What is now known as Berks County is the ancestral home of the Lenape people. 

Date of Visit: August 3, 2025

Tucked away in the northern corner of Berks County, three miles east of the village of Virginville and five miles west of Kutztown, exists one of the oldest tourist attractions in Pennsylvania.

Crystal Cave is proudly billed as “America’s first show cave,” meaning it was an early tourist destination, long before others were charging admission to see the underground beauty of stalactites and stalagmites. 

The cave was “discovered” in 1871. I place “discovered” in quotes because we really don’t know if the cave was known before then, but that’s when William Merkel and John Gehret accidentally found the cave’s entrance while blasting for limestone in the area. 

One year later, Samuel D. F. Kohler purchased the land, built a crude wooden entryway, and began charging admission to admire the natural wonders inside. 

This history is told during the 15-minute orientation video. The video is almost a time capsule in and off itself. At least 20 years old (probably more), it’s a low-definition look at the geological and personal history surrounding the cave, including old photographs, vintage postcards, and dated animation. 

I suppose it’s appropriate that the video doesn’t change because the Cave tour doesn’t change either, unless you include the imperceptible growth from year to year of the rock formations inside. 

Our tour guide was a college-age student who whisked us inside. It was a warm August day outside, but a cool 54 degrees inside the cave, as it is year-round. 

Though she delivered every word of her script correctly, our guide’s inflection was off and every sentence ended as if she were asking us a question or there was something else we should be hearing. It only took away slightly from the information she delivered throughout the 30-minute walkthrough. 

We saw all of the named formations, starting with the upside down ice cream cone. (I’m 100% sure that my two-year-old would have tried to lick it if we weren’t holding his hand the whole time). 

A paved walkway takes tour groups deeper into the cave. The concrete path with steps and metal guide rails was installed in the 1920s. In the years prior, according to our guide, visitors to the cave would have walked on top of uneven rock formations as they explored deep inside. 

The lighting inside the cave was also an addition around the same time, replacing the hand-held lanterns that would have been used by the earliest tour guides. It’s a good thing, too, because even with the concrete path, the moisture from the cave can lead to slippery spots along the footpath. I can’t imagine walking the paths in near-darkness. 

We find out what that looks like when, for a brief moment, the tour guide turns the lights off so we can get a feel for what it may have been like more than 100 years ago. 

As we walked deeper into the cave, we passed through the largest room, the ballroom, which actually once held special events including weddings and baptisms. Our guide told us the story of a historic bridezilla who insisted on having a grand piano brought into the cave for the occasion. (This was before the pathways were installed).

One of the great differences between the early days of the attraction and today is the care that is taken to preserve it. Whereas in early days, a rock formation inside the ballroom was used as a bar, today guests are not permitted to touch the formations to prevent permanent damage from the oils of our skin. The only exception is one small patch poking up through the walkway that guests are encouraged to touch. 

But the highlight of the tour is the highest and deepest part of the cave – at least that is accessible. Here, guests climb several flights of stairs to get a birds-eye (or is it bats-eye) view of the cave. Everyone stops to pose for photos before descending the staircase and working our back outside. 

Outside of the cave, there are other attractions to enjoy including miniature golf, gem mining, and an ice cream shop, but we decided to save those for another trip. 

We did take some time before our tour to walk through the gift shop, which is a historic building of its own. The large structure once served as a hotel for guests visiting the cave – the attraction being a long drive by horse and carriage from the nearest train station. 

Inside you can buy gifts, including crystals (though not from Crystal Cave) and nearly every trinket you could think of. 

Admission to the cave was not cheap. It costs $20 for adults and $15 for children ages 4-12. But I believe it’s worth a visit, at least once. For my oldest son (seven at the time of our visit), this was his third visit in three years having taken two prior field trips to Crystal Cave, and he enjoyed each trip. 

And that’s what matters most in the end, anyway. 

More Things to Do in Berks County