Jay has only one niece, Ashley and being his only niece or nephew he dotes on her. (Okay spoils her rotten but she doesn't act like a spoiled rotten brat. She's a really nice, down-to-earth kid.)
Ashley was about to celebrate her 8th birthday and Uncle Jay wanted to do something special for her birthday but was coming up blank.
"Well, she's wanted to take a trip in your new RV...why not take her on a trip in the RV to someplace kids love?" I suggested.
"You mean like Disney World?"
"Too overdone, expensive, crowded and besides, Disney World kinda sucks. Mmmm...someplace like Hershey, PA."
He thought about this a moment and said "Only if you go with us."
"This is YOUR trip with Ashley. Why on earth would you need me along?"
"Because I don't know what to do with an 8 year old girl! You do!"
"Jay," I pointed out. "You deal with 8 year old kids every day on the job."
"That's different," he said.
"How is it different?"
"They're mostly unconscious under anesthesia by the time I deal with them."
Dr. Cool Hand Luke. Sometimes.
I swear...put a scalpel in that man's hand and a child's defective beating heart in front of him and he's Cool Hand Luke.
Saddle him with a giggly 8 year old girl or two and he turns into something resembling a half set, quivering Jello mold. *Eye roll*
Little did we know at the time that this trip would be the start of an annual birthday tradition and many more trips to come over the ensuing years.
In Hershey, PA, you have several transportation options:
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Free Shuttle Service: Hersheypark offers a FREE shuttle service that runs from one hour before park opening to one hour after closing.
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Several area hotels offer complimentary shuttle service to Hersheypark® during the summer. When making your reservation, ask about these services, including rides to/from Amtrak and Harrisburg International Airport.
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Public Transportation: The Capital Area Transit (CAT) provides bus services to and from Hershey to downtown Harrisburg.
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Commuter Services: Commuter Services of South-Central Pennsylvania offers free services for commuters and employers in surrounding counties.
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Find My Ride: This program helps individuals find transportation assistance programs across Pennsylvania, including options for seniors and people with disabilities.
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If you’re looking to get behind the wheel, our region has several national car rental companies including Enterprise, Alamo, Hertz, Avis, and Budget with hubs around the region and at Harrisburg International Airport and the Harrisburg Amtrak station.
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Parking: Parking is free in Downtown Hershey and at most attractions.
Hershey PA has a huge selection of places to stay that should fit any family's needs and budget. And it has a slew of very unique accommodations that will enhance your stay in Hershey.
Let's start with the Hershey (company) accommodations themselves...
Known for its refined elegance, signature service, and abundant amenities, the Hotel Hershey is one of the finest Historic Hotels of America. You have a choice of guest rooms, suites or villas. I truly think this is one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever seen. (We needed accommodations for four since Uncle Jay had told Ashley she could bring her friend, Britt along.)
The grounds were spectacular. Formal gardens, flowers everywhere you looked, everything beautifully manicured, a firepit, plenty of outdoor seating areas, even a huge koi pond.
The lobby knocked my socks off, especially the fountain. Beautiful indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpool, splash pad, spa and a fitness center. In hotel dining. A big in hotel candy store any kid would love.
The suite Jay was looking at even had a TV in the bathroom so you could watch TV while soaking in the sunken tub.
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The hotel also had scheduled kid and family friendly activities like candy bar Bingo to help keep the girls entertained.
The best part? We could take advantage of the Kids Stay, Play & Eat FREE special! That would cover both of the girls.
Kids 17 & Younger Receive:
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FREE Accommodations
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FREE Hersheypark Tickets
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FREE Breakfast Each Day
Another option we looked at was the Hershey Lodge.
Not as luxurious as the Hershey Hotel but even more oriented to kids.
The video below is from 2019 but the Lodge hasn't changed and it's the most accurate video I could find of the Lodge.
Which would the girls have more fun at - the Lodge or the Hotel? Decisions, decisions.
"Well," I said. "You only live 2 hours from Hershey! Take a drive over and check both places out. See which one you like better."
He told me he booked the Hershey Hotel Milton Hershey Suite as soon as he saw its sunroom and learned the girls would have their own bathroom. His dime, his choice and no argument from me!
Suite Includes
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Two bedrooms
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Two and a half bathrooms
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Sunroom
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Living room
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Dining area
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Outdoor patio
The girls loved all of the chocolate treat surprised they'd find waiting for them after the housekeeping staff had left!
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409 South Lingle Ave. Palmyra, PA
This is a really beautiful, historic B&B with a 5 star rating across the board.
Details
Free breakfast
Free parking
Wi-Fi
Hot tub
Restaurant
Air-conditioned
Smoke-free rooms
Has TV
Fireplace
Heating
Refrigerator
Massage service
2764 Horseshoe Pike Palmyra, PA
Located in Hershey, The Londonderry Inn is a historic bed and breakfast that provides free WiFi, and guests can enjoy a garden and a terrace. The property features garden and inner courtyard views, and is 5.6 miles from Hersheys Chocolate World.
At the bed and breakfast, the units are equipped with bed linen and towels.
À la carte and American breakfast options with warm dishes, fresh pastries and fruits are available.
176 East Hershey Park Drive, Hershey, PA
This property is within a 15-minute walk of Hersheypark Theme Park. It offers suites with a kitchen as well as a washer and tumble dryer. Each cool-colored suite at The Suites at Hershey is equipped with cable TV, a DVD player, and free Wi-Fi. The kitchen is complete with an oven, full-size refrigerator, and a dishwasher. Guests can swim in the outdoor pool or work out at the on-site gym. A playground and a gazebo with barbeque facilities are located on the property. Hotel Hershey Golf Course is 1 mile from the Hershey Suites. Hershey Chocolate World Tours is a 5-minute drive from the property.
651 West Areba Avenue, Hershey, PA
Located 1.mile from Herseypark Amusement Park, this hotel boasts a daily continental breakfast and an indoor swimming pool. Hersheypark Stadium and Star Pavilion is 5 minutes’ drive away. Each room at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Hershey Chocolate Avenue features a flat-screen cable TV and free WiFi. The rooms include a microwave and refrigerator, while suites have a sofa bed. Visitors can work out in the on-site fitness centre at the Hershey Fairfield Inn & Suites. A 24-hour snack bar and laundry facilities are available for convenience. Hershey's Chocolate World is 5 minutes’ drive from the hotel.
115 Museum Drive, Hershey, PA
Set within 2.6 miles of Hersheypark and 11 miles of National Civil War Museum, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Hershey Near The Park features rooms in Hershey. Among the facilities at this property are a 24-hour front desk and a business center, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The property is non-smoking and is situated 2 miles from Hersheys Chocolate World. A buffet breakfast is available at the hotel. SpringHill Suites by Marriott Hershey Near The Park offers 3-star accommodation with an indoor pool, fitness center and hot tub.
Hersheypark Camping Resort offers RV, tent, and cabin camping just minutes from Hersheypark, with over 300 sites and family-friendly amenities.
Hersheypark Camping Resort is a year-round campground located at 1200 Sweet Street, Hummelstown, PA, on 55 acres of scenic hills hersheyparkcampingresort.com. It is an official resort of Hersheypark, providing convenient access to the park and other local attractions The resort has been welcoming guests since 1963 and caters to families, couples, and solo campers.
Accommodations
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Cabins & Tiny Homes: 50 cabins and two tiny homes with heat, air conditioning, and additional amenities. Options include log, deluxe log, and 2-bedroom deluxe cabins.
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RV Sites: Full and partial hook-up sites with electric, water, sewer, and cable. Pull-thru sites are available for larger RVs.
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Tent Sites: Open and shaded tent sites, some with electric hookups. Note that some tent areas may have limited grass and proximity to train tracks.
Each site typically includes a picnic table and fire ring for cookouts and s’mores.
Amenities
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Outdoor and indoor pools, playgrounds, and an indoor game room.
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Country store selling firewood, s’mores kits, coffee, and souvenirs.
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Free Wi-Fi, restrooms, showers, and self-service laundry.
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Shuttle service to Hersheypark and Chocolate World, plus extra park hours for resort guests.
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Seasonal activities such as pumpkin decorating, Halloween events, and family contests.
June 26,2026
The best way to save on amusement park trips from Hershey Pa is to combine advance online booking with
limited-time promotions on Groupon, where discounts of 30% to 60% on admission, express passes, and family packages are common. Traveling off-peak weekdays also helps lower overall trip costs.
There's a very handy Hershey's Resorts App you can download here that includes a resort interactive map, activities and restaurants.
You'll need to purchase tickets to the attractions you want to see in advance of your trip, especially those of Hersheypark and its related attractions.
Purchasing tickets to the park is similar to buying admission tickets to Disney. There are base packages plus add on's. For example, there are 1 or 2 day park passes available in addition to season passes. Parking is a $25 add on. Similar to Disney's old Fast Pass, Hersheypark has Fast Track options ranging in price from $30 to $170 that allow you to skip to the head of any ride line once per day per ride or a more expensive option that allows you unlimited opportunities to skip to the head of the ride line unlimited times per park visit.
And like Disney, there are add on drink and food packages at an additional cost.
Season Pass Discounts
The 2026 Hersheypark Season Passes are available at the Best Price of the Year, offering unlimited visits throughout the year, including Spring Weekends, summer, Halloween, Dark Nights, and Christmas Candylane. Pass types include Giant Size, King Size, Full Size, Bite Size, and a free Pre-K Pass for children in families with Full, King, or Giant Size passes. Benefits include free or discounted parking, early summer access, exclusive events, and discounts on food, drinks, and games. An 8-month payment plan is also available.
Military Discounts
Active and retired members of the Armed Forces can receive 20% off regular 1-day tickets by presenting a military ID at Ticketing Services. Military discounts also extend to 50% off apparel and souvenirs.
Check special deals on your accommodations website
The deal we got at Hotel Hershey included the park tickets for the girls so only Jay and I had to pay for our tickets.
We never saw two almost 8 year old girls so revved up to arrive in Hershey. Jay was already having a panic attack:
"If they're this excited now, how we gonna handle them on a sugar high?!!"
("Relax dear, all is under control. We only have to worry if they discover the joys of boys while we're here.")
LOOK OF ABSOLUTE HORROR ON HIS FACE. I do so love pushing his buttons...LOL
Get settled into your accommodations and then our first stop is Hershey's Chocolate World,
101 Chocolate World Way, Hershey, PA.
WHATTYA MEAN THE JOYS OF BOYS?!!
Photo credit: Visit Hershey Harrisburg
We kicked our chocolate adventure off with the Hershey Trolley Works - Take a ride through the town of Hershey on one of their trolley tours for a live show packed with fun facts, laughter, history and chocolate samples! Watch as the inspiring story of Milton Hershey and his HERSHEY'S Chocolate unfolds, between the historic landmarks just outside your window and the charismatic conductors sharing incredible-but-true stories!
Parents, they also offer a FREE tour ride where you and the kids can watch the candy making process from liquid form into solid candy! They'll even take your photo on the ride for you to take home as a souvenir.
FREE tour ride shown below.
Ashley's favorite activity at Chocolate World was Create Your Own Candy Bar. Dream up your perfect candy bar and watch it come to life, from flowing chocolate to solid bar. Choose your ingredients and design a personalized wrapper on a touchscreen they have. (I had to smile when Ashley decided to make her candy bar as a thank you to her Uncle Jay, naming the candy bar "Sweet Uncle Jay Chocolate Bar". I swear I saw "Uncle Jay" getting a little choked up when she handed him the candy bar.
Incidentally, we had breakfast at the Chocolate World Food Hall...so that you know this is an option. We each had the ALMOND JOY Breakfast Bowl - Vanilla yogurt with layers of granola, sliced almonds, flax seed, shredded coconut, and HERSHEY'S Mini Chocolate Chips.
I lost it when Ashley came out with "Boy, for being OLD you guys are fun! My parents would NEVER let me eat THIS for breakfast!" (Gee, thanks kid. Apparently there's an age limit restriction on being fun that we weren't aware of.)
The Food Hall serves other fare like pizza, salads, sandwiches, hot entrees, soups, kid's meals and adult beverages as well.
Another activity the girls loved was Reese's Stuff Your Cup - and what kid wouldn't?! You start by choosing the perfect mix-ins, like crunchy pretzels, mini marshmallows, cookie bits and even REESE'S PIECES Candies. Their tasteologists will fold your ingredients into fresh REESE'S Peanut Butter and scoop everything into a huge chocolate shell for you. That puppy will give your kids a sugar high that will last into the next century!
Tip for parents: Jay had the presence of mind to put the cooler with an ice pack in the car to put these peanut butter cups in so they didn't melt into a mess sitting in the car in the hot summer temps while we continued on with the day's activities.
We pretty much spent the morning at Chocolate World by the time we got through with all of the different activities and I have to admit Jay and I had as much fun as the girls did.
Money $aving Tips:
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Chocolate World offers admission ticket bundles that include several of its attractions in one bundled package. We took advantage of a special they were running at the time, where you could bundle all attractions together into one admission package that covered everything for $44.95 per person. Had we bought all of these activities separately, it would have cost $105. We saved $60 each by bundling our admission tickets.
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Tripster: Save up to 15% instantly with no hidden fees when booking through Tripster. We bundled our tickets, then got the 15% savings on top of that.
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Promo Codes: Check for verified discounts and promo codes on websites like CouponAnnie for additional savings
Afternoon: Lunch at Hershey Pantry. 801 E Chocolate Ave, Hershey, PA
Popular breakfasts of stuffed french toast & pastries, plus lunch in a country-style space & patio.
Kids eat free during breakfast and lunch with the purchase of an adult meal every day.
Available Days: Every Day.
So we got the girls $30 ($15 each) chicken sandwiches FREE.
Open 7 days a week from 7 am to 3 pm.
Hershey Story Museum
After lunch visit the Hershey Story Museum, 63 West Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA.
The Hershey Story museum experience takes visitors on a journey through his life, his chocolate company, his generous philanthropic legacy and the town of Hershey, PA. Engaging museum exhibits explore Mr. Hershey’s early failures, how he successfully revolutionized the process of making milk chocolate, and how the orphan boys of the Hershey Industrial School became heirs to his fortune.
This family attraction is also an interactive experience perfect for kids. The Scavenger Hunt is a great way to present the Hershey Story to younger visitors, allowing them to experience the museum exhibits. The museum also develops special exhibits and hands-on museum displays with kids and families in mind!
Hours of operation vary by month. Admission and Pricing info here.
Money $aving Tips:
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Military Discounts: Non-active military, veteran, and first responders can receive $3 off admission with valid ID.
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We Love Teachers: Teachers can receive $3 off admission with valid school ID
By this time the girls pre-trip excitement was catching up with them so we returned to the hotel so all of us could rest up before dinner. Plan some R&R time on Day 1 to rest up from traveling to Hershey. You're on vacation after all!
Evening: Ashley likes Red Robin and that night was Kids Eat Half Price plus Ashley would get a free ice cream sundae for her birthday. 621 Park Ave Hershey.
Jay had signed both Ashley and himself up for the Red Robin Rewards program some years prior so we took advantage of the rewards and points we'd accumulated.
For every $1 you spent you'd get 1 point. 100 points = $10 off your meal. We knocked $20 off our meals plus upgraded Ashley's birthday sundae reward to a FREE Birthday Burger.
With as much sugar as those two kids had consumed that day we knew getting them to bed and to sleep at a decent hour would be a challenge so I took them to the hotel pool to hopefully burn off their sugar highs while Jay enjoyed some quiet time in the suite sunroom and gathered his wits about him.
Despite my best efforts to wear the two of them out, we still had a heck of a time getting them settled down and by midnight an exasperated Uncle Jay was at their door, sternly telling them "YOU TWO GET TO SLEEP! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANOTHER PEEP OUT OF YOU!"
He'd no sooner closed their bedroom door and begun to walk away when from their bedroom I hear a barely audible "Peep!" followed by another round of giggling.
From the look on Jay's face at that "Peep!" I suspected he may have to perform surgery on his own heart before this trip was over.
Got an early start for Hershey Park,
100 Hersheypark Dr, Hershey, PA.
Jay had made reservations for the girls to have a Character Breakfast at the park's Chocolatier Restaurant.
Hershey Park Character Breakfast
My honest review of the Hershey Character Breakfast: First of all, I didn't know Hershey even had characters.
I think the Character Breakfast is an overpriced buffet that basically amounts to a photo op with the Hershey Characters. Save your money! The Hershey characters show up in the park at various times throughout the day so you can snap a FREE pic of the kids with them rather than pay for a Character Breakfast to do that.
Character Breakfast Pricing:
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Adults (ages 12+): $34.95
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Kids (ages 3–11): $24.95
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Children 2 and under: Free
Hershey Park
Hershey Park is rather like Disney World when it comes to tickets - only far less complicated. You have your base admission ticket and then there's a gazillion options you can add on to the base ticket, all for an extra price of course. They do offer an "any day" ticket for 1 day, 2 days, etc.
At the time Jay booked, we took advantage of a special offer that was an all inclusive package that included admittance to everything as well as parking, for $47.95 per person. This was a $106 savings over the regular admittance options. I believe the only add-ons that Jay added were the character breakfast and Ultimate Fast Track. So be sure to check the Hershey Park website for any specials they might be offering before you purchase tickets!
Like Disney's old Fast Pass, Hershey Park has two Fast Track add on's. The first less expensive option allows you a limited option in skipping the lines to rides, etc.
The Ultimate Fast Track allows you to skip the lines as many times as you want during the day. If you have wiggle room in your budget for Fast Track, go for it.
We spent most of our time on the rides. Hersheypark does have a variety of shows and entertainment experiences, but they are different in style and focus from say, Disney World’s full-scale themed productions.
Aquatheatre shows are ive performances featuring California sea lions and Atlantic harbor seals.
Events like “Hersheypark’s Hangout,” “Reese’s Cup House,” and “Sweet Land of Liberty” blend food, music, and character appearances. Hersheypark partners with Hershey Entertainment venues for concerts, Broadway shows, and family entertainment.
Hersheypark shows are more interactive and character-focused, with a strong emphasis on Hershey’s brand. They’re shorter, more casual, and geared toward families who enjoy meet-and-greet experiences and live animals.
Budget friendly alternative to Hersheypark:
If you have younger children I found a more budget friendly alternative to Hersheypark that offers almost everything Hersheypark does - Dutch Wonderland. It's located at 2249 Lincoln Highway East in Lancaster PA.
Dutch Wonderland / Photo credit: Dutch Wonderland
Dutch Wonderland has comparable rides, etc. to that of Hershey Park but Dutch Wonderland is geared to very young children more so than Hershey Park is - at least in my estimation.
For a 1 day any day admission ticket to Hershey Park you'd currently pay $70 and that's just base admission, everything else is an add on. By comparison, a 1 day any day admission ticket to Dutch Wonderland currently costs $45. That's a $35 savings for every member of your family 3 years of age or older. And like Hershey Park, you get the same Preview option you can use 1 day prior to your park visit - enjoy the last 1.5 hours of the Park the night before your visit for a full day – FREE.
And here's a plus...Undercover Tourist (who I bought my discounted Disney tickets from) offers tickets to Dutch Wonderland through them!
Granted, Dutch Wonderland isn't nearly as expansive as Hershey Park is but it's an option to Hershey Park if you're on a tight budget, especially if you have younger kids to which an amusement park is just an amusement park, no matter what it's named.
Afternoon: Hersheypark has a big variety of eateries but don't expect anything gourmet - they offer typical amusement park food. We kind of ate our way through the park rather than have a sit down lunch.
If you want to try a lot of different options you may want to consider the Dining Plan. Hersheypark food cost is on par with most theme parks. Guests can pay $39.99 for an all day eating pass: purchase 1 entree and 1 side every 90 minutes all day long. This might work if you want to try many dining options and share meals.
One of our favorite places to eat was at The Circular in Hotel Hershey where we were staying. This is a great option for brunch too.
Evening: Head for dinner at The Mill, 810 Old West Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, PA.
All four of us LOVED LOVED LOVED this restaurant! Everything was top notch. They also had the most unique flavored Old Fashioneds in several flavors, even caramel apple! We bought mocktails for the girls, they felt so grown up having a "cocktail".
All 4 of our meals were out of this world.
We loved the ambiance too, especially their covered patio.- although all 3 floors of their dining rooms were just cool in their decor. (Yes, it's an old mill converted to a restaurant). Highly highly recommend this restaurant.
You'd do best making reservations as it's a very popular restaurant.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Wednesday: 4-9pm | Thursday: 4-9pm | Friday: 4-10pm
Saturday: 11-3pm, 4-10pm | Sunday: 11am-2pm, 3pm-9pm
HAPPY HOUR: Wed-Fri: 4-6pm | Saturday: 4-5pm | Sunday: 3-5pm
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The girls had been all geared up to play Candy Bar Bingo at the hotel after dinner - until we discovered they only held games in the fall! The girls were so disappointed...
I said to Jay "We can fix this. Hit Walmart on the way back from the park."
I bought a bingo game and pile of Hershey candy bars and we held our own Candy Bar Bingo in our suite. The girls were just as happy with that.
A swim and a soak in the hot tub capped off our evening.
We took a day to visit some Amish friends of mine in Lancaster, PA.
The Amish are a very private people especially when it comes to we "English" as they call us. My friends won't even allow a photo to be taken of them so I won't go into much detail about them but I will tell you what you need to know if you want to visit the Lancaster Amish community.
Visiting the Amish
My friends (Jacob & Rebecca) have a daughter, Sarah that is the same age as Ashley and Britt are. This would be the girls first encounter with the Amish. It would be Jay's firs time to meet my friends as well.
For your part, take a tour around the Amish Village. I recommend the guided tour Amish Farmhouse and Village Tour. Located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the Amish Village offers an authentic look at today’s Amish lifestyle. Located on 12 scenic acres of land, the Amish Village lets visitors enjoy a genuine Amish property and experience Amish culture up close. An additional plus to a guided tour is that they can get you at least limited interaction with some Amish that you most likely wouldn't get touring Amish country on your own.
For your 411 before your tour:
At first, the Amish may come off to you as stand-offish or at least friendly but extremely reserved with you. This is normal. They tend to stick to themselves because they're such a tight knit community. Don't take it personally.
Do not under any circumstances take a photo of them without their express permission. Some Amish don't care if you photograph them, others will tolerate being photographed at a distance or when they're unaware they're being photographed and still others do not want their photo taken under any circumstances. They feel this violates their Ordnung that they strictly adhere to. Please be respectful and ask their permission before snapping away.
There are actually 3 different tours you can take. I found that by purchasing the Premium Package of all 3 tours on my first visit to Lancaster it was a much better value ($35 for adults, $25 for kids ages 5-12 and $20 for kids 0-4 years old) as the other tours cost nearly that much anyway. Also it gives you an extremely comprehensive look at how the Amish live.
The tour takes 3.5 hours and you'll see everything:
Premium Package Tour includes:
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25-minute Amish Farmhouse Tour
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90-minute Narrated Bus Tour
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Self-Guided Tour of the Grounds, Schoolhouse, and Outbuildings
You'll also see the Windmill & Water Wheel, Amish Barn and Farm Animals, One-room Schoolhouse, Smokehouse Market, Blacksmith Shop, and the Amish Village Store.
If you want to pack a picnic lunch there are also picnic grounds you can eat at.
But if you want an authentic, homemade from scratch Amish meal using their own farm ingredients, head to Bird-in-Hand Restaurant & Smorgasbord, 2760 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand, PA. (Get Directions »)
If you’re dining with the whole family, your children 12 and under will love their unique Noah’s Ark Kids’ Buffet. Built by a local Amish craftsman, it features a kid-friendly selection of favorite foods for younger taste buds and, of course, delicious desserts.
The Noah's Art Kid's Buffet, built by an Amish carpenter
Smorgasbord Dining
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Breakfast Smorgasbord: 7–10:30 am
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Lunch Smorgasbord: 11 am–3:30 pm
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Dinner Smorgasbord: 4–7 pm
Menu Dining
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Lunch & Dinner: 11 am–7 pm
Money $aving Tip: Discount packages & special pricing:
From April through December, take advantage of meal packages with discounted tickets for shows at their on-site Bird-in-Hand Stage.
For reservations call (800) 790-4069.
Another tip: While touring the Amish Village store, do yourself a favor and pick up some of their homemade jams and jellies. What a difference from store bought!
The Amish Village Store
If you want to learn more about the Amish, there is the option of having a meal with the Amish, made by the Amish.
Enjoy a more personal experience than you'd otherwise have—with this small-group lunch outing. Following pickup from central Lancaster, travel with your guide to the home of a local Amish family for a sit-down, home-cooked meal. Along the way, learn more about Amish customs and practices—then, on arrival, observe the family's way of life and share a meal and conversation together.
Believe me when I tell you there's no such thing as a bad Amish cook.
Those ladies know how to rock a kitchen in every way possible and they make everything from scratch! Most of it grown and/or raised in their own community. Book this tour here.
Our visit with Jacob, Rebecca and their family went wonderfully. Jacob and Jay hit it off and the 3 girls got along great, Ashley and Britt even helping Sarah with her chores.
Before we knew it, dinner time was rolling around so it was time to get back on the road to Hershey.
We stopped in Lancaster at Red Lobster for dinner since I had a 50% off our meal coupon and a $25 gift card I needed to use before the coupon expired.
We ordered the Ultimate Family Feast (above): Tender Maine lobster tails, snow crab legs, garlic shrimp scampi and Walt's Favorite Shrimp. Served with lemon, melted butter, cocktail sauce, two family-style sides and 8 Cheddar Bay Biscuits®. Serves 4.
Regular price was $147 but with our 50% off: $73.50. Minus the $25 gift card = $48.50
You can't buy a single lobster tail for that these days! It pays to join Rewards and Loyalty programs.
Evening: The hotel hosts activities and drafts programs for kids in the Family Game Room and a make s'mores campfire. They also have a Sports & Fitness Complex – Basketball, volleyball, bocce ball, horseshoe pits, tennis, spikeball, pickleball, and cornhole are available during evening hours.
The girls asked if they could go to the craft session then the campfire. We felt they'd be reasonably safe in a craft program in the hotel so let them go and we met them after their craft session for a game of pickleball and the campfire.
Morning: Breakfast, then off for day 2 at Hersheypark.
Visit ZooAmerica while you're at the park. ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park brings the roaring excitement of North American animals up close to your backyard of Hershey. There’s a wide variety of animals you see at the zoo, from cold-blooded reptiles to hot desert critters, grasslands herbivores to mighty carnivores, and lively birds to nocturnal animals.
ZooAmerica is free on a same-day visit to Hersheypark when entered from within Hersheypark.
Photo credit: Hershey Park
We rode some more rides, then toured ZooAmerica. During our two days in the park we'd seen everything we'd wanted to see and do at Hersheypark.
Evening: We went to Hershey Lodge to Fire & Grain for dinner. 325 University Dr, Hershey, PA
Fire & Grain brings a modern twist to classic comfort food, creating a warm and inviting dining experience. Located at The Hershey Lodge, this restaurant is perfect for families, offering a varied menu that caters to all tastes. With its contemporary decor and friendly service, it’s a great spot for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Hours
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Breakfast: Thursday - Sunday, 7 - 11 AM
A la carte menu offered daily
Breakfast buffet, subject to availability -
Happy Hour: Daily, 4 - 6 PM
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Dinner:
Sunday-Thursday, 4 - 9 PM
Friday & Saturday, 4 - 10 PM
After dinner relax at your accommodations.
Morning: Have breakfast at Au Bon Lieu French Creperie,
110 W Chocolate Ave, Hershey.
Crepes made to perfection! Everything is made fresh, including the coffee, so be prepared to wait a little but completely worth it! And you can watch your crepes being made while you wait.
They make both savory and sweet crepes. Excellent selection of breakfast, dinner, and dessert crepes.
We tried both savory and sweet and they were both out of this world!
The owner is French and super nice, very friendly.
If there's any drawback to the Creperie at all it's that the dining room is very small.
After breakfast, we headed to Hershey Gardens, 170 Hotel Road, Hershey.
Ash loves butterflies and Hershey Gardens has a fantastic recently built tropical butterfly house.
These gardens are just outstanding overall with 11 different themed gardens, including a Children's Garden that the girls also loved.
The Childrens Garden
When you arrive, stop at the Welcome Pavillion.
The Welcome Pavilion serves as the main entrance to Hershey Gardens. Upon entering, guests will be greeted by several magnificent palm trees and dozens of colorful stained glass butterflies that soar below a glass ceiling.
Admission tickets for Hershey Gardens can be purchased inside the Welcome Pavilion. Admission includes entrance to the conservatory, the Butterfly Atrium and the rest of the 23 acres, including the historic rose garden and The Children’s Garden.
Welcome Pavillion / Photo credit: Hershey Gardens
ADMISSION:
Regular (ages 13-61): $17.50
Senior (ages 62+): $16.50
Junior (ages 3-12): $13.50
Children ages 2 and under – FREE
Hershey Gardens Members – FREE
Active duty military personnel are free. Non-active military, veterans, first responders and their guests receive $3 off admission with valid ID, and 15% off in the Garden Shop.
Teachers can receive $3 off admission with valid school ID.
Take a virtual tour here. Photo gallery here.
Afternoon: Have lunch at kid friendly Chocolate Avenue Grill, 114 W Chocolate Ave, Hershey,
Photo credit: Facebook
This casual restaurant boasts a extensive varied menu with traditional favorites like hamburgers, fish and chips, and chicken parmigiana. They also have a kid’s menu and outdoor dining that we took advantage of.
HOURS
Mon-Thur 11am-9pm
Fri & Sat 11am-10pm
Sunday 11am-8pm
From lunch head to Hershey Adventure Sports, 3010 Elizabethtown Road, Hershey. Just 4 miles south of Hershey.
Photo credit: Hershey Adventure Sports
You can include this next activity in your own itinerary or not. This is one of those facilities where you can very easily blow your budget out the window if you don't keep yourself in check.
Example: It cost $11 for a 5 minute ride on the bumper boats. For 4 people that's $44 for a 5 minute ride - which is ridiculous. There's no bundling activities either. You pay for each activity individually.
I think this big kid right here had visions of go karts, batting cages and a driving range in his head - until I pointed out to him that two 8 year old girls are not going to be interested in batting cages and a driving range. - that he was about to spend beaucoup bucks on until I reined him in.
I advised him to choose 2 or 3 activities that both he and the girls would enjoy and he chose bumper boats and mini golf.
I found a limited time Buy 1 Get 1 Free Mini Golf Admission so the girls golfed for FREE - enabling all 4 of us to ride the bumper boats for 30 minutes without breaking the bank and the budget,
I found the mini golf deal (now expired) on the website
visithersheyharrisburg.org/offers.
We used Hershey Adventure Sports as a kind of "filler" activity until our next major activity that evening.
You can get a free entrée on your birthday by signing up for Dining In Hershey emails.
We'd arranged a surprise birthday dinner for Ashley. She's very close to her parents being an only child and unbeknownst to her, they'd driven to Hershey for her birthday dinner - and brought Ashley and Britt's 2 closest friends with them.
We chose upscale and refined Devon Seafood + Steak as the restaurant for her birthday dinner.
Birthday greeting and mocktail waiting for Ashley at table
Birthday cupcake from the restaurant
Both Jay and I and her parents had signed up for Devon's email prior to our trip. Her parents had signed Ashley up as well. We each got a $15 off our first $30 offer for signing up (free) and Ashley got $25 off a meal as a birthday gift from Devon restaurant - an $85 discount off our dinners.
She also didn't know her 2 friends would be spending the night with the girls in their bedroom and her parents had booked a room in the hotel so we all could spend the remainder of our trip together, celebrating with Ashley.
When we walked into the restaurant and she saw her parents and 2 friends Ashley let out a shriek that I'm pretty sure stopped the heart of every patron in the restaurant.
The food was exceptional as was the service. Two thumbs up on Devon Seafood & Steak! $$$$
Here are some more affordable restaurants to fit within your budget:
Freshido (Japanese/Asian) $$-$$$
Rotunda Brew Pub $$-$$$
Hamilton
Hershey Theater lobby
Following dinner it was off to see the live theater production of Hamilton at the Hershey Theater.
Located in downtown Hershey, Pennsylvania, the magnificent Hershey Theatre is the area's premier performing arts center, presenting the finest in touring Broadway shows, intimate concerts, classical music and dance attractions, comedy shows, and world-renowned entertainers.
The Hershey Theater cast of Hamilton
The performance of Hamilton was phenomenal. The cast nailed it. We all thoroughly enjoyed the show.
Ticket prices vary by shows offered throughout the year. Because the theater is currently closed for renovation, there are no ticket prices posted since there are no productions taking place during the renovation.
We returned to the hotel to have birthday cake in our suite. Ashley's mom had brought along the coolest cake!
Our evening ended with Ashley opening her birthday presents. Uncle Jay's gift to her was that he'd take her on a trip for each of her birthdays. She was thrilled. I think she'd been bitten by the travel bug. LOL
Breakfast at the hotel.
The Falconry Experience
Get ready for a unique thrill at The Falconry Experience. Where to report: Park in the ZooAmerica parking lot at 201
Park Ave., Hershey and proceed to the ZooAmerica Entrance. Their admissions staff will direct you to the falconry field on the ZooAmerica grounds.
The Falconry Experience offers a unique opportunity for guests of all ages to participate in an interactive demonstration featuring hawks, falcons, and a golden eagle. This falconry experience includes free-flight demonstrations, a simulated hunt demonstration, and even an opportunity for these majestic birds of prey to land on your gloved hand! The program is run by Master Falconer Jack Hubley.
These types of experiences are rare given all of the government rules and regulations they must abide by so when you encounter one, it's a good idea to take advantage of the opportunity.
Don’t worry you do not have to be a guest of any of the Hershey hotels (The Hersey Lodge or The Hotel Hershey, but there is special resort guest pricing, if you are staying on site be sure to look into that) to experience this program, it is open to anyone that would like to participate. The cost is $65.00 per adult, and for kids 15 & under the cost is $25.00. Not bad at all, it is pretty affordable for such a bucket list type of experience.
For the Private Falconry Experience or the Hawk Walk, contact Jack Hubley to make an appointment: 717-575-0948; eaglehunter0122@gmail.com.
Money $aving Tip:
A discount of 50% or more on your purchase with Hershey Lodge coupon
Afternoon: Have lunch at Soda Jerk Diner. 403 E Main St, Hummelstown, PA.
Soda Jerk Diner in Hummelstown serves classic 1950s diner favorites. Enjoy burgers, shakes & family fun. Less than 3 miles and 10 minutes from Hershey Park.
Serves Traditional American, Greek and Italian food.
Food was above average diner and came out fast. Friendly staff.
And for you adults that get tired of kids fare (burgers, pizza, etc.) Soda Jerk has sandwiches and salads adults will like. Try their BLT Club!
We didn't want a heavy afternoon itinerary so we could all rest up before the evening activity we had planned.
Pennsylvania State Police Museum
Pennsylvania State Police Museum shelters exhibits that detail more than 100 years of history of the country’s first constabulary.
This museum showcases a plethora of memorials, exhibits, documents and artifacts about the history of the state’s police force.
Come learn about famous crimes, the police rodeo, what it takes to be a trooper, and significant events of police history. This museum is a popular stop for fun things to do in Hershey with kids who have an interest in fighting crime.
Having been in law enforcement, the museum was interesting for me but I wasn't sure if it would be for the kids. It must have been because I got peppered with questions about having been in law enforcement.
It's an interesting low cost museum to see.
General Admissions
Adults: $7.00
Students: ( 6-18 yrs.old) $4.00
Children 5 and under: Free
Monday – Friday from 9 am – 4 pm
Saturdays: 10am-3pm
Closed Sundays & State Holidays
No appointment is necessary
Guided Tour Costs
Adults: $10.00
Students: ( 6-18 yrs.old) $5.00
Children 5 and under: Free
Guided tours require 2 weeks advance notice and typically take 2 hours through the Museum and the Academy.
Money $aving Tip: Check Groupon for occasional discounts for this museum.
Strausberg Railroad
301 Gap Road, Ronks, PA.
Strausburg Railroad offers a variety of experiences in which you can ride this steam train.
Originally we wanted to do the dinner train trip but only those 21+ years old are allowed on that dinner trip and we had 4 little girls in tow. We found an alternative that was being held while we were in Hershey - Princess Day as a dining car guest. The trip included brunch on the train and a meet and greet with the Enchanted Rose Princess, Mermaid Princess, Glass Slipper Princess, and other royal characters.
We thought the girls might think they were too old for this so we had our fingers crossed...but they'd brought princess costumes along to wear and one for Ashley to wear so they were into Princess Day being we let them put on makeup for the occasion. They enjoyed a 45 minute train ride with the royal characters while dining.
Our little princesses
Adult (12+):$47.70
Child (2-11):$37.10
Money $aving Tip: All Strasburg Rail Road Codes, Auto-Tested in Seconds - up to 25% Off
Be sure to check the Strasburg Railroad website for deals and discounts before booking.
We stopped back at the hotel so the girls could change clothes and we were off on our next adventure.
Hershey History Center
40 Northeast Drive, Hershey
Not to be confused with the Hershey Museum, the Hershey History Center showcases artifacts from Hershey's 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, Hershey Transit trolley exhibit, and their popular, permanent collection, the Veterans Exhibit, that features the personal belongings of Major Dick Winters, and an interactive model train and trolley layout that depicts 1920's Hershey.
Of particular interest to us was the Veteran's Exhibit and Major Dick Winters. My friend, Rose's husband was one of the Band of Brothers, was featured in the movie Band of Brothers and knew Dick Winters personally. Ashley had heard this story so wanted to see this exhibit and the replica of his office they'd constructed in a corner of the museum.
The Dick Winters exhibit was amazing and I could share some of the stories Rose had told me regarding her husband and Dick Winters about D Day and their invasion of Normandy, with the girls.
Doing so helped bring the Band of Brothers alive and helped them understand D Day and what our soldiers went through much better, from a much more personal perspective.
It's a small museum that only takes 1-2 hours to go through and it's a good way to escape the summer heat.
ADMISSION
Members Free
Adults $5.00
Children (ages 4-17) $2.00
Children Ages 3 + younger Free
Family $10.00
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday 10 am - 3 pm
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 10 am - 3 pm
Thursday Closed
Friday 10 am - 3 pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Evening: We returned to The Mill for dinner as Ashley wanted her parents to be able to eat at the Mill because we'd all liked it so much.
Thursday night at the Mill is $29 steak frite dinner night.
Served with garlic truffle fries, seasonal vegetables, and your choice of sauce or steak butter.
Melt in your mouth!.
Try the Snickerdoodle crème brûlée, it's heavenly!
Jude and Dee were as impressed with the Mill as we all were.
It was a fitting end to our last night In Hershey.
We'd had a fantastic time in Hershey. Ashley said it was the best birthday she'd ever had and was already asking Uncle Jay "Where we going on my next birthday?"
Hershey, PA is a great place to take the kids on your travels. There's plenty for kids and adults alike to do that's enjoyable for the entire family.
This is a simple party to throw either on the road or at home.
If you don't want to specifically throw a Hershey themed party then you can do a Candyland party or a generic non-brand specific candy party.
For your dining table or candy table: Inexpensive milk chocolate brown disposable tablecloth, plastic heavy duty disposable dishware set. some table confetti for the top of the table. The favor boxes are Hershey Kiss party favor boxes but you can easily make your own with little white favor boxes and cold glue a Hershey Kiss on top of the box.
Centerpiece: I made one out of corrugated cardboard I scored to fold into an octagon shape. I very carefully peeled the wrappers off Hershey milk chocolate bars and using a glue stick, glued the wrappers to the corrugated cardboard, then rolled over them with a wallpaper roller to make sure they were nice and flat and firmly adhered.
When you cut the corrugated make sure you leave an edge to glue the edges of the container together to form the octagon. Put some green tissue paper in the container to simulate leaves.
I used a block of floral foam, cold glued the candy bars to bamboo skewers so as not to melt the candy when gluing, then glued the bamboo sticks into the floral foam and once I had the "bouquet" looking the way I wanted to, I hot glued the bamboo skewers into the floral foam. Decorate with a bow to dress your candy bar "bouquet" up.
You can make your party come alive if you have some adult family members or friends that would be willing to dress in Hershey candy costumes - available from Walmart and other costume companies.
And they can serve as your helpers in throwing the party!
Or you could have your party guests come in candy themed costumes.
You can dress your table(s) up further by simply adding some helium filled balloons like the ones shown at left if you like.
OTHER DECORATIONS
There are plenty of inexpensive, easy to transport or use at home decorations you can use:
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Make a candy path using colored cardboard squares.
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Cover large balloons with cellophane around a stick to make giant lollipops.
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Use pool noodles wrapped in colored paper — vary sizes to create different candies.
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Wrap cardboard tubes with red-and-white striped wrapping paper to make candy cane poles.
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String colorful pom-poms together as a candy gumball garland.
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Hang a “Welcome to the Sweetest Place on Earth!” sign at the entrance.
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Use brown fabric to make a chocolate river table runner.
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Build a balloon arch in candy colors — pink, purple, blue, yellow, and green.
Hershey Characters
The only food I'd be serving at a kids candy party is a candy table. (Think like a kid who knows they're going to a CANDY party here...what's the only thing you're going to have your sights on eating?)
Don't panic, Mom. You can sneak some 'disguised' healthy foods in there - like caramel apples, a rainbow colored fruit platter, use fruits like strawberries for dipping with a chocolate fountain.
I have a sweet tooth but am a brittle diabetic so can't consume sugar...I satisfy my sweet tooth with sugar free candy. Russell Stover makes a whole line of various sugar free candies! And you can't tell by taste that they're sugar free!
Jello makes sugar free Snack Pack pudding and gelatin cups in several different flavors.
Jolly Rancher makes sugar free hard candies that again, you can't tell by taste are sugar free - as does Worther.
I also make my own sugar free sweet treats...
Skip the soda loaded with sugar and serve flavored milks with a candy themed straw.
There are ways to limit the kids sugar highs from a candy themed party without them being any the wiser that that's what you've done!
(And their parents will thank you when their kid's next dental bill comes due!)
Candy Bar Bingo
The girls loved playing Candy Bar Bingo.
Hershey Bingo Game (at left) available at Walmart.
There's a variety of Hershey games available!
Sucker Pull
They had this game at our church festival when I was a kid and I loved playing it because you knew you were going to win something.
You'll need:
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Suckers
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A foam block or board to hold the suckers
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3 different colored markers
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3 tiered 'levels' of prizes that will correspond to each of the colors of your markers.
You don't have to use big expensive prizes for this...but you want your lowest tier of
prizes to be the least expensive and smallest. Your second tier of prizes will be slightly bigger and a little more expensive, your 3rd tier of prizes will be the biggest and most expensive.
Using your colored markers, mark the bottoms of each sucker stick with the color that corresponds to its appropriate prize. For example, if you have 10 pink colored prizes then you should have 10 suckers whose sticks are marked with pink marker. You don't want the kids to be able to see what color the bottoms of each sucker sticks are. Insert the suckers into your foam block or holder.
The kids pull a sucker and get the corresponding prize according to the color on their sucker stick.
Option: I used 4 different colored markers and bought 5 candy themed games as the top tier prizes. So I had 5 suckers with those 4th tier prizes mixed in among the other suckers. Of course, the kids were all trying to find those 5 top tier prizes! It made the game more exciting for the kids.
Candy Trivia
Again, another easy, compact game to play away from home.
Just be sure to make your trivia questions appropriate to the age group of your guests!
Sample questions:
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What was the first mass-produced candy bar in the United States?
Answer: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (1900) -
Originally, what was cotton candy called when it was introduced?
Answer: Fairy Floss -
What candy was originally given to children in the 1800s to keep them quiet during church services?
Answer: Lollipops -
What candy was created by accident when a pharmacist was trying to make cough drops?
Answer: Tootsie Rolls -
What candy is associated with Easter?
Answer: Jelly Beans -
What candy was the first to be taken into space by astronauts?
Answer: Tootsie Rolls
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What was the original flavor of Life Savers candy?
Answer: Peppermint -
Which candy company was the first to create heart-shaped boxes for Valentine’s Day?
Answer: Cadbury -
Which company makes the chocolate candies M&M’s?
Answer: Mars -
What color was the first M&M candy?
Answer: Brown -
Which country consumes the most chocolate?
Answer: Switzerland -
What is the name of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory tour guide in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”?
Answer: Oompa Loompas -
Which company produces Cadbury Creme Eggs?
Answer: Cadbury -
What is the most popular chocolate bar in the world?
Answer: Snickers
I awarded a prize to the guest with the most correct answers.
Guess the Candy
On the back side of the card show the correct answer...
This game takes a bit of time to put together although it's easy and the kids like it.
You'll need:
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An 8-1/2" x 11" piece of white computer printer cardstock for each candy on your quiz. You can use as few or as many different candies as you want.
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Pictures of each candy without its packaging and a second picture with its packaging that identifies the candy. See example at left.
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A glue stick
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A Sharpie marker
I used Google images to get the pictures of my candies, saved them as a .jpg file, then printed them out and glued them to the front of my cards.
On the front of the card glue the picture of the candy without its packaging. Then write 3 multiple choices for the candy pictured.
On the back side of the card glue the candy shown on the front of the card in its packaging that identifies the candy.
Give each of your party guests a pencil and paper on which is written/printed the 3 multiple choices of each of your candy cards and have them circle with their pencil the answer they think is correct. If they got the answer correct, have them put a checkmark next to a correct answer. (They're scoring themselves)
At the end of the game have them count up their checkmarks for their correct answers. The guest with the most correct answers wins the game.
An alternate option: Candy Guessing Smell Game: Blindfolded players guess the candy by scent.
Set Up a Candy Themed Obstacle Course
I made their obstacle course more challenging. Use colored construction paper as seen in the first photo above but write a number, 1 through 6 on each of the colored squares. The kids themselves become the game pieces. In order to advance down the colored squares path they have to roll dice to get the number on each of the colored squares they land on to advance down the path!
For older kids I used 2 dice so they had to roll 2 numbers that equaled the number on their colored square.
(Let em do some simple math)
For younger kids use only 1 die.
Bubble Blowing Contest
Bubblegum Blowing Contest: See who can blow the biggest bubble.