With close proximity to major cities, Berks County affords countless opportunities for exciting day trips and overnight getaways aboard deluxe motorcoaches.
“We can plan a trip anywhere you want to go,” says John Kowalski, General Manager for Bieber Tourways, a Kutztown-based transportation company that offers feature tours, charters and scheduled service.
Getting Away for the Day
Locals seem to love visiting New York City all year long. Klein Transportation, a private deluxe motorcoach transportation provider headquartered in Douglassville, hosts sold-out trips to the Big Apple the first and third Saturdays of each month. Guests can enjoy free time sightseeing and shopping or attending a Broadway show. Klein Transportation assists with selecting and purchasing Broadway show tickets for customers’ added convenience.
“New York City is a fun, leisure travel trip,” says Adele Klein, a third-generation owner of Klein Transportation with her husband, Wayne. “We drop off travelers at a convenient location, and they don’t have to worry about parking or traffic hassles.”
Bieber offers 19 scheduled service trips daily from Berks County to New York City, in addition to charter and featured tours. The Monday-Friday clientele is mainly made up of commuters who live in Berks County and the Lehigh Valley but work in New York City. “Day Trippers,” as Kowalski calls them, take advantage of the flexible Saturday and Sunday trip schedules. “They decide when they want to go, what they’re going to do and when they want to come home. The last bus departs New York City for Berks County at 11:59 p.m.,” says Kowalski.
Area baseball fans enjoy outings to Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees games. During the regular baseball season, Bieber offers bus trips to Yankees home games on Saturdays and to Phillies home games on Sundays. “These are hot tickets, especially when the teams are winning,” Kowalski says. “These tours attract a full spectrum of ages. We have the die-hard fans who’ve been supporters for years, or we have the grandmas and grandpas taking their grandchildren to a professional ballgame for the first time.”
Other popular day-trip destinations include Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, the Eastern shore, Peddler’s Village, dinner theaters and casinos in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Charter tours are ideal for nonprofit organizations, companies, schools and universities, as well as folks celebrating a birthday, anniversary or family reunion. A group leader has the freedom to customize a trip with an exclusive invitation list. “Atlantic City is a popular destination for charter tours,” Klein says. “If you take a group to a casino, each person gets slot pay coupons, making it an economical outing.”
Want to Stay a Little Longer?
When travelers want to take a longer break from their hectic, busy schedules, they can take advantage of overnight and extended getaways offered by both Bieber and Klein Transporation. Renowned destinations include the New England states; Savannah, Ga.; Mackinac Island, Mich.; Branson, Mo.; New Mexico; California; New Orleans; and more.
One of Klein’s personal favorite retreats is Mackinac (pronounced “Mackinaw”) Island, a motor vehicle-free isle that boasts beautiful Victorian homes, horse-drawn carriage rides and famous homemade fudge. She likes the quaint location to escape from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan areas. “It’s such a unique, peaceful and relaxing place,” Klein says.
A two-night, three-day getaway to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, remains Klein Transporation’s top-selling overnight trip, thanks to the area’s breathtaking views. Travelers receive guided tours of the Niagara area and a Maid of the Mist boat ride.
What’s New in 2012?
Inspired by the Food Network, Bieber is hosting trips to please local food connoisseurs, including gourmet shopping tours to Little Italy and – literally – sweet Cupcake Tours to New York City and New Jersey. Cupcake lovers of all ages enjoy visiting famous bake shops featured on the network’s Cupcake Wars show: Sprinkles Cupcakes, The Cupcake Café, Crumbs Bake Shop and Magnolia Bakery, all in New York City, and Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, N.J. “We were surprised by how well the community responded to our first Cupcake Tour last September,” Kowalski says. “After each stop on the tour, people filled up the luggage bins with cupcakes to enjoy later at home.”
To commemorate its 55th anniversary this year, Klein Transportation is hosting an extended trip in August to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Travelers will stay at a cozy hotel in the rolling foothills while enjoying the area’s natural beauty, historical spots, entertainment venues and well-known Southern cooking. “Whether you’re new to motorcoaching or reuniting with us, we want to mix our new and existing customers for an unforgettable trip to celebrate our 55 years in the transportation business,” says Klein.
PLAN A TRIP TODAY!
Bieber Tourways 610-683-7333 or 800-243-2374 biebertourways.com Klein Transportation 610-385-6700, 610-582-4404 or 800-451-6700 kleintransportation.com
It’s a fun and comfortable ride. With the motto “Half the fun is getting there,” Klein Transportation prides itself on providing the ultimate traveling experience with a fun clientele, comfortable seating and modern amenities, such as movies. “Everyone who travels with Klein is on board to enjoy themselves,” Klein says. “They appreciate spending quality time with friends and families.”
Pleasant, knowledgeable operators can do wonders to add to the enjoyment of an individual’s outing. “Experienced operators who truly engage a group make the experience more memorable and can be the driving force in bringing customers back,” says Kowalski, whose company’s motorcoaches also boast comfort, style and amenities.
It’s convenient. All patrons have to do is board the bus and let the experts do the rest. “With one call or click of a button, your trip is reserved and your itinerary is planned,” Klein says.
Guests can sit back, relax and enjoy the sights while someone else deals with managing the directions, driving in traffic and finding parking. Kowalski adds, “Plus, after a long day of walking, you can sleep on the ride home back to Pennsylvania.”
It’s economical. Many bus companies have good working relationships with vendors and can obtain lower rates than individuals on tickets to popular attractions. “We can pass these savings on to our customers,” Klein adds.
It’s green. According to the Motorcoach Council, one motorcoach can remove as many as 56 passenger cars from highways, helping to reduce air, ground, water and noise pollution. Motorcoaches deliver more than 350 passenger miles per gallon of fuel, making them more fuel efficient than planes and trains.
It’s safe. Department of Transportation statistics have proven that motorcoach travel is one of the safest means of transportation. Plan a motorcoach trip today!
