You don’t always need to hop on a plane or plan a huge vacation to have a getaway that feels like a real adventure, and that’s exactly what I did last weekend. Hershey and Harrisburg are only about 4 hours away from Pittsburgh by car, making it the perfect distance for a quick Pennsylvania road trip, and we managed to pack a lot into just 3 days!
Between making our own chocolate bars, riding 7 new roller coasters, escaping the summer heat underground, eating some amazing food, and making a quick stop in Harrisburg, our weekend ended up being about a lot more than just chocolate.
Day 1- Arriving in Hershey and Making Our Own Chocolate Bars
Our weekend started with about 4 hours on the road from Pittsburgh. And because no road trip is complete without at least one slightly questionable highway meal, our dinner was at a truck stop Arby’s along the way. Side note- does anyone else genuinely love stopping at rest stops in the middle of a road trip? I always look forward to stretching my legs, browsing cheesy souvenirs, and getting some questionable fast food. It’s part of the experience!
We arrived in Hershey at about 8PM, but we still had one very important stop to make before checking into our hotel for the night: Hershey’s Chocolate World!
The main event was definitely the Create Your Own Chocolate Bar experience. While donning a hairnet and apron, you get to choose your chocolate and fillings and then watch your personalized chocolate bar make its way through the production process. For mine, I chose milk chocolate with pretzels, vanilla chips, and cookie bits. Tim went with dark chocolate with butterscotch chips and cookie bits. My favorite part of this experience came at the end, when I got to design the outer packaging for my chocolate bar! This turned it into such a cute souvenir. It’s very cool to have a chocolate bar that you essentially designed from the inside out!
Another fun highlight was the free indoor dark ride. It walks you through how Hershey’s chocolate is made, from harvesting cocoa beans, to the factory, all the way to the finished product. There’s a lot to look at. It’s very well done. And although it’s clearly geared toward families, we enjoyed it a lot. And there is someone handing out free Hershey’s chocolate at the end!
We did some souvenir shopping, stopped at the bakery for a cinnamon chip scone, and finally headed to the hotel to unwind a bit and get some sleep. We had roller coasters waiting for us in the morning, after all! We had a great couple of hours at Hershey’s Chocolate World. If we hadn’t arrived so late, I would have wanted to do the trolley tour of Hershey that they offer, and maybe the Stuff Your Cup experience, where you choose your toppings and watch as someone makes a giant Reese’s Cup for you with fresh peanut butter filling. There are a lot of activities here that are especially great for families.
Day 2- Seven New Roller Coasters at Hersheypark
Our second day was dedicated almost entirely to Hersheypark. It was HOT, but as someone who was once a Disney World annual passholder and is no stranger to spending the day at a theme park in extreme heat, I was up for the challenge. We made the most of it and covered a lot of ground at the park. It’s impressively big, with tons of rides and attractions.
Some of you may know that I am becoming more and more of a coaster enthusiast. Before this trip, I had ridden on over 30 unique coasters across several theme parks, and I have a page in one of my scrapbooks dedicated to keeping track of them all. And I am happy to say that I got to add 7 new coaster credits to my list at Hersheypark! I rode Wildcat’s Revenge, Jolly Rancher Remix, Comet, Stormrunner, SooperDooperLooper, Laff Trakk, and Lightning Racer.
Of all of the roller coasters I got to experience at the park, my favorite one was Wildcat’s Revenge. It was smooth, fast, intense, and it had perfect pacing. It immediately became clear to me why it is such a favorite among coaster enthusiasts. Stormrunner was also fun, and it had a couple of elements that I wasn’t expecting, like a launch that is considerably faster than Velocicoaster at Universal Studios Orlando. That ride was very intense but it was over so quickly that I barely had time to process what was happening. Jolly Rancher Remix was intense in its own way, with a backwards portion that holds you at a very steep angle for what feels like forever before dropping you at a relatively high speed.
Unfortunately, Candymonium will have to wait until next time. By later in the day, the combination of the heat, exertion, and many roller coaster rides started to catch up with me. I felt a headache coming on and I knew I had reached my limit. Especially on such a hot summer day spent at a theme park, it’s very important to listen to your body and know your limits!
We left the park and headed to dinner at Reunion Cocktails + Provisions. It was a very welcome change of pace after spending the day in the sun. The restaurant had a bit of an upscale and relaxed atmosphere, and the staff were very kind. We started by sharing the crispy tuna rice, which was excellent. For our mains, Tim ordered a Wagyu meatloaf and I had vodka pasta with chicken.
After dinner, I went back to the hotel to take a much needed shower and rest for the evening, while Tim went back to Hersheypark for a couple more hours to squeeze in a few more rides! And when he came back, he brought a cheesecake from Hershey’s Chocolate World. We shared the cheesecake in the hotel room before bed, and it was the perfect way to end the night.
Day 3- Going Underground at Indian Echo Caverns and Visiting the Pennsylvania State Capitol
Before heading home, we knew we wanted to see the Indian Echo Caverns in nearby Hummelstown. And, unsurprisingly, it ended up being one of my favorite parts of our trip! After spending the previous day walking around in the summer heat, stepping into a cave that stays around 52 degrees year round felt amazing.
We joined a guided tour that took us down into the caverns and through the narrow passageways. We got to see stalactites and lots of impressive formations. Our tour guide was great and made both the historical and geological aspects of the caverns genuinely interesting.
My favorite part of the cave, by far, was the crystal-clear lake. It was so beautiful, and almost other-worldly!
After our tour of the caves, we got to enjoy the petting zoo before perusing the gift shop. It was fun to pet the goats and see the peacocks! If you’re visiting Hershey and have a little extra time, I definitely recommend adding the Indian Echo Caverns to your itinerary. It was the perfect Sunday activity because it was fun and interesting without requiring another exhausting full day of walking around in the sun. And how often do you get to explore a cave? It makes for a fun little adventure!
After the caverns, we were ready for lunch and decided to try Swatara, a Nepalese restaurant in the Harrisburg area. We both love Indian food, but neither of us had ever been to a specifically Nepalese restaurant. And as lovers of new cultural experiences and new foods, we were excited to try something different. And most importantly, we got to try momo! Momo are Nepalese dumplings that can be filled with either meat or veggies and can be prepared in a variety of ways.
We ordered the chili vegetable momo, which came coated in a flavorful chili sauce and topped with peppers and onions. The flavor profile was not unlike gobi manchurian, if you’re familiar with Indian cuisine. I love pretty much any food that falls under the “dumpling” umbrella, and these were super delightful! I will definitely get them again the next time the opportunity arises.
We also ordered an omelet, as well as the chicken thali, which allowed us to try several different flavors in one meal. Sitting down for our first Nepalese meal was honestly a highlight of the trip for me.
After lunch, we headed into Harrisburg for our final stop of the trip: the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
I knew the Capitol was going to be beautiful, but I was still very impressed by how elaborate it was in person. It’s stunning and ornate, and there are so many gorgeous details to take in. The building itself is enormous, with an architectural style that feels very European. Even from the outside, there are sculptures and other details everywhere you look. It’s easy to see why this is considered to be among the most beautiful state capitol buildings in the country.
Final Thoughts on our Hershey Weekend
I went into this trip thinking mostly about roller coasters and chocolate, but it ended up being so much more. We managed to squeeze a lot of variety into one weekend! In just 3 days, I made my own candy bar, learned how chocolate is made, rode lots of roller coasters (old and new!), tried a new cultural cuisine, explored a cave, pet a goat, and visited one of the most beautiful capitol buildings in the country. And, naturally, we ate a lot of chocolate along the way!
Hershey was an easy weekend getaway from Pittsburgh and it had so much to offer. If you live somewhere much farther away and can’t reasonably come to Hershey for a weekend trip without booking a flight, I would implore you to see what road trips you can take that are just a few hours from where you live. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
As for Hersheypark, I left with some unfinished business. I guess I’ll have to come back one day.
I still need to ride Candymonium.
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