Throughout much of eastern Asia, one of the defining forms of architecture is the pagoda. First appearing almost two thousand years ago, pagodas often served religious purposes. Rising multiple stories into the air, these tiered towers can be found in Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Nepal, Cambodia, and many other nations. While a trip to Asia sounds heavenly, did you know that you can visit a century-old, seven-story pagoda in eastern Pennsylvania?
A friend recently shared a photo of a visit to the Reading Pagoda, a local landmark built atop Mount Penn in the city of Reading. On a frigid Friday in early January, my wife and I decided to take a short day trip to see this novelty. Along the way, we discovered a great new lunch spot and also drove a road closely tied to the earliest days of auto manufacturing in the country.
Let’s begin:
The Reading Pagoda
Our destination: the city of Reading, about 90 minutes northwest of Philadelphia.On a sunny, if chilly, Friday afternoon, we followed I-176 northward to Reading.Our first stop was for lunch – we settled on The Farmhouse Kitchen, a small cafe serving farm-to-table meals at affordable prices.When I say “small cafe,” I mean SMALL. The dining room seats 12-15 people. We were lucky to snag the last open table when we arrived.Although it was lunchtime, my wife and I both opted for our second breakfast of the day. She went with a delicious order of gluten-free French toast, served with blueberries.Meanwhile, I had perhaps the best pancakes at a restaurant that I’ve ever eaten. Better than Uncle Bill’s, better than Parker’s Maple Barn, better than Toast City Diner… these were simply spectacular. For even more fun, I had chocolate chips added – it was like eating two enormous cookies. So good!!Before leaving, we grabbed a couple of coffees (also delicious!) and headed to our main destination.As we meandered our way through the city’s streets, we could see the Reading Pagoda atop a hill in the distance.Nearing the Pagoda, Apple Maps directed us onto Duryea Drive, one of the more interesting roads I’ve driven in recent memory. “This would make a great road racing course!” I remarked to my wife. Giggling maniacally, I tackled the twists and turns as we climbed the hill.Reading was once home to the Duryea Power Company, an early automobile manufacturer founded by Charles Duryea. Each car produced at his factory would be test driven on this very road. Rhea Duryea, Charles’ daughter, was his test driver (via Explore PA History).After snaking our way up the mountain, we arrived at the Reading Pagoda.Originally intended as part of a planned luxury resort, the Reading Pagoda stands on a hilltop 620 feet above the city, offering a stunning view of the surrounding countryside. The luxury resort never was completed, and in 1911 the building was gifted to the city of Reading (via Wikipedia).The pagoda takes its styling cues from a pagoda in Nagoya Castle, located in the Chubu Region of Japan (via Reading Pagoda).The Pagoda is currently closed while it undergoes a significant renovation. We had to content ourselves with some amazing views – quite the consolation prize!We will definitely have to come back to explore the Pagoda when its renovation is complete!Before leaving, I snagged one last glamour shot of the TLX… of course!Remember when I remarked to my wife that Duryea Drive should be a racetrack? Turns out, it is. Every year Reading hosts the Duryea/Pagoda Hillclimb. Sponsored by the Sports Car Club of America, drivers race against the clock to see who can complete the road course in the least amount of time (via Sports Car Club of America). The drive was exhilarating – had I known the road better, I would have been tempted to give the Acura’s engine and suspension a bit more of a workout!Did we take a wrong turn somewhere? Pretty sure East Texas shouldn’t be this close! Ah, I crack myself up. Anyway, the sun finally came out during our journey home, a welcome change from a day of gray skies.Two hours later, we rolled into our driveway, another trip concluded. The TLX continues to provide fun, comfortable, and fuel efficient transportation… although I really want to go back to Duryea Drive and give my car a good run up that mountain!
Odds and Ends
Before closing, I wanted to share a few updates from the garage… and our home:
New Jersey received its first significant snowfall of the year recently, and so I was able to give my Acura TLX a substantial drive in the white stuff. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. Equipped with Nokian WR G4 tires, the TLX is a monster in the snow: safe, secure, and sure-footed.Check out my wife’s new ride! Well, her temporary ride. Back in November, while minding her business at a stoplight, my wife was on the receiving end of a three-car pileup (she was not injured, thankfully!). Grace, our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, sustained some damage at the rear. While waiting for the body shop to finish putting Grace back in order, we received this loaner vehicle, a Ford Edge, provided for by the offending driver’s insurance. Side note: I actually liked the Edge quite a lot. It performed very well on a recent trip to the Adirondacks.After several weeks of repairs, Grace was back on the road once again. Grace was still drivable after the accident (indeed, we drove her from New Jersey to Wisconsin and back over the holidays), but she now is looking showroom fresh once again.We used Al Meschi Auto Body in Highland Park, New Jersey for the job. Meschi did the rust repairs on my old 2012 Honda Accord, so I knew they were capable of high-quality work. I was not disappointed. Onward!Finally, I would be remiss if I did not highlight that we are approaching an important anniversary: January 29th will mark one year since we welcomed Ms. Betty into our home. I think that calls for a celebration!
Wrapping Up
Many of the destinations this blog has traveled to have been famous attractions, such as national parks and well-known museums. However, my favorite posts to write are those that detail the weird, the offbeat, and the decidedly outside-the-ordinary. Add the Reading Pagoda to that list of cool, lesser-known attractions! If you’re in the reading area, take a jaunt up Duryea Drive, visit the Pagoda, and grab some coffee at the Farmhouse Kitchen!
Thanks, as always, for coming along on another journey down the open road ahead.
The Open Road Ahead 
Cool day trip!
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Thanks for reading!!
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You should have taken a blast down the 1/4 mile at maple Grove.
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I’ve done an F1 track at Watkins Glen – running a drag strip sounds like a great next step! Thanks for reading!!
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