Top Ten Things To Do With Kids In the Sweetest Place On Earth
If Disney has earned its rightful place as the happiest place on earth, Hershey can continue to stand as the sweetest. Hershey is more than a theme park. It’s an entire town built by a man who believed in entertainment as a means for building community. He believed that, “One is only happy in proportion as he makes others feel happy…” So, he made chocolate available to the common people, and when that made him wealthy, he continued to give back through the amusement park, The Hotel Hershey, the community center, the theater, the sports arena, the stadium, and other landmarks of his vision. On some days, the entire town even smells of chocolate – how could you go wrong?
If you’re headed that way, here are some things I highly recommend. I won’t talk a lot about accessibility, only because everything is so accessible!
1. The Park. Everyone thinks about Disney when they think of accessible parks, and they should, but Hershey is another park that goes a long way in meeting the varied needs of its guests. We had season passes to Hershey Park last summer. My son was pre-measured for a wrist band showing his height eligibility, since he can’t stand independently at each ride entrance. After completing a survey, he was given a personalized book showing which rides he could physically handle, based on his abilities, and how to access each one. This was actually helpful for me, too. There were some rides that he was tall enough for that I wouldn’t have considered the need for him to be able to brace himself with his legs in order to be safe. Rides are clearly marked with accessible entrances and staff are helpful in getting on and off of rides. Instead of having a kiddie-park, the rides for young children are integrated throughout the park so that there is always something nearby for everyone. There’s no need to split the family in half for the day.
2. Zoo America. Admission is included with your park pass. If you’re hitting the park, you should do this the same day. The zoo has North American wildlife, so there’s nothing too exotic, but the kids will love watching the otters play and the bears sleep.
3. Chocolate World. If you’re staying in the area for more than your park day, I would suggest you save the chocolate for a separate day. Chocolate World offers a free ride-through chocolate tour that takes you through the entire chocolate making process. After the ride, you can meander through the store that has every variety of Hershey candy that you’ve never heard of, souvenir-priced novelties, and worth-the-price chocolate cookies and confections. They offer several tour options. The only thing I’ve done with my kids is the 4-D movie, and that was worth it. I hear good things about the Trolley Works, but I worry that it’s not worth the price for my kids’ limited attention spans.
*Ok, maybe one more quick note on accessibility. The Chocolate World ride has a long, winding path that ends in stairs leading to the boarding entrance. You can bypass this by asking the attendant as soon as you enter the ride area. You can use one of their wheelchairs, or use your own, or whatever you feel most comfortable with to enter via the accessible entrance. I had a nice chat with Drew when my son was denied access to the general entrance with his crutches, and learned that you can do whatever you feel most comfortable with. Just ask.
4 – 5. Desserts Etc. and Hershey Pantry. I never recommend places to eat because I’m just too cheap. I’m all about packing sandwiches. This is one time I’ll make an exception. No matter where you’re coming from, it’s worth the trip to eat at Desserts Etc. Just YUM. You know that delicious smell wafting through the streets? This is where you can taste it. If you’re overwhelmed by the amazing selection, you can’t go wrong with a fudge bomb. Hershey Pantry is just across the street and is my favorite brunch spot in this corner of the world.
6. Cocoa Castle. I love playgrounds when I’m away from home. The kids need to run. There are a couple of play areas in Hershey, but Cocoa Castle is just around the corner from the park area and has several pieces of play equipment to keep the kids occupied. There is a ramp into the main piece of play equipment, but it doesn’t take you very far in. As far as I’ve found, there are no fully accessible playgrounds in Hershey.
7. Hershey Gardens. Everyone raves about the beautiful gardens and butterfly atrium. Who doesn’t love butterflies?
8. Downtown Hershey. Downtown has recently been renovated and built up to offer a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and spas. Check the calendar for the week you’re visiting – there may even be a fun event taking over downtown. https://downtownhershey.com/hersheyeventcalendar/
9. Hershey Story Museum This was totally fascinating for me, but not so much so for the kids. The museum has several artifacts from Hershey’s life, and walks through a detailed history of his life and vision. The kids were given tokens to use throughout the museum to bring the displays to life, and there were a few interactive exhibits, but it wasn’t enough to entertain them for more than an hour.
10. Tanger Outlets. Ok, not gonna lie, shopping is a nightmare with three children. If you’re staying in town and the kids go to bed early and you have a spouse who can stay with them… the outlets have solid stores with fantastic deals. Good luck on this one. 😉
If you make an overnight trip and opt for the Marriott, make sure you book with your Marriott credit card for free nights!
