Nestled In Pennsylvania's Rolling Hills Is A Hidden Gem With A Gorgeous Golf Course And Great Shopping

Berks County is one of those unheralded regions of Pennsylvania that has more to explore than most people realize. Anchored by the revitalized former railroad town of Reading, the county is bordered to the north and south by the Blue Ridge Mountains, has a strong Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, and holds the nickname of "Pennsylvania's Americana Region." Tucked into the heart of Berks County's historic hills, about 5 miles south of Reading, is the peaceful residential community of Flying Hills.

Flying Hills was developed as a planned community in the 1970s, but the area's history goes back much further. It's part of Cumru Township, which was founded by Welsh settlers in 1737. The land where Flying Hills stands today was at various points used for a furnace, a resort, a motherhouse for the Bernadine Sisters, and the Flying Hills Dairy Farm before taking on its current identity as a housing development. Some traces of these past identities can still be seen today, like the dairy farm's farmhouse, which now functions as the offices for the Flying Hills Apartment Company.

Since it's nestled between Pennsylvania Route 10 and Interstate 176, getting to Flying Hills is easy. It's a little over an hour from the affordable, artsy city of Allentown or the state capital of Harrisburg, and about 90 minutes northwest of Philadelphia, the closest major travel hub. As far as what to do once you get to Flying Hills, you might be surprised by the variety of outdoor recreation and incredible shopping on offer.

Pennsylvania has several attractions for golfers, including the hardest golf course in America in Oakmont. The course at Flying Hills isn't quite so challenging — and that's part of its appeal. This modern par-70 course is built for players of all skill levels. Since the course winds through the whole neighborhood, playing a round is also an excellent way to check out the Flying Hills community, where you'll find street names like Wedge Lane, Par Drive, and St. Andrews Circle that show how integral golf is to the neighborhood's identity. Weekday greens fees are $39 for 18 holes ($49 on weekends and holidays), and you can plan ahead by booking a tee time online.

Golf isn't the only way to have fun outside in Flying Hills. Along with spots for other sports like tennis, pickleball, and softball, catch-and-release fishing is allowed at the pond at hole 18. If you want to explore the surrounding landscape, you can find biking and jogging paths throughout Flying Hills and more extensive hiking trails nearby. This includes the Schuylkill River Trail, which runs for 82.9 miles from Philadelphia to Frackville, mostly over abandoned railroad lines. 

The trailhead nearest Flying Hills is about 3 miles north, just across I-176, and accesses a crushed-stone portion of the trail that's great for biking as well as hiking. Cross the Schuylkill River to Trout Run Park, and you can get on the Exeter Scenic River Trail, which follows the north bank of the Schuylkill for 2.3 miles to the base of Neversink Mountain, where it hooks up with the Klapperthal Trail. This tree-lined trail is especially beautiful in the fall, when the leaves are changing color, though it's a peaceful and scenic hike in any season.

If you're hungry after playing a round at Flying Hills Golf Course, Louie's Kitchen & Bar is a quick walk from hole 18. Their menu features local beer and wine, as well as from-scratch bar food, including their Caramel Burger, the 2024 Grand Champion at the Hamburg Hamburger Fest. Big eaters can take on the Black Widow Burger Challenge and get a full-pound bacon cheeseburger free if they eat it in 25 minutes.

Berks County is an ideal destination for shopaholics. Reading became known as an outlet shopping destination in the 1970s, officially declared the Outlet Capital of the World in 1991. The original VF Outlet store closed in 2020, but you can still find great deals nearby. Philadelphia Premium Outlets in Limerick is about a half-hour drive east and has 117 stores, including popular fashion brands like Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Vera Bradley, and Michael Kors. Tanger Outlets in Lancaster is about the same distance to the southeast and has 58 stores, including fashion brands like Levi's and Kate Spade, along with beauty brands like Bath & Body Works and household goods like West Elm and Pottery Barn.

You can shop local around Flying Hills, too. Kutztown, just a 30-minute drive north of Flying Hills, is renowned for its Renninger's Antique and Farmers Market, a must-visit stop for antique shoppers and flea market finds. Saturday is the best day to go, when the antique market, flea market, and farmers market are all open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Sundays, the Adamstown market has a similar array of local vendors. Timber Lane Handcrafted Mercantile in Reading sells a range of unique home decor and furnishings, and on Thursdays in the summer, you can check out the Penn Street Market, also in Reading, a farmers market with a 250-year history.