Kutztown

Kutztown is located in the northeastern part of Berks County, Pennsylvania, 17 miles northeast of Reading and 18 miles southwest of Allentown. It is located in the agricultural East Penn Valley and is part of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The area surrounding Kutztown is home to many Old Order Mennonite families who use the horse and buggy as transportation. Kutztown is home to Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, a public university that is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and has an enrollment of over 8,300 students. From late August to early May, the town is populated by college students. In the summer months and during school breaks, the town is much quieter and dominated by locals.

By car

Kutztown is located along U.S. Route 222, which heads to Reading to the southwest and Allentown to the northeast. Pennsylvania Route 737 heads north from Kutztown to Exit 40 of Interstate 78/U.S. Route 22 in Krumsville. I-78 connects to Harrisburg to the west and Allentown to the east.
From Philadelphia, Kutztown can be reached by following I-76 west to I-476 north onto the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Motorists should exit at Lehigh Valley (Exit 56) and follow US 22 west to I-78, exiting at Exit 40 and following PA 737 south into Kutztown. Kutztown is about 1 hour and 25 minutes from Philadelphia.
From New York City, follow I-78 west into Pennsylvania and get off at Exit 54A, following US 222 south to Kutztown. Kutztown is about 1 hour and 50 minutes from New York City.
From the Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, follow I-83 north into Pennsylvania and get off at Exit 21A onto US 30 east. Follow US 30 east to Lancaster to the exit for US 222 north. Follow US 222 northeast through Reading to Kutztown. Kutztown is about 2 hours 15 minutes from Baltimore and about 3 hours from Washington D.C.

By plane

The closest airport with commercial air service to Kutztown is the Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) near Allentown, which is about 30 minutes away by car. A larger selection of air service is available at the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in Philadelphia, which is about 1 hour and 30 minutes away by car, and the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey near New York City, which is about 1 hour and 40 minutes away by car. Rental car service is offered at all three of these airports.

By train

There is not a train station close to Kutztown. Rail travelers along Amtrak can use 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, which serves a variety of routes along the Northeast Corridor along with some long-distance routes. From here, travelers can either rent a car or take an Uber.

By bus

Bus riders from New York City only can take Klein Transportation's run into Kutztown. No intermediate drop-offs are allowed.
Clydesdale Lines occasionally operates service to and from Philadelphia and other locations. However, their service is often unreliable and customers have expressed complaints on Google Maps and the Better Business Bureau website.

The best way to get around the Kutztown area is by car. Many sites within town are within walking distance of each other; parking is available on-street along Main Street and in parking lots located a short distance off Main Street. Many side streets have permit parking that is reserved for residents, so make sure not to park in these spots. A car is needed to access the sites that are outside the central area of town. There is no scheduled public transportation serving Kutztown. Kutztown University operates a shuttle service serving the campus and the downtown area, but it is only accessible to university students.

• Crystal Cave

  phone: +1 610-683-6765
  address: 963 Crystal Cave Rd
  Crystal Cave is an underground cave that was discovered in 1871. Tours of the cave are available, showcasing various rock formations. There are "ghost" lantern tours that are offered around Halloween. Other activities available include gemstone panning, miniature golf, and a museum. Crystal Cave also has a gift shop, picnic area, ice cream shop, and a restaurant.

• Kutztown Area Historical Society

  phone: +1 610-683-7697
  address: Normal Ave and Whiteoak St
  Located in a former Victorian schoolhouse that was built in 1892, the historical society is home to many artifacts pertaining to the history of Kutztown, including a 1799 newspaper with a story about the death of George Washington, Keith Haring drawings, a Pennsylvania long rifle manufactured by gunsmith Jacob George dating to 1817, and several antique items including toys, books, quilts, farm equipment, and fire equipment. There is also a replica of a school room from the 1930s.

• Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center

  phone: +1 610-683-1589
  address: 22 Luckenbill Rd
  Located on the grounds of Kutztown University in the 19th-century Sharadin farmstead, the heritage center serves as an outdoor museum and research center for the Pennsylvania Dutch folk culture, language, and traditions. The center features a one-room schoolhouse, stone farmhouse, barn, and two log houses. The heritage center's library allows for genological and cultural research and also offers folklife demonstrations and tradtional art.

• Allentown & Auburn Railroad

  phone: +1 570-778-7531
  address: 232-298 Railroad St
  Railroad that offers excursions on 4 miles of track between Kutztown and Topton, passing through farmland. Excursions are diesel-powered and operate with a passenger car, multiple cabooses, and an open-air flatcar. Trains run on a seasonal basis and for special events. Some of the occasions that the railroad operates trains for include a Valentine's Day train, an Easter Bunny train, Halloween trick-or-treating, a Santa Claus train, and wine tasting trains. The railroad occasionally operates steam-powered excursions.

• Kutztown Folk Festival

  phone: +1 610-683-1537
  address: 225 N Whiteoak St
  The Kutztown Folk Festival is a nine-day festival held in July that celebrates Pennsylvania German folklife. It is the oldest folklife festival in the United States. The festival offers Pennsylvania Dutch food, a quilt auction, antiques, collectibles, and working hand crafters and folk artists.

• Renninger’s Antique & Farmer’s Market

  phone: +1 610-683-6848
  address: 740 Noble St
  Renninger's consists of a farmers market, an antique market, and a flea market and has been around since 1955. Local merchants and farmers sell a variety of produce, meat, dairy products and other food. The market offers a variety of products including antiques, collectibles, flowers, and furniture.

• Airport Diner

  phone: +1 610-683-5450
  address: 15110 Kutztown Rd
  Diner serving breakfast all day. Popular among locals and college students.

• Camillo's Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria

  phone: +1 610-683-5637
  address: 264 Greenwich St
  Italian restaurant serving pizza, calzones, strombolis, appetizers, salad, soup, seafood, chicken, pasta, sandwiches, cheesesteaks, burgers, and dessert. Also has a bar. Specials Monday-Thursday and Happy Hour Specials Monday-Saturday. Delivery available.

• Kutztown Tavern

  phone: +1 610-683-9600
  address: 272 W Main St
  Restaurant and bar offering appetizers, wings, salad, soup, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, pasta, paninis, pizza, dessert, and other items. The Kutztown Tavern is home to the Golden Avalanche Brewing Company, where Golden Avalanche beer is brewed on premises. This beer follows German brewing tradition and American innovation with five signature brews and seven additional seasonal brews.

• Mamma's Delight Pizza & Restaurant

  phone: +1 610-683-9120
  address: 300 W Main St
  Italian restaurant that offers pizza, calzones, stromboli, sandwiches, cheesesteaks, burgers, chicken, wings, soup, salad, and dessert. Has daily specials, lunch specials, and student specials. Delivery available.

• Mark's Sandwich Shop

  phone: +1 610-683-3626
  address: 123 W Main St
  Sandwiches, cheesesteaks, burgers, hot dogs, and pizza. Delivery available.

• New China King

  phone: +1 610-683-9224
  address: 168 W Main St
  Chinese dishes.

• Pretzel RevolutionPretzel place that features the "stuffed pretzel", which consists of various food such as cheesesteak, buffalo chicken, and pizza stuffed into the pretzel dough. Offers student specials and party trays. Has a location in downtown Kutztown on Main Street and a location at Renninger's Farmer's Market

• phone: +1 484-575-8363
  address: 269 W Main St

• address: 740 Noble St

Spuds

phone: +1 610-683-5790

address: 163 W Main St

Restaurant that serves over 25 varieties of french fries, with patrons allowed to choose from a list of creations or create their own. Also serves burgers, chicken sandwiches, cheesesteaks, wings, and salads. Spuds features the "Beast" burger which contains 3 pounds of beef; patrons who can finish it can get their picture in the Hall of Fame.

• K'town Pub

  phone: +1 610-683-9275
  address: 257 W Main St
  Bar serving 20 drafts and over 100 craft beers, with a variety of beer from local breweries. Has outdoor patio seating. Also serves southern style BBQ cooked from scratch on a wood-fired smoker. Karaoke on Wednesday nights, DJ on Friday and Saturday nights.

• Shorty's Bar

  phone: +1 610-683-9600
  address: 272 W Main St
  Located beneath the Kutztown Tavern in the alley behind Main Street, this bar/nightclub offers drinks, a bar menu, music with live DJs, pool tables, a jukebox, Megatouch and arcade games, and seven TVs. Bar features various drink specials throughout the week and drinks are relatively inexpensive. Free bingo on Tuesday, beer pong league on Wednesday, Happy Hour specials at 5PM on Friday. Shorty's Bar is a popular place among the college crowd on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights and often gets packed after 11PM.

• Uptown Espresso Bar

  phone: +1 610-683-4601
  address: 466 W Main St
  Espresso, coffee, tea, soup, salad, sandwiches, and bagels.

There are a few lodging options in the Kutztown area. Additional hotels can be found in Allentown, Fogelsville, and Reading, all of which are within a 30 minute drive.

• Hampton Inn & Suites Kutztown

  phone: +1 484-641-8800
  address: 15080 Kutztown Rd
  Hotel offering both standard rooms and suites. Amenities include HDTV, coffeemaker, work desk, free Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, indoor pool, fitness center, and meeting space. Suites also include a sofa bed, microwave, and mini-fridge.

• Lincoln Motel

  phone: +1 610-683-3456
  address: 12 Lincoln Rd
  One-story motel with exterior room entrances.

• Main Street Inn Boutique Hotel

  phone: +1 610-683-0401
  address: 401 W Main St
  Bed and breakfast that offers the comforts of a hotel. Facility has eight rooms which each have their own bathroom and a queen or king bed. Rooms include cable television, Keurig machine, mini-refridgerator, luxury bath, central air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Non-smoking. No pets or children under 12. Breakfast is included in the room rate, offering both continental breakfast items and made to order food.

• Super 8 Kutztown/Allentown Area

  phone: +1 610-285-4880
  address: 2160 Golden Key Rd
  Budget hotel offering free Wi-Fi, free breakfast, and cribs. Parking is available for cars, buses, trucks, and RVs.

As a small rural town, Kutztown is generally safe and has a low crime rate. However, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights during the fall and spring semesters at Kutztown University, there can be drunk college students, particularly on Main Street and near the university campus.