Last summer Gene and I spent 48 hours in Philadelphia while exploring the historical state of Pennsylvania. After we left the City of Brotherly Love, we made our way to their state capitol in Harrisburg. Once we were done touring the capitol and had lunch, we made our way to Hershey’s Chocolate World for dessert. It was a place both of us had wanted to do for many years, and was so was exciting to finally be able to tour their facilities.
The whole experience begins as soon as you walk into Hershey’s Chocolate World. There are so many activities and colors, it is amazing. Most of these activities cost a small fee, but there are plenty of free things to see and do, along with the Hershey’s Chocolate Tour ride. We had another activity planned a little bit later, so we decided to do this tour first and get a little information about the factory.
This ride is an original attraction of Hershey’s Chocolate World and today shows a simulation of the chocolate making process. The tour takes you on a delicious journey from tropical cocoa bean to wrapped candy bar. Since opening, the ride has been updated numerous times, and as of 2024, the ride features multiple singing cows. The tour is free of charge, last 90 minutes, and concludes with a free sample of a Hershey’s product. A ride photo is also available for purchase.
If you enjoyed the chocolate tour, you may enjoy the Hershey’s Great Candy Expedition. This attraction is an interactive theater experience where guests travel through different colorful candy filled worlds on a “cinematic train-themed adventure” using special effects and projection mapping where the journey is up to the audience.
Another fun activity for guests of all ages is the Create-Your-Own Candy Bar. Guests wear a hair-net and apron as they enter an actual manufacturing line atmosphere where they dream up your perfect candy bar and watch it come to life, from flowing chocolate to solid bar. As the bar makes its journey down the assembly line, guests will design and personalize the package that their bar will be eventually placed in.
There are a few other attractions at the Hershey’s Chocolate World, but the one we did, besides the free chocolate tour ride, was the Hershey Trolley Works. This 60-minute “History and Chocolate Tour” is available year-round and the fern green, old-fashioned trolley is commonly spotted on the streets of Hershey. Complete with singing conductors, the trolley departs for a round-trip tour of the town of Hershey, pointing out historical and cultural observations along the way. Shows leave throughout the day and paid admission is required for this attraction. This was such an amazing tour. We learned the inspiring story of Milton Hershey and his Hershey’s Chocolate World, historic landmarks and the charismatic conductors sharing incredible-but-true stories! We also received a bunch of samples as well as a full chocolate car!
A few interesting facts we learned about Milton Hershey was that he pioneered the manufacture of caramel, using fresh milk. He also launched the Lancaster Caramel Company, which achieved bulk exports, and then sold it to start a new company supplying mass-produced milk chocolate which was previously a luxury good. The first Hershey bars were sold in 1900 and proved so popular that he was able to build his own company town of Hershey, Pennsylvania. Then in 1910 he added a boarding school which was originally for local orphans. While the school began with only four students, initially for only white male orphans, the school expanded in the 1960s and 70s to include girls, racial minorities, and “social orphans”—those with impoverished parents. According to the tour guide, about 2,000 students attended the school in 2022.
Other activities guest can partake of at Hershey’s Chocolate World includes various shops selling Hershey souvenirs and chocolate, Bake Shoppe, Hershey’s Courtyard Food Court, and Hershey’s Ice Cream Shop. There is also a huge candy store which is one of the largest stores of its kind in the world selling Hershey’s products including new items not widely released, and premium chocolate brands.
We had such a fun time exploring the candy store and buying a few Hershey souvenirs. Gene even found the largest Hershey chocolate bar which weighs 5 pounds. lol It is such a colorful and exciting place. I wish we had more time to do some of the other attractions and hope to be able to visit again in the future and make my own chocolate bar, or the great candy experience. Here is a link to their website with more information if you’d like to plan your own visit.
Hershey’s Chocolate World Adventure Nuts and Bolts
- 101 Chocolate World Way Hershey, PA 17033 / Phone 717-534-4900
- Open times vary depending on days and time of year. Here is a link to their hours calendar.
- There a quite a few different prices depending on the attractions you choose to do. There are also bundles which include two, three, or more activities depending on how much time you have. Here is a link to the ticket price guide.
- All-day parking is available at a flat rate of $60.
