Pennsylvania's Walkable Suburb Outside Of Philly Offers A Charming Downtown, Craft Flavors, And Riverside Trails

There are plenty of reasons to visit Philadelphia, like learning about the Founding Fathers or channeling your inner Italian Stallion to run up the Rocky Steps, or even seeing the trendy melting pot of cultures on South Street. Visiting Pottstown, only an hour's drive northwest of Philadelphia on the banks of the Schuylkill River, may not top everyone's Philly bucket list. But it's a seriously charming suburb that's become one of Montgomery County's most popular travel destinations.

Established in 1752 to accommodate workers at a nearby blast furnace (operated by the eponymous John Potts), Pottstown predates the founding of America by more than two decades. Originally called Pottsgrove, it became known as Pottstown in 1815 and soon boomed into an industrial hub, with local steel being used to construct trusses for both the Golden Gate and George Washington bridges. But when America entered the post-industrial era, the town, which was founded on manufacturing and a labor-based economy, soon descended into obscurity.

In the same vein as other small towns in America that have gone through major revivals, Pottstown is now a delight to spend time in. A flood of new business and smart residential properties has made the town more appealing to homemakers, while the high street now boasts enough high-quality cafes, confectioneries, and restaurants to have foodies loosening their belt buckles from dawn till dusk. Add to that nearby woodlands, nature trails, and historic buildings, and you have a lovely little borough that merits (at least) a day trip for vacationers in Philly. 

Nature is never far away when you're in Pottstown. If you're partial to exploring your surroundings on foot, there are two places you should definitely visit: Fricks Lock, an eerie ghost town (that's also undeniably charming), and Welkinweir, where you'll find meadows and wetlands and a 55-acre arboretum. You could also take a morning walk through Memorial Park, right in the heart of Pottstown, with its charming creekside trails, a skate park and BMX track.

Fricks Lock, named after a section of the Schuylkill Canal, is an 18th-century hamlet that grew into an important trading point used by rivermen ferrying coal and iron between Pottstown and Philadelphia. It was abandoned in the 1980s, but many of the old buildings remain standing, and tours of the hamlet are conducted on two days each month from May through October. Welkinweir, whose name is derived from an Old English word meaning "where sky meets water," also has a centuries-old history. Operating as a lumber mill in the early 1700s, the property is a sprawling nature conservation area that's regarded as one of the most important in the state of Pennsylvania. Welkinweir's arboretum is split into seven themed areas — the Pinetum has the austere beauty of a Japanese garden, while Azalea Lane is a riot of color in flowering season — and in the Hopewell Big Woods section, you'll find a diverse array of creatures, including bears, foxes, minks, otters, and endangered species like the bog turtle.

It's also worth walking around the town. In the Historic District, you'll find handsome red-brick buildings with defining architectural features like fish-scale shingles, stone lintels, and iron canopies over the doorways. A short walk across the canal will bring you to the Historic Pottstown Carousel. Having taken more than 20 years to renovate — including thousands of hours of sanding, painting, and finishing — the carousel now stands as one of the oldest in the country.

Once you've worked up an appetite, you'll want to make a beeline for the businesses in and around the High Street. The Very Best Weiner Shop has been serving gluttonous hot dogs to Pottstown locals for more than a century. It feels like you're eating in a diner of yesteryear, too, with jukeboxes in the booths and arcade machines in the back. Head to Urban's for large (and reasonably priced) breakfast classics, like pancakes and Eggs Benedict, or buffalo wings and cheesesteaks at lunch. Shorty's Sunflower Cafe is another good brunch option with a menu of "old favorites" that include a Flying Dutchman, a Cafe Cristo Royale, and the Potato Bomb.

There are finer dining options in Pottstown, too. For Asian fusion, head to The Blue Elephant, serving Italian-Thai dishes imbued with Japanese flavors, or Stave and Stable, where the refined menu celebrates the best of American produce. And, like any town that's undergone an urban revival, craft beer is big business in Pottstown. With a range of its own brews on tap, J.J. Ratigan Brewing Co. has been rated the number 1 craft beer bar in town, though keen imbibers should also sample the ales at Sly Fox Tastin' Room.