot over the water, through the trees and open fields and around old quarry buildings. www.lvsclays.com
• Dutch Springs is a man-made lake that sits aside an old industrial site where Bethlehem meets Nazareth . Certified SCUBA divers get to explore all kinds of cool submerged things, like buses and helicopters, trucks and boats. But since most of us aren’t SCUBA certified, there’s an above-the-surface water park called the AquaPark that is a less crowded alternative to big-name commercial water parks. Large inflatables such as Icebergs, The Blob and the Aqua Jump allow kids and adults to climb and then jump off or slide down them back into the water.  Camp sites are available for Friday and Saturday nights, so bring along your tent, grill and cooler. And if you’re not afraid of heights, then strap yourself into Sky Challenge, a two-story high ropes course with rock climbing wall. www.dutchsprings.com
• Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Trexlertown, formerly known as the Lehigh County Velodrome, is one of only a few velodromes in the entire country. What’s a velodrome, you ask? According to Webster’s it’s a “track designed for cycling.” If you’re thinking that amounts to watching cyclists race around an outdoor oval track several times, it’s actually much more exciting than it might sound. Many races at the Cycling Center are regional or national competitions which lead up to the Olympic level. So this is big time cycling!  www.lvvelo.org  
• Delaware River Tubing, just over the state border in nearby Frenchtown, N.J., is an inexpensive way to spend a lazy afternoon drifting in your personal inflatable tube down the Delaware River for three or four hours. Each tube ride includes a BBQ meal by the famous River Hot Dog Man at an island halfway through the trip. Tubes are provided so all you have to do is don a swim suit and some sunscreen. www.delawarerivertubing.com
• If you’ve ever wanted to learn fly casting or kayaking, the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery School in Center Valley can teach you the basics of what you need to know in an afternoon and for only a $15 fee. Called Walk-on Adventures, you just show up at the store, sign up and board a transport shuttle to the location where the class takes place. Children ages 8 and older can participate with adults. A GPS Techno Treasure Hunt is also available for the technologically gifted. Who knows what you might find in the great outdoors. www.llbean.com
• And while our own region of the state has some pretty impressive golf courses, all golfers like to play a new course every now and then. There are several highly ranked courses in the Lehigh Valley , including the Club at Morgan Hill and Riverview Country Club, both located in Easton, as well as the Center Valley Club, Southmoore Golf Course in Bath and The Architects Golf Club just over the Delaware River in Phillipsburg, NJ . What’s best about playing golf up north is that the courses are generally less expensive than those around Philly and often have more available tee times. That alone makes it worth the drive.

For more information on things to do in the Lehigh Valley, request a free 2008 Lehigh Valley Map & Guide brochure by calling 1-800-747-0561 or online at www.LehighValleyPA.org.