Hershey Park, PA

When we planned this cross country trip a few months back, we made the decision to stop at as many kid friendly places as possible.  We knew that long trips in the car along with time changes would make for cranky boys who would need an outlet.  So when we made our trip, we planned on places to stop that would be fun.  Luckily, Hershey, PA was just 6 hours from Connecticut, and it was a perfect place to stop for some fun for the whole family.  

This park was a first for both Daddy Step and I.  I went as a kid, but never made it into the park. 

Why is it that every time we go to a theme park it downpours?  Disney World in 2009 there was a thunderstorm while we were camping out.  Our tent got soaked.  Disney Tokyo in 2010 wasn't much better.  It poured the entire day we were there.  It rained so hard the rain went through my raincoat!  And now, we have arrived at Hershey Park to yet another rainy day.  It looks like the water park that we were so looking forward to will be out of the question today.  

Because we have two toddlers, we are usually up very early in the morning.  The park didn't actually open until 10, and having two rowdy toddlers in a hotel room is not easy for any of us.  So we decided to hit up Chocolate World first.  

Chocolate world is the closest you'll get to the factory.  Unfortunately, they closed that to visitors many years ago.  So instead visitors can go to chocolate world and go on a ride that informs you about the process of making candy.  The boys loved this.  There was singing and lots to look at.  What's not to love?  

On the ride

Showing how the candy is made

After the ride we were able to hit up the gift shop for a few of the souvenirs.  We got a christmas ornament (we try to get one at every place we stop), and a soccer ball with Hershey's and Reese's on it.  My brother had a famous Reese's baseball growing up, and I was desperate to find it.  Unfortunately we never found it at chocolate world.  

We then made our way to the park.  It wasn't too packed, but there were a lot of teenagers on field trips.  Luckily, they weren't going on the kiddie rides!  

The park separates each ride by your height.  Your height determines what candy bar you are, and that determines what rides you can go on.  E Step was a "miniature" and Z Step was a "kiss."  Z Step was just tall enough to be a kiss, so he got a special bracelet to show to the ride attendants.  He was very proud to be a kiss.  

We started with a few basic rides.  The first was ok for both kids, but it was pretty intense if you ask me.  It went up and down and around in circles on little rockets.  E Step likes these kind of crazy rides, but it always makes me nervous that he's going to try to jump out.  Luckily, he was too busy steering our rocket and laughing.  We then made our way to the carousel, where E Step decided to jump off his horse after a few seconds.  

We rode a few more rides after this, including a really cool reese's one.  It was a game where Chocolate battled Peanut Butter.  Two people shot at targets, and you determined who was better, chocolate or peanut butter.  Though if you ask me, there is no better.  They are perfect together.  

Z Step and E Step got to go on a little bumble bee ride next, where they could press a button that made a buzzing sound.  E Step got very upset that his brother wouldn't let him press his button.  E Step had his own button.  As you can see, it was a terrible experience for E Step.  

We went on a monorail next, that took us over the park and told us about it all.  It was pretty cool.  

Those light posts have kisses!  

We rode a few more rides, before heading to some lunch.  And starting up again.  I took Z Step on some "kiss" rides while Daddy Step walked around with E Step in the stroller so he could take a nap. He never ended up napping at that point, so he joined for a few rides.  

That flying one made me nervous.  You moved a flap to fly in different directions.  The boys loved the train.  Z Step rode it twice.  

He loved this ride.  He rode it twice

On the Ferris Wheel

E Step eventually fell asleep, and Z Step and I went back on the Reese's ride, a roller coaster, and he made it to the swings.  

My big boy and I

Z Step loved the roller coaster.  I am not too amused.  

Swinging

We made it to the "kissing tower" next.  This was a huge chocolate kiss that took you up in the air and around in circles so you could see the entire park.  It was a really neat view!

The park

Z Step outside the kissing tower

Daddy got to ride some rides with both boys next.  

We then headed for the gift shops here, in search of a famous Reese's baseball.  Luckily, we found one right away!  It wasn't the exact same as the one my brother had years ago, but it was still Reese's. We picked one up for him, and let Z Step pick one up for when he gets bigger.  He picked the Hershey's one.  It was a great end to a great day!

We returned back to the hotel to some leftovers for dinner.  It was a busy and fun day.  

Notice the bottle of wine?  Yeah, Mommy and Daddy needed that!  

Tomorrow we hit the road to Kentucky, our longest journey.