Inside Hershey

Top Ten Gifts from Hershey

 

One thing about being in Hershey: Whether you live here or you're just visiting, you can always find unique gifts! Here are a few of our favorites (and most can be ordered online!)

 

Life Lion Collectible Helicopter

From our friends at Penn State Milton S. Hershey  Medical Center, a 1:48 scale die-cast replica of the Life Lion helicopter.

 

The World's Largest Hershey Bar

Not something you can find at the grocery store and sure to impress the recipient! While you're at the Hershey online shop, pick up a box of Golden Almond Bars (our favorite) or the new Hershey's Gold Bar to try.

 

Hershey's Kisses Sheets and Pillowcases from The Hershey Lodge

Sweet sheets! These Kiss-filled poly-cotton sheets and pillowcases are easy to wash and they last (we have a set, so we know!) Not available online, but visit the Lodge gift shop to get a set for yourself or your favorite people. The shops at the Hershey Lodge and the Hotel Hershey also have unique gifts your kids will treasure!

 

 

Hershey Country Club Embroidered Apparel

 

How about a cashmere golf sweater from your favorite country club?

 

Avenues of Hershey Tee from Stay Apparel

The perfect gift for your Hershey fan from the new company in town, Stay Apparel. All items are U.S.-made and crafted with care.

 

Hershey Food Bank Donation

The number of hungry and food-insecure families continues to grow, even in the Hershey area. Help those people with a donation of time,  money or food to the Hershey Food Bank.

 

Be Kind Hoodie 

Support Hershey's We Matter Coalition by purchasing a "Be Kind" hoodie. The local group is dedicated to suicide prevention and reducing the stigma associated with mental health needs.

 

Melt Spa Gift Certificate

Why not stop by Hershey's newest day spa and pick up a gift card? 

 

A Gift from The Garden Shop at the Hershey Gardens or A Gift from The Museum Shop at the Hershey Story Museum

You don't have to be a member to shop at the unique gift shops at the Hershey Gardens and The Hershey Story museum, and they each feature carefully selected items in every price range. A membership makes a great gift, too!

 

A Photo of your Favorite Corner of Hershey from Frances Civello Photography

Choose your favorite photo and have it shipped directly from the professional lab to you. Frames and mattes are also available—share great memories of our sweet town (with no stress!)

 

Finally, we know there are dozens of unique Hershey gifts we HAVEN'T mentioned here. Gift cards to locally owned businesses are another go-to gift item for us each year. Hershey's Chocolate World always carries merchandise that appeals to even the toughest recipient. Is there anyone who wouldn't appreciate a Hershey Entertainment gift card (good for Hersheypark, HE&R hotels, HE&R restaurants, Hershey Bears, the Chocolate spa, Melt Spa, the Cocoa Beanery and more)? And Art on Derry is always a treasure trove of high-quality art by local artists for a truly unique gift.

What are YOUR favorite Hershey gifts to give? 

 

October in Hershey, 2017 Edition

There are so many events in Hershey during October, it’s hard to keep track of them all! We’ve done some of the research for you, so you can make the most of the next four weeks:

For the first week of October, Hershey will be swarmed by antique vehicles of every variety as the Antique Auto Club of America's Eastern Region Fall Meet comes to town. The meet takes place from October 4 to 7, and consists of more than 9,000 flea market spaces, 1,000 car corral spaces, and approximately 1,500 show cars. Each year the show attracts visitors from all over the United States and many countries throughout the world. 

After the Fall Meet traffic leaves town, it's time to celebrate autumn and Halloween with fun events for the young and young at heart!

 

Hersheypark in the Dark, Hershey’s Trick or Treat Adventure and ZooAmerica’s Creatures Of The Night begin their weekend runs on Friday, October 13 and continue weekends through October 15, October 20-22 and October 27-29. The park is transformed by colorful fall decorations, and special seasonal rates make it easier to take the whole family. Hershey’s Trick or Treat Adventure begins at Hershey’s Chocolate World and continues to a special area inside Hersheypark with a journey of decorated doors and friendly folks offering Hershey’s candy. Live music from spooky bands enhance the experience, and the S’mores treats and hot cider are there to take away the chill! 

Included in your admission to Hersheypark In The Dark is ZooAmerica’s Creatures Of Ihe Night. Watch the wolves howl at the moon, see the bears devour pumpkins, and hang out with the bats at their favorite hour! Bring a flashlight and explore ZooAmerica to get a rare glimpse into the nighttime habits of your favorite animals.

 

On Saturdays in October (Oct. 14, 21 and 28) visit the Hershey Story Museum to create "Monster Mischief." On those days from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., kids who visit the Museum Experience at The Hershey Story can create their very own monster pop using a Hershey bar, decorative icing and edible candy eyes. They’ll also receive a vintage Hershey’s mask to assemble. For a fun Halloween photo opportunity, children are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite costume and pose in front of a vintage Hershey’s advertising backdrop. Included in Museum Experience admission.

 

October 14 also brings the 3rd annual Choctoberfest on ChocolateTown Square in downtown Hershey from noon–6:00 p.m. This family-friendly fall festival features great live music, local craft beer, chocolate and delicious food from downtown restaurants, and offers an array of family and children’s activities. Choctoberfest is free and open to the public, with food and beverages available for purchase.

 

This year for the first time, the annual Hershey Partnership Soup Cook-Off will be held the same day as Choctoberfest. On October 24 from 11:00 a.m. –2:00 p.m., sample dozens of soups concocted by local begs and amateur soup aficionados This event takes place at the Hershey Volunteer Fire Company, which receives a portion of the event profits. Admission is available at the door: adults are $12, children ages 10 and under, $5.

 

Also on October 14, and just a mile or two out of town), Indian Echo Caverns hosts its 6th annual Autumn Festival & Old Fashion Days, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m.,  with wagon rides, pumpkin patches, face painting, glitter tattoos, geode cracking, a bouncy house, charity bake sale, local artist and craft vendors, and food.

 

On Saturday evening, October 14, the Hershey Bears face Belleville in the team's home opener at the GIANT Center. The first game against the local rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms will be hosted by the Bears on Sunday, October 15 at the GIANT Center.

 

Fall also means fitness in Hershey, as runners arrive Sunday, October 15 for the sold-out Hershey Half Marathon. After the finish line (complete with cool collector medal), relaxation is close at hand. Treat yourself to Pumpkin, Spice and Everything Nice with a Pumpkin Spice Body Scrub, a Great Pumpkin Facial or a Pumpkin Latte Manicure & Pedicure at The Spa at The Hotel Hershey. Stay and dine at any one of the fine restaurants at the Hotel Hershey or the Hershey Lodge, all featuring special fall menu items.

 

Also on October 15 from 4 to 6 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church (433 E. Main St. Hummelstown) will hold its third annual Trunk-n-Treat in the church parking lot. Please bring an item for the Hummelstown Food Bank. There is no admission fee, but the church asks for a donation to offset event costs.

 

Have you ever tried a ride on the Hershey Trolley Works? It’s a completely different experience on the Trick or Treat Trolley, a theatrical sightseeing show where two actors bring the story of Hershey to life on the trolley. However, this show focuses more closely on the joy of being a kid (don’t we all want to dress up and go trick or treating?), and the love Mr. and Mrs. Hershey had for children that led them to start Milton Hershey School, the focal point of their amazing legacy. The Trick or Treat Trolley runs in the evenings during Hersheypark In The Dark weekends in October; tickets are available in Hershey’s Chocolate World.

 

Did you know that Hersheypark Camping Resort has events (for campground guests only) during weekends of Hersheypark In The Dark as well? The campground hosts Halloween contests, including a coloring contest, a Decorate-Your-Campsite contest and a pumpkin carving contest, as well as weekend Halloween crafts, costume contests, Halloween Candy Scrabble, a noon Trick or Treat Adventure on Saturdays and music on Friday evenings.

 

If you’re in Hershey during the week and need a Halloween diversion, the 70th Annual  Hershey Halloween Parade takes place on October 17. This parade is a charmer, with homemade floats and unique costumes, as well as the traditional candy tossing to parade watchers. It’s Americana at its best! Come downtown early and join First United Methodist Church (64 W. Chocolate Ave in Hershey) for Trunk or Treat from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. before the parade.

 

 

On October 20 from 6 to 8:30 p.m, Hershey Gardens begins two weekends of its popular Pumpkin Glow (October 20 and 21, and October 27 and 28), where guests meander along a mile-long path to see 150+ lighted, carved pumpkins and gourds. New this year: ten unique themed pumpkin areas, including Hero Headquarters, Creative Cartoons, Haunted Happenings, Halloween Zoo, Woodland Creatures, A Pirate's Life, Wicked Fun, Plants & Pollinators and Once Upon a Time.  

 

Also at Pumpkin Glow, chefs will be on hand to demonstrate pumpkin carving techniques. Don't miss the live creature exhibit spotlighting Goliath tarantulas, giant scorpions, a giant centipede, a jack-o-lantern filled with hissing cockroaches and large friendly caterpillars that visitors can hold. The creature exhibit will be on display in the Milton & Catherine Hershey Conservatory during Pumpkin Glow. (The Butterfly Atrium will be closed during the event) General admission is $12.50 for visitors ages 13-61, $11.50 for seniors (ages 62 and up), and $9.00 for juniors (ages 3-12); children ages 2 and under are free.  Candy distributed at Pumpkin Glow is generously donated by The Hershey Company.

 

Also on Saturday, October 21, the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum will host its popular Trunk or Treat from noon to 3 p.m. Visitors ages 12 and under may participate with museum admission; after creating their own unique “trunk or treat” bags, kids will hunt for a number of trunk or treat spots within the museum, with treats provided by The Hershey Company

 

After the AACA event, bring your ghouls and goblins to a Shank Park Halloween at one of Derry Township’s largest parks. Shank Park Halloween takes place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 21, and features pumpkin decorating, inflatable games, face painting, a candy hunt, S’mores by the campfire, and a Drive-In Movie screening of Captain Underpants. Concessions will be available for purchase, and the event is free (although there is a suggested donation of $5.00 per vehicle).

 

Also on Saturday, October 21, catch the classic Halloween favorite Hocus Pocus at 7:00 p.m. and/or The Rocky Horror Picture Show at 11:59 p.m. at the Hershey Theatre. Tickets are $8.00 per person and are available at the theatre box office or Ticketmaster.

 

On Sunday, October 22, stop by Fishburn United Methodist Church (1215 Fishburn Rd in Hershey) for Trunk or Treat from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.—the church offers easy trick or treating with crafts for the kids, free hot dogs, chips and water.

 

On Thursday, October 26, keep your eye out for little princesses and Pokémon characters on the sidewalks of Hershey as the town’s Trick or Treat takes place from 6:00-8:00 p.m. 

 

By the time October 31 rolls around, you be ready to relax with your own special Halloween traditions at home!

 

 

Making the Most of Autumn in Hershey

October in Hershey

 

There are so many events in Hershey during October, it’s hard to keep track of them all! We’ve done some of the research for you, so you can make the most of the next three weeks:

Hersheypark In The Dark, Hershey’s Trick or Treat Adventure and ZooAmerica’s Creatures Of The Night begin their weekend runs on October 14 and continue weekends through October 16, October 21-23 and October 28-30. The park is transformed by colorful fall decorations, and special seasonal rates make it easier to take the whole family. Hershey’s Trick or Treat Adventure begins at Hershey’s Chocolate World and continues to a special area inside Hersheypark with a journey of decorated doors and friendly folks offering Hershey’s candy. Live music from spooky bands enhance the experience, and the S’mores treats and hot cider are there to take away the chill! 

Included in your admission to Hersheypark In The Dark is ZooAmerica’s Creatures Of Ihe Night. Watch the wolves howl at the moon, see the bears devour pumpkins, and hang out with the bats at their favorite hour! Bring a flashlight and explore ZooAmerica to get a rare glimpse into the nighttime habits of your favorite animals.

October 15 brings the 2nd annual Choctoberfest on ChocolateTown Square in downtown Hershey from noon–6:00 p.m. This family-friendly fall festival features great live music (four performers, including Rhett Miller of Old 97s at 4:30 p.m.), local craft beer, chocolate and delicious food from downtown restaurants, and offers an array of family and children’s activities. Choctoberfest is free and open to the public, with food and beverages available for purchase.

Also on October 15, (and just a mile or two out of town), Indian Echo Caverns hosts its 5th annual Autumn Festival & Old Fashion Days, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m.,  with wagon rides, pumpkin patches, face painting, glitter tattoos, geode cracking, a bouncy house, charity bake sale, local artist and craft vendors, and food.

Fall also means fitness in Hershey, as runners arrive Sunday, October 16 for the sold-out Hershey Half Marathon. After the finish line (complete with cool collector medal), relaxation is close at hand.  Treat yourself to a Pumpkin Spice Body Scrub, a Great Pumpkin Facial or a Pumpkin Latte Manicure & Pedicure at The Spa at The Hotel Hershey. Stay and dine at any one of the fine restaurants at the Hotel Hershey or the Hershey Lodge, all featuring special fall menu items.

Also on October 16 from 4 to 6 p.m., Grace United Methodist Church (433 E. Main St. Hummelstown) will hold its second annual Trunk or Treat in the church parking lot. Please bring an item for the Hummelstown Food Bank. There is no admission fee, but the church asks for a donation to offset event costs.

 

Have you ever tried a ride on the Hershey Trolley Works? It’s a completely different experience on the Trick or Treat Trolley, a theatrical sightseeing show where two actors bring the story of Hershey to life on the trolley. However, this show focuses more closely on the joy of being a kid (don’t we all want to dress up and go trick or treating?), and the love Mr. and Mrs. Hershey had for children that led them to start Milton Hershey School, the focal point of their amazing legacy. The Trick or Treat Trolley runs in the evenings during Hersheypark In The Dark weekends in October; tickets are available in Hershey’s Chocolate World.

Did you know that Hersheypark Camping Resort has events (for campground guests only) during weekends of Hersheypark In The Dark as well? The campground hosts Halloween contests, including a coloring contest, a Decorate-Your-Campsite contest and a pumpkin carving contest, as well as weekend Halloween crafts, costume contests, Halloween Candy Scrabble, a noon Trick or Treat Adventure on Saturdays and music on Friday evenings.

If you’re in Hershey during the week and need a Halloween diversion, the annual Hershey Halloween Parade takes place on October 19. This parade is a charmer, with homemade floats and unique costumes, as well as the traditional candy tossing to parade watchers. It’s Americana at its best! Come downtown a little early and join First United Methodist Church (64 W. Chocolate Ave in Hershey) for Trunk or Treat from 5-7 p.m., before the parade.

On October 21 from 6 to 8:30 p.m, Hershey Gardens begins two weekends of its popular Pumpkin Glow (October 21, 22, 28 and 29), where guests meander along a mile-long path to see 150+ lighted, carved pumpkins and gourds. Chefs will be on hand to demonstrate pumpkin carving techniques, and this year a new program featuring live insects debuts. The live creature exhibit spotlights Goliath tarantulas, giant scorpions, a giant centipede, a jack-o-lantern filled with hissing cockroaches and large friendly caterpillars that visitors can hold. The creature exhibit will be on display in the Milton & Catherine Hershey Conservatory during Pumpkin Glow. General admission is $12.50 for visitors ages 13-61, $11.50 for seniors (ages 62 and up), and $9.00 for juniors (ages 3-12); children ages 2 and under are free.  Candy distributed at Pumpkin Glow is generously donated by The Hershey Company.

On October 22, Camp Catherine (named after Mrs. Hershey) hosts its first Fall Festival, which will include farm activities, pumpkins, games, vendors, food and more.

Also on Saturday, October 22, the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum will host its popular Trunk or Treat from noon to 3 p.m. Visitors ages 12 and under may participate with museum admission; after creating their own unique “trunk or treat” bags, kids will hunt for a number of trunk or treat spots within the museum, with treats provided by The Hershey Company

In the evening of October 22, the Hershey Bears face Bridgeport in the team's home opener at the GIANT Center. The first game against local rival, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, will be hosted by the Bears on Sunday, October 23 at the GIANT Center.

If hockey’s not your thing, head to a Shank Park Halloween at one of Derry Township’s largest parks. Shank Park Halloween takes place from 4:30-9:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 22, and features pumpkin decorating, inflatable games, face painting, a candy hunt, S’mores by the campfire, and a Halloween Drive-In Movie. Concessions will be available for purchase, and the event is free (although there is a suggested donation of $5.00 per vehicle).

On Thursday, October 27, keep your eye out for little princesses and Pokémon characters on the sidewalks of Hershey as the town’s Trick or Treat takes place from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Stop by Fishburn United Methodist Church (1215 Fishburn Rd in Hershey) for Trunk or Treat during the same hours—the church offers easy trick or treating with crafts for the kids, free hot dogs, chips and water.

The Hershey Story Museum sponsors Ghosts & Goodies on October 29 and October 30 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Kids can come in and show off their Halloween costumes at The Hershey Story Museum, and create some “ghostly” treats using Hershey’s candy!  Ghosts & Goodies is free for kids 12 and younger.

On October 29, catch The Goonies Classic Film at 7:00 p.m. and/or The Rocky Horror Picture Show at 11:59 p.m. at the Hershey Theatre. Tickets are $8.00 per person and are available at the theatre box office or Ticketmaster.

By the time October 31 rolls around, you be ready to relax with your own special Halloween traditions at home!

This Weekend in Hershey

There are so many events, we could hardly keep track of them all! But here's an attempt to list *most* of the fun events around Hershey for the upcoming weekend. It's the final weekend to enjoy our town before the AACA Eastern Region Fall Meet brings tens of thousands of visitors to Hershey, so get out there and have fun!

Friday, September 30

Hershey Homecoming

• Hershey High School Athletics Hall of Fame luncheon, noon at the Hershey Country Club
• Alumni Association Tailgate begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Hersheypark parking lot
• Parade begins at 6 at Tram Circle 2 in the Hersheypark lot
• Football game (Trojans vs. Mechanicsburg) begins at 7:00 p.m. at Hersheypark Stadium

It’s the final scheduled evening for Jazz on the Veranda at the Hotel Hershey. Fretwork is the featured artist at this relaxing event, which takes place on the Hotel’s front veranda from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Paula Deen appears at the Hershey Theatre at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are still available at the theatre box office: 717-534-3405

 

Saturday, October 1

Inaugural Chocolate Tour bike ride (with 5-, 25-, 30- and 65-mile rides) and six-mile run/walk event to support cancer research. Sign-ups and registration begin near 30 Hope Dr. at 7:30 a.m. The ride and run/walk will impact traffic, according to the Derry Township Police Department: Although the run will follow the pedestrian/bicycle trail it will cross Centerview Rd, University Dr, and Bullfrog Valley Rd. Motorists traveling in the area during that time should expect heavier than normal pedestrian traffic and possible short delays. 

Hershey Gardens presents "Go Dutch: Take Your Spring Bulbs to a New Level" with horticulturalist George Weigel at 10:00 a.m. This program will show you how to take your bulb use to a new level and introduce you to some of the best under-used bulbs. Plus, learn how to force bulbs for indoor color in winter The program is $20 for non-members, $10 for members

The annual Hershey Soup Cook-Off runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hershey Fire Company. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids 10 and under.

Picasso’s Place Grand Opening. This interactive art school opens its doors to the public from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with art projects benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network. Location: 513 W. Chocolate Ave, Suite 100. 

ZooAmerica is offering the adult version of its popular ZooCamp. Wild Workshop at ZooAmerica runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for adults ages 18 and over. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about endangered species, experience hands-on animal encounters, enjoy a guided tour of ZooAmerica and the Animal Health Center, build a birdhouse, dissect owl pellets, watch a skunk paint works of art and more! The workshop comes complete with a T-shirt and catered lunch, and is offered for $85 (members) and $95 (non-members). Call 717-534-3900 for details.

Hershey hosts the Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins at the Bears' preseason home opener: at the GIANT Center, beginning at 7:00 p.m. 

Hershey Homecoming Dance begins at 7:00 p.m.

 

Sunday, October 2

Hershey Gardens Gardenfest, a free community day, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Friends of the Hershey Library presents the program “Our Changing Climate” at 2:00 p.m.:  “You are the Future!” is the message Dr. Exhaustus delivers to children in this kid-friendly and interactive program. For details, contact the library at 717-533-6555.

 

Planning Your Visit to Hershey

Most summertime visitors to Hershey have one destination in mind: Hersheypark. But there's so much more to Hershey than the amusement park! Here are some tips for making the most of your visit to our community, with a few tips for accommodations, dining and other attractions. To get the latest news and event information about Hershey, follow us on Facebook.

Accommodations
In addition to operating Hersheypark, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts runs the luxurious Hotel Hershey and the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center.

If you want to be pampered on vacation, the Hotel Hershey is the obvious choice. With its acclaimed Chocolate Spa and a recent $75 million dollar expansion (featuring new cottage-style accommodations and a brand-new outdoor pool), the hotel is a destination itself. Room rates during the summer start at $400, but there are often special packages offered and the room rate includes a number of perks, including complimentary admission to the Hershey Gardens and The Hershey Story museum, local shuttle service, access to golf and kids’ activities and more.

The Hershey Lodge offers family rooms starting at $300 in summer, with many of the same perks as the Hotel Hershey, in a slightly less luxurious setting. Hershey bar characters roam the lobby and family-friendly activities abound.

There are plenty of alternative accommodations in the Hershey area, including many newer suite hotels. We like the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, just a few miles north of Hersheypark on Route 39. Within a half-mile, you’ll also find a Quality Inn & Suites and a Country Inn & Suites. A Hampton Inn & Suites is located on East Chocolate Avenue, and another suite hotel is planned for the downtown.

If you’re not planning to bring the kids, there are some impressive bed & breakfast accommodations in the surrounding area as well. The Annville Inn and The Inn at Westwynd Farm come highly recommended.

Hersheypark Tickets and the Free Preview Evening

If you plan on spending more than two days at Hersheypark, consider a season pass. It will pay for itself —not only does it cover your admission to the park, it also gives you free parking, a 15% discount off food and merchandise in the park and a coupon book with excellent deals (10% off purchases at Hershey’s Chocolate World, for example). If your time is more limited and you've purchased one-day tickets, make sure you get to Hersheypark for the Free Preview Evening : the evening before your full day at the park, you can get in a couple hours before closing for free, and it's well worth the trip. Crowds are lighter, and you have the chance to get a feel for the layout of the park.

 
Making the Most of Your Day at Hersheypark

If you plan to try the waterpark attractions in the new Boardwalk theme area, a good advice is to wear your swimwear under your clothes and be at the main gate right at opening time (10 a.m.) Then get to the Boardwalk (on the far end of the park, in the shadow of the Ferris Wheel) as fast as you can and send one person to get a big locker there—they go quickly, and they're essential if you want to stow your swimming suits and enjoy the rest of the park after the Boardwalk. Another person should go to the wave pool area and claim lounge chairs for the family—lounge chairs are very hard to come by after 10:30.

Whew.

Now you can enjoy the park!

If you like big water rides, do the Vortex and the Whirlwind at the Boardwalk first to avoid hour+ waits later in the day. Then enjoy East Coast Waterworks. The wave pool, where your lounge chairs are located, is a fairly central location and a good place to relax with a drink and a snack mid-morning.

By noon, the Boardwalk is elbow-to-elbow people and the rides have long waits. That's a great time to change, stow your swimsuits in your locker and head out to see the rest of the park. The rides around Midway America (just outside The Boardwalk) should have short lines just after noon. If you're getting hungry, a great recommendation is the Sidewinder food court area. There are several good food stands there—a favorite is Mixed Grille, where you can actually find healthy food, and it's made from scratch. But there's a good burger stand, a sausage concession, a smoothie place and an ice cream place there, as well as a Subway, and it's a nice shaded area that tends to stay quiet.

Another tip: Take a break in the heat of the afternoon and head to the adjacent (and air-conditioned) Hershey's Chocolate World. It's just outside the main gate of Hersheypark, but it's easy to get a handstamp for a quick return to the rides. Chocolate World has recently reconfigured almost everything in the building—there’s the chocolate tour ride, a revamped merchandise area, a fairly good 3-D show, a chocolate-tasting experience, the "Factory Works" (kids get to "work" on a Kiss assembly line) and a Create Your Own Chocolate Bar attraction. It's worth spending at least an hour or two here. The milkshakes in the food court area are excellent and there are often new products and other surprises to be found around the central garden area.

Once you've returned to the park, don't forget to take in the shows. It's a nice break from the crowds and the entertainment value is excellent, whether you choose the aquatheater or one of the music/dance productions.


But Wait, There's More...Now How Much Would You Pay?

If you're in Hershey for more than a day and you want to see some other attractions, there are countless options nearby:

• Take a trip on the Hershey Trolley Works (tickets and departures from Chocolate World);
• Have lunch on the veranda or afour-star dining experience at the Hotel Hershey;
• Take a stroll through the Hershey Gardens (don't miss the Children's Garden and the Butterfly House);
• Play a round of golf at one of the courses in the Hershey Golf Collection;
• Take in The Hershey Story Museum downtown and by all means, schedule a class at the museum’s Chocolate Lab;
• Catch a performance or take a Spotlight Tour of the Hershey Theatre, offered Friday mornings year ‘round;
• See the animals at Hershey's ZooAmerica, a small zoo that's perfect for kids or a two-hour stroll;
• Stop by Founders Hall at the Milton S. Hershey school, gaze at the dome and find out what made Mr. and Mrs. Hershey so amazing;
• Go back in time and see more than 100 historic cars, buses and motorcycles at the AACA Museum;
• Visit Adventure Sports on Route 743S (batting cages, mini sports cars and boats, miniature golf and an arcade);
• Cool down at Indian Echo Caverns, just a few minutes west of Hershey;
  Stop by one of the many great downtown restaurants (we love Bricker's Pizza on West Chocolate Avenue for an Old World Pizza);
• Don't miss the Kiss-shaped streetlights while you're downtown, and by all means, drive past the factory on East Chocolate Avenue to see the Hershey Cocoa hedges on the east side;
• Visit the impressive Pennsylvania State Capitol building, located just 10 miles west of Hershey ;
• Take in all the sights (and tastes!) of Pennsylvania Amish Country, located less than an hour’s drive from Hershey.

100 Sweet Facts About Hershey | Milton S. Hershey

This post has been updated! 100 Sweet Facts About Hershey 2016

 

Mr. Hershey’s Background

• Milton S. Hershey was born in Derry Township (today better known as Hershey) on September 13, 1857. He died on October 13, 1945 at the age of 88.
• His parents were Henry and Fanny Hershey.
• Henry was a farmer and a bit of an inventor, but he never had much success.
• Milton’s middle name was Snavely, his mother’s maiden name.
• He left school at the age of 14 to start an apprenticeship.
• After a failed printing apprenticeship, Milton became an apprentice to a candymaker in Lancaster named Joseph Royer. He learned a great deal from Royer before deciding to set out on his own as a candymaker.

Mr. Hershey’s Early Business Ventures

• Mr. Hershey opened his first candy business at the age of 18. This was in Philadelphia, the focal point of the country’s centennial celebration.
• He went bankrupt twice—in Philadelphia in 1882 and in New York City in 1886.
• He also explored business opportunities in Denver, Chicago and New Orleans, but found nothing satisfactory.
• While he was in Denver, he learned the art of adding fresh milk to caramels to make them creamier and chewier.
• He returned to Lancaster in 1886 and opened the Lancaster Caramel Company.
• He relied on a former employee, William “Lebbie” Lebkicher (who became a trusted friend and advisor), and his Aunt Mattie to give him enough money to buy the necessary supplies.
• The caramel that made him famous was called the “Crystal A” caramel.
• He bought his first chocolate-making equipment from a German company, the J.M. Lehmann Company, in 1893. He saw the equipment at work at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He was so fascinated by it that he purchased two of the actual pieces of machinery he saw on display at the exposition, and then bought additional equipment directly from the company’s New York office.
• He established the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894 as a subsidiary of the caramel company.
• He became the first person in the United States to mass-produce milk chocolate. In late 1900,he introduced the world to his milk chocolate products.
• On August 10, 1900, he sold his caramel company for $1 million and relinquished the Lancaster factory, the caramel recipes and the “Crystal A” trademark.
• He kept the right to make chocolate and all of his chocolate-making equipment, though, and rented a wing of the caramel factory to continue that venture.

The Famous Chocolate Factory

• Mr. Hershey returned to his birthplace to build what would become the largest chocolate factory in the world. He settled in Derry Township because he needed cows for fresh milk, hard-working people and a source of water.
• Construction on the factory began on March 2, 1903 and ended in 1905.
• The original factory has grown to occupy 2.2 million square feet today. When it was first constructed, the factory covered six acres.
• The bushes outside the original factory that spell out “Hershey Cocoa” are red barberry bushes.
• There are three chocolate factories in town: the original, a new one on the west side of town (built in 1990) and the Reese’s plant on Chocolate Avenue (built in 1957).

And Speaking of Reese’s...

• Harry Burnett Reese, founder of the H.B. Reese Candy Company, was once an employee of the Hershey Chocolate Company. He decided he could make a living by making his own candy.
• In 1923 he began making that candy in his basement at night. Peanut butter cups became part of his assortment in 1928. In 1942, due to war rationing, Reese eliminated everything except for peanut butter cups from his product line.
• Reese got his chocolate from the Hershey Chocolate Company and always enjoyed a good relationship with the company. All of his peanut butter cups bore the banner, “Made in Chocolate Town—So They Must Be Good.”
• Reese died in 1956 and was succeeded by his six sons. In 1963 they sold the company to Hershey Chocolate Corporation.
• Today The Hershey Company continues to produce Reese’s peanut butter cups, which have become its most popular candy.

The Town of Hershey

• It was important to Mr. Hershey to create a community where his employees could be self-reliant and own their own homes.
• In creating “his” company town, Mr. Hershey made provisions for recreation (he provided a park and community center), religion (he donated $20,000 to five congregations), and financial independence (he established the town’s bank).
• The official name of the community is Derry Township. It has never been officially incorporated as Hershey.
• In the early 1900s, the town held a contest to determine the name the U.S. Postal Service would use. The winning entry was “Hersheykoko,” which got shortened to just “Hershey.” That’s the name the Postal Service has acknowledged since 1906.
• About 22,000 people use the services of Derry Township, but only about 9,000 people live in the town itself. The town is 26 square miles.

Those Kiss-Shaped Streetlights

• The lights line Chocolate Avenue. There are 107 total—55 wrapped and 52 unwrapped.
• In addition, there are eight lights on Park Avenue between Chocolate Avenue and the railroad bridge, plus a few at the entrance to the West Hershey Plant and at the entrances of each of the company’s factories outside the town of Hershey.
• The lights were installed in 1963.
• They were installed under the direction of then-Hershey Chocolate Corporation President Samuel Hinkle and were nicknamed “Hinkle’s Twinkles.”

The Cuban Connection

• Mr. Hershey owned sugar plantations and mills in Cuba from 1916 until 1946.
• When they were sold in 1946, the operations included 60,000 acres of land, five raw sugar mills, a peanut oil plant,a henequen plant, four electric plants, and 251 miles of railroad track with sufficient locomotives and cars.
• His flagship sugar mill was located at “Central Hershey” in Cuba. The town that was created to support the mill was developed as a model town and featured many of the same types of services that Mr. Hershey had established in “his” town in Pennsylvania.
• Profits from the sugar business in Cuba helped sustain the Pennsylvania town during the Great Depression. It was with this money that Mr. Hershey was able to embark on his “Great Building Campaign.
• The Chocolate Spa at the Hotel Hershey features Cuban treatments in honor of this part of Mr. Hershey’s story.

Who Was Mrs. Hershey?

• Catherine Sweeney, whose nickname was “Kitty,” hailed from Jamestown, New York.
• Mr. Hershey met her while he was making a sales call at a candy store in New York.
• They were married in the rectory of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York in 1898.
• Kitty had a progressive neurological disease that was never fully diagnosed. She died in 1915 at the age of 42.
• The Hersheys had only been married for 17 years and did not have any children. Mr. Hershey never remarried.

The Milton Hershey School

• Mr. Hershey left almost his entire fortune to fund the Milton Hershey School.
• Founded by the Hersheys in 1909 as a home and school for orphan boys, the school today serves both boys and girls from more than 30 states, with 70 percent of the students coming from Pennsylvania.
• The school’s guiding legal document, the Deed of Trust, gives priority to children from its home county, Dauphin, and neighboring Lebanon and Lancaster counties, then to children from Pennsylvania. After the priority regions, the school then considers students from across the country. The school currently serves about 1,800 boys and girls in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. The School has more than 8,800 graduates who are productive citizens in cities and towns across the country.
• Meals, clothing, medical care, dental care and educational supplies are provided free of charge to enrolled students.
• Underclassmen live in family-like environment with a married couple—called “houseparents”—and other children their age in 143 student homes.
• Approximately 90 percent of the school’s graduates pursue post-high school education and take advantage of the school’s generous continuing education scholarship to do so.
• Before 1951, the School was known as the Hershey Industrial School.
• The school’s campus extends over 10,000 acres.
• Founders Hall features the second largest unsupported dome in the world. The largest is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

High Point

• The home the Hersheys built in town overlooks the original chocolate factory.
• High Point features 22 rooms and was constructed for just $53,433. It’s less ornate than some of the homes Mr. Hershey’s executives built for themselves.
• After Kitty died, Mr. Hershey moved into a suite of rooms on the second floor of the house and allowed the Country Club he created to use the remainder of the mansion as its clubhouse.
• Today High Point is home to the Hershey Trust Company.

Hersheypark

• Mr. Hershey founded the park as a picnic and pleasure grounds, but today it has evolved into a world-class theme park.
• The oldest ride in the park is the Carrousel, which was built in 1919 and installed in Hershey in 1944.
• The Comet was built in 1946 and remains in its original location. It’s the park’s oldest roller coaster.
• Hersheypark is home to 11 roller coasters, more than can be found at any other park in Pennsylvania.

ZooAmerica

• The year 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of a zoo in Hershey.
• The first zookeeper was Franz Zinner, the man who first approached Mr. Hershey about starting a zoo when he learned that the entrepreneur was building a park.
• Hershey Zoo started with a colony of prairie dogs and a bear cub. ZooAmerica continues to be home to both of those species.
• The Zoo is home to 200 animals from North America. They represent 75 species and live on 11 acres.

Hershey’s Chocolate World

• This facility is America’s most visited corporate visitors center. Each year, nearly 3 million people take the free chocolate-making tour here to learn how chocolate goes from bean to bar.
• The facility opened in 1973. Since then, more than 75 million visitors have passed through its doors.
• Chocolate World is home to the world’s largest selection of Hershey’s products found anywhere.

The Hotel Hershey

• During the Great Depression, Mr. Hershey embarked on his “Great Building Campaign” in order to keep townspeople employed. It’s said that more than 600 people worked together to build the Hotel.
• The Hotel’s architect, D. Paul Witmer, received specific direction from Mr. Hershey about how to build the Hotel based on his own travel experiences and preferences.
• Mr. Hershey is reported to have said that if people dined alone or didn’t tip well, they were put in a corner. He didn’t want any corners in his restaurant; hence, the Hotel’s famed Circular Dining Room is literally shaped like a circle.
• The Hotel, which was constructed for about $2 million, celebrated its grand opening on May 26, 1933.

The Spa At The Hotel Hershey

• The design is based on that of High Point, the Hersheys’ home.
• The Spa opened in 2001; it expanded in 2004, nearly doubling in size from 17,000 square feet to 30,000.
• There are now 53 treatment rooms.
• The Spa is home to the signature Whipped Cocoa Bath, a rarity in that it’s a patented spa treatment.

Hershey Lodge

• The Lodge is the largest private convention facility in Pennsylvania.
• The Lodge has hosted two bi-partisan Congressional retreats, in 1997 and 1999.
• The Lodge celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007.

Hershey Country Club

• Ben Hogan was the golf professional at Hershey Country Club from 1941 to 1951.
• Henry Picard, who personally selected Hogan as his replacement, was the golf pro from 1934 to 1941. Both are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
• The fifth hole of the famed West Course features an incredible view of High Point.

Hershey Gardens

• The Gardens opened in 1937 and stretch over 23 acres.
• There are 275 varieties of roses here on 7,000 bushes.
• Kitty’s rose garden from High Point was moved here.

Hershey Theatre

• The Theatre was also constructed as part of Mr. Hershey’s “Great Building Campaign.”
• It features 1,904 seats.
• The Theatre’s fire curtain features a scene of Venice, with its Grand Canal slowly flowing past Doge’s Palace.
• Behind the French doors of the Theatre’s front balconies are concealed the more than 4,715 pipes and 25 bells of the historic Aeolian-Skinner organ.

Hershey Bears

• The Bears are the oldest continually operating franchise in the American Hockey League.
• The Bears were the 2009 and 2010 Calder Cup champions.
• The Bears have won 11 Calder Cup championships, more than any other team in the league.
• The Bears were originally called the “B’ars,” but they added the “E” when they were criticized for being too blatantly commercial.  

Hersheypark Arena

• Dwight D. Eisenhower celebrated his 63rd birthday with a birthday party held at Hersheypark Arena on October 13, 1953.
• Wilt Chamberlain scored a record 100 points in a single basketball game at Hersheypark Arena on March 2, 1962.

What's New in Hershey?

Now that all that troublesome snow has melted, Hershey is preparing for another season of hosting out-of-town guests. Although there's no Big New Ride planned for Hersheypark this year, there are plenty of changes taking place around town that will make your stay in Chocolatetown even better!

Let's start with restaurants. The Fountain Café at the Hotel Hershey is now officially undergoing its transformation to an upscale Italian grill, which is slated to open this spring. And no more Tudor Grill at Hersheypark: it's rumored to be reopening as a family restaurant with a carousel theme.

In the village of Hershey, our favorite pizza place (Bricker's) has a new sister restaurant and bar next door called The Brickhouse (try the Angus burger there!) If you've ventured outside the Hershey orbit slightly to try the fine dining at al Mediterraneo in Hummelstown, you won't find it there—at least not in its former fine dining format. Al Mediterraneo has just reopened as The Gas Station gastro pub. Finally, if it's been more than a year since your last visit, you'll want to try the Hotel Hershey's new Harvest Restaurant and the new Devon Seafood Grill downtown (in the Hershey Press Building).

There are some non-culinary changes afoot in Hershey as well this year, and these are of the temporary-inconvenience-permanent-improvement variety. That's right, the dreaded road construction. There's a new bridge under construction over Swatara Creek, within sight of the GIANT Center. The bridge will replace the historic (and narrow) bridge just to the west on Hersheypark Drive.

While the bridge construction won't slow down many visitors, the realignment of Rt. 743 will irritate plenty of people for the next two years. Here's the scoop on the project, which will begin this summer and continue through 2012:

• Cocoa Ave. will be realigned beginning at the Cocoa Ave. / Caracas Ave. intersection and ending at Chocolate Ave. This will reduce the number of intersections from two to one in this area.
• Park Ave. will be realigned beginning at the Park. Ave. / Chocolate Ave. intersection and ending at the ZooAmerica parking lot entrance.
• A new bridge will be constructed east of the existing bridge to span over the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks. The existing bridge will be removed once this construction is finished.
• Park Boulevard (T-591) will be extended east to meet with the relocated Park Ave. roadway.
• New traffic signals will be installed at the Chocolate Ave. / Park Ave. intersection. Once the project is complete, only one signal will be used to control traffic in this area.

Definitely a needed improvement, and one that will ease traffic...eventually. But construction will have an impact on anyone driving through downtown Hershey in the meantime, and it's worth planning a detour if you're visiting Hershey this year!

Finally, Hershey's Chocolate World is adding a two-story, 1800-square-foot "factory experience" area that is expected to open by summer. Visitors will get to create their own chocolate bar, similar to the smaller Chocolate Lab program now available at The Hershey Story museum.

Little Bits from Hershey | Twitter

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For example, if you're interested in knowing that the Calder Cup will be at Hersheypark today from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. — it's on Twitter!

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Baby Prairie Dogs at ZooAmerica

There's a passel of prairie dog pups out at ZooAmerica — 16 of the little critters were born this spring, and they're adorable! The pups were featured at the ZooBorns site this week.

Don't forget that your Hersheypark ticket also gets you into ZooAmerica. It's a nice way to spend an hour or two when the park crowds get too heavy.