Do you like chocolate and fun? Of course you do. Which is why I’m shocked that you haven’t been to Hersheypark. First opened over 100 years ago, this chocolate wonderland covers over 100 acres of prime Pennsylvania real estate and sports 70 rides and attractions, including a zoo. With the Disney universe inflating prices year after year, it’s a great time to show those fat cats in Orlando and Anaheim how the free-market system works. Hersheypark, along with the adjacent chocolate factory, offers the best bang for your buck you are likely to see these days. The world needs to know about Hersheypark, and here are the top reasons why.
Four Attractions for the price of one
Located merely hours from both New York City and Philadelphia, Hersheypark is more than just a theme park. There is also a zoo and wildlife park, the world-famous chocolate factory, a 23-acre botanical garden, and a water park. Plus, there are three official Hersheypark resorts that offer family packages and perks and, importantly, a complimentary shuttle service to the park. Even with this huge variety of entertainment options, Hersheypark somehow maintains its small-town charm.
A Theme Park With Four Seasons
Every season is wonderful in its own way. Especially at Hersheypark. Springtime in the Park offers some pre-summer fun. Summer Season is the classic time of year for Hersheypark with all 70+ attractions, 14 rollercoasters, the full water park (read more below), and access to ZooAmerica (read more below.) Hersheypark in the Dark is full of Halloween fun with special attractions and the Creatures of the Night experience at ZooAmerica. And round out the year with Hersheypark Christmas Candylane. The holiday event provides all the fun of Christmas with the adventure of Hersheypark. The warm-weather theme parks try to have seasonal events, but there is nothing like the four seasons of Hersheypark.
Hershey’s Chocolate World – with FREE tours
Just across the parking lot, a world of chocolate awaits. I still have vivid childhood memories of the sensory overload that is the “sweetest journey on Earth.” Learn how cocoa beans become Hershey’s chocolate on the free tour of the Hershey chocolate factory. Of course, there are free samples. But there is also so much more. You can also create-you-own candy bar by choosing your ingredients and designing the wrapper. There is a photo studio, a 4D chocolate movie, and more. The factory attraction could be just a break from the action at Hersheypark, or it could serve as a stand-alone day of fun.
The Rides
The ride selection is vast at Hersheypark. All the basics are present for the theme park purists, such as bumper cars, the frog hopper, the carrousel, and the Comet. But the real stars of the show are the 14 coasters. My nostalgic favorites are the SooperDooperLooper and the Sidewinder. From old-school wooden coasters to modern gravity and spinning indoor coasters, this park has maximum thrills for the adrenaline junkies in your group. But wait, there’s more! This is a full-fledged family destination. As such, there are plenty of rides for the easily-thrilled and smaller members of your party. The Twin Turnpike has a classic cars section as well as the speedway where kids can hit the gas and cruise on the track. The Pony Parade and Ladybugs will round out the variety so everyone can find a ride they love.
There’s a full-blown water park
In 2007, Hersheypark celebrated its 100th anniversary with a $21-million water park known as The Boardwalk. The designers paid tribute to the classic seaside boardwalks of the east coast and, after a few more expansions since, there are now 15 major water rides. My favorite is the seven-story structure with seven waterslides and over 500 interactive water toys known as East Coast Waterworks. The Shore is a massive 378,000-gallon wave pool with a maximum depth of six feet. These rides are great for the big kids, but what about the little ones? Sandcastle Cove and Bayside Pier offer children’s play areas with safe and fun pools for the kids. And the best part: if you have a ticket to Hersheypark, it’s good here too.
Nature is on Display in this AZA-accredited Zoo
ZooAmerica is a wildlife park that takes its dedication to conservation and education seriously. With over 200 animals native to North America, ZooAmerica offers the perfect change of pace after the sweets of the chocolate factory and the thrills of the theme park. The park is divided up by region, representing five very different ecosystems. The Eastern Woodlands are inhabited by black bears, white-tailed deer, bobcats, river otters, and more. Big Sky offers a glimpse at some of the creatures the Great Plains pioneers would likely have seen on their cross-country trek. The Mojave Desert is on display in the Great Southwest where you can see black-footed ferrets, vampire bats, and a variety of snakes and lizards. The Southern Swamps and the Northlands offer a huge range of animals from gray wolves to alligator snapping turtles. ZooAmerica is just another reason HersheyPark is a unique diamond in the rough in Central Pennsylvania.
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