By Bob Tagert
This month we decided to visit Berks County in Pennsylvania. Our decision was influenced by the Berks County marketing folks as we receive “Constant Contact” emails from them on a regular basis and it looked like a great area to visit. Lani contacted their Marketing Director, Lisa Haggerty, and they arranged for a two-night stay at the Double Tree Hilton in Reading. Pronounced “Redding” just in case anyone out there was curious. The Google Maps girl wasn’t aware.
I am familiar with the Blue Mountains and the Southeastern part of Pennsylvania, as my dad grew up in Red Hill. Our family would visit his parents and sister often when we were growing up. Red Hill is only about 50 miles east of Reading but we never ventured over there.
Reading is about 190 miles from Alexandria. Driving there is pretty straight forward. We took I-95 from the Capital Beltway, to Baltimore beltway and then I-83 north to York where we picked up Route 30 to Lancaster where we again got back on Route 222 straight to Reading. Time was about 3 1/2 hours depending on traffic getting out of Old Town and around Baltimore. Leaving Old Town at 10 am, traffic was pretty good everywhere except the Baltimore Beltway which, like the Capital Beltway, is always crowded.
On our drive up, we did make time to stop in Wrightsville to stretch our legs and enjoy a very nice lunch at the John Wright Store and Restaurant that sits along the Susquehanna River.
It is a beautiful spot with a view of the remains of the second Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge that was destroyed during the Civil war in order to keep the Confederates from crossing the water. Constructed adjacent to the remains is the Veterans Memorial/Columbia-Wrightsville bridge and it is beautiful in its own right.
Route 222 takes you into town and right to the Double Tree. The hotel is in the heart of the city and very nice. Guest rooms feature complimentary WiFi, a 42-inch HDTV with premium cable channels, a mini-refrigerator, coffeemaker and laptop-sized safe.
The Cheers American Bistro is their in-house eatery and includes a nice Pub that offers indoor and outdoor seating and a full-service bar. The bar deserves special mention. I ordered a Beefeaters martini that was served in a substantial “up” glass and chilled to perfection and garnished with a lemon twist and I enjoyed every minute of it. The best part came when I got the tab. I experienced “reverse” sticker shock. What usually costs me between $16 and $20 dollars in Alexandria was $8 at the Double Tree. Score! As our two-day stay progressed, we were amazed at the reasonableness (is that a word?) of the cost of goods and services in this area. Only thing a bit on the high side was gas.
Lisa joined us for drinks when she got off work to give us some ideas for “things to do and places to eat” during our stay. It turns out that we know several people in common involved in travel writing in the mid-Atlantic. She is obviously very good at her job since she is the reason we were there. She is a wealth of knowledge about Berks County as well.
We took her recommendation for dinner both nights. After Lisa had to leave us, we decided Judy’s on Cherry was first on the list. Billed as “a hearth-fired euro café”, what was once a farmer’s market, Judy’s on Cherry is a beautifully renovated Mediterranean-inspired fine dining restaurant in the heart of downtown Reading, about five blocks from DoubleTree.
The building has a warm glow of vaulted wooded ceilings, gorgeous appointments and relaxed, comfortable service. Judy’s hearth fired oven turns out everything from freshly baked focaccia bread (which she shared with us on this night) to crispy, gourmet pizzas, pastas and tapas-like small plates. Not only is this restaurant beautiful, so is Judy. We were lucky enough to introduce ourselves during our visit and she took some time out of the dinner rush to talk with us.
She is the chef and mans the open kitchen with flair. Our meal was over the top outstanding and we will definitely go back if we are in the area again. Judysoncherry.com.
Reading is an interesting city to visit with many interesting things to do. One of the iconic sites is currently under construction for renovations. The Pagoda was built in 1907 as a 7-story luxury resort. It is 71 feet tall, 28 feet wide and 50 feet long. The Pagoda sits 620 feet above the city, 886 feet above sea level with a 30-mile panoramic view. The Pagoda plans to reopen middle of 2026.
Reading is also home to the Fightin’ Phils, a Double-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies since 1967. The affiliation is currently tied for the longest affiliation in Minor League Baseball. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Stadium in Reading. The Fightin’ Phils are a big deal around these parts. We had hoped to take in a game but ran out of time.
We had planned on following the popular Berks County Covered Bridge tour on our second day but the weather was “iffy” and we weren’t that high on touring in the rain so we just started driving and ended up in the small borough of Spring Ridge. How fortuitous that the weather held because we found a beach-like place in the mountains – Jimmy G’s Beverly Hills Tavern and subsequently what really is an “adult playground”.
Surrounded by an aging wooden fence is piles of white sand made to look like a beach with a Tiki style bar in the middle. There are numerous tables scattered around the bricked over ground with a stage, a legitimate party boat and Captain Morgan, a little shack for late night bites as well as a complete tavern with nice indoor dining. This place is unreal…nothing but green hill sides outside of this oasis of sand and fun.
We decided this was the place to have lunch and an adult beverage before we continued on our random drive. Once again, the prices for drinks and food are exceptional. I am a sucker for good coconut shrimp and Jimmy G’s fit the bill. The last time I did have them was at a legit beach bar in Rehoboth in April. Lani ordered a pound of steamed shrimp and ended putting up packaging some up for the cooler. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the staff. The kids that waited on us were great and we all know that a good bartender or server will entice you to hang around. They are pictured here with the OTC in hand. Left to right: Alison, Alexis, Jenna and Michael. The experience reminded me of combination of the former Stoney’s on Broomes Island and the Tiki Bar on Solomons Island in southern Maryland. BeverlyHillsTavern.biz
It was hard to leave, but we had to find another small borough, Wyomissing. Lani is a Wyoming native so we had to see what this place was all about. Wyomissing has a population of just over 11,000 so would be considered a major city in Wyoming where the average population of a town is 3000 or less.
And according to Wikipedia is the birthplace of Taylor Swift! We didn’t have much time to tour around but did find the Wyomissing Restaurant & Bakery. Unfortunately, they were closed.
We headed back to the hotel to freshen up and head to Lisa’s other dinner recommendation, Jimmy Kramer’s The Peanut Bar & Restaurant. Located within walking distance of the hotel, this family owned and operated restaurant is reminiscent of an old school family eatery. True to the name, peanuts in the shell are set up at the bar and served to you along with the water.
Just like in the beginning, patrons are encouraged to toss the shells on the floor. Serving traditional cuisine, the menu is extensive and the portions are large. The lasagna provided Lani with three more meals! The food and drinks are both exceptional. Be sure to try the Peanut Butter Cup Martini! Peanutbar.com
The hotel is directly across the street from the Santander Arena where live performances take place and the place was “abuzz” with people going to see Alejandro Fernandez who is evidently one of Mexico’s biggest international stars. Lani loves to people watch so she decided she was going to order an adult beverage and secure a seat outside of the bar and stay for a while. It had been a long day for me since I did the driving so I turned in when we got back to the hotel. It was obvious that she had a great time, she did a little bartering with a hat vendor and purchased a pretty sweet cowboy hat for a mere $20!
The next day, after a wonderful night’s sleep, we headed for home, but first a bit about our hosts. The Double Tree is a great hotel and with a great staff. The room are well kept and very comfortable. The bed contributes to a very sound sleep making for a refreshed feeling the next morning. Parking is in an ungated garage adjacent to the hotel and very convenient. They also provide free shuttle service for guests to and from nearby restaurants and venues.
I didn’t touch on a fraction of what there is to do in and around Reading and Berks County. For detailed information, check out VisitPaAmericana.com or BerksCountyLiving.com. We will definitely be back to take in some of the history and festivals as well as checking out some of the outdoor activities.
Our drive back was uneventful except for the light rain that fell making for constant turning on and off the windshield wiper.