I can remember going here in my teens and being awe-struck then. Knowing my husband's fondness for train sets and model cars, it was a place I knew I wanted to take him someday. The opportunity presented itself on our return from Hersheypark (about a half hour or so away).
Roadside America sits right off of Interstate 78 at exit #8 in Shartlesville on the northern end of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
It is an inexpensive side-trip. Admission is just $6.75 for adults and $3.75 for children ages 6-11. Make sure everyone goes to the bathroom before you enter the exhibit, since once you go out you have to pay to go back in.
When we walked in, everyone was pretty much stunned. I think the reaction was "Wow" all around - from my husband, my 10 year old and my 6 year old.Roadside America is not just a bunch of Department 56 buildings with a train running through them. A man by the name of Larry Gieringer built all of the miniature buildings and people in the exhibit, while his wife did the landscaping.
It is a beautiful series of towns with building styles dating from our pioneer days until the present. Many of the buildings and structures are modeled after actual buildings or structures that once stood, such as the Paul Revere Tavern in Boston, MA; Lookout Tower modeled after the ones built by Union Troops in the Tennessee Mountains; and the Original Henry Ford Shop in Dearborn, MI. Also to note is a decent exhibit of Luray Caverns in Virginia done in miniature.
Railroads and automobiles run through the exhibit, as well as a series of waterways. The water is in constant motion, pumped at a rate of 6,000 gallons per hour. There is 2,250 feet of railroad and trolley tracks throughout the exhibit.
As you walk along the perimeter, there are a wide variety of buttons to push to make trains run or some other action to take place. There are three levels to view the exhibit from, so don't just limit yourself to one trip through on the lowest level. We made two trips around on the two lower levels.
The night pageant is awesome. We went to the topmost level to get the best view of the layout. The sky is slowly darkened to simulate the setting sun and we see the whole exhibit lit up with lights inside, then slowly darkened. This is a very patriotic and overtly religious event. God Bless America is sung, with pictures of Jesus shown on the wall, along with the American flag and the Statue of Liberty (painted on the wall) being lit up. For some people, this may be a turn-off. We really enjoyed it - corny as it seems. The villages will relight themselves as morning dawns.
There is a guide to take with you as you journey around (free). Match the number on the railing to the number in your guide and there are little attentions to detail as well as some insight into the buildings, trains or structures.
Operating hours are daily, closed for major holidays. From July through Labor Day, Roadside America is open during the week from 9 AM - 6:30 PM and weekends from 9 AM to 7 PM. From September through June, it is open 10 AM to 5 PM weekdays and 10 AM to 6 PM on weekends.
We were there about an hour. If you have a husband or kids who are crazy about model railroading, they will positively love this place!
On a side note: Nearby is the Blue Mountain Family Restaurant (you pass it on the road to Roadside America). We ate there for lunch and it was great food at a great price - check it out!
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