15 Sweet Things to Do in Hershey, Pennsylvania with Kids
Want to visit the Sweetest Place on Earth? Thrill rides, fun history lessons, live entertainment, and endless chocolate treats await your family in a town that smells like cocoa. Explore these 15 sweet things to do in Hershey, Pennsylvania with kids!
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1. Enjoy amusements at Hersheypark.
The highlight of any trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania with kids is definitely a trip to Hersheypark. This famed amusement park features 14 thrilling coasters, more than 20 kiddie rides, and lots of live entertainment.
Admission to The Boardwalk waterpark is included in your ticket price so you can cool down in summer with plenty of slides, splash areas, water rides, and a gigantic wave pool.
2. Board the Great American Chocolate Tour Ride at Chocolate World.
The Great American Chocolate Tour Ride provides a fun and free introduction to chocolate-making at Hershey’s Chocolate World. Guests follow cocoa beans on a journey from the tropical rainforest to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Expect singing cows, automated candy-making machines, and chocolate scents wafting through the air during this 30-minute ride.
3. Get a Chocolate Spa Treatment at Hotel Hershey.
Mom can take a break at The Spa at Hotel Hershey to try one of their signature Everything Chocolate Treatments. Choose a Chocolate Fondue Wrap, Cocoa Massage, Sweet Feet pedicure, Chocolate Sugar Scrub or another yummy option.
Teen services are also available at The Spa at Hotel Hershey for those aged 13 to 17. A Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Manicure, Caramel Kiss Pedicure and Teen Complexion-Clarifying Facial sound pretty sweet!
4. Eat a meal that starts and ends with chocolate at Hershey Grill.
At Hershey Grill, meals start with bread and chocolate butter and end with sweet chocolate treats. But not everything is drenched in cocoa, of course.
Children can choose from kiddie classics and while parents dine on entrees like roasted butternut squash risotto, chicken fried steak, or grilled salmon. For dessert, why not indulge in a Peanut Butter Cup dessert? It’s made with dark chocolate cake in a crisp chocolate cup, served with creamy peanut butter mousse, whipped cream, and crunchy peanuts.
5. Find flowers and butterflies at Hershey Gardens.
The gorgeous Hershey Gardens overlook the town of Hershey. Visitors will find an array of flowers, shrubs, and trees set across 23 acres at this botanical garden. Be sure to wander through their outdoor Butterfly House, home to over 350 winged beauties.
6. Play in the Children’s Garden.
Located in Hershey Gardens, the Children’s Garden is a must for those vacationing in Hershey with kids. Children can explore the exhibits and play areas on their own or with the provided scavenger hunt maps.
7. View animals at ZooAmerica.
Adjacent to Hersheypark, the 11-acre ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park makes a great respite from theme park fun for families. Guests can see more than 20 animals from five regions of North America at this small zoological park. Plan to spend about an hour walking through the entire zoo.
8. Dine with Hershey’s candy characters.
Families can eat with candy characters during a delicious character breakfast during the summer season at Hersheypark Place inside the theme park. After filling up on chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, breakfast meats, and more, diners enjoy early access to select Hersheypark rides and attractions.
Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge also offer character dining on a limited basis. Call 855-338-7126 to make reservations far in advance. You may also see Hershey candy characters wandering through Hersheypark.
9. Taste and learn at the Hershey Story’s Museum Experience.
Known as the Museum on Chocolate Avenue, the family-friendly Hershey Story’s Museum Experience features interactive exhibits, historical memorabilia, a chocolate lab, and more. Be sure to sign up for one of the chocolate tastings, which features exotic drinking chocolate for adults and warm milk with chocolate stirring lollipops for kids.
10. Sip a chocolate cocktail.
When in Hershey, grown-ups may want to sample a signature chocolate cocktail at one of the numerous restaurants at Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge. Choose from such cocktails as the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Martini or the Hershey’s Chocolate Caramel Martini. The Hershey’s Kisses Signature Chocolate Martini is made with chocolate and vanilla vodkas with white creme de cacao and a chocolate Kiss candy. Bottoms up!
11. Start your day with a chocolate-filled breakfast.
Chocolate is the star in Hershey, Pennsylvania…even at breakfast! At Lebbie Lebkicher’s in Hershey Lodge, families can load up on incredibly chocolatey breakfast dishes. Look for specialties like Chocolate French Toast made with Hershey’s Cocoa, Chocolate Raspberry Pancakes, and Cinnamon Bun French Toast with Hershey’s Chocolate Chips. Traditional breakfast fare is available as well.
12. Get to know the town on the Hershey Trolly Works Tour.
The 60-minute Hershey Trolly Works Tour makes a nice choice for families who want to learn more about the town built on chocolate and its founder Milton S. Hershey. Kids will especially enjoy looking out for the Hershey Kiss-shaped street lamps and chowing down on the chocolate samples that are doled out to passengers throughout the ride.
13. Discover chocolates you never knew existed.
Even the most disconcerting candy connoisseurs will be impressed with the array of Hershey chocolates and other sweets available throughout town. Think Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses and Hershey’s Cherry Cheesecake Candy Bar!
These unique treats make great souvenirs so be sure to stock up for friends back home. Hershey’s Chocolate World has one of the biggest candy selections in Hershey.
14. Create your own candy bar.
One of the signature attractions at Chocolate World is Hershey’s Create Your Own Candy Bar. Select a chocolate base, ingredients, and toppings. Then watch as your customized bar travels down the conveyer belt. Once complete, guest chefs design their own graphics for the candy box.
15. Watch live entertainment.
With large venues like Hersheypark Stadium, Hersheypark Arena, Giant Center, and Hershey Theatre — entertainment options abound in Hershey. Be sure to check the entertainment calendar before you leave home to buy tickets for concerts, sporting events, theatre performances, and more.
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If you liked this story, then I bet you’ll also like my review of the Kalahari water park resort in the Poconos and these 30 things to do at Mall of America besides shop!
Would you like to go to Hershey, Pennsylvania with kids? Do you know of other fun things to do in Hershey with kids? Let us know in the comments below!
Pennsylvania looks like paradise.
Especially Hershey! #YUM
my kids have always wanted to go. i have to save this for later when we start planning.
Lots of fun things to do in Hershey – enjoy!
This is such a different and more advanced Hersey Park than it was when I was a kid. I remember in the 80’s our church group would go. It was an amazing amusement park with plenty of chocolate.
Hershey Park is definitely on my list of places to take my kids one day. There looks like there is so much stuff for them to enjoy as well as adults.
I love Hershey! I grew up not far from there. We were just there looking at the Sweet Lights, and I also adore a few of the local antique places. So fun to read this!! 🙂
Sweet Lights sounds fun! Lucky you that you grew up so near Hershey!
A trip to Disney is great but a trip to Hershey Park is by far the best! I would love to sample those chocolate treats so bad. Hopefully this year we can resume our travel plans. First trip should be to Hershey Park!
We love Hershey! It’s been a few years, but we are dying to get back.
I hope you can return to Hershey soon!
I visited Hershey few years ago and my favorite part is the cholocate ride. It was so much fun and i get to see how the cholocate is made. The scents of the choloate is incredible and they gave me chocolate cravings.
Hershey Park is a wonderful amusement park, that goes beyond rides. Any lover of chocolate should go there!
Glad to hear you love Hersheypark, too! 🙂
That sounds like so much fun! I have to be honest, I never knew Hershey had anything to do other than the theme park. I’d love to take a trip there with the family.
Never been to PA ~ Would love to take my family this summer. WE have 5 grandchildren and would love things that are kid-friendly
Linda – I bet your family would love a trip to Hershey. Happy travels!
This place is on our list. Such a great destination for families!
I don’t know who would be happier: me or the kids. We are great chocolate lovers and it will be difficult to make us leave the park 🙂
I am the same way! Such a fun trip for all.
Any tour that includes the word ‘chocolate’ is going to be a family travel win in my book.
Such a fun spot for a family trip!
As a chocoholic, Hershey, Pennsylvania looks like paradise. great guide!
It really is paradise for chocolate lovers! Thanks for reading.