Hershey Park is a favorite destination for many families in Pennsylvania, but did you know that there is much more to do in the surrounding area? This past weekend, we loaded up the kids and headed out to Hershey. During this trip, we skipped the park and opted instead to explore all of the other fun destinations in the sweetest town in Pennsylvania.
Locations
Hershey Gardens: 170 Hotel Road, Hershey, PA 17033
Hotel Hershey: 100 Hotel Road, Hershey, PA 17033
Tanger Outlets Hershey: 46 Outlet Square, Hershey, PA 17033
Approximate Distance from Allentown: 1.5 hours
What To Do?
- This trip was the first time that we ever explored Hershey Gardens, and it was truly delightful. Both kids went crazy over the butterfly atrium, and my daughter spent the rest of the day skipping away in a pair of butterfly wings that we bought at the gift shop. The gardens are huge and have many areas for the entire family, including a children's garden. Bring your camera for some family photos!
- The Outlets at Hershey are always a fun place to spend a few hours walking around. The outlets also feature the ONLY American Girl Doll outlet in the country, which we of course had to visit!
- You can't leave Hershey without at least a little bit of chocolate! Did you know that Chocolate World has a free ride and free parking? You will need to logon to their website to register, due to Covid restrictions, but it only took about 30 seconds and there were plenty of employees there to help. From there you can learn all about how chocolate is made. At the end of the ride you even get a free piece of chocolate! The store at Chocolate Word has everything Hershey that you could possibly imagine! I think we have enough chocolate for the next year now.
- Run into The Hotel Hershey and grab a baked good. Then find somewhere on property to sit and enjoy! The kids couldn't even finish these giant chocolate cupcakes, and we loved watching them try!
- Of course I can't write this article without mentioning Hershey Park. We didn't visit the theme park this year, but I had to promise both kids that we would make a trip back soon!
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Where to Eat?
- Troeg's Brewery (Which has an awesome children's menu and indoor and outdoor dining) https://troegs.com
- The Mill at Hershey https://themillinhershey.com
- The Bear's Den (This restaurant is sports-themed and has a small arcade to entertain the kids while waiting for your food.) https://www.hersheylodge.com/dining/the-bears-den.php
Between shopping, baked goods, chocolate, and butterflies, there's something for everyone in Hershey, PA! It really is the sweetest place on Earth!
