Roadside America
Roadside America was an indoor miniature village and railway covering 8,000 square feet (740 m2). It is in Upper Bern Township. Records date it to 1935.
A park & preserve inside Upper Bern Township
You can stay in Upper Bern Township
Roadside America is inside Upper Bern Township, which has 6 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Philadelphia
Philadelphia is about 63 miles southeast and Baltimore is about 88 miles south (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Aug, Sep and Oct
May, June, August, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 64–83°. When to go ↓
Established in 1935
Roadside America dates from 1935. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Month by month
A visit to Roadside America can follow the seasons below.
Roadside America
Roadside America was an indoor miniature village and railway covering 8,000 square feet (740 m2). Created by Laurence Gieringer in 1935, it was first displayed to the public in his Hamburg, Pennsylvania, home. The miniature village's popularity increased after stories were published about it in local newspapers, which prompted Gieringer to move it to a recently closed local amusement park called Carsonia Park. This location, which supported more visitors, was open from 1938 to about 1940. To accommodate growing interest and build a larger display, Geringer then purchased land at what would be the miniature village's final location, a former dance hall in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania off of Interstate 78, approximately 20 mi (32 km) west of the Lehigh Valley, where the display reopened in 1953.
- Type
- Park & preserve
- Established
- 1935
- Wikipedia readers
- 11K a year
Hotels and campgrounds near Roadside America
Nearest for a night are Upper Bern Township (6) and Upper Tulpehocken Township (3), and East Lampeter Township has the most rooms in the area (68).
East Lampeter Township
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
18,814 people
33 mi south of Roadside America
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From Roadside America | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Bern Township | in town | — | 6 2 hotels · 2 motels · 2 campgrounds | 1,613 | $250K | — |
| Upper Tulpehocken Township | 2 mi west | 5 min | 3 1 inn or B&B · 2 campgrounds | 1,904 | $309K | — |
| Bethel Township | 11 mi west | 15 min | 6 2 hotels · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 4,160 | $270K | A+ |
| Wyomissing | 15 mi southeast | 20 min | 10 10 hotels | 11,285 | $340K | C+ |
| Muhlenberg Township | 13 mi southeast | 20 min | 7 5 hotels · 1 motel · 1 campground | 22,504 | $233K | B− |
| Reading | 16 mi southeast | 25 min | 9 4 hotels · 1 motel · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins | 95,832 | $121K | C |
| Pine Grove Township | 15 mi west | 25 min | 8 6 hotels · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 4,109 | $236K | — |
| Pottsville | 12 mi north | 20 min | 5 2 hotels · 1 motel · 2 inns & B&Bs | 13,170 | $101K | C+ |
| East Lampeter Township | 33 mi south | 50 min | 68 40 hotels · 9 motels · 16 inns & B&Bs · 3 campgrounds | 18,814 | $307K | C+ |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Places to add to Roadside America
Places worth adding lie within 66 miles.
Big draw66 mi MuseumUSS New Jersey
32 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year
Big draw66 mi Stadium & arenaLincoln Financial Field
Big draw60 mi MuseumLynnewood Hall
Big draw66 mi Stadium & arenaXfinity Mobile Arena
Big draw64 mi Ancient siteIndependence Hall3.0M visitors a year
Big draw63 mi MuseumEastern State Penitentiary
59 mi National MonumentCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National MonumentPhoto credits
USS New Jersey: Camera Operator: PH3 BRYANT, Public domain · Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Lincoln Financial Field: The original uploader was Betp at French Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lynnewood Hall: Shuvaev, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Xfinity Mobile Arena: Jen Smith, CC BY 3.0 · Independence Hall: Mys 721tx, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Eastern State Penitentiary: Davidt8, Public domain · Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
.JPG){kind=link}
Questions before you go
Is Roadside America in Upper Bern Township?
Yes. It’s inside Upper Bern Township, PA.
When is the best time to visit Roadside America?
May, June, August, September and October, with highs of 64–83°.
How far is Roadside America from Philadelphia and Baltimore?
About 63 miles southeast of Philadelphia and about 88 miles south of Baltimore, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Roadside America?
Lancaster (LNS), about 29 miles away. The nearest big hub is Philadelphia (PHL), about 64 miles.
Where should I stay near Roadside America?
Upper Bern Township (in town, 6 places to stay), Upper Tulpehocken Township (2 mi, 3 places to stay) and Bethel Township (11 mi, 6 places to stay).
Local know-how from Upper Bern Township
Ask a question, or answer one, in Upper Bern Township’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.