Cheap Trips: Jenkins Arboretum, QVC Studios, Dutch Springs and William Penn Fire Tower

Try one of these four trips you can enjoy on just one tank of gas—Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens in Devon, QVC Studios in West Chester, Dutch Springs in Bethlehem, and William Penn Fire Tower and Reading’s Pagoda.

Address: 631 Berwyn Baptist Road, Devon
How Far From Norristown?: 7.5 miles or 13 minutes
Admission: Free
Hours:

• Grounds are open (365 days per year) 8 a.m. to sunset
• Education Center is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily

Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens is a 40-plus acre site in the middle of a residential neighborhood that offers a nature-filled sanctuary with paths, ponds, a plant shop and a new education center. With more than a mile of paved walkways through lush gardens and wooded areas, Jenkins Arboretum and Gardens is a great place to learn about the plants, birds and insects native to the area, or to just take a relaxing walk. Special programs and classes are offered throughout the year for all ages. There is plenty of free parking.

Links:

• Jenkins Arboretum Website

Address: 1200 Wilson Drive, West Chester
How Far From Norristown: 18.5 miles or 25 minutes
Admission: $7.50 per adult, $5 for children ages 6-12.

Tour Times: 10:30 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tours are available seven days a week. Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Groups of 10 people or more require a reservation.

You’ve heard about “The Shopping Channel” before, but did you know that you could watch all the action live at QVC Studio Park? Since opening in the fall of 1997, QVC Studio Park in West Chester has become a popular destination for thousands of visitors interested in seeing live television. Once there, you get a guided walking tour of the state-of-the-art broadcasting facility, and guests will see and hear how QVC products are sourced, tested, brought to life on air, and delivered to millions of QVC customers. There’s also a great view from the Observation Deck where guests may be able to watch QVC programs in progress and may even catch a glimpse of a favorite host or guest.

Links:

• QVC Website

Address: 4733 Hanoverville Road, Bethlehem
How Far From Norristown: 59 miles or 1 hour
Admission Fee: Aqua Park ranges from $10-$15 for children ages 5-9 and $19 -$24 for those 10 and older, depending on the day of week
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Dutch Springs is a family adventure park that includes an Aqua Park, 50-acre scuba diving lake and Sky Challenge rock climbing/high ropes course. Visitors can rent kayaks or paddle boats. There's a snack bar, or visitors can bring their own food and picnic at tables with canopies.

Links:

• Dutch Spring Website

William Penn Fire Tower and Reading’s Pagoda

Address: 98 Duryea Drive, Reading
How Far From Norristown: 38 miles or 1 hour
Admission Fee: $1 donation to climb the Pagoda, donation to climb the Fire Tower
Hours: Pagoda is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.; the Fire Tower is open the third Saturday of the month from noon until 5 p.m.

These two historic buildings on the top of Mount Penn have been restored and opened to the public for touring. The Pagoda was built in 1908 as a luxury hotel, which never opened. The lights on the Pagoda were afterward used a Morse code for the residents of Reading. The Fire Tower was built as a fire observation tower in 1939, and from the top of the tower, there is a 60-mile panoramic view of the city of Reading. The two buildings are very close to one another and a fun afternoon.

Links:

• Pagoda
• William Penn Fire Tower