Hersheypark: A Visit to the Sweetest Place On Earth

A sweet family trip to Hersheypark!

The secret ingredient to a wonderful weekend away is…chocolate! Plan a terrific and tasty trip to the sweetest place on earth – Hershey, PA!

Where to Stay

After an easy drive, we arrived at the Hershey Lodge and felt right at home. From the moment we stepped inside there was a sweet smell of chocolate in the air. We arrived just in time for the Kids’ Check-In, to meet a Hershey chocolate character and get lots of kisses — chocolate kisses that is! It was a great way to start the vacay!

Kids will love exploring the vast Hershey property filled with sweet stuff like Water Works (the indoor water playground) outdoor swimming, game rooms, sweet shops, and much more! Everyone will love the family-friendly and spacious connecting rooms and suites. They come complete with chocolate-themed artwork and décor and amazing family amenities like chocolate-scented shampoo and conditioner.

Where to Eat

We appreciated the diversity of dining options (there are six restaurants in the lodge) complete with kiddie menus. We could grab a quick breakfast at the Cocoa Beanery on our way to the park or sit down and savor the buffet items like chocolate chip pancakes at Fire & Grain while drawing on Hershey coloring character pages. For lunch or dinner, I recommend The Bears Den, the hockey-themed restaurant, which was a win with us given its large menu and themed setting. For a perfect ending to a delicious day, we enjoyed happy hour (think Hershey Kiss Martinis) and a gourmet dinner at Fire & Grain or The Forebay. After dinner, there is s’mores making all evening and Hershey’s Kisses turndown service available.

Where to Find Fun

The Hershey Lodge highlight was hands down Hershey’s Water Works. We could play all day enjoying the 30,000 square feet of wet and whimsical fun, featuring Twizzlers Twists water slides and Reese’s Water Walk. There are tons of fun, interactive water features like a zero entry pool, sand castle spray zone, lighthouse tipping bucket, basketball hoops, and more! Parents will love that lifeguards are on duty during all pool operating hours so parents and kids alike can splash around feeling safe and sound.

The next day our visit to Hersheypark was a sweet sensation! It was choc-full of riveting rides, super shows, great games, and more! We found our kids’ height categories and knew we had a little “Hershey Chocolate Bar” and “Hershey Kiss” so could easily find all the best rides that were just right for the little ones. We explored the whole park but our favorites were the Swing Thing, driving antique cars, the Lady Bug, and the Coal Cracker! My little thrill seekers weren’t afraid of anything. We also treasured our sweet moments, greeting the Hershey Bar and Reese’s at the carousel and flying up to the top of the Kissing Tower. We loved adding to the sweet 25 million total rides taken in Hersheypark every year.  

We were happier than kids in a candy store when we went to Hershey’s Chocolate World. We started the experience with the all-new Hershey’s Chocolate Tour Ride to learn how chocolate is made from bean to bar and even got a treat at the end. Yum! The most unique and special segment and everyone’s favorite stop was inside the chocolate factory to Create Your Own Candy Bar. We donned aprons and hairnets and stepped inside the factory to create one-of-a-kind, custom Hershey bars. We carefully selected the type of chocolate, best mix-ins, and adding sprinkles on top. Then we designed our own Hershey-themed box design for the keepsake tin. It was cool watching the bar being produced on the assembly line and even cooler to taste the delicious Hersey bars. We also did a sophisticated chocolate tasting, solved a chocolate mystery at the interactive 4D movie, visited the bakery, and made time for meet and greets with the characters.

After lots of excitement and activity, we were delighted to come home to find Hershey Kisses left on our pillows and cozy up with our new Hershey Kiss, Reese’s and Twizzler stuffed animal friends. Then it was nothing but sweet dreams for this loving family in Chocolate Town USA. Our family made so many sweet memories to cherish at the Sweetest Place On Earth!

Hershey Lodge is very family-friendly and they say the sweetest things at the resort are free such as Admission to Hershey Gardens; admission to The Hershey Story’s Museum Experience; and more. They also offer additional services such as Mothers’ Nursing Room; Pack & Plays available upon request; Dry-cleaning and laundry services; Local complimentary transportation within 5 miles and based on availability; On-site vehicle rental agency, Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Airport and train station shuttle service, for an additional fee.

Room rates start at $159 per night

Jana Beauchamp is a Manhattan writer and mom of two