As part of the Go Outside & Play Challenge and the Treasure in Travel Series, we will be posting favorite local spots for kids to explore the outdoors in your neck of the woods (Tri-State Area)! Hershey, PA boasts the outdoor amusement park, Hershey Gardens, and Hershey World, where you can learn about where food comes from and the plants that go into it!
At PPbyTT.blog, we love philanthropists that use their success to do good for their community and enrich their world. Milton Hershey was a man who made his fortune from a humble beginnings of a dysfunctional family, to go on to create a candy empire and a philanthropic legacy! Milton didn’t stop at bringing the world flavor, he also founded a school for orphans which still helps struggling families to this day. He also, brought not only chocolate to the masses but transformed his chocolate business in a sleepy Pennsylvannia farm-town into a booming tourist and manufacturing economy.
Hershey, PA has a lot to offer the family looking for Outdoor Travel, #GoOutsideandPlay, and plant/food education, such as:
Chocolate World
Most of you know about Hershey Park and Hershey’s Chocolate. You may not know about the immense amount of additional attractions like the huge Chocolate World, which is bursting at the seems with all Hershey’s merchandise, a food court and 4 ticketed attractions.
While not OUTDOORS like we love, Chocolate World provides an alternative on hot or rainy days when in Hershey. We also loved learning about the plants behind the flavors! At Chocolate World, the whole family enjoyed the “Unwrapped Tasting Class” which was an interactive class/play about how chocolate is made and the process of innovation and investing new treats. It was educational, fun and delicious as you tasted your way thru the process! We also loved the 4D movie and the free ride that has been around since I was little. The free ride has even been improved upon with more computerized special effects, as guests move from the “farms of Hershey”, thru the tropical cocoa harvests and manufacturing plants of our favorite treats!
Coming Soon – Chocolate Town
Hershey, Pennsylvania is home to one of America’s sweetest success stories. Each page recounts our rich history of creating fun, making chocolate, cultivating community, and continuing the powerful legacy of Milton S. Hershey. In 2020, Hersheypark® is unlocking an all-new chapter – one Where Fun Meets Chocolate in more ways than ever before. Welcome to Hershey’s Chocolatetown – the most transformative expansion in Hershey park history. FYI: Currently, they are doing immense amount of construction to the coming Chocolate Town and a new roller coaster, so there’s lots of activity at the entrance of the park. Milton would be proud!
Hershey Gardens
A “hidden” garden gem you may miss when in Hershey! Hershey Gardens is a 23-acre botanical garden with an arboretum, butterfly atrium and a delightful children’s garden. Set atop a hill overlooking Hersheypark, where you can hear the screams of the roller coasters, smell farmlands of Pennsylvania and taste the chocolate! It was built as a gift from chocolate magnate philanthropist Milton S. Hershey, for his community and to honor his wife, Catherine. At the gardens, we enjoyed learning about where chocolate comes from, the human sundial, butterfly atrium, themed learning gardens and whimsical fountain.
For those that are not fans of rides, there’s plenty of sweet entertainment lined up!
Local Artisan Food & Craft Drinks
There is also great dining with locally grown PA produce, regional wine, and micro breweries with a gastropub, family-friendly and even lots of outdoor chillin, like Troegs and Iron Hill!
More in Hershey
Make a splash at the 11-acre water park inside Hersheypark® The Boardwalk is included with all summer admission tickets.
At Zoo America, their year-round, 11-acre zoo is home to more than 200 animals & included with your one-price Hersheypark® ticket.
Good in Moderation
As with all sugar and treats, it is important to stress moderation and to not allow your tastebuds to over indulge. With that said, try these deliciously simple spins on a classic summer dessert.
Reset After Indulgence
Consider a cleanse to reset after your trip to Hershey to allow you to retrain your tastebuds and reinstatement of a standard to healthier, blander, all-natural choices. Stay tuned here for Cleanse Info.
#HersheyPark. #HersheyParkHappy. #OutdoorTravel. #GoOutsideandPlay.
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Plants Power Purpose 