BLUE MARSH LAKE RECREATION AREA

A mainstay in temperate weather months, Blue Marsh Lake is a man-made project constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1978. The recreation program on site is said to attract nearly 900,000 visitors annually. What can they do? Think: boating, fishing, picnicking, trail hiking, biking and horseback riding. There is no charge to enter and enjoy the area.

nap.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Blue-Marsh-Lake/

* FUN FACT *

The dam is a popular fishing area, but was constructed for flood risk management for the Reading, Birdsboro and Pottstown areas. The control tower at the dam is said to have prevented more than $56 million in flood damages.

Formerly the Main Street Inn, the late 19thcentury structure in the heart of the bustling college borough is undergoing yet another metamorphosis under the creative guidance of Andrea Folino, a principal of the growing Folino Estate enterprises. Andrea and her husband Marco are the entrepreneurial couple behind what, in less than a decade, has become the fabled Folino Estate Vineyard and Winery in the rolling countryside of northern Berks.

The estate and winery – the first vines weren’t planted until 2014 and now the vineyard has grown to include over 23,544 vines and spans some 14 acres of the property has become a popular dining, wine tasting and event destination. The ridge of the Blue Mountains provides a beautiful backdrop for their 54-acre venue along Old Route 22 near the Lehigh County line, which includes the main building with a tasting lounge, restaurant, bottle shop and terrace overlooking the