Inside: You’ll find a list of can’t be missed things to do in Hersheypark on your next visit to the sweetest place on earth.
Over the years we have lived in the mid-Atlantic area we have been lucky to visit Hersheypark multiple times. We have had season passes a couple of times and we all love our trips to the theme park.
There are so many fun things to do in Hersheypark for all ages, it’s a great place to visit for kids and adults.
Disclosure: We received complimentary admission tickets from Hershey entertainment and resorts company for our day at Hersheypark in collaboration for this blog post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hersheypark
Hersheypark is the largest theme park in Pennsylvania. Originally opened in 1906 Hersheypark was created by Milton S. Hershey as a place for employees of the Hershey’s Chocolate Factory to enjoy.
The park was originally a relaxing place perfect for picnicking, boating and canoeing, now the park landscape has changed to include numerous rides, restaurants and other family attractions.
Today the amusement park is open from Spring through Christmas each year for families around the world to enjoy.
There are so many fun things to do at the sweetest place on earth from roller coasters to great food there is something for everyone. Keep reading for the 10 things you don’t want to miss at Hersheypark (according to my family of 6).
Best Things to do In Hersheypark
There are so many fun things to do in Hershey park it would be hard to make a list of things but I’m going to try…to list the top 10 things you CAN’T miss.
Roller Coasters
Let’s get to the most obvious reason for visiting Hersheypark first – the major attractions – the roller coasters.
Hersheypark has 14 coasters and 1 water coaster ranging from thrilling to terrifying. Comet the first coaster opened in 1946 was the largest roller coaster in the United States at the time. Over the years more coasters have been added to thrill the entire family.
Don’t miss Trailblazer and sooperdooperLooper (the first looping coaster on the East Coast) especially if you’re traveling with kids.
Kid Rides
Though the coasters are what draw many people to the park there are plenty of things to do including 19 kiddie rides spread throughout the park.
We love that the kid and family rides are spread throughout the park so kids get to experience the whole park instead of only a specific kiddie area. It also makes it nice for kids to have rides to go on while adults do the coasters in that area of the park.
Some of our kids favorite kiddie rides include: Sweet Swing, Frog Hopper, Cocoa Cruiser and Balloon Flite.
Family Rides
Just as there are kiddie rides throughout the park there are also family rides for all ages.
The Monorail, Kissing Tower, and Twin Turnpike are some of our favorite rides in the park.
Other fun family rides include the Historic Carousel, Dry Gulch Railroad, and the Ferris Wheel.
Meet Hershey Characters
Throughout the park there are different areas to meet Hershey characters. The characters you can meet in the park include Kisses, Hershey’s, Reese’s, Jolly Rancher and Twizzlers.
If your kids don’t love meeting characters they can always take a picture with the character statues in the park.
Food Specifically FRIES
We love trying food when we travel and a day at Hersheypark is no exception. Over the years we have tried a lot of the food options at Hershey and one of our favorites are the fries.
There are several different places you can get fries at Hersheypark and multiple different types of fries to try. Our favorite fries in the park are shared below.
Tower Fries
A Bucket of Tower Fries (usually only open in the summer) is a family favorite. The regular bucket of hand cut fries is good, but the loaded fries are amazing.
We have tried the poutine fries, bbq pulled pork fries and the buffalo chicken mac and cheese fries. They have all been delicious.
Chickie’s & Pete’s
Crabfries with cheese sauce from Chickie’s & Pete’s are another great place to grab a fry snack.
Philly Cheesesteak Co. On the Roll
You can grab a cheesesteak or regular fries, but our favorite are the cheesesteak fries. Yum. Be sure to grab a fork because eating these fries can be messy.
Animals at Hersheypark
Animals might not be the first thing you think of when you think of an amusement park but Hersheypark has some awesome animal experiences to go along with the thrills.
Sea Lions and Seals
Enjoy live entertainment seeing and learning about sea lions and seals in the Aqua theater inside the park. Our whole family loves watching this fun show. We have seen it at least a dozen times over the years.
ZooAmerica
ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park admission is included in your Hersheypark admission with access across the bridge in the park.
The 11-acre zoo is home to animals found North America. We have enjoyed visiting the zoo year round.
Some of our favorite animals to see are the bears, eagles and mountain lion.
On one of our trips to the park we were able to see the bears moving around from the monorail which was so cool.
Seasonal Events
Hersheypark is open for four different seasons: Spring weekends, Summer, Halloween, and Christmas Candylane.
Each season has it’s own special events. Be sure to check the Hersheypark website for upcoming events.
Spring Weekends
Spring weekends are always fun since the weather is just starting to get warm.
Not everything is open during these spring weekends (most if not all of the big rides are open) which can be a bummer. Crowds are a lot lighter which makes up for not all the rides and restaurants being open each weekend.
Summer at Hersheypark
Summer is the peak time to visit Hersheypark with all the rides, games and restaurants open and the longest park hours. But along with peak season comes more crowds.
Fall and Halloween
Hersheypark has some fun family friendly activities like trick or treating in the park. For adults and older kids there is also Hersheypark dark nights with haunted houses, scare zones, lights out rides and more.
Hersheypark Christmas Candylane
To end out the Hersheypark season is Christmas Candylane with more than 5 million Christmas lights throughout the park, the chance to meet Santa and see his reindeer (yes they are real reindeer).
Not all rides are open during the holiday season but many of them are and some have a fun holiday twist, it’s definitely a fun place to add to your holiday travel plans.
King Size Shakes
Another food item we love at Hershey Park is the King Size Shakes. The flavors change seasonally so be sure to check the flavors when you visit.
On our most recent visit we enjoyed a birthday cake shake complete with a white chocolate dipped pretzel, a slice of Funfetti Cheesecake and a Lollipop.
Past visits we have enjoyed the mint shake, the chocolate one and cookies and cream (oreo) shake. All have been delicious.
Games
Games are one of my kids favorite things at Hersheypark. They love playing and have gotten pretty good at winning.
There are several games that are fun for kids and adults throughout the park including many typical carnival/ theme park games.
At this point we have all the stuffed Hershey characters along with tons of other animals. We also have multiple Hersheypark basketballs.
Mini Donuts and Other Foods
I have already mentioned the fries and the king shakes but there are a lot of other foods you might enjoy in the park.
Some of our other favorite snacks include mini donuts (we love trying the seasonal flavors) and kettle corn.
There are several chain restaurants in the park including Chick-fil-A (not open on Sunday) and Subway, among others, as food options too.
Water Park
Along with everything else I have shared about Hersheypark there is also the Boardwalk water park you can enjoy during the summer months.
The waterpark covers 11 acres and includes multiple water slides and pool areas and is included in your ticket price.
The water park is a great way to cool off in the middle of hot summer days.
Tips for Visiting Hersheypark
Now that you know the things to do in Hershey Park you can’t miss let me share just a few tips.
- Pay for parking online before you get to the Hersheypark parking lot to save time and money.
- Hershey’s Chocolate World is located just outside Hersheypark. The parking areas for Hersheypark and Hershey Chocolate World are different.
- Arrive early to get the most out of your day at Hersheypark
- Don’t forget about your park preview hours!
- Bring a stroller if you’re visiting with young kids.
- Download the Hersheypark app and plan your day before you visit.
More Fun Things To Do In Hershey Pennsylvania
Hersheypark might be the main attraction for many in Hershey, Pennsylvania but there are a lot of other things you can do in the area.
Hershey’s Chocolate World
Hershey’s Chocolate World is a large gift shop with all kinds of Hershey candy and activities.
Our favorite thing to do each time we visit is enjoy the free Hershey’s Chocolate tour along with a Hershey’s chocolate bar.
Other fun activities you can do at Hershey’s chocolate world include:
- Create your own candy bar
- Hershey Trolley Works Trolley Tour of downtown Hershey
- Reese’s Stuff Your Cup
- Hershey’s Unwrapped
- and more
Read more about Hershey’s Chocolate World Here.
Hershey Gardens
The historic Hershey rose garden started small at the request of Milton Hershey. Today the botanical gardens include 23 acres of themed gardens and a butterfly atrium.
You can read all about our experience at Hershey Gardens here. (We loved the Children’s Garden)
Stay at the Official Resorts of Hersheypark
If you’re visiting Hersheypark for more than a day you might want to include a stay at one of the three official resorts of Hersheypark.
The resorts include: The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge and Hersheypark Camping Resort.
We stayed at the Hershey Lodge and enjoyed our sweet room along with the fun indoor pool at waterworks.
Hershey Story Museum
The Hershey Story Museum is filled with interactive exhibits for adults and kids. It’s a great place to visit to learn more about Milton S. Hershey and his cocoa beans.
See what we loved at the museum here.
Non Hershey’s Chocolate Activities in Hershey, PA
If you’re looking for something non Hershey’s Chocolate to do in Hershey, PA and the surrounding area here are a just a few things you can do.
- Visit the Pennsylvania State Police Museum.
- Watch the Hershey Bears at the giant center (if you enjoy watching hockey games).
- Explore Indian Echo Caverns.
- Shop at Tanger Outlets.
- See a Concert at Hersheypark Stadium.