Mid Atlantic Air Museum

The Mid Atlantic Air Museum at the Reading Regional Airport gives visitors the opportunity to see planes from various eras.  Included in the admission of $6/person is an expert who can give you information on any planes in the hangar bay, as well as on the tarmac.

The highlight of the museum is the Enola Gay, which was the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb during World War II in Hiroshima, Japan.  Also, there are airshows that occur here during the year, so be sure to check their calendar to for an aerial delight.

William Penn Fire Tower

A fun afternoon with kids can be spent, relatively cheaply by driving up Mt. Penn in Reading and touring both the Pagoda and the William Penn Fire Tower. To climb to the top of the Pagoda is only $1 per person and the Fire Tower is by donation. Both give you beautiful views of the city and neighboring communities.

At the Fire Tower, you'll find picnic tables, perfect for eating lunch in the afternoon, and behind, in front and around both sites are well maintained trails.

As you begin your climb up the Fire Tower, make sure to check out this inlay (you'll miss it if you don't look for it). It's towards the bottom of the stairs and above your head as you begin the climb. The coat of arms is that of William Penn.

The William Penn Fire Tower is only open on the third Saturday of each month from noon until 5 p.m.

FirstEnergy Stadium

About a 90 minute drive from Citizen Bank Park, which is where the Philadelphia Phillies play, is FirstEnergy Stadium which houses their AA affiliate team, the Reading Phillies.  For a fraction of the cost of a ticket to a major league game, you can check out quality baseball and see players that are eventually bound for the Majors.

The stadium itself is significantly smaller than a major league stadium, but that has it's benefits.  It means there is no bad seat in the house and you get a much more intimate experience.  They also provide much more entertainment between innings, especially for children, with races, t-shirts being slung into the audience and the crowd favorite, the Crazy Hot Dog Vendor, who literally throws free hot dogs into the crowd.

Any fans of the Phillies should definitely check out a game when they get an opportunity.  And even if you aren't a fan of the team, it can still be a fun, low-cost experience.  And you'll also have plenty of laughs with some of the crazy fans at the game.

The Pagoda

Have any interest in Japanese architecture but don't have the funds to pay for the trip to Tokyo?  Well, a short trip to Reading will at least let you see a sample of this.  The Pagoda was built in 1908 and is probably the most iconic building in the city of Reading.  A trip to the top gives you a nice panoramic view of the city and only costs $1 a person.  If you're in the area and looking for something to do, this is worth the trip.