21 Best Things to Do in Hershey, Pennsylvania

Plan a weekend trip to Hershey and learn all about Hershey's chocolate while sampling many delicious treats. This Pennsylvania town is home to Hersheypark featuring roller coasters, themed areas, shops and restaurants. Hershey's Chocolate World is another must-see attraction, offering guided tours, movies and plenty of chocolate. Here are the best things to do in Hershey, PA. Photo: Nicole Nierenberg/Fotolia

Hersheypark is a family-friendly theme park in the Derry Township of Pennsylvania that features a variety of roller coasters and rides, themed areas, entertainment zones and places to eat.

Established as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Factory, today the park is a one of the top Hershey attractions, offering something for everyone. Hersheypark is comprised of six themed areas, including Founder's Way, which winds through the park from the main gate to a junction where Kissing Tower Hill, The Hollow, and Pioneer Frontier meet up. Other themed areas include Midway America and The Boardwalk, all of which boast themed shops, restaurants, rides and attractions.

100 W Hershey Park Drive, Hershey, PA, Phone: 800-437-7439 Photo: candy/Fotolia

Hershey's Chocolate World is just that – a world full of chocolate! One of the best things to do in Hershey, Pennsylvania, this popular tourist attraction offers an array of fun chocolate-related activities.

Take an interesting guided chocolate tour of the Hershey’s factory, create your own personalized Hershey’s chocolate bar, watch a 4-D movie about the ‘Mystery of Chocolate’ and sample as much Hershey chocolate as you can eat! Hop on the Chocolate Trolley for an in-depth historical tour that explores the inspiring story of Milton Hershey and the town he built on chocolate.

Other sweet activities at Hershey's Chocolate World include an onsite bakery where all sorts of delights can be bought, a large food court offering all types of food and drinks, and Hershey’s Dessert Creation Studio, where you can create your own personalized cupcakes, sundaes, and cookies.

251 Park Blvd, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-534-4900 Photo: Hershey's Chocolate World

Established by Milton Hershey, who wanted to “create a nice garden of roses,” Hershey Gardens opened in 1937 and has been pleasing visitors with unique floral experiences ever since.

Spanning 23 acres, the beautifully maintained botanical garden overlooks the town of Hershey and features an awe-inspiring collection of rare, signature trees and shrubs, themed gardens, and brilliant seasonal flower displays. Stroll through the Historic Hershey Rose Garden, soak up the tranquillity of the Japanese Garden or discover culinary delights in the Herb Garden.

If you are wondering what to do in Hershey, Pennsylvania with kids, this is a great place to visit. The Gardens are home to an outdoor Butterfly House where visitors can walk among thousands of free-flying butterflies, as well as an enchanting interactive Children’s Garden where the little ones can explore and discover the world of the garden.

170 Hotel Road, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-534-3492 Photo: alfaori/Fotolia

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Lovers of automobiles will delight in this world-class automotive experience. AACA Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is dedicated to the preservation of vintage automobiles and highlighting their rich history and heritage.

Located in the heart of Hershey, the museum features an outstanding collection of vintage vehicle displays and interactive exhibits that showcase a range of cars, motorcycles, buses and other automobiles from the 1890s through the 1980s. Visitors to the museum can enjoy self-guided and guided group tours through the facility where automobile experts will impart their passion and knowledge about the incredible pieces on display.

The museum also offers educational programs and workshops for children of all ages and hosts automobile-related events throughout the year.

161 Museum Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-566-7100 Photo: vallerato/Fotolia

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The Hershey Story is an interactive museum that follows the story of Milton S. Hershey and how he came to be the one of the world’s most recognizable names.

The family-friendly museum features a variety of interactive and informative exhibits, displays, and collections, showcasing Hershey’s history, lifestyle, and legacy and offers visitors an insight into the fascinating story of chocolate. Roll your sleeves up and learn how to make your own chocolate in the Chocolate Lab; sample an array of hot chocolate and truffles from around the world; or get the kids involved in the Apprentice Program and “I Spy” activities, where they are taken on a “scavenger hunt-style” exploration of the museum exhibits.

Grab a bite to eat or a delicious hot chocolate at Café Zooka and get all your chocolate memorabilia at the Museum store.

63 West Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-534-8939 Photo: The Hershey Story

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Located on Park Avenue, ZooAmerica - North American Wildlife Park is a walk-through zoo adjacent to Hersheypark. Covering 11 acres with tree-lined pathways, the park exhibits plants and over 200 animals that represent five regions of North America.

These regions include Big Sky Country, Eastern Woodlands, the Great Southwest, Northlands, and Southern Swamps. The park offers several education programs including school field trips, Boy Scout Tours, Girl Scout Tours, ZooCamp, and more. Some of the events that the park hosts are “Animal Tales, “Preschool Palooza,” and “Wild Winter Adventure.”

201 Park Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-534-3900 Photo: Andrea Izzotti/Fotolia

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Surrounded by magnificent gardens and breathtaking views, The Spa at The Hotel Hershey, also known as The Chocolate Spa, is a luxurious, tranquil haven in which guests can relax and enjoy a range of pampering spa treatments.

Echoing the opulence of High Point Mansion, home of chocolate aficionado Milton Hershey and his wife, The Spa at The Hotel Hershey combines timeless elegance with five-star service to offer guests an unforgettable spa experience.

The Spa at The Hotel Hershey is one of the best things to do in Hershey, PA for spa lovers. Choose from a variety of chocolate-infused treatments, from a delicious hot chocolate wrap to a decadent Whipped Cocoa Bath, or try a Cuban treatment of jasmine, lime, coconut, and raw sugar, which draws from Milton S. Hershey's connection to the Cuban mills. Other treatments and spa services include massages, body scrubs and wraps, facials, hands and feet and hydrotherapy sessions.

100 Hotel Road, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-520-5888 Photo: The Spa at The Hotel Hershey

Hershey Trolley Works is a tour company located on Park Boulevard inside Hershey’s Chocolate World. All of the trolley tours start and end at the trolley depot which is next to the front door of Chocolate World. Guests learn about Milton Hershey, his birthplace and his home which is called Highpoint Mansion, the Milton Hershey School, the HersheyPark amusement park, the Hershey Kiss Streetlights, and much more.

The 75 minute tour is narrated and is also a chocolate tasting tour. There are several tours like the “Chocolate & History Trolley,” the “Summer Adventure Trolley,” the “Trick or Treat Trolley,” and many more.

251 Park Boulevard, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-533-3000 Photo: Hershey Trolley Works

Founders Hall is a stately monument dedicated to Milton and Catherine Hershey for their contribution to society and is one of the most unique and magnificent pieces of architecture in central Pennsylvania.

Built over three years in the late 1960s, the building was opened as a tribute to the school’s founders, Milton S. and Catherine Hershey, whose philanthropy played a vital role towards building a better community. The Founders Hall has a modern Visitor’s Center, which is open to the public and offers guided tours of the monument. Next read: water parks in PA

Homestead Ln, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-520-2766 Photo: Founders Hall at the Milton Hershey School

Located on East Chocolate Avenue, the Cullari Vineyards and Winery is the only winery and vineyard in Hershey. It is a small boutique wine-producing company owned and operated by Salvatore and Kathi Cullari. Salvatore was born in Caroniti, Italy and comes from a long line of winemakers who use traditional methods to produce wine.

The company produces a variety of wines including reds, white, and pinks, and sweet wines and dry wines, but in small quantities, approximately 25,000 bottles per year. The first vineyard was planted in 2000 and the second in 2007.

1251 East Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-533-8985 Photo: Cullari Vineyards and Winery

The Giant Center is a multi-purpose arena located on Hersheypark Drive in Hershey. With a seating capacity of 10,500, the center is the home of the Hershey Bears ice hockey team. The Hershey Bears became a member of the American Hockey League in 1938: this makes the Bears the longest existing member of the league.

In addition to hockey games, the arena hosts many other kinds of events. Cher opened the arena with a concert in 2002, and other performances have included American Idol Live, the Harlem Globetrotters, the WWE’s Unforgiven, and many more. Concessions sell a variety of food during events including products made by the Hershey Chocolate Company.

550 Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-534-3911 Photo: Giant Center

Troegs Brewing Company was established in 1997 and produces six year-round and five seasonal beers, including HopBack Amber Ale, DreamWeaver Wheat, Tröegs Pale Ale, and Sunshine Pils, which are distributed nationwide.

Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour of the brewery, which begin in the Tasting Room with a beer and follow the path of the beer-making process, from fermentation and filtration to kegging, bottling, and barrel-aging. Informative signage along the way explains the brewing process and equipment and is handicap accessible.

Guided tours are also available and include an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the Tröegs brewing and production facility, samplings and tastings of the brewery’s products and an exclusive take-home souvenir glass.

200 East Hershey Park Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania, Phone: 717-534-1297 Photo: Troegs Brewing Company

Explore the fascinating town of Hershey on a fun-filled Segway tour. Two types of tours are available: The Historical Tour, which offers an in-depth tour of The Hotel Hershey and the man behind the chocolate and the town’s name; and the Off-Road Tour, which explores the grounds and gardens of the famous Hotel Hershey, gliding through secluded woodlands and soaking up the beautiful views.

Tours are conducted on state-of-the-art Segway Personal Transporters, which are battery-powered, self-balancing and guarantee a safe and exhilarating ride. Both of the tours take place on the grounds of The Hotel Hershey and are suitable for visitors of all ages. Phone: 717-668-1641 Photo: Segway of Hershey

Located on Elizabethtown Road, Adventure Sports Family Entertainment is an activities park that offers video arcades, batting cages, bumper boats, go-karts, outdoor laser tag, miniature golf, and much more. Occupying 10 acres of beautiful rolling land with flowers and waterfalls, the park also features a driving range, a clubhouse, a picnic pavilion, and an ice cream parlor.

The park offers catering for on-site events like corporate meetings and parties: the park is able to accommodate groups from 20 people up to 350. Opened in 1990 with a miniature golf course, the park is family owned and operated and is popular with local residents as well as with tourists.

3010 Elizabethtown Road, Hershey, PA, Phone: 717-533-7479 Photo: Adventure Sports in Hershey

The Hershey Symphony Orchestra is an 80 member professional orchestra located in Hershey. Providing quality music to audiences in the Central Pennsylvania area for 80 years, the orchestra performs four concerts per year in addition to a POPS concert at the Hershey Theatre and a yearly benefit gala called “Shall We Dance.”

The orchestra also has a spin-off ensemble called the Hershey Symphony Big Band as well as the Hershey Symphony Festival Strings Youth Orchestra which gives youth an opportunity to experience playing in an orchestra. The Hershey Symphony Orchestra plays a wide variety of music from classical music to Broadway tunes, and often uses local talent for its guest soloists. Phone: 717-533-8449 Photo: Hershey Symphony Orchestra

Located on Northeast Drive, the Hershey Derry Township Historical Society is a museum devoted to the history and culture of community of Hershey and of Derry Township. The museum features more than 50,000 artifacts and photos related to the early settlers of the area.

Some of the exhibits include “A Pictorial History of Our Community, Then & Now,” “The Preservation of our Community’s Architectural Legacy,” “The History of Medicine in Derry Township,” and many more. The society also has an extensive library that can be used for research for things such as ancestry. It also hosts events such as “Art on Chocolate” and the “Annual Skating Party.”

40 Northeast Drive, Hershey, PA, Phone: 717-520-0748 Photo: Hershey Derry Township Historical Society

Hershey Theatre is a historic theater located on East Caracas Avenue in Hershey. Built by Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban and opened in 1933, its major benefactor was chocolate magnate Milton S. Hershey. Mr. Hershey promoted the building of the theater and many other landmarks such as the Hotel Hershey, the Hersheypark Arena, and the Hersheypark Stadium as a part of his “Great Building Campaign” during the depression years between 1929 and 1933.

With a seating capacity of 1,904 people, the theater presents classical music concerts, dance performances, touring Broadway shows, and performances by world class entertainers. The interior of the theater is known for its beauty: its polished Italian lava rock floor, marble, painted ceiling, and much more.

15 East Caracas Avenue, Hershey, PA, Phone: 717-534-3405 Photo: Hershey Theatre

The Hersheypark Stadium is located on Hersheypark Drive on the grounds of Hersheypark. Opened in 1939, the stadium is a sporting events facility and venue for music concerts and other large functions. The stadium has a seating capacity of 16,000 people in the stands for athletic events, and 30,000 people for music concerts.

With its high quality synthetic grass, the stadium has hosted sporting events such as the American Hockey League Outdoor Classic, and other events, some of them historic. It hosted a birthday gala for President Dwight D. Eisenhower as well as the Cavalcade of Bands and the Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Championship competitions.

100 Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA, Phone: 717-534-3911

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The Pennsylvania State Police Museum is dedicated to the history of the Pennsylvania State Police. The museum contains artifacts, documents, exhibits, memorabilia and memorials. Some of the exhibits include “PA State Police Rodeo” which displays artifacts from the last “rodeo” held in 1974; “PA State Highway Patrol,” an interactive exhibit that includes rare artifacts and documents of the State Highway Patrol; “Patrol Vehicles,” which displays some of the vehicles that were used by the State Police over the years, including a restored 1972 Plymouth Fury; and more. Visitors can learn how the “Great Anthracite Strike” in 1902 resulted in the formation of the Pennsylvania State Police.

187 East Hershey Park Drive, Hershey, PA, Phone: 717-534-0565 Photo: The Pennsylvania State Police Museum

Located on Cherry Drive, the Hershey Area Playhouse is a venue for the performances of musicals and plays. Established in 1998, the playhouse staged its first performance, “Barefoot in the Park,” in 1999 at the Hersheypark Faire Tent.

Later, in 2002, the playhouse began presenting its productions in a 136 year old barn at Country Meadows of Hershey; eventually, in 2007, the playhouse began performing in its permanent home on the campus of the Country Meadows Retirement Community. In addition to its many productions, the playhouse offers acting classes for children and for youth.

830 Cherry Drive, Hershey, PA, Phone: 717-533-8525 Photo: Hershey Area Playhouse

Located on Cocoa Avenue in the Cocoa Plex Center, Emerald Springs Spa has been serving the Hershey area for ten years. All staff members are highly trained and professional. The spa offers a variety of wellness treatments such as ayurvedic rituals, body wraps, exfoliating, manicures and pedicures, massage, and much more.

Massage options include aromatherapy, bamboo fusion, couples massage, cranial sacral, hot stone, raindrop, Thai, and more. The spa also offers “Sampler Programs” which include treatments such as bamboo fusion, foot bath, hot stone, and warm oil scalp massage.

Cocoa Plex Center, 1126 Cocoa Avenue, Hershey, PA, Phone: 717-533-5991 Photo: Emerald Springs Spa