How to spend the weekend in Hershey Pennsylvania

We recently spent the weekend in Hershey Pennsylvania and were surprised at all the fun things to do in the area.

The Hershey community was first built to boost the morale of Hershey’s employees and has grown into one of the most visited places with so many fun attractions including Hersheypark, Hershey Gardens, the Hershey Theater, and the Hershey Museum.

On the blog, I will share how to spend the weekend in Hershey Pennsylvania, so you can plan your trip to the sweetest place on earth, or “Chocolate town, USA”.

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Where to stay in Hershey Pennsylvania

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There are so many options in places to stay on your weekend visit to Hershey. You can choose between staying at a hotel in Hershey, or making reservations at a camping resort nearby! Here are some options at Hershey.

• Springhill Suites by Marriot near Hersheypark
• Hampton Inn and Suites Hershey
• Fairfield Inn and Suites Hershey Chocolate Avenue
• Courtyard by Marriot Hershey Chocolate Avenue

Official Hersheypark Hotels:

• Hershey Lodge
• Hotel Hershey
• Hersheypark Camping Resort

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Top things to do in Hershey Pennsylvania

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Visit HersheyPark

One of the top things to do in Hershey Pennsylvania is of course a visit to Hersheypark.

Hersheypark opened in 1907 as a modest green space but grew to include rides and attractions, including a zoo for Hershey’s employees and their families.

Today, it is a popular tourist attraction in the area with over 70 attractions in the park, including 14 coasters, and a waterpark. There are also quite a few rides for the little thrill-seekers as well!

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Where to get tickets to Hersheypark

Make sure to purchase park tickets online, which is usually cheaper than buying them at the park, and you won’t have to wait in long lines.

Dated one-day Tickets start at $59.99 for adults / $49.99 for kids 3-8 and Seniors 62+. Make sure to save time and purchase parking online as well, which costs $20 per vehicle.

Kid-friendly rides at Hersheypark

Enjoy more than 40 fun-filled family rides. Some of our favorite family rides are the carousel, Ferris wheel, the Pirate ship, the Cocoa Cruiser, and all the fun water slides at the Boardwalk.

There are also lots of kiddie rides for the littlest thrill-seekers like the Balloon Flite, Frog Hopper, Mini Himalaya, and more. There’s a ride here for everyone!

Guests are assigned a candy-themed ride height category and you can measure your kids at the entrance to Hersheypark so you know which rides they can get on. There are six categories:

• Hershey miniatures: under 36”
• Hersheys kisses: 36” to 42”
• Reeses: 42” to 48”
• Hershey Bar: 48” to 54”
• Twizzlers: 54” to 60”
• Jolly Rancher 60” and up!

One way to make the most of your visit to Hersheypark is to download the Hersheypark app.

The app is the best way to help you navigate the park, find out ride wait times, mobile order food, and the height requirements for each ride.

The Boardwalk Water Park

One of the best things about visiting Hersheypark during the summer is the Boardwalk water park which is open Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day, and is included with your admission!

This is one of the best water parks to visit during the summer and includes a wave pool, lots of water slides, and the East Coast Waterworks which features 7 slides, a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket, and nearly 600 interactive water toys, and more!

Be aware that this water park gets crowded in the summertime. I suggest getting here early at the park opening to avoid the crowds!

Make sure to pack some sunblock, snacks, and extra clothes. There are snack bars nearby, but the lines can get pretty long.

We love these waterproof bags for storing extra clothes, and these microfiber towels as well.

Hershey’s ZooAmerica

Another fun attraction at Hersheypark is ZooAmerica which is also included with your admission and features more than 200 animals in an 11-acre zoo.

ZooAmerica is home to lots of animals including bears, Gray wolves, Bald eagles, an Ocelot, Mountain lions, and more!

You can also go on a behind-the-scenes tour and learn more about the animals and their habitats. There are three tours to choose from that guide you through non-public spaces and get you up close to the animals.

Tours cost $75 per person and are recommended for ages 3 and up. Participants 17 and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult and must pre-register and pre-pay 72 hours in advance. Limit 10 participants per tour. Reserve tours here.

• After Hours Tour: 2 hour guided tour through select areas, including an insider’s look at the Animal Health Center and a walk through the animal buildings. You can get up close and personal to some of the animals as well.
• Early Bird Tour: Early morning tour before the Zoo opens. Opportunity to feed and get up close to some of the animals and is available Tuesdays, Fridays or Sundays From 8 – 10 AM.
• Photography Tour: Guided tour with the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes to take up-close photos of the animals at select habitats. Choose from three exhibit animals and two ambassador species. Available Thursdays or Saturdays From 8 – 10 AM

Hershey’s Chocolatetown

Hersheypark is constantly growing and love the newest region at Hershey’s Chocolatetown. You can get on the newest coaster called Candymonium, which is the tallest and fastest coaster at Hershey Park.

You can also discover new dining experiences at Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor, The Sweeterie Confectionery Kitchen, and the all-new full-service restaurant and bar, the Chocolatier.

What to eat at Hersheypark

There are lots of places to eat at Hersheypark, but they do get pretty crowded during the day.

Make sure to download the Hersheypark app and do a mobile food order to avoid the lines. Here are some of our favorites:

• Chickies and Petes: Known for crab fries, philly steak sandwich, chicken tenders and more! (Mobile order available in App)
• Chick-Fil-A: (Mobile order available in App)
• 1906 Grill: char-grilled burgers, chicken fingers, cheese curds, fries, and more! (Mobile order available in App)
• Dispatch Pizzeria: Pizza (Mobile order available in App)
• Spring Creek Smokehouse: Smokehouse barbecue
• The Outpost: Barbecue chicken flatbread, and serves allergy friendly food.
• Founder’s Way Funnel Cake: Hershey’s chocolate funnel cake
• Tower Fries: Buffalo ranch chicken dip fries
• Simply Chocolate: King Size shakes
• The Chocolatier: American style fare with chocolate inspired foods!

Restaurants on Chocolate Ave.

• The Chocolate Avenue Grill: Bistro with an eclectic menu including wraps, pasta, seafood and more.
• Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar Hershey: Known for their sandwiches piled high with coleslaw and fries.
• First Watch: Great place for breakfast or brunch
• Houlihan’s: American style menu

Visit Hershey’s Chocolate World

Another attraction to add to your weekend in Hershey Pennsylvania is a visit to Hershey’s Chocolate World, which is free to enter, and there’s also a free Chocolate tour as well.

The chocolate tour takes you on a ride that explains the process of making their world-famous candies from start to finish in a fun and engaging way that the kids will love. Plus you get a chocolate treat at the end!

The lines here get very long during the day, so I suggest doing the tour first thing at store opening, or two hours before closing.

• Hours: 9am-7pm
• Free Chocolate tours run continuously throughout the day
• Wheelchair accessible

There are many other paid activities at Hershey’s Chocolate World as well. We got to do a few of them and we had a blast.

You can purchase individual tickets to these Hershey Chocolate World experiences, or bundle up and save more. Reserve tickets online here.

• Create your own Candy experience- One of our favorite activities at Hershey’s Chocolate world is the Create your own Candy Bar experience. You can choose your toppings, create your wrapper and take home your very own personalized candy bar. The fun part was watching the machine assemble your creation!

• Hershey Trolley Tour- Go on a historic journey through Hershey on an old fashioned trolley and explore the town built on Chocolate and Milton Hershey’s inspiring story.

• Hershey’s Unwrapped Chocolate Tasting- Experience this fun and immersive tasting journey with a theatrical experience for the whole family.

• 4-D Movie experience– Help the Hershey characters solve a mystery through stunning digital animation and special effects with the 4-D Movie experience.

Hershey’s Chocolate World also has one of the biggest shops we’ve seen selling all things Chocolate and Hershey merchandise. You can even pick up limited edition treats, and humongous-sized candy bars.

Getting to make our very own candy bar was the highlight of our visit to Hershey’s Chocolate World. Our little one was in awe of the whole process and was ecstatic to have her personalized candy bar!

The Hershey Story Museum

Another attraction to add to your weekend in Hershey Pennsylvania is a visit to the Hershey Story Museum.

Learn more about the story of Hershey and his life in this interactive museum. There are lots of fun and engaging activities for kids and the whole family to enjoy.

• Museum experience tickets costs ($13.50 for adults), and ($9.50 for kids 3-12).

• You can also purchase chocolate tasting and chocolate lab tickets as well, or buy combo museum/chocolate lab class tickets for ($22.00 for adults), (kids 3-12 $16.50).

• Active duty military personnel gets free admission to the Museum Experience, while their families receive $3 off admission with valid military ID card. Teachers also receive $3 off admission as well.

Visit Hershey Gardens

One of the best things to do in Hershey after a long day at Hersheypark is a visit to Hershey Gardens.

Hershey Gardens is a 23-acre botanical garden and arboretum located atop a hill overlooking Hersheypark.

It was built as a gift from Milton S. Hershey for his community and to honor his wife, Catherine.

Your paid visit to the gardens includes an indoor butterfly garden and an arboretum.

• Tickets cost ($13.50 for adults ages 13-61), (Kids 3-12 $9.50), (Seniors 62+ $12.00), 2 and under is FREE.

• Active Duty military personnel are Free, families get $3 off. Teachers also get $3 off admission as well.

There are also various themed gardens such as the Children’s Garden, a Rose Garden, a Japanese garden, and a seasonal flower garden.

When visiting in the summer or rainy weather, the gardens provide free umbrellas to use, which is so helpful during the hot summers!

There is also a small cafe serving some refreshments and some yummy Hershey’s ice cream! This garden is worth a visit if you are ever in the area.

Visit Hershey’s Mansion

Did you know you can tour Hershey’s Mansion? The Milton S. Hershey Mansion, also known as High Point was once the home of Milton S. Hershey.

Tours are currently held on Saturdays only and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and typically last 60-75 minutes. 

You must reserve tickets online here and at least one day in advance.

Photography is not permitted inside the building, and there is Free parking at the Mansion.

• Tickets: 
• Regular (ages 13-61): $17.50
• Senior (ages 62+): $15
• Junior (age 3-12): $15
• Active Duty Military: $15
• Members (The Hershey Story, Hershey Gardens or Hershey Theatre Guild): $15
• Hershey History Special: Tour High Point Mansion and visit the Museum Experience at The Hershey Story for only $27.50 per person.
• Location: 100 E Mansion Rd, Hershey, PA 17033

Visit the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum

Another thing to do in Hershey, especially if you’re into Antique Cars is a visit to the AACA Museum.

The AACA Museum is ranked the top automotive museum in the world, with interactive exhibits highlighting the history of motor vehicles.

There are more than 100 cars on display, including horse carriages, muscle cars, and more.

There is also a collection of unrestored classic cars on display which is the perfect visit for the car enthusiast in the family.

• Tickets cost ($12.50 for adults), (Kids 4-12 $9.50), (kids under 3 is free). Museum hours are from 9am-5pm daily.

• The AACA Museum is located just a short drive away from Hersheypark at 161 Museum Drive Hershey, PA.

Visit Indian Echo Caverns

When planning a visit to Hershey, make sure to add a visit to Indian Echo Caverns, which is just a short drive away in Hummelstown.

Your timed tickets take you on a 45-minute guided tour where you can explore this limestone cave and all its natural underground beauty!

Make sure to pack a lightweight sweater as it’s a chilly 52 degrees underground!

There are also other activities to explore that you can take advantage of while waiting for your tour which includes, panning for gems, visiting the petting zoo, and a fun playground for kids as well.

There is also a gift shop where you can purchase souvenirs.

• Tickets are available for purchase at the Gift shop and costs ($20 for adults), (kids $12 ages 2-11) (Seniors $19 ages 65+) (2 and under is free).

We had an amazing weekend in Hershey, Pennsylvania. There is so much to do for the whole family and fun day trips around the area. We stayed for two days and felt it was the perfect amount of time to visit all the attractions in the area. 

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