What is happening Thursday besides the practice? So many people are going for 4 days, I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing something? Anyway I doubt I can afford another day...
It's just practice, not coming in until Friday.
Going to be long day my flight gets in at 10:30 & can't get a shuttle until noon from Philly. No way I am going to pay $120 for taxi
Had I knew transportation was going to be like this I'd skipped this year.
I am not sure if there is a train from Philly to Reading. Or Maybe the grayhound bus or something. Also look into see if there are shuttles that are going to the factory outlets. Just a suggestion.
Thursday is just practice. I am going because it's quality time I get to spend with my mom. Actually my friend lives in York which is about and hour away and since I am too lazy to drive from South Jersey I figured that I would take the time to visit with her on Thursday.
Printed out my Reading street map, and I'm looking at malls in the area. VF Outlet (801 Hill Ave.) has been mentioned already, but how about:
Fairgrounds Square Mall (3050 N 5 St Hwy)
Berkshire Mall (1665 State Hill Rd)
Is either worth going to if you have time to waste? How about fast food or reasonably-priced eating locations near the arena/Wyndham? Linny, any comments? (And any idea what BARTA bus schedules those would be?) Thanks in advance.
I jsut couldn't beleive that the Wyndham doesn't have a aiport shuttle.
At least I'll know next time check out the local transportation better befor I book a trip. The shuttle I have a seat booked on was cheaper than the taxi or renting a car and driving which I no longer like to do. You know never thought about greyhound oh well.
Fairgrounds Square is supposed to have a JC Penny outlet that I've heard is great but have never been to. There is a Barta bus that takes you there.
Berkshire Mall is just a plain old mall like any other mall.
Fast food - there used to be a MacDonalds at 5th and Penn. Google maps doesn't show it there anymore, but look in that general area. There will be hot dog stands and other fast food places on Penn Street.
There's pizza at 555 Penn St and at 851 Penn St.
Mom and Pop's Diner at 800 Penn St.
If you walk a couple blocks West to 332 Penn St (towards the Penn St bridge), the Peanut Bar is on the left - it's a Reading institution. Next to it, there's a restaurant - more upscale but not outrageous - that's been recommended to me. I don't recall the name and it wasn't shown on google maps.
Mass transport from the Philly Airport appears to be impossible. There is a 12 mile gap between bus companies. If you took a taxi for that 12 mile gap, you could take a Septa train from the airport into Philadelphia, then another Septa train from Philadelphia to the Norristown Transportation Center. Then, you need a Septa bus, Route 93, out to Pottstown. Then you take a Pottstown Bus to the Coventry Mall just outside of Pottstown. You would need the taxi at this point to take you to the Shellbourne Square Mall in Exeter. After that, you would catch Route 5 of the Barta Bus to Reading. Seems like a major hassle, but if you are on tight budget and know how to pack rilly rilly light so that you wouldn't be lugging a heavy suitcase from transfer to transfer, well, that's how you'd do it. Be sure to look up schedules carefully... and I think you buy your transfer from the Septa bus to the Pottstown bus ahead of time.
I don't know about Greyhound/long distance buses but the other posted is correct - there is a long distance bus station right there in downtown Reading.
Try these: Bieber Tourways - 800-243-2374 or 610-683-7333, www.biebertourways.com. Capitol Trailways - 800-333-8444 or 610-374-3182, www.capitoltrailways.com. I copied that from a web site detailing how to get to a different event at the Sovereign Center.
Google maps, BTW, helps you find just about anything you are looking for.
Linny
PS If you try all these things and are still at a loss, please contact me personally.
Thanks for the info Linny. I was wondering where we were going to eat between the practice sessions and the competition start on Friday. I didn't want to have to take the car out of parking and then pay again for a 3 hour break.
Also, can you give any information about parking in the area? It is pretty safe there?
So it looks like Penn St. has a lot of food places. Thanks. Know of any grocery/pharmacy/convenience stores near the Wyndham/Sovereign Arena? I think then we'd be all set.
Here the phone number to Schuylkill Valley Airport Shuttle, it will get you from Philadelphia Airport 610-929-1775 cost is $45 one-way.
How far from the arena is Penn St which seems to have all the eating places?
DeCarlo's at 228 Penn has some grocery items. There aren't any real full blown grocery stores in town - it's one of the sad facts of American towns. To get to an Acme or a Giant, you have to go to the suburbs.
But speaking of convenience stores, you'all from out of state MUST try Wawa. It's like a 7-11 but so, so much better. Excellent coffee, regular or flavored, healthy convenience foods like fruits and vegies, roll ups, made to order sandwiches - use the computer touch screen, good Philadelphia style steak sandwiches, great service, clean rest rooms. There are no Wawas in Reading itself, but be sure to stop at one on your commute from the airport to your hotel. They dot Route 422. There's one at the Royersford Exit, the Limerick Exit, there's one smack dab in the middle in Douglassville, there's one in Exeter. Watch for the signs. You might think I'm making a fuss over nothing, but people who live in the area will tell you that they are addicting.
Two of our cousins (husband & wife) work for Wawa (not to mention that we're in walking distance of two of the stores), so we're pretty familiar with the stores. Their gas prices are among the most reasonable in the Philly area (compared to the other stations), so it's also a good place to buy gas if you're driving.