I think everyone in Berks County has felt bored and has had no idea what to do at least once. There’s only so much that you can do at Broadcasting Square so many times. That’s what this list is for: to give you some idea of what you can do fifty miles (around a 50-minute drive to an hour) within our own high school.
Phoenixville:
The nice thing about Phoenixville is that it’s like a nicer version of West Reading. The sidewalks and streets are wider, there are more businesses to look at, and during weekends during the summer, they close off main street and allow you to walk in it. Some of the best times I’ve had during the summer are there just wandering around in the streets. They also have an independent movie theater, The Colonial Theatre, that plays new releases and returning films.
The most notable events in Phoenixville are the Chest County Pride Festival; a festival hosted by the LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County that features music, games, and activities to celebrate LGBTQ+ identities. Probably the most famous of Phoenixville’s events though is Blob Fest. Each summer, The Colonial Theater recreates the movie The Blob as an anniversary of the classic horror film being shot there. People do everything from elaborate costumes to just a T-shirt and shorts.
Lititz:
Lititz is a small borough in Lancaster with many shops and things to do. They are known for having the oldest commercial pretzel shop, Julius Sturgis. They do tours of the house where the Sturgis are from and the factory where the pretzels are made. They also have the Wilbur Chocolate Factory, a small building where you can get any chocolate you can think of. They have windows where they make and form the chocolate so you can watch them make it.
The most notable of events at Lititz is their yearly Fire and Ice Festival which usually takes place in late Feb. They close off the streets and bring food trucks to warm you up during the winter cold.
Park City Mall:
The Park City Mall is the largest enclosed mall in Lancaster, having more shops and more things to do than the Berkshire Mall. They have something for everyone. Books-A-Million (BAM) for bookworms, Lolli and Pops for sweet lovers, and more than enough clothing stores for the people who like to shop. They open at 11 AM and close at 7 PM, giving you the perfect amount of time to spend the afternoon and evening there.
