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Hersheypark is the only amusement park in the world that’s focused on fun and chocolate! It’s located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and offers something for everyone! It’s a great amusement park for families, thrill seekers, or any theme park lover!
We recently visited Hersheypark and had a great time! Thank you so much to Hersheypark for gifting us tickets.
One thing I love about Hersheypark is that your ticket includes access to three different parks! Hersheypark, ZooAmerica, and the waterpark, The Boardwalk (during the summer months). You get a lot of value out of one ticket!
Here’s how to spend a day at Hersheypark!
Planning Your Trip to Hersheypark
Hersheypark is open from spring to the beginning of January. During the spring and fall months, the park is only open on weekends. The park is open every day during the summer months (June-August). You can check the Hersheypark website here for updated schedules since exact opening days may change!
Visiting in the Summer: We visited Hersheypark in the summer and had a great time. I’d recommend going during a weekday for the lowest crowds. In the summer, their waterpark The Boardwalk is open which is included in your admission! The Boardwalk features the thrilling Breakers Edge Water Coaster, Tidal Force, and so many fun waterslides! They also have a 378,000-gallon wave pool!
Hersheypark Halloween: This year, from September 12th – November 2nd, Hersheypark Halloween will be on! The park will be decorated all throughout for the Halloween season! Enjoy visiting the 5 haunted houses around the park starting at 6 pm every night!
Hersheypark Christmas Candylane: During select dates in November and December, the park transforms into a winter wonderland! Experience more than 5 million twinkling lights and even get a chance to visit with Santa and his reindeer!
Tips Before you Arrive at Hersheypark
- Download the Hersheypark app. This app shows real time wait times, and has a map of all the rides, restaurants and bathrooms. It’s super helpful for a day at the park and will make your day a lot smoother!
- Try to arrive at the parking lot around 30 minutes before the park opens. The parking lot gets busy, the walk is about 10 minutes to get to the park gates. But you’ll probably need some time to find parking, and you can visit Hershey’s Chocolate World which opens about an hour before the park. They have a free Hershey’s Chocolate Tour dark ride that is a lot of fun for the whole family!
- Purchase a Fast Track if you’re visiting during the summer weekends, the weekends tend to get very busy, and if you want to ride as many rides as possible, you won’t regret getting a Fast Track pass! If you visit during the week, you should be okay without one!
Where to Stay When Visting Hersheypark
If you’re looking to stay on Hershey property the options are Hershey Lodge, Hotel Hershey, or Hershey Park Camping resort.
If you’re looking for a non-Hershey hotel, there are tons of options. Here are some options I like, not too far from the park, the Days Inn by Wyndham Hershey, and the Tru by Hilton Hershey Chocolate Avenue.
We stayed about 40 minutes outside of Hersheypark in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at the American Inn. It was very inexpensive and decent for just an overnight stay!
Parking at Hersheypark
Parking at Hersheypark isn’t included in your ticket. Right now (August 2025) it costs $35. But if you purchase online (highly recommended), you can save some money!
Free shuttles to the park gates are included for guests of official Hersheypark resorts. If you’re not taking a shuttle, there is a bit of a walk to the park gates, but it’s not too bad!
What to Bring to Hersheypark in the Summer
- A reusable water bottle – This bottle is smaller and leak-proof, it also has an easy carrying handle, and I loved that the lid fully closes instead of a straw, so you can be sure it doesn’t spill and no bugs sneak in! Make sure it’s empty when you arrive at the park for security screening. There are tons of refil stations throughout the park, and even on the weekend when we went, there was rarely a wait for refills!
- Poncho – You don’t want unexpected rain to ruin your park day. Bringing a poncho with you to the park will help you save money and let you walk around the park even when it’s raining! Remember to bring a Ziploc bag to store your poncho in afterwards so you don’t get your bag wet.
- Sunscreen – I love Neutrogena sunscreen, and I love how sleek the bottle is; it’s easy to carry with me, even if my bag is small!
- Small bag – I used this one, which I have in black and white. I bring it with me pretty much everywhere! I’m able to fit my wallet, sunscreen, camera, and phone! But this one is a great option if you need a bit more space!
- Comfortable shoes – Comfortable shoes are a must! I’ve made the mistake so many times of not wearing the right shoes to theme parks, and it’s not worth it. I wore my Hoka Arahi 7s and was able to walk all day with no discomfort. I used to go to theme parks in my regular everyday runners and be so uncomfortable, but these kept me comfortable all day!
What to Wear to Hersheypark
Hersheypark has a lot of hills, so you’ll definitely want comfortable shoes. I wore my Hoka Arahi 7s and was comfortable all day! If you’re visiting during the summer, make sure you wear comfortable light clothing. Wearing athleticwear is always a great option to keep you comfortable and not too hot!
How Many Days Do I Need at Hersheypark
There’s a lot to see and do at Hersheypark. I’d recommend a day or a day and a half to see everything at Hersheypark. Included in your admission is also a preview, where you can visit the park for the last two hours the night before your full-day visit. More info here. You should utilize that if you can, so you can get a good feel for the park and hop on some rides before your big park day! Plus, preview guests don’t need to pay for parking on their preview night! I love that Hersheypark does this. I think it’s a great idea and would be helpful for anyone wanting to get the most out of their ticket.
Rides and Attractions at Hersheypark
Hersheypark offers more than 70 different rides and attractions! They have a good amount of different ride styles and truly have something everyone can enjoy! For a full list of rides and attractions, visit the Hersheypark website here.
For Thrill-Seekers:
Hersheypark offers a good number of thrilling rides. Here are three of them to give you an idea, but trust me, there’s a lot more! And they also have a good amount of rides for people who like thrill rides but not super intense ones!
- Twizzlers Twisted Gravity is the newest ride at Hersheypark and is the world’s tallest Screamin’ Swing ride, reaching 137 feet, speeds up to 68 mph, and has multiple zero-G moments!
- Candymonium is the fastest, tallest, and longest rollercoaster at Hersheypark with a 210-foot ascent, thrilling drops, and a top speed of 76mph
- Jolly Rancher Remix has 6 inverts in 90 seconds with a height of 105 feet and a max speed of 47mph
For Families & Kids:
There are a ton of rides that are suitable for kids and the whole family! There are rides located throughout the park that offer something for everyone. Here are some of the best family and kid-friendly rides, but there are so many more!
- Kissing Tower offers a great view of Hersheypark from 250 feet up, in the observation tower
- The Ferris Wheel takes you 150 feet above the midway and offers great views
- Coal Cracker, this is a classic log flume ride that is so much fun
- Twin Turnpike Car Ride, cruise along the Twin Turnpike in your car
- Hersheypark Monorail, a 10-minute ride above the Hersheypark midway with great views along the way
- Reese’s Cupfushion, this ride combines a video game with a dark ride, where you compete to see who can score the most points
Non-Ride Attractions:
Hersheypark truly has something for everyone. Not into rides? Check out ZooAmerica, a zoo inside the amusement park!
- ZooAmerica
- Hershey’s Chocolate World
- Shows – Check Hersheypark’s website for the different shows they have going throughout the park
Food at Hersheypark
The Chocolatier is a full-service restaurant that is known for its popular Ferris Wheel Sampler, where you can sample some delicious appetizers on a super cool Ferris wheel platter. Book reservations for this one a few days in advance, as it’s super popular!
There are also a few chain restaurants located throughout the park, like Chick-fil-A, Subway, Nathan’s Hot Dogs, Starbucks, and Moe’s Southwest Grill.
Consider purchasing the all-day dining add-on, which is a great deal if you plan on eating your meals at the park! You can use the pass every 90 minutes to get 1 entree and a side at participating restaurants. You can find info here.
Is Hersheypark Worth it?
I think Hersheypark is totally worth it! It’s a great option for thrillseekers and families! I think Hersheypark provides great value for the price of your ticket, and you can definitely spend a full day here and never get bored. I think Hersheypark would be especially great for families with young kids!
I’d love to visit again, especially to visit the Boardwalk or their Christmas event. I loved the Hershey theming throughout the park, and they offered so many great rides! I also love that they have options for when you need a break from the rides, but still want entertainment like the zoo and sea lion show!
Watch my Hersheypark TikToks here:
@roadsandroams 6 tips for a great visit at Hersheypark! [hosted] @Hersheypark #hersheypark #hersheyparkhappy #hersheypa #themeparks #daytrip ♬ original sound - Taylor | travel creator
@roadsandroams Spend a day with us at Hersheypark! [hosted] 🍫🎢 @Hersheypark #hersheyparkhappy #hersheypa #hersheyparkeats ♬ original sound - Taylor | travel creator
What a great day this sounds like. I’d definitely book in for the ferris wheel sampler.
Thanks for breaking it down so cleanly- I’m definitely bookmarking your post in case I ever find myself here one day!
Good tips on visiting Hersheypark. It’s great that the ticket includes a waterpark and a zoo in addition to Hersheypark. Fasttrack is a good tip to skip queues. There seems to be good food options too! Hersheypark looks like the perfect day out for families with kids.
Hello! I didn’t know about this place, but I like such kind of discoveries! Thanks for sharing this hidden gem of Pennsylvania!