Today, we’re going to take a mental visit to a place in the United States that’s literally nicknamed “The Sweetest Place on Earth.” Hershey, Pennsylvania! The birthplace of the ever-so-famous Hershey Chocolate Bar. And home to a Magnificent Place that is Even Sweeter. A place where kids and kids-at-heart can thrive in their love for candy and thrill rides. This Magnificent Place is called Hersheypark.
A Place for Kids and Kids-At-Heart
Children of all ages will love the fact that they can literally be in a place that can be easily explained as Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory with roller coasters. And the kids-at-heart (including all of you adults) can enjoy the daring thrill rides and roller coasters that await. There’s something for everybody at Hersheypark! And below are just a few of those Incredibly Special Somethings that you can enjoy!
Hershey’s Chocolate World
Have you ever wondered how chocolate is made? Or have you ever wanted to buy candy bars bigger than the size of your head? Then Hershey’s Chocolate World is the right attraction for you! Here, you can sit back and take a nice ride through The Chocolate Tour. Learn about the entire Herhsey’s Chocolate creating process. From its origination from cacao beans to the final packaging (and I will say no more—no need for SPOILERS).
After The Chocolate Tour, you can make your way on down to the World’s Largest Hershey Store. There are all sorts of great treats. Including apparel, cups/mugs, souvenirs, fresh-baked goods, and candy galore. Huge emphasis on CANDY! It wouldn’t feel right to go on a Chocolate Tour and not buy any Chocolate! And don’t feel bad if you feel like you’ve bought to much. Trust me, they have plenty! Buy all the king-sized and monster-sized candy bars you’d like. Their supply is as never-ending as Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Except with Hershey, it’s anything but Pure Imagination!
The Sweetest Height Chart You’ll Ever See!
Outside of the roller coasters (which I’ll get to) and Hershey’s Chocolate World, one thing that I absolutely loved about my visits was using their heigh chart. Just like all amusement parks, Hersheypark uses to measure the heights of park guests and determine if they can safely ride a particular ride. But here’s the cool part. Instead of just using a measurement in inches (for example 48 inches), Hersheypark measures their guests using types of candy. Stay with me.
Six candy brands are used to measure the heights of park guests. The brands are Hershey’s Miniatures (under 36 in.), Hershey’s Kisses (36 in. to 42 in.), Reese’s (42 in. to 48 in.) Hershey’s Bar (48 in. to 54 in.), Twizzlers (54 in. to 60 in.), and Jolly Ranchers (60 in. and over). During my very first visit at age 11, I was a Hershey Bar. By my third visit to the park, I graduated to being a Jolly Rancher. That’s when you know you can ride ANYTHING in the park! Including the awesome rides that I’m going to talk about below!
Roller Coasters You Don’t Wanna Miss!
Now that we’ve gotten past all the sweet stuff, it’s time to get to the part that a lot of you have probably come here for. The Adrenaline-Inducing Roller Coasters!
My last few visits to Hersheypark we’re Extremely Enjoyable. A big part of that enjoyment was from the roller coasters. 15 different roller coasters, all offering a different experience for Everybody. I’ve ridden majority of them. Some of them came well after my last visit to the park (about 6 or 7 years ago).
My focus is going to be on two roller coasters that I believe are two of the best in the park. Two coasters of twisted steel and a whole lot of appeal!
Storm Runner
This coaster stands as one of the tallest and fastest in the park at 150 feet and moving at speeds exceeding 70 mph. If that’s not intimidating enough, what if I told you that this coaster LAUNCHES you up to its maximum speed of 72 mph. In just 2 seconds!! How many coasters on the east coast do you know that do that? Not a lot!
I’ll never forget my first time on this ride. Just like any new and big roller coaster, my adrenaline and excitement increased with every step I look toward the front of the line. As I got to the front, I strapped myself in and clenched onto the handles of my over-the-head restraint. I waited eagerly for the ride operator to start the ride. All that was going through my head was: I can’t believe I’m actually doing this! As I mentally said this to myself over and over again, the ride began to move.
The ride also had audio effects to add to its intensity and suspense. I heard the sound of a heart beating, which I could’ve sworn matched mine. The ride then stopped and I was staring face to face with the 90-degree incline and drop (a.k.a “top hat” for the coaster enthusiasts) that sat about 200 feet away. I then felt the car shift backward preparing for the launch. Even though I was excited, my immediate thought was: “Goodbye world.” I then heard the recorded voice of a guy saying the six words that rides want AND don’t want to hear: “Now get ready. Here we go!” And just like that, I was launched 70+ mph down the track with the on-ride camera capturing my thrilled reaction.
Over the 150-foot hill the ride went and down 180 feet to the ravine below. The ride then immediately went into an incredible cobra loop (probably one of the largest at 135 feet) and then into a double barrel roll, before racing back to the station. All in less than a minute!
CATCH A POV OF THIS RIDE RIGHT HERE!!!
I got off of the ride feeling like I stared danger in the face and was proud I did it! It was an incredible ride and definitely on my must-ride list for all future trips to the park. And it should definitely be on yours! That is if you can handle it (and if you’re at least a Twizzler)!
Fahrenheit
A roller coaster that came from the same creator as Storm Runner (Intamin), Fahrenehit brought new things to the park upon its arrival. It was the first coaster in Hersheypark to have these three things:
- A 90 degree elevator-style lift hill
- A drop that exceeded 90 degrees
- 7 inversions, the most of any coaster ever built in the park!
My very first time on this ride was definitely a memorable one. I was at the park for a marching band trip. We were in Hershey, PA to compete in the annual Atlantic Coast Championships (ACC’s) in November of 2009. The day before the competition, we got the opportunity to go to Hersheypark (which was conveniently right next to the stadium the band was competing in. Enough about that. You all came to read about the coaster, right? Right!
I rode the coaster as a single rider. My girlfriend at the time rode every ride with me, but didn’t want to get on this one. She said that she didn’t care it I rode by myself, because she knew how much I wanted to ride it. Luckily, when I got in line, I saw a few more of my friends and we all got to ride together.
When it was our turn to ride, we entered the ride and strapped ourselves in. I was extremely excited to ride Fahrenheit. And not nearly as nervous as I was when I first rode the Storm Runner. SPOILER ALERT: Storm Runner is way more intense than Fahrenheit (but it’s still an awesome ride)! After we got strapped in and the ride operators checked us, the ride began and we were off!
TAKE A VIRTUAL RIDE ON FAHRENHEIT!
Up the 90 degree incline we went. It was such a crazy feeling. It was cool because I felt like I was in a rocket ship. At the same time, I was a little scared that I was going to fall out (even though I was securely restrained). Nonetheless, still excited! As we got to the top of the 121-foot tall lift hill, I had a good view of the much taller Storm Runner and other rides. Then, down the drop we went at an incredible 97 degrees. That’s right! Ninety… Seven…DEGREES!
After the on-ride camera captured our photo on the drop, we went through 2,000 more feet of track, including 7 inversions and a whole lot of twists and turns. All at speeds approaching nearly 60 mph.
After the ride was over, we got off and we wanted to go again! But we knew we couldn’t because the line was long and it was nearly time for us to leave the park.
Overall, it was an awesome ride and I definitely recommend it! Again, not nearly as intense as Storm Runner, but it’s still one of the best rides in the park. Coaster enthusiasts (and Twizzlers brave enough): put this one on your list!
Skyrush
One ride that I haven’t had a chance to ride, but would really like to some day, is Skyrush. Since my last visit about 6 or 7 years ago, Hersheypark had undergone many changes. This includes removing attractions, expanding the park, and adding brand new attractions. This is one of them!
Currently the tallest roller coaster in the park, Skyrush stands at a staggering 200 feet tall with 3,600 feet of bright yellow track. Fans are just raving over this ride and going crazy over its camel back hills, sharp turns, and quick speeds approaching 75 mph.
POV OF SKYRUSH RIGH HERE!!
This is one of the most popular (if not THE most popular) coasters in Hersheypark. There were some complaints, however, about how tight the lap restraints are, but many have said that the ride is worth it, despite them. Put this on your list, ladies and gentlemen. It’s definitely a must-ride!
Other Rides at the Park!
Other than their 15 roller coasters, there are many other rides for everyone in this park. From carousels to popular fair-style rides (including the mini ones for the kids), the fun doesn’t just stop at the chocolate factory!
One ride that attracts many riders is the Hershey Triple Tower. Personally, I’m not a big fan of drop towers, and this is, without a doubt, for those that are.
The ride is separated into three towers that stand right next to one another. Each tower represents a different type of Hershey candy: Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, and the traditional Hershey’s Chocolate Bar.
Normally, your average drop tower car/gondola slowly ascends up to the top of the tower, then pauses briefly at the top before dropping at high speeds. This ride does kinda the opposite. All three towers, at staggered times, shoot straight up to the top before cruising straight own, bouncing up and down. Then they slowly head back to the top and pause for a few seconds before doing the exact same thing.
CATCH HERSHEY’S TRIPLE TOWERS RIGHT HERE!
I rode something similar to this at Cedar Point. These types of drop towers I don’t mind. They’re actually pretty fun! Not as much fun as roller coasters (in my opinion), but for those into drop towers, I’d say go for it!
Entertainment Everywhere!
Everywhere you go in this park, you’ll surely be entertained. Anyone from age 0 on up can enjoy the many sources of entertainment that the has to offer. Enjoy the performances of talented actors, singers, dancers, and musicians as well as the resident aquatic shows. And get this! You can also meet the park’s many candy bar characters. Hershey Bar, Twizzler, Reese’s Cup, Icebreaker Mints, Rolo’s, Jolly Rancher, and many many more. Walk with them, talk to them, dance with them, and even take your picture with them. Fun for the kids and the grown-ups!
Visit the park’s website for more information on current park entertainment!
Take A Break From The Chocolate and Get Some Grub!
Sick and tired of eating all of that chocolate? That may or may not be a stupid question (haha). But let’s be honest, too much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing. That’s where the many dining options from the park come into play.
Anybody love a nice grill? Want access to restaurants you’d normally find outside the park (Moe’s, Chick-Fil-A, Dunkin’ Donuts, etc.)? How about some places you can grab a quick snack (kettle corn, french fries, ice cream, etc.)? Or maybe the opportunity to get a refill at almost any section of the park?
Options, options, and more options. It’s all right there at Hersheypark. CLICK HERE for a list of all of their dining options!
Plan A Visit Today!
Hersheypark is sweet on so many levels. Candy, rides, and entertainment: the perfect combination for that kid-like sensation. One of the greatest places to take the family for vacation. Plan your visit today! And have the opportunity to be the kid (or kid -at-heart) you once were!
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