Anytime I’m visiting an area I always want to know the don’t miss attractions well, so I don’t miss them. So if you are on a road trip and heading to or through Reading Pennsylvania here are some attractions you want to make sure that you don’t miss!
The Pagoda
Commissioned in 1906 at a cost of $50,000 by William A. Witman, Sr. to cover his stone quarry, the Pagoda was completed in 1908. It was orginally intended to be a luxury resort atop Mt. Penn, but due to the bank foreclosure and the denial of a liquor license, Witman never opened the Pagoda. By 1910 the Pagoda and surrounding 10 acres were deeded to local business owner, Jonathon Mould and his wife, Julia (Bell). On April 21, 1911 they “sold” the Pagoda to the City of Reading for the sum of $1. Since then the Pagoda has been owned, loved and cared for by the citizens and City of Reading.
The Pagoda has a cafe, gift shop, tours of the building and you can even rent a room for a special event. They even have different activities throughout the year, you can check their calendar here.
The huge empty 19th century factory building was resurrected by local visionaries and donors who created studio space. GoggleWorks features six large teaching studios in ceramic, hot and warm glass, jewelry, photography, and wood; 35 juried artists’ studios, exhibition galleries, and houses the offices of over a dozen arts, culture, and creative economy organizations.
The complex also includes a 131-seat theatre, which presents art house films daily, a café, and store, which retails the work of over 200 individual artists from around the country.
Fairgrounds Farmers Market
The Fairgrounds Farmers Market isn’t your typical small-time farmers market. They have a numerous variety of vendors from produce, meats & poultry, bakeries, deli’s, as well as flowers, plants, antiques, collectibles, tobacco, fine wines and pretty much anything you could ever want. They also have plenty of places to eat while you shop including the ever so popular Vietnamese Delight food stand.
The stand is really a small restaurant where shoppers can stop for a traditional Vietnamese bubble tea or take home fully cooked Vietnamese dinners. The pho, shredded pork rolls, shrimp rolls and vermicelli are a few of my favorites
Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center
Nolde Forest encompasses more than 665 acres of deciduous woodlands and coniferous plantations. A network of trails makes the center’s streams, ponds and diverse habitats accessible to both students and visitors. Teaching stations offer places for students to work and benches for those who wish to sit and enjoy the sights and sounds associated with the natural world. ADA accessible trails are located by the mansion and sawmill.
The Nolde mansion houses offices for the center staff. A garden featuring native wildflowers is adjacent to the mansion. The C.H. McConnell Environmental Education Hall near the mansion is the indoor site for year-round programming.
The name speaks for itself (who doesn’t love a good brewing company?) But besides the beer the food is to die for – forbidden nachos,
This post is sponsored in part by Bob Fisher Chevrolet in Reading Pennsylvania.
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