Every couple of years, my family and I like to plan out a spring vacation. We have always wanted to visit Hersheypark and this year we were able to finally add it to our list of places to go/things to do. We originally planned to visit on Easter Sunday but at the last minute, we decided to visit that Saturday instead. The weather was sunny with clear blue skies and the temperature was perfect for attending during the Springtime at the Park event.
Parking
When we arrived, we saw a sign that said the parking lot closest to the Park was full. So we ended up getting in line to pay for a spot. We didn’t know this ahead of time but for those who stumble across this page, make sure you have $10 cash handy as this is what we had to pay. We ended up parking in row 32. At first, I was a bit worried about the long walk due to my not being able to walk long distances without having to sit down for a break but luckily we spotted a trolley right away. The trolley is free and if you ask my 7-year-old, it’s also a ton of fun. 😉 The trolley takes you to the entrance of Hershey Park and also has a couple of designated stops near the paid parking lots.
Admission
Due to our complimentary admission, I was able to walk up to the Will Call window and had them in hand within 10 minutes. However, while standing there, I did happen to glance over at the ticket booth lines and windows and saw that despite there being a large crowd, the lines were moving quickly and smoothly. For ticket pricing, it’s always best to check out the Hersheypark site itself.
The Rides
There was a bit of a walk to get to the actual gates to get into Hersheypark. Once we made it, we were a bit overwhelmed. Well, more so my daughter than anyone else. She couldn’t decide which ride she wanted to get on first. Hehe. We ended up riding on several but our 4 favorites were:
The Carousel – Who doesn’t love the carousel?
Cocoa Cruiser – This is the one ride my little one wanted to get on. Let’s just say that it ended up with her screaming and crying that she wanted to get off. 🙁
Monorail – This is the #1 ride I was looking forward to getting on. It ended up being very relaxing and I got some pretty cool photos out of it.
Kissing Tower – This is a great ride for the entire family or couples. After all, it IS called the Kissing Tower. 😉 I thought my daughter would be terrified but she was more so giggling the whole time and she enjoyed the view. We all did.
Hershey Characters
One thing that I really enjoyed was seeing my kiddo spot one of the Hershey characters here and there and ask to have her picture taken with them. She really wanted a picture with Hershey Kiss. When she lost all hope of finding her, she spotted her on our way to the Zoo. Yay!
Hershey Zoo
Speaking of the Zoo, this is included in your Hersheypark ticket. It was our second time visiting and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that no two visits are ever the same. Yes, most of the animals may be the same but each time is a different experience. I really enjoyed the variety of animals they have.
Stores
My daughter spotted a store as soon as we walked in and mentioned that she wanted to go in before we left. So once we were done with everything else, we went into a few and she got herself some goodies. She ended up getting an adorable personalized Hershey Kiss necklace, big pink Hershey Kiss pencil, and a Hershey Kiss plush. She walked out one very happy (and spoiled) kid. 😀
Hersheypark does have places that you can eat and get your snack on. We ended up going to Chick-Fil-A and eating outside.
Tips
-The Park can get rather crowded depending on the time of day, so make sure if you go, to be there first thing. This means fewer people and very short lines for the rides.
-Take the weather into consideration. While we did go on a beautiful, semi-cool day, we ended up sweaty and miserable. I think a lot of it had to do with how crowded it was.
-Download the Hersheypark app. It really does come in handy. I used it while there and it allowed me to see how long the lines were for certain rides, which ones were closed and the location of each one.
-Bring your walking shoes. This could end up being an all-day visit especially if you have several kids with you.
-HAVE FUN and enjoy yourself.
Final Thoughts
Overall, my family and I had a really good time. We hope to visit again sometime within the next few years during the summer that way we can experience everything The Boardwalk portion of the Park has to offer. While we did not get to experience every single ride this first time around, hopefully, we can do so during our next visit. Thanks for reading! 🙂
*Disclaimer: My family and I received complimentary admission to Hershey Park. The views expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.