I am SO happy I stumbled upon the Echo Dell Indian Echo Caverns during a rainy day in Hershey, PA…read more After visiting the gift shop at Hersheypark and eating some ice cream, I did a quick search for things to do in the area and the Indian Echo Caverns popped up as a tourist attraction very close by. My family and I have never done a cavern before and I've always wanted to see one so we said why not? We got there around 3:15 on a Tuesday and we were able to hop on the next tour. Our tour guide Jack was absolutely fabulous. The way he told the stories about the cave and the history behind it was just so interesting. My kids were very engaged during the entire tour of the caverns. The caverns are absolutely gorgeous. All the different "rooms" had different stories and different formations throughout. I loved seeing crystal lake, the water was beautiful. The different colors of the limestone was so cool. Everything was just so impressive and neat. They also have a pretty large gift shop, a playground, and a small petting zoo. It was pouring rain so we couldn't do any outside activities but that's OK. The caves are a cool 52 degrees so make sure to bring a sweatshirt or light jacket if you get chilly. Also, you can't touch any of the rocks so if you have a little kiddo who can't help themselves just be aware of that. Echo Dell Indian Echo Caverns was such a cool spot to visit and I am so happy we found it while in Hershey! Thanks again to Jack for the awesome tour, it was so much fun.

The caverns are very high and big, lots of space so it's cool to see. There are super big…read moreformations, but most are dead, would have been amazing if the flowstone were alive and glistening white, majority was ugly grey and dead. They have farm animals outside you can feed, a jungle gym and swing set. It's a nice area and was a nice time

I frequently visit Hershey and am always looking for new things to do, therefore I decided to go…read morecheck out the Hershey Archives. The Archives are directly underneath the Hershey Story and although appointments are not needed they are reccomended. Eventually, a staff member from the Archives came up to the front area of the Hershey Story and took me downstairs to the Archives. Once down there, I sat down in the Reading Room. Down there was a variety of books showing historical pictures and a collection of regular books that impacted Hershey as a town and the company. While in the reading room I saw a variety of pictures of Milton Hershey in a variety of places and places all around Hershey including the hotel, the Milton Hershey School and the zoo! While in the reading room the archivist got some other information for me about the more recent history of Hershey including the "Derail the Sale Movement." Altogether, the Hershey Archives are an amazing collection of historical information all about Hershey!

The Milton S. Hershey mansion which is known as High Point was built in 1908 and was the home of…read moreHershey Chocolate founder Milton S. and Catherine Hershey. It's the home that chocolate built. Compared to other wealthy industrialists, such as the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts, High Point, designed by Henry Herr was very modest in size with only 22 rooms and a large front porch. After Catherine's death in 1915, Milton didn't want to have much to do with the place and sold or gave away most all the furnishings, and moved upstairs to three rooms while the house was turned into the clubhouse for the local golf course. The funny thing is that he used to call those three rooms with his porch overlooking the grounds, Atlantic City, so when people would come by looking for him, he had his staff say that he was in Atlantic City. When the Hershey country club was founded in 1930 Milton Hershey donated the house to the club and it remained his primary residence until his death in 1945. Later the house was acquired in 1970 by The Milton Hershey school, then purchased by Hershey Foods for its corporate headquarters in 1977 then years later, purchased by the Hershey Trust Company, which now continues their business at that location. Tour tickets are released on the 15th of every month for the following month and tours are held only on Saturdays. The tickets are sold on a first come, first serve basis, so it's best to plan ahead to get your tickets. the tours typically last 60 to 75 minutes and will require a good bit of standing and walking and there is no seating available. The tickets are only sold online and must be purchased at least one day in advance and they are not sold at the mansion. There is a 10 guest maximum per tour and you need to arrive 10 minutes prior to your tour at the bottom of the front porch steps. There is free parking available in the adjoining lot and while walking the grounds and taking as many pictures as you'd like on the grounds is admissible photography is not permitted inside the building. The docent and volunteers that run the program are well-versed and quite knowledgeable in all aspects of Milton, Hershey and his wife, Catherine, along with all the artifacts, original and reproduction furnishings that are located throughout the house. They were able to answer all of our questions, and even gave us some food for thought concerning the building of the house, cost of the house when built and the current structure of the house as it is today. A visit to the mansion is a definite must for anybody that's interested in the history of Milton, Hershey, and how he brought chocolate to the masses.

I visited with family during the holidays. We were there towards the end of the day. We got tickets…read morefor the exhibits and got an apron from the gift shop. The museum was pretty cool, even the gift shop. It was sort of a pit stop on our road trip. It was cool to learn about the chocolate that some people I know (including myself) was obsessed with growing up.

The Hershey Story is an interactive museum that opened in Hershey, Pennsylvania in January 2009. It…read morewas founded by the M.S. Hershey Foundation. The roots of the museum go all the way back to 1933. At that time, Hershey founder Milton S. Hershey founded the Hershey American Indian Museum. The museum originally consisted of Native American items, but Hershey began to add artifacts from Pennsylvania German culture to the collection beginning in 1935. In 2009, the M.S. Hershey Foundation moved the collection to its current location on Chocolate Avenue. The theme of the museum was changed to focus on the life, career, and philanthropic legacy of chocolate pioneer Milton S. Hershey. The collection explores his early business failures, the creation of the town, and his mass production of milk chocolate. The museum still retains its Native American and Pennsylvania German collections, but they are no longer on view to the public. My family and I recently visited Hershey while we were visiting our cousins in Pennsylvania. My wife and I had both separately visited Hershey when we were children, but this was the first visit for our own children. Our visit to the museum was a first for all of us. We all enjoyed seeing the various artifacts connected to the life of Milton S. Hershey. Our sons especially liked the various interactive elements, which included touchscreens, animated stories, old commercials to vote on, and custom candy wrapper design stations. The museum also features a Chocolate Lab where participants learn about cocoa harvesting and mold their own take-home chocolate bar. It was really nice to learn that Milton S. Hershey wanted to be remembered most for his philanthropy and helping children in need, rather than his immense wealth or his chocolate empire. For any families looking to visit Hershey and learn its history, we recommend making a stop at the Hershey Story Museum!

You know you've arrived in Hershey when you see the signature Hershey's Kisses streetlamps. More…read morethan 107 lamps line Chocolate Avenue and appear around Hershey, alternating between wrapped and unwrapped chocolates. "The Sweetest Place on Earth" was purchased by Hershey in 1903, and the following year, a contest was held to find a suitable name for the town. Mrs. T.K. Doyle of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, came up with the winning entry, Hersheykoko. By the time the town was officially re-christened in 1905, "koko" had gone by the wayside and the town was named simply Hershey. Before that, the town was originally named Derry Church. Hershey chose to build his factory in this region of Pennsylvania because it was near his birthplace and near dairy farms to ensure a steady supply of milk. Full of places to shop, eat, explore the great outdoors, and even museums, it's definitely recommended to do more than the main attraction of the town (Hersheypark). The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum is a great spot to get your fill of the beauty of vintage cars. For any automobile enthusiast, this is one of the best options for what to do while you're in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is even affiliated with the reputable Smithsonian Institution, so you know you can trust it. All sorts of different vehicles are proudly on display, including trucks, classic cars, and buses. If you're a foodie, Hershey has you covered as well. The historically restored old Curry Mill has been a restaurant since 2014 and not only is the building a piece of local history, but they use vendors to buy their food items so local farmers, fishermen and other local food makers are beneficial to that business making it a truly local business. There are so many local restaurants that are chalked full of historical relevance. Shopping is also very popular in Hershey. Embark on a shopping excursion during your getaway to Hershey by exploring more than a dozen unique shops, boutiques, and outlets across the town that offers everything from Hershey's products and souvenirs to designer apparel and accessories. Plus, specialty items you'll only find in Hershey! If you find yourself in Hershey for Hersheypark, but have extra time I highly recommend checking out the other great things the city has to offer.

I didn't explore this town at all as I was really only here for Hersey Park. Seemed like nice town…read morebut my guess is it is centered around Hersey.

Hershey Gardens is a place we like to visit once or twice a year. The butterflies are delightful,…read moreof course, but the gardens are amazing. Today was an interesting visit because it was nearly 80 degrees with a brilliant blue sky, flowers still in bloom, but leaves starting to change colors and fall while the fall decor was on display. There's always something enjoyable to see here regardless of the season so plan to spend about two hours between the butterfly room and strolling outside.

My pictures are a mixture of new photos (butterfly exhibit) and old ones (that I apparently never…read moreposted from when my son was 13 and interviewed at the MHS he's now 17 and graduating high school this year lol). The butterfly exhibit alone was worth the repeat visit. The grounds are calming and the view of the amusement park from the gardens is spectacular.

Hershey Trolley Works is a fleet of guided trolley bus tours that began operations in Hershey,…read morePennsylvania in 1988. It was founded by the Hershey Company. The operation first began at the tram circle inside Hersheypark. After a successful run, the operation moved its base outside Hershey's Chocolate World two years later where it still runs to this day. Hershey Trolley Works operates a variety of different tour experiences throughout the year, including seasonal tours. Visitors on the tour will learn about the life of Hershey founder Milton S. Hershey, see historic sites around the town of Hershey, and be entertained by a group of musical theater actors who take on the roles of the trolley conductors. My family and I recently visited Hershey while we were visiting our cousins in Pennsylvania. My wife and I had both separately visited Hershey when we were children, but this was the first visit for our own children. We thought that a ride on the trolley tour sounded like a good way to start the day and see all of the various Hershey Chocolate-related sites around town. Tickets can be purchased right inside Hershey's Chocolate World. The employee behind the counter informed me that the Historical Trolley Tour is about 70 minutes, but that the Summer Family Trolley Tour lasts 45 minutes and is more family-oriented. We decided to opt for the latter and we were glad that we did. Some of the sites we saw from the confines of the trolley bus included the original historic Hershey Factory (converted to corporate offices in 2015), Milton Hershey's birthplace, Highpoint Mansion (historic home of Milton and Catherine Hershey), Hersheypark, and the iconic Hershey Kiss-shaped streetlights on Chocolate Avenue. Our conductors/actors were wonderful and entertaining! Throughout the tour, attendees were given samples of Hershey Kisses, fun size Hershey Bars, and fun size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Our sons both loved the tour and never complained about being bored. For any families looking to visit Hershey, we recommend starting your visit with a Hershey Trolley Works tour!

We went to chocolate world today and the first thing we did that was on our list was this trolley…read moreride. Don't miss this because it's truly an educational trip around Hershey PA. I learned so many fun facts that I never knew before. The trolley with wooden seats was quite original. During the tour they hand out a variety of Hershey chocolates. A large chocolate bar is handed out at the end. I think this venue is not great for small children since their attention span is limited and this might be a bit much. But if you can space out the chocolate treats you might be able to pull it off with them in tow !!! Highly recommend.

I visited with family during the holidays. We were there towards the end of the day. We got tickets…read morefor the exhibits and got an apron from the gift shop. The museum was pretty cool, even the gift shop. It was sort of a pit stop on our road trip. It was cool to learn about the chocolate that some people I know (including myself) was obsessed with growing up.

My girlfriend, 11-year-old son and I did a weekend trip to Hershey and Harrisburg, and after…read moredragging my son to several history museums, we decided to appease him by bringing him to a chocolate museum. We came on a Sunday afternoon in November, and he was on cloud 9 the whole afternoon. We did both the main museum and the chocolate lab experience, ($78 for the three of us) and I wanted to do the chocolate tastings of chocolates from around the world, but the lab and museum were already expensive enough. I love museums and thought the museum portion was particularly well done. Very informative, well laid out and easy to follow. Lots of interesting information about Milton Hershey's life and the empire he built. The chocolate lab experience was 45 minutes and a little hokey. "Making chocolate" amounted to a quick arts and crafts project using melted milk and white chocolates, followed by a power point presentation on how chocolate is made. The museum store has a lot of fun things for purchase that I assume you can't find outside of Hershey, such as chocolate colognes. Overall we had a good time and would recommend it as a fun place to spend and afternoon with kids.

Tip: This arena can handle over 8,000 hockey fans…read more Hersheypark Sports Complex contains Hersheypark Arena, which is a multipurpose indoor arena. It used to be the home of the Hershey Bears, which is the American Hockey League (AHL) farm team of the Boston Bruins. The Bears have an amazing winning record. The Hershey Bears play out of Giant Center. These days, the Hershey Cubs from the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) play at this arena. It's roughly a seven-minute drive between Hersheypark Arena and Giant Center. It's cools that both arenas are a part of this sports complex. This arena has a capacity of over 8,000 hockey fans. It's a decent hockey arena. I have never seen the Hershey Cubs play. Whenever I'm back in Hershey, I will try to see the Cubs here. (353)

My child had an ice skating competition here. What a dump. It is 90 years and Hershey has done…read moreabsolutely nothing to maintain or improve this place in 90 years. It smells like motor oil and the skaters can't see on the ice because of the fog. The seats are original and 1/3 are missing the seat and or arm rest.There is no ac so it was hot as heck. Hershey should be ashamed of themselves. The experience caused us to cancel a trip to the rides since Hershey clearly does not know how to maintain equipment.

The 2nd annual Choctoberfest (CF) took place yesterday in ChocolateTown Square on a perfect autumn…read moreday. The music from local bands was playing, beer was being poured, bites were being eaten and -most importantly- the chocolate was sweet. All of those things came together for a family-friendly fall festival. I heard about the event on Yelp and decided to check it out. I'm glad we went on such a gorgeous day. Admission was free and parking was easy at the lot across from the theater. One of the nice things about a small festival is that you don't have to walk for miles to see everything. The area for listening to the bands was a great spot for viewers; they had haystacks for seating and tall tables throughout the park for drinking and eating. The lights strung from the trees were a nice touch. However, the tents area was cramped, crowded and not where I wanted to be. I wish they had a better space to spread them out. Luckily, once people got their items, they were able to move over to park area. The lines weren't too long, thankfully. I didn't eat any of the bites, but I did try one of the beers and it was good. In the back, they also had some activities for the kids. There was a bounce house, chalk drawing, free pumpkins and bags to paint, Frisbee Toss and a few others. They also had some portable toilets along with a hand washing station, which was good for those chalky fingers! I would definitely go back next year and I bet they will continue to grow. It seemed like a well-organized event and Hershey is a nice town to visit. I'm not a fan of festivals in general but CF is my type of small-town festivals. I'll be back!

From the owner: oin us for Choctoberfest 2023: A celebration of bands, beers, bites, and chocolate!…read moreThe 8th annual Choctoberfest will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm in ChocolateTown Square Park, located at the corner of Chocolate and Cocoa Avenues in Downtown Hershey. Join us with family and friends for a fall afternoon full of great live music, local craft beer, delicious food from downtown restaurants, and, of course, chocolate! Choctoberfest offers an array of activities for all ages to enjoy and is free and open to the public, with food and beverages available for purchase. Check back as we detail more of the events for the day!