10 Things to Do In Hershey PA This Summer + Hersheypark Ticket Giveaway!!

As a 2017 Sweetest Moms Ambassador I’ve partnered with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts to bring you all the best news from the Sweetest Place on Earth. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  You can read my full disclosure policy here.

My family visits Hershey all year round, but summertime is our favorite time. Hersheypark is open daily so we can swing by with our season passes for just a few hours in the evening, or meet up with friends on a whim.

It’s the perfect summer vacation town and if you were thinking that the only thing to do with your kids is play it up at the Park, I’ve got a whole list of ideas for you, some of our favorite spots to enjoy when we’re in the Sweetest Place on Earth!

Read on for my list, plus a giveaway for a family 4-pack of tickets to Hersheypark for the 2017 operating season!

10 Things to Do In Hershey PA This Summer

Hersheypark

Obviously #1 on the list! Hersheypark is our favorite thing about Hershey, PA. And if you’re local, a season pass will pay for itself within 3 visits so keep that in mind when planning your summer.

There are rides for every level of thrill seeker, including 13 coasters and the brand new Hershey Triple Tower! Here are my top 10 tips to make the most of your day, plus our favorite family-friendly rides.

On those hot summer days, the Boardwalk is the place to be. Cool off on water slides and pools that are perfect for even the littlest guests. The lazy river, or Intercoastal Waterway, is our favorite!

Go Wild At ZooAmerica

Admission to ZooAmerica is included with your Hersheypark tickets, OR you can just hit the zoo separately. ZooAmerica is the perfect day out for families with young kids. It includes so many neat animals (and some exhibits are indoors which is a nice break from the heat).

It’s just the right size to take in over a few hours – not overwhelming with little ones. We’ve been going here for years for a fun day trip. My husband and I love it as much as the kids!

Take in a Show

Concerts are held at three main venues: Hersheypark Stadium, GIANT Center, and the Hershey Theatre. All of these venues are awesome. The Stadium is outside, the Theatre is GORGEOUS and more intimate, and the GIANT Center brings in some huge talent!

I’ve seen several plays at The Hershey Theatre and they have an awesome line-up of Broadway shows this year. (Take a peek inside the Theatre here!)

This summer you’ll find Kidz Bop, Train, Luke Bryan, Guns N Roses, and so many more. Find the complete entertainment calendar here.

Splash Around at Hershey Waterworks at Hershey Lodge

There’s definitely enough to take in in Hershey that you will want to consider making a couple-day trip out of it. When you stay overnight at The Hershey Lodge, you get to play at Hershey Waterworks at Hershey Lodge.

This is SO MUCH fun! My kids love this indoor waterpark that’s super family-friendly with shallow pools and interactive water features. (If you stay here, this is where to eat!)

Treat Yourself at The Spa at The Hotel Hershey

Where else can you get a Cocoa Massage? The Spa at The Hotel Hershey is one-of-a-kind pampering. Take your girlfriends, your teen daughter, your Mom, and go make a day of treating yourself. Their menu of massages, facials, and specialty treatments almost makes me hungry. Sign me up for the Chocolate Immersion, please.

(There’s a new option for spa services coming this fall. MeltSpa by Hershey will start booking appointments in July 2017!)

Dine All Day

There are soooo many drool-worthy dining options in Hershey, PA. You can find them all on the Dining In Hershey website. Some of my top picks:

• The Harvest Restaurant (located at The Hotel Hershey) is absolutely delicious!
• The Cocoa Beanery (located at The Hershey Lodge and The Hotel Hershey) is the perfect stop for a yummy baked good and a coffee.
• The Circular Restaurant (located at The Hotel Hershey) is a must-do for their breakfast buffet. Chocolate Bread Pudding!
• Fire and Grain is a brand new restaurant (located at The Hershey Lodge) opening May 2017.
• The Hershey Grill (located at The Hershey Lodge) has the BEST S’mores French Toast! (pictured above)

Get Your Chocolate Fix

Admission to Hershey’s Chocolate World is FREE (can’t beat that!) and you can ride Hershey’s Chocolate Tour for free too! If you want to spend some extra time there, there are a bunch of add-on options like make your own candy bar, a chocolate tasting class (we loved this one!), and a 4D movie.

Also, buy all the chocolate before you leave. This is where you are going to find the absolute best selection of Hershey candies all in one place!

Take the Kids Camping

Did you know that one of the three official Hershey resorts is Hersheypark Camping Resort? And whether you’re the pitch-a-tent type camper or the ‘glamper’ (that’s me, the glamper), they have the coolest environment for your family to stay and play this summer.

The Deluxe Cabins will make you feel right at home, while roasting s’mores on the fire pits at night will make you feel like you’re in the great outdoors. This is the best of both worlds for me! See more photos of my time at Hersheypark Camping Resort here.

Get a Hershey History Lesson

The Hershey Story Museum is located right on Chocolate Avenue in the heart of Hershey, and it’s filled with informational and interactive exhibits that tell the story of Milton S. Hershey, and the town that he built around Hershey Chocolate.

was just there a few weeks ago on a field trip with my son’s 2nd grade class and the kids loved it. They particularly loved the Chocolate Lab (this is an add-on activity) where they learned the secrets of making chocolate and get to try their hand at creating their own candy bar!

*Tickets to The Hershey Story Museum are included in your overnight stay at The Hotel Hershey and The Hershey Lodge. 

Hershey Gardens and the Butterfly Atrium

We’ve always loved Hershey Gardens for their stunning landscape and fun places for the kids to explore outside. Our 5-star review was bumped up another level last year when they opened the Butterfly Atrium.

This is open year-round and features 500+ butterflies from around the world. You can get up close and personal with them, and they are GORGEOUS.

*Tickets to Hershey Gardens are included in your overnight stay at The Hotel Hershey and The Hershey Lodge. 

The Giveaway

Hershey Entertainment and Resorts is generously sponsoring an AWESOME giveaway for my readers! One lucky duck will win a family 4-pack of tickets to Hersheypark, valid during the 2017 operating season. This giveaway is open to US residents only, ages 18+. And please make sure you can actually get to Hersheypark this summer before entering! It will end at 11:59pm ET on May 22, 2017. Good luck!