10+ Not-To-Miss Reasons To Visit Hershey’s Chocolate World
No visit to Hershey, PA would be complete without a stop at Hershey’s Chocolate World. Sure, the main attraction might be Hersheypark, but your visit would simply not be complete without carving out some time for Chocolate World. It’s part museum, part attraction, part shopping, part eating.. and 100% fun! Check out these reasons why you should definitely plan a trip to Hershey’s Chocolate World!
The Hershey Trolley Works
I absolutely loved our tour on Trolley Works. One of the best things about this tour is it’s easy and laid back. This would be a fantastic activity for younger kids and grandparents alike!
Basically you hop on board and get a tour of Hershey the town. (You know Hersheypark is not the only attraction in Hershey, PA right?) The tour operators dress up in period costumes and tell the story of Milton Hershey is a super fun and engaging way. Oh, and it involves chocolate. Because of course everything related to Hershey involves chocolate!
Not only do you get to hear some amazing stories, but there is a sing-a-long! Ok, I LOVED this part. Perhaps my daughter.. not so much. But everyone was smiling throughout the tour.
During the holidays you can also reserve a spot on the Holly Jolly Trolley or the Sweet Lights Trolley. These special tours are Christmas-themed and the Sweet Lights Trolley is a great way to see the Sweet Lights drive-through Christmas lights display!
Cost: $18.95 ages 13 and up. $15.95 ages 3-12. FREE for ages 2 and under. Click here for more details.
Related: See why Dutch Wonderland is the perfect amusement park for younger kids!
Sweet Photo Ops
I mean, how can you resist getting your photo with all the Hershey candy characters!
Throughout the year on select dates and days, you might even be able to pose with live character performers.
Hershey’s Unwrapped
If you ever wondered about the science behind chocolate, Hershey’s Unwrapped is the perfect tour for you! Everyone gets a sampler tin and the ‘tasteologist’ walks you through the chocolate experience with all five of your senses.
Every participant gets their own sampling tray so you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste chocolate.
The second part of this fun tour is inside a Frankenstein-styled chocolate lab (it’s not scary at all).
Cost: $17.95 ages 13 and up. $14.95 for ages 3-12. FREE for ages 2 and under. Click here for more details.
Hershey’s Bake Shoppe
Chocolate-covered bacon anyone? But for real, the gourmet treats in the Bake Shoppe are over the top amazing. In addition to the bacon you can order from a selection of gourmet cookie and cupcakes, candy bark, and more!
Create Your Own Candy Bar
Confession– this is by far my favorite thing to do at Hershey’s Chocolate World. You literally get to design your own candy bar and then watch it get made!
To start off, you don an apron and cap. Then there are stations where you decide the type of candy bar you want, add toppings, name the candy bar, and design the wrapper.
Once the design process is over you walk onto the operations floor and watch your candy bar get made as it proceeds down the conveyor belt. At every step of the way, the screens overhead tell you where you unique candy bar is in the process.
The end result is your candy bar, with your wrapper.
Cost: $28.95 per person. Kids age 2 and under are free if not creating a candy bar. Click here for more details.
Reese’s Stuff Your Cup
If you want a design your own candy with a peanut butter kick, sign up for Reese’s Stuff Your Cup! You pick your ingredients and the tasteologist will mix it up for you!
Cost: $19.95. Click here for more details.
Related: The Best Day and Weekend Trips from Baltimore for Families!
FREE Hershey’s Chocolate Tour
Not all the attractions and tours at Hershey’s Chocolate World have an extra fee. This tour takes about 30 minutes and gives you a crash course in the chocolate making process. Oh, and there is a free sample at the end!
Sweet Treats
One of the biggest reasons to visit Hershey’s Chocolate World is the food. And yes, I am talking about in addition to the Bake Shoppe and the Make Your Own Candy Bar. There are so many great eats here!
There is a food hall with a large menu of savory and sweet items, perfect for lunch or dinner. Pro-tip– everything is indoors and air conditioned. So, if your family is pretty much done with the amusement park but want to eat before you drive home, this might be a great option.
But there is also an ice cream and gourmet milkshake bar. And there is a gourmet S’mores shop!
Sweet Shopping
The other reason a lot of people visit Hershey’s Chocolate World is the MASSIVE Hershey-themed souvenir shop. This is where you can buy the world’s largest Hershey Kiss, a giant Reeses Peanut Butter Cup, stuffies, toys, decor, clothes, and more!
During the holidays they also sell special souvenir items like Chocolate Gingerbread House Kits, ornaments, and more.
But of course, there is also an extreme overabundance of EVERY kind of Hershey’s chocolate (or non-chocolate) candy product you could possibly imagine. Many visitors to Hersheypark save their souvenir spending for Hershey’s Chocolate World.
New Experience Coming Summer 2023!
For Hershey Chocolate World’s 50th anniversary, they are unveiling a new, interactive, experience/attraction in 2023. This is replacing the fun 4-D movie (image below).
Hershey’s Chocolate World at Christmas
In addition to the special themed Trolley rides and the holiday-themed treats, Hershey’s Chocolate World hosts Santa! And Santa always has the BEST gingerbread house (made out of chocolate and candy of course) you an imagine. For real– this is on the level of the massive gingerbread houses of that mouse-y amusement park in Florida.
Related: Get all the Hersheypark Christmas Candylane Tips here!
Know Before You Go:
- Hershey’s Chocolate World is open year-round (unlike the amusement park). During off season the hours tend to be 9AM-5PM. When Hersheypark is open, the hours will typically match the Hersheypark hours. Check the website for more details.
- Parking is FREE for Hershey’s Chocolate World for short duration visits. So, if you are only going to Chocolate World. You can park here all day. That will cost you $25.
- Hershey’s Chocolate World is adjacent to Hersheypark. You actually walk right by it on your way into the amusement park.
- Address: 101 Chocolate World Way, Hershey, PA 17033
- Google Map Directions here
- Reservations: For a number of the attractions you are probably ok to not reserve ahead of time. The big exception to this is the Create Your Own Candy Bar Experience. I would highly recommend reserving your time slot for this very popular tour.
- Here is the Hershey’s Chocolate World website with even more details!
Additional FAQ
Hershey’s Chocolate World is free to visit and the chocolate tour is free. However, some of the tours and attractions cost money. And of course, the restaurant/food hall and store have costs associated with whatever you purchase.
That depends. If you are just going to shop and eat, 1-2 hours is plenty of time. If you do the make your own chocolate bar, unwrapped, and trolley tour, you could easily spend half a day here.
Parking is free for up to 3 hours when you visit Hershey’s Chocolate World. If you opt for one of the paid tours, your parking is free for longer.
Yes. They are located right next to each other. You will walk past Chocolate World on your way to and from Hersheypark.
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