"The Sweetest Place on Earth" is the perfect nickname for the small town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, where the smell of chocolate lingers. Home of the Hershey Chocolate Company, the town's fascinating legacy was built around the chocolate factory founded by candy maker Milton S. Hershey. Its many chocolate-themed attractions, including Hershey Park and Chocolate World, draw millions of visitors each year. Take advantage of the variety of tours available to explore Hershey and its mouth-watering history.
The Hershey Trolley Works Tour gives you an overall look at what makes the town special. Departing from Chocolate World, you'll ride in an old-fashioned trolley with costumed tour guides and pass sights such as Milton Hershey's birthplace and his Highpoint mansion. You'll also drive down Chocolate Avenue, with its Hershey Kiss-shaped streetlights, and see where the original chocolate factory once stood. The tour also stops in front of Founder's Hall on the picturesque Milton Hershey School campus, the residential school Mr. Hershey built for children in need. Go back to Founder's Hall on your own to take an in-depth tour of this domed, multipurpose facility. Tours include learning about the stately, all-marble rotunda, the bronze statue of Mr. Hershey and a student, the state-of-the-art auditorium and a 15-minute video providing an overview of the school.
No trip to Hershey would be complete without taking the Hershey's Great American Chocolate Tour Ride at Chocolate World to learn about the chocolate candy legacy of Hershey. The ride takes you through the journey of how Hershey makes its famous chocolate bars, from procuring the beans in tropical rain forests to the finished product wrapped in packaging. Your photo will be taken at the end and you'll be given a free sample of chocolate. Explore the other attractions while at Chocolate World, including the Create Your Own Candy Bar experience and Chocolate Tasting Adventure. Head to the Hershey Story museum on Chocolate Avenue for a self-guided tour to learn more about the man behind the chocolate and his chocolate-making innovations. The museum also offers a guided tour to private groups that highlights unique artifacts Milton Hershey collected over the years.
Hershey Theater opened in 1933 and continues to host the latest national and international performing arts entertainment. The Spotlight Tour offers an in-depth look at the intricate decor and original furnishings of the theater and also focuses on its history. High on a hill overlooking the town, Hotel Hershey, built in 1930, is the premiere luxury hotel. You can schedule a walking heritage tour around the hotel and its well-manicured grounds. A Segway tour around the expansive site is also available through Segway of Hershey. You will be provided with a motorized personal vehicle and helmet for an exciting 2-hour historical tour. Nearby, the Hershey Gardens features 23 acres of botanical gardens filled with a variety of flowers, plants and trees. You can take both self-guided or professionally guided tours around the gardens.
Attached to Hershey Park, Zoo America primarily features North American wildlife and offers behind-the-scenes tours. The Wake Up With The Early Bird tour is offered before the zoo opens. Participants can visit select animals up close, help feed them and learn about what it takes to care for them. The After Hours tour is held on select evenings after the zoo closes. It includes a private tour of the zoo, animal feedings, the Animal Health Center and a flashlight tour through some of the animal houses. For beer lovers, Troeg's Brewing Company is based in Hershey and welcomes visitors for self-guided brewery tours year-round. The tour allows you to explore the fermentation process, quality lab, bottling process and barrel aging room. You can also book a guided tasting tour that includes beer sampling and a souvenir glass.
