Essentially the symbol of the City. Built as a resort at the turn of the 20th Century and eventually donated to the City of Reading as a park. Great place to view the skyline and see the sunset. The roads leading to the Pagoda (Duryea Drive and Skyline Drive) are where some of the first domestically produced cars were tested and developed. Hill climbs and races are held there even today. All the walls and other works lining the area were built by the WPA and other New Deal organizations during the Great Depression. The base of the mountain, i.e., Hessian Road, is also the former location of a Revolutionary War POW camp for Hessian soldiers. Down the road is also the "fire tower" built to observe the city from Mt. Penn. The Pagoda itself is currently closed for renovations but may reopen by September.
The main library on 5th Street is a large columned building that you can't miss. Taylor Swift donated some money to the children's library upstairs a few years back. Nice place to work and explore new things during your visit.
The "asylum" where they raised her. Only a short drive into the neighborhood adjacent to the museum park, if you're a swiftie who wants to make a pilgrimage.
Reading's Landmark Irish Pub. From the website: "The Ugly Oyster was built in Yorkshire England by Traditional English Craftsmen, then disassembled, transported and reconstructed by those same craftsman at it's current location."
A log cabin from 1784 in downtown Reading serving drinks and comfort food. No functional website apart from social media but after 250 years people tend to know it's there.
Multi-generational family owned bar and restaurant and downtown staple with roots in prohibition. Great place to get some surf and turf or have a drink while hearing live music. At the "Peanut Bar" you can also pop peanuts and toss shells on the floor all night.
Visited by President Obama and recently renovated by Gordon Ramsey, this place has always been a breakfast favorite and local staple. Make sure you get there early enough to catch the cream chipped beef or order a Marvel Mess.
Built in 1931 and inspired by a 13th century English castle by the same name, now serves as a bar and restaurant on Mt. Penn.