Family theme park founded in 1906 as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company containing 76 rides and attractions, as well as a zoo

How to Get There

From Philadelphia (96 miles): Get on I-76 W from S Penn Square and John F Kennedy Blvd. Follow I-76 W to PA-72 N in Rapho Township. Take exit 266 from I-76 W. Take US-322 W/Horseshoe Pike and Hersheypark Dr to Park Blvd in Hershey.

Overview

Hersheypark is a family theme park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, about 15 miles (24 km) east of Harrisburg, and 95 miles (153 km) west of Philadelphia. The park was founded in 1906 by Milton S. Hershey as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company. As of 2016, it has been wholly and privately owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company.

The park opened its first roller coaster in 1923, the Wild Cat, an early Philadelphia Toboggan Company coaster. As of 2018, the park covers over 110 acres (45 ha), containing 76 rides and attractions, as well as a zoo called "ZooAmerica". Adjacent to the park is Hershey's Chocolate World, a visitors' center attraction that contains shops, restaurants, and a chocolate factory-themed tour ride, where visitors can get their picture taken and receive a piece of chocolate at the end of the ride.

Entertainment

Hersheypark features a number of entertainment shows in a number of venues including Hersheypark Aquatheatre and the Music Box Theatre, as well as strolling shows throughout the park. 12 resident shows are offered along with Spring, Summer, Halloween, and Christmas seasonal shows. A popular event offered each year from November to January is Hersheypark's Christmas Candylane.

ZooAmerica

Also included in the price of admission is access to ZooAmerica. It is open year-round and offers 11 acres of land to visit and walk throughout. ZooAmerica houses "more than 200 animals from five regions of North America" and offers tours, birthday parties, and informational programs at varying costs, even having their own individual seasonal pass.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hersheypark", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0