Location: Hershey
Top Things to do in Hershey
The 10 Best Things to do Good for Kids in Hershey, Pennsylvania (PA)
Hershey, Pennsylvania, the home of the Hershey Chocolate Company, bills itself as "The Sweetest Place on Earth," and it's hard to imagine another city giving it a run for its money. The city was built on chocolate, as were the great majority of its attractions. Hershey's Chocolate World takes sweet tooths on a virtual tour of the Hershey factory, and Hersheypark allows kids and adults alike to frolic through a vast land of rollercoasters, waterslides and walking, life-sized chocolate bars.
Restaurants in Hershey
1. Hershey Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,380 reviews
Open year-round, Hershey Gardens' Milton & Catherine Hershey Conservatory features an indoor, tropical Butterfly Atrium, where guests can experience hundreds of butterflies and tropical plants. Opened in 1937, the 23-acre outdoor garden features a renowned rose garden, magnificent theme gardens, colorful seasonal displays, and a whimsical Children's Garden.
Reviewed By 480DebbieR
This was a great stop on our exploratory visit to Harrisburg and Hershey. Ours was a mystery trip I organized for 100 travelers, and this was a very pleasant and lovely stop! Thanks to Megan and the other staff members for all the accommodations! Loved watching the gentleman who so calmly handled, displayed and educated us on his furry friend- the tarantula! Also, thank you to the kind and knowledgeable staff who guided us in the beautiful bufferfly atrium! Outside, the lavender and white tulips were gorgeous and in full bloom, along with many other beautiful flowers and trees! And you won’t want to miss the gift shop-so many extraordinary and unique gifts! We’ll be back!! Thank you!
2. Hershey Trolley Works
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 508 reviews
Family friendly 45 minute live show with acting and singing to bring the story of Milton Hershey to life in a uniquely entertaining way.
3. The Hershey Story Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,735 reviews
Hershey starts here! How did Milton Hershey go from bankruptcy to brilliance, transforming chocolate from a luxury to an everyday treat? How did he invent a community? Why did he give away his fortune? That's the Hershey story. Enjoy a 45-minute, hands on class in the Chocolate Lab and sample warm drinking chocolate from around the world at Tastings. Grab a delicious treat from the Pantry Café and find a unique assortment of keepsakes and chocolate at Museum Shop.
Reviewed By 202kristyl
We started our day at The Hershey Story right when they opened. It's a smaller sized museum, but we really enjoyed all the information. One of my children did the apprentice program, which comes with a little workbook with questions about the exhibits, and earned Hershey souvenir coin. One of my other children used the QR code reader to do a scavenger hunt of items in the exhibits. Both were given a large wooden token to swipe that would activate screens that would share narratives about Hershey's life and business. We learned a lot about this great American entrepreneur and philanthropist and left with a great respect for what he did in and with Hershey, PA. It was the perfect foundation to understand a trolley tour we took later at Chocolate World that showed the factory, community buildings, and school all built by Hershey. We didn't have time to do any of the add-on activities at The Hershey Story. We were headed to Chocolate World next. We were able to get through the whole second floor (the bulk of the museum), but had to skip the Cuba exhibit to get to CW in time for our first timed ticket there. We did the second floor in an hour and 15 minutes, but I wish we'd had a little more time. If you're just seeing this one museum, I'd give it 2 hours (or more if you're trying to do the add-on experiences). Since we did both HS and CW, I can wholeheartedly say that both are worth a visit. HS is a museum with a museum like experience. CW is mostly like a mini Disney World type experience, with the exception of the historic trolley tour, which is a great second course of sightseeing history after the first course in the HS museum. They work really well together. If you have to choose between one or the other, I'd have a hard time telling you which one to pick. If you have kids, they'll probably like CW more (although there are kids friendly add-on experiences at HS that might make up for skipping CW). I felt like the CW attractions were slightly more interesting-sounding than the ones at HS, but it all depends on your budget, schedule, and interests, I'm just glad that we go to do both. It was a lot to try and jam into one day, but it can be done. At first I was afraid I'd wasted money getting tickets for both, but I'm really glad we did both things.
4. AACA Museum, Inc.
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 806 reviews
The AACA Museum Inc., a Smithsonian Affiliate, displays beautifully restored automobiles, buses, and motorcycles from the 1890s to the 1980s in unique life-like scenes on a cross-country journey from New York to San Francisco. This Museum, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is known to be one of the largest automotive museums. Special exhibits change several times a year always providing something new to view. Our interactive exhibits and model train display are fun for all ages. The AACA Museum, Inc. is home to the Cammack Tucker Collection; along with being the home of the Tucker Automobile Club of America. The Museum holds the World’s largest and most prestigious permanent collection of Tucker Automobiles and related artifacts. We’re proud to have been recently recognized by Road & Track as one of the top 12 automobile museums in the country. The Museum is in South Hanover Township, located just off Route 39, one mile west of Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Reviewed By Oaktowngee - Columbia, United States
Had a great time at the AACA Museum on Saturday, Nov. 14th with my wife. The history, the cars and buses were amazing. I particularly enjoyed the muscle cars and the Turn of the Century cars (1900-1920). They had buses on the lower level and they were awesome! The exhibit on Road Maps was cool also because of the artwork and detail that is missed using modern day GPS. I recommend that you go to this museum if you are a car lover or history buff. I am considering an annual membership since we don't live far and they have new exhibits and cars semi-annually. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly and made our visit special.
5. Founder's Hall at the Milton Hershey School
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 120 reviews
6. Hershey Derry Township Historical Society
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 28 reviews
Visit our museum and experience the history of Hershey and Derry Township, PA that showcases artifacts from our earliest settlers, the town of Hershey, and a one of a kind sports exhibit, from B'ars to Bears, that celebrates American Hockey League's most storied and successful franchise, an interactive Hershey Transit trolley exhibit, and our popular, permanent collection, the Veterans Exhibit, that features the personal belongings of Major Dick Winters, and our children's discovery room.
Reviewed By ndragunat - Hartford, United States
Our family (including kids ages 9, 7 and 4) loved this museum! The building is quite nice - bright and clean with many old beams throughout. In talking with the nice woman who greeted us, the building was originally a barn which had been restored. There is a children's "discovery room" which was a lot of fun - it included a set-up of an old school room, a 'general store', a historic kitchen, dress up clothes, and train table. The museum was very well done with a lot of history of the area - many historical items, pictures, and displays - some of them interactive which our children liked. The gift shop was nice with a variety of books, some locally made clothing and various other items. Absolutely worth a visit!
7. Hershey's Chocolate World
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 7,416 reviews
Come EXPLORE THE MANY WONDERS OF CHOCOLATE at the first HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE WORLD Attraction located in CHOCOLATETOWN, USA - Hershey, Pennsylvania! Treat yourself to an assortment of one-of-kind experiences and discover the sweetest feeling of pure happiness. Plan your chocolate adventure today! Hershey's Chocolate Tour Create Your Own Candy Bar 4D Mystery Show Chocolate Tasting Experience Hershey Trolley Works Hershey's Largest Candy Store Food Court Bakery
8. Hersheypark
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 7,393 reviews
Hersheypark is THE premier historic family amusement and water park with something for everyone. Genuine hospitality, thrilling rides and attractions, water fun and live entertainment are all part of the authentic Hershey experience. Generations share memorable times in Hersheypark, the centerpiece attraction in one of the world's unique resort destinations. Located in a town founded by an American icon who created a brand that is synonymous with trust and quality, Hersheypark upholds the standard of excellence and advances the legacy of Milton S. Hershey.
Reviewed By NortheastMomCT - Connecticut, United States
My 12-year-old said he had the time of his life here (his words) -- he absolutely loved the water park, in particular. There's a huge play area with slides and water dumps that looked like a ton of fun; a place where you can try out surfing on manufactured waves, huge water slides, a lazy river, and lots more. If you're a crazy roller coaster fan, there are quite a few hair-raising rides here. I was surprised at the not-unreasonably priced food options with some offering gluten-free and other choices for those with dietary restrictions. My son had a meal at Nathan's for around $7 and my husband and I ate at gyro.gk, a Greek place with quite a few more healthy items, like chicken and vegetarian gyros and hummus.
9. ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,123 reviews
A small zoo in Hershey Park featuring animals native to North America.
Reviewed By upstatelp - Earlville, United States
really nice zoo, right downtown, perfect flow thru, follow the recommended route. reasonable price, small parking lot. the signs for animals here some of the best we've ever seen. learned something new several times. exhibits nice, for us and for animals, lots of space for them. super clean, well staffed. plan on 2-3 hours. inside and out so aok to do on a winter's day
10. Adventure Sports in Hershey
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 123 reviews
Family Entertainment Center features miniature golf, batting cages, go-karts, bumper boats, golf driving range, outdoor laser tag, arcade and snack bar. NEW Escape Room. Now serving Soft Serve Ice Cream. Birthday parties and group events welcome. Fun for everyone!
Reviewed By corbing807 - Holyoke, United States
Place was a nice stop off. They have mini golf which is a well maintained course. bumper boats, go karts, batting cages, an arcade, food, ice cream. Game selection was fun and tokens are not expensive, 20 for 5 bucks. Ticket redemption counter has some weak prizes, but I expected that. We enjoyed the time we had here. Staff was polite and helpful.
