Residents of Renningers have a rural lifestyle near Pottsville
Just beyond the southern slopes of Sharp Ridge, Renningers offers a rural Pennsylvanian landscape dotted with single-family and manufactured homes. The community is just off Route 61, marking a near-midpoint between Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg, and its Sunny Side subdivision is a popular draw. “People live there because it’s quiet, fairly rural and convenient to many bigger cities,” says Jennifer Walton, a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homesale Realty. “Sunny Side is a great development. Other than that neighborhood, Renningers is generally a mix of highway businesses and industry. But overall, it’s rural because almost all of Schuylkill County is rural, except for Pottsville.” Pottsville is a drive of less than 10 miles north across the ridge, providing Renningers residents access to a larger city.
Single-family homes between Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg
Single-family properties throughout Renningers are often ranch-style homes or colonial-style homes and typically cost between $250,000 and $450,000. Manufactured homes in Sammy’s Mobile Home Park can sell for under $50,000. Sunny Side is the most prominent community within Renningers, and it is also one of the newest developments in the area. "Sunny Side is a lovely neighborhood and has newer homes,” Walton says. “The single-family homes were built in the early 2000s. They are mostly traditional-style, two-story homes, with a few ranch-style homes."
Hiking and biking outlets close to Renningers
While there are no public parks within Renningers itself, residents here are not without nearby options to outdoor recreation. The Schuylkill River is one of the area’s most prominent landmarks, lined with an established trail. Its West Branch winds to the west of Renningers. “The Schuylkill River Trail is great,” Walton says. “The river flows from north of Renningers all the way down to Philadelphia. The Schuylkill River Greenways is working to unify the trail along the river all the way to Philadelphia for walkers and bikers.”
Hawk Mountain and the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, which protects birds of prey, are less than 20 miles east. “Hawk Mountain and the Schuylkill River are two big recreational draws,” Walton says. “There are places to get on the Appalachian Trail nearby, too, and Hawk Mountain has hiking and bird-watching.” The Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is home to a native habitat garden, and also hosts a summer camp and year-round birthday parties for children. The private Schuylkill Country Club has an 18-hole golf course just outside of Renningers. Less than 3 miles away, Schuylkill Haven Island Park has fields for softball and soccer, a pavilion and a boat launch.
Blue Mountain High School has numerous sports accolades
Kids in Renningers can begin their education at Blue Mountain Elementary School, which garners a B rating from Niche. Blue Mountain Middle School receives a B-minus, while Blue Mountain High School has a B. Blue Mountain High offers an Honors STEM program for students. Its athletic programs have also won numerous championships, including for baseball, basketball and both boys’ and girls’ swimming.
Dining along Route 61 and beyond
Route 61 is home to many of the area’s restaurants. Mac’s Diner specializes in comfort food, while The Freeze scoops ice cream for patrons. The Renningers Farmer’s Market sits in the southwestern corner of the community and features vendors, flea markets and more. Just east of Renningers, the Coldstream Kitchen serves American food. Locals can also go farther east into Orwigsburg for more choices, including American fare at The Brickhouse and sandwiches at 419 Market Café & Eatery.
Less than 7 miles northwest, the Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville is the oldest operating brewery in the country. “They host a 5K run once a year in the spring,” Walton says. “That brings in a couple thousand people, and the brewery itself brings in a lot of people every day.” Grocery shoppers often head to a Redner’s Warehouse Markets or to GIANT, both of which are less than 5 miles west of Renningers.
Route 61 traverses the Pennsylvania landscape
Due to a lack of public transportation options in the area, Renningers is an entirely car-dependent community. Pennsylvania Route 61 runs along Renningers’ southern boundary before turning north, cutting through Sharp Ridge and Second Mountain en route to Pottsville. “Route 61 actually runs all the way down to Reading,” Walton says. “It’s not an interstate highway, but it’s a main thoroughfare.” Pottsville proper is about 7 miles north of Renningers, while Reading is about 35 miles south and Allentown is almost 50 miles away. Philadelphia is nearly 100 miles southeast. For those seeking to travel by air, the Schuylkill Regional Airport offers private aviation operations less than 20 miles away, but for commercial flights, residents will need to drive to Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown. Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital is less than 7 miles east.
