I wish I could rate lower. The pictures on website are deceiving. Pool is small and cloudy. Entire…read morecampsite is on huge mountain next to major highway. All you here are tractor trailers and Jake brakes. Relaxing NOT!!!! The sites are so small and close that people next to us couldn't get in w/o help and trucks being moved. Ohhhhh there is no place to park your truck if you tow a camper. We have a 26' camper and the site was so built up and "cliff" type if we backed in where they wanted to our stabilizer jacket was hanging off the site! We had to pull forward three ft!

The owners are exceptional... we were guided to our site and the owner helped us get level. The…read moresite is pretty level but she knew exactly where to park us. The bathrooms abs showers were exceptionally clean! The pool was beautifully maintained! The camp store had everything you needed and stocked with locally butchered meats as well as some Amish sweets! The only downside was road noise... but honestly you got used to it and it wasn't a problem. Lots of beautifully maintained permanent sites. We would return!!!

Stayed at campground while trying to find a home after moving to PA for work. Friendly staff, nice…read morewalking trail around the lake & great facilities. They are constantly doing updates as well and host weekly activities and food trucks. This place is a nice home away from home!

This place was amazing! I rented 3 cabins for 2 nights and I must say the cabins were spotlessly…read moreclean! The campgrounds are well kept. The lake with the fountain in the middle is beautiful! They even supplied kayaks and paddle boats for us to use free of charge!!!! I will definitely be back here!

very nice place and very reasonable prices for an all year campground, as long as you keep to…read moreyourself youll have a great time

Very dirty! No water half the time and taste like chlorine when it works sewer issues with old…read morepipes muddy in most places all year around. Road are bad very bumpy. Maintenance guy ? where? you mean the one that owner picked up off the streets ? Manager? terrible such poor staff out for them selves and that's about it. Rent has went up $50 and I've been here for 4 months. No one pays the same amount of rent! I mean no one. Never told when electric goes off or water, they do it as they please. Some residents have the park looking ugly. garbage stacked everywhere. There's nothing I can say good about this place. Don't waste your time or money and DO NOT bring your family here to stay!

Great staff team Stem team was wonderful puts all the guests before staff and staff are all a good…read moregroup the merit badges up here are wonderful it also lets kids that are younger get a chances that nowhere else they would be able.

Good facilities and a dedicated team during summer camp and off-season camping…read more Regarding other reviews: the camp, like the surrounding area, does have 17 year cicadas that emerged a few years ago and contributed to noise. There was also a comment about the UK flag being flown: when the summer camp staff contains international Scouts, their home flag is flown to recognize them at least once a summer and per the US Flag Code the flags of other nations must be flown at the same height as the American during times of peace. We haven't been at war with the UK since 1815, so the staff showed proper respect to the flag, as expected of Scouts.

Went camping here for two nights. Amazing experience and the views are great. Checking in was super…read moreeasy. Will definitely stay here next year!

How can you not love the views and that they changed to property usage from being an 80 mansion…read moredevelopment to a campground nature property!

This review is for the Fall Foliage round-trip tour taken 11/3/19 from the Greater Reading station,…read morestopping at Port Clinton, then arriving at Jim Thorpe. The trip is open seating (no assigned seats), and not knowing any different, we arrived at 7:15 for a 8am boarding and 9am departure, which was more than early enough, as people were boarding right up until the 9am departure and everyone got seats, with maybe a few to spare on each car. We had a group of 8 and had no issues sitting together. We sat in the middle of one of the middle passenger cars, but if we had to do it over again, we'd sit closer to one end or the other for quicker departure at Jim Thorpe and again once arriving back at Reading at the end of the trip. Seating is bench seats on the standard coach, and the seat backs can be moved so instead of seating with your back towards other members of your group, you can seat facing them. This feature is nice, but makes for tight legroom, especially when trying to seat 2 people on each bench, see pic. There is a bathroom on each coach, plus windows can be opened for fresh air, better pictures, or to let things cool off (the coach gets pretty toasty warm as you get going, so wear layers). The seating can be pretty cramped, especially on the trip home. It was tough to get comfortable, even the kids had to stretch out to find some additional legroom. No food/drink available on the train, but you can bring your own soft coolers for drinks and snacks. Everyone was pretty hungry for lunch by the time we arrived in Jim Thorpe around noon. You'll ride the same coach and have the same seats on the way back, so you can leave items (coolers, extra clothes, etc) on the train while you visit Jim Thorpe. Trip was very scenic, especially with the Fall leaves changing colors. The ~3hr trip to Jim Thorpe winds you through rivers, streams, farms, small communities, over bridges and through tunnels. Expect to see plenty of wildlife, including deer and turkey. we saw at least 12 deer on the way up and double that plus a heard of turkeys on the way back. Throughout the trip, the conductor and coach attendant told stories and pointed out anything interesting along the way. we were also showed some old pictures of how things looked in Jim Thorpe 100+ years ago. Upon arriving at JT, everyone had lunch on their minds and with several hundred people all going for lunch in a little town, eateries can get overwhelmed pretty quick. Molly MacGuires is right by the train station, so most people try to go there. Good luck if you're in the middle of the coach like we were and some of the last to board, the place was packed with a line by the time we got there. There are other places to eat within a short 5-10min walk, with just about something for everyone. Train departs at 3:30, so you dont have much time to do anything else after lunch but some quick window-shopping. If we were to do it again, we might pack lunches or get something quicker for lunch, like pizza or sandwiches. Aside from the restaurants, there are historic buildings, great view from on top of the town, and lots of small shops selling various items from oils, handmade goods, ice cream, witchcraft, leather goods, and antiques. Despite only having approx 1.5 hrs to look around after lunch, the only things we didnt get to do were the tours of the couple historical houses. After a quick stop at Wood Ice Cream right by the train station, we boarded and headed back. Everyone tried to take some naps on the way back, with some success, arriving back at Reading Station round 6pm. So plan for a long, full day. This would be a good trip to do once a year, or with people coming from out of town. Average age of passengers was around 60+, with a few families with younger kids. Parking at Great Reading Station is 100+ cars, so enough for all passengers plus a few extra.

I love to take my grand kids to holiday events so last year when I heard about a Polar Express…read moretrain in NJ I didn't hesitate to book it and travel there for the weekend. But that's a lot of travel for a train ride in a town that basically offers nothing else. Fortunately after a bit of research I found a very similar train ride a stone's throw away from home in Reading, PA - and what a memorable trip it was! Very similar to the (more expensive) ride in NJ it consists of a 1.5 hour scenic trip in a century old train. The Victorian train is decorated nicely for Xmas is all original. It has high, rounded ceilings, ornate wrought iron seat bases, and a small but comfortable upholstered seat that flips in either direction. During the ride, take in the scenery which is a relaxing trip that follows the river through wooden areas. You may see deer, owl, hawks....the river winds around and is in view the majority of the ride. At one point we went over a bridge, the next minute under. We saw a dam and a large graffiti rock that holds some significance. Our trip stopped at the Port Clinton station, although you don't get off, with just enough time to change direction of the train (and your seat) for the ride back. Santa and Mrs Claus meets with each child during the ride and ample time is given to everyone for pics, etc. What a delightful bunch they were and stayed in character throughout the trip. There was also a character reindeer that pranced thru each car and each child was given an old fashion clear lollipop of their choice. All the while the most pleasant holiday music played without being intrusive. Tickets were $14 with children 3 and over $9, under 3 is free and they never expire. If you don't make it this year, save them for next. The station in Reading had ample free parking, cute vignettes for photos, and the cleanest public rest rooms I've ever been to. Everyone from the train attendants to the actors went out of their way to ensure that everyone had a good time. Aside from the holiday train they offer day trips to Jim Thorpe and fall foliage tours. I'll definitely be checking those out too. So while we really enjoyed our train ride in NJ, the Reading station will now be our holiday tradition.

Bashore Scout Camp is and always will be one of the highlights of my summer! I'm a Star Scout,…read moreclosing in on Life, and have been going to Camp Bashore for about 4 years now. That's 4 weeks, 28 days, at this heaven for adventurous teenagers. There are just so many experiences that you can get from Boy Scouts, but nowhere else! For example, this past week, I shot a shotgun for the first time, which was a really fun experience. The counselors are all outstanding and cheerful. Shoutout to Ryan B, Ryan R, Cayden, Griffin, Q, Charlotte, Deegan, Otis, Alec, Doug, and all the other amazing counselors who have made my scouting experience better. Dining hall songs and chants also make the week better. Not to mention that the lake at Bashore has some of the best bass fishing in the area. I currently hold the all-time lake record for biggest fish (30 inches. Thank you Devin for telling me where all the best spots are) Camp Bashore also has very good facilities. In the shooting range, all the guns are cleaned, maintained well, and the range is run safely. The dining hall and shower house is clean, and the food is great compared to the surrounding scout camps. The trading post also has delicious slushies Aside from the experiences, camp bashore also offers various scouting opportunities, such as merit badges, a mile swim, and the Blur Mountaineers program, for young scouts looking for easy ranks. I can't wait to be back next year. YIS, Kai

The PA Dutch Council has much to be proud of in Camp Bashore. My son and I just returned after a…read moreweek at the camp, and we were very impressed with the programming this camp offers scouts. 1. Accomodations: Standard platform tents were in good shape, with newer tents present in our campsite. Standard camp latrines were present in camp, but two bathrooms with flush toilets and showers were near campsites. Newer aluminum army cots provided decent sleep. Food in the dining hall was an 8 out of 10, with a salad bar always present, and with decent variety besides breakfasts, which usually consisted of eggs, potatoes, and something else...but otherwise, good meals with good serving sizes. 2. Staff and Programming: Most impressive part of the camp. Much of the staff had 3-5 years experience, a sure sign that the directors offer a work environment that keeps counselors coming back. Camp Director and Program Director both had 30+ years experience, and clearly led by example. Staff was very attentive to individual scout's needs, and even in week 7, had a high morale and enthusiasm. Programming of activities was excellent, with a wide offering of merit badges, COPE, adult training, camp-wide games, open periods, and the Trailblazer program, which offered older scouts acivities such as bouldering, mountain biking, and mountain boarding. Also, the first-year scout program called "Blue Mountain Man", was a very-well run program purposed to give first-year scouts basic skills and meet advancement requirements to get them to first-class. Staff in this program was helpful, friendly, courteous and kind towards these scouts. Closing campfire and OA callout were amazing. 3. Facilities: Bashore is not the biggest facility, acreage-wise, but it does have top-notch equipment, ranges, and watersports. A 3D range and skeet-archery made the archery merit badge interesting. The facilities present were clean, well-kept, and used well. In some ways, having a small camp facility lets the boys spend less time walking between activities. It was a really good week, and I'm now a fan. Thanks, staff, for a great week in 2014!

This was actually a really cute little visitor center inside the train station. It was cold when we…read morevisited and it was warm inside with clean bathrooms. They had some visitor information pamphlets and they sell the tickets for the historic trolley tours inside, but if you are looking for a train ticket, be sure to go to the booth at the North end of the building. They do not allow dogs inside, but we were able to take our dog on the train, so my husband and I had to take turns standing outside in the cold with her while the other went to the restroom and looked around. We didn't find much to do in the city and we didn't love our train ride, but as far as visitors centers go, this one is solid.

Burned 20 minutes here reading a little about the history of the town and surrounding area while…read morewaiting for the train to leave. It's interesting but lacking in some key details such as why the town was renamed from Mauch Chunk to Jim Thorpe. Was the Olympian originally from the area? According to Google he never set foot in the area but is buried here. Weirdly one of the staff members spent the entire time almost shouting into her phone which was quite distracting .