My son and I recently took a trip to Hershey The Sweetest Place on Earth! in Pennsylvania. During this visit, we spent a day at Hersheypark, checking out everything the park has to offer! Well, almost everything. My son just turned six years old. Even though his official Hershey height is a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, roller coasters just don’t seem to be his thing. So for those you who aren’t big coaster fans, I present to you, my “Non-Roller-Coaster-Rider” Guide to Hersheypark!
If you are like me, one of the main reasons you visit an amusement park is for the rides! Thanks to the Hersheypark App, I was able to obtain a listing of all rides available in the amusement park. If you know your child’s height before visiting, you can check out which rides are available to them on the Hersheypark website. There is an Official Height Measurement Station within the park as well. Spoiler alert: I’m a Jolly Rancher!
Hersheypark Rides
Given his height, thrilling rides such as Fahrenheit, Great Bear, SkyRush, and Storm Runner were out of the question. Now my son did ride a couple thrill rides such as Laff Track, Pirate, and Trailblazer. But he took one look at Comet (one of my favorite wooden coasters!) and told me that roller coasters were not for him.
Personally, I love roller coasters. But no problem! Hersheypark has many other rides to enjoy that were more his pace.
I could tell he needed a relaxing break after the fast-paced rides. Family rides such as the Dry Gulch Railroad and Monorail were perfect for that. The Dry Gulch Railroad is a miniature reproduction of a 19th century steam-powered railway!
At a slow to medium pace, the railroad takes throughout the Pioneer Frontier section of Hersheypark. There are setups and sights to see along the ride.
The Monorail is a similar slow to medium pace ride, but this one takes you on a round-trip audio tour where you can view not only all around Hersheypark, but ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, and downtown Hershey (including the factory!).
Now when I asked my son to name some of his favorite non-roller-coaster rides, Tilt-A-Whirl was on that list! After riding it three times, I had to decline his requests to re-ride it again. This mom can only take so much spinning! Tilt-A-Whirl is a classic “carnival” ride that sends you spinning in a car around a track. It’s certainly a fun family ride, and my son was laughing the entire time. But if you don’t like dizzy spins, maybe riding it once is enough…
Another favorite of his is Fender Bender! These bumper cars are a great way to experience a fast-paced thrill ride without stepping foot on a roller coaster. Even though you control the car, there are so many twists, turns, and bumps to enjoy! We enjoyed this ride several times throughout our visit.
Now if you are looking for a slow pace family ride, check out Twin Turnpikes. You can choose between the Classic Cars or Speedway (or both!). The entrances to each ride sit right next to one another, which is quite convenient for those who want to ride both, like we did. The cars from each Turnpike actually cruise along each other on side by side tracks. While I drove on the Speedway, I let my son take a turn at the wheel in the Classic Cars. Once again, he was all smiles on these rides!
If your child is younger than mine, Hersheypark offers a great variety of Kiddie Rides. I actually have a nephew who just turned 2 years old. While we didn’t experience many of these rides, I noted how great it was that there is such a wide selection of rides for his age. Yes, even a toddler will have plenty to do in Hersheypark!
The one kiddie ride we did jump on is Ladybug. It’s a gentle low-speed ride, but on a coaster-like track, with slight ups and downs.
Entertainment
Now if you aren’t a fan of rides at all… Hersheypark has a variety of shows and entertainment for each season. You can find dance shows, various types of musicians bands, Hershey characters, and the animals from ZooAmerica!
Check out their summer lineup:
Dance, Dance, Dance: Heartbeat – Chevrolet Music Box Theatre
Feel your heart beat to the rhythm of romance as our talented cast takes you on a musical adventure through love!
May 27 – August 26
2:00, 3:15, 4:30, & 5:45 PM
Country Roads – Dietz & Watson Country Grill
Grab a bite and sit a spell at this crossroads kitchen and enjoy some boot-stomping country tunes.
June 3 – August 26
12:30, 1:45, 3:00 & 4:15 PM
Our Friends from the Sea – Aquatheatre
This entertaining and educational show features our California sea lions and Atlantic harbor seals. Have your photo taken with one of our marine mammals immediately following each show with the purchase of our Behind the Splash experience. For more information, visit the Aquatheatre. Limited availability.
May 5 – September 24
11:45 AM; 1:30, 3:15, & 5 PM
The Soda Pops – Echo Dell Stage
Featuring the great “horn band” tunes of the`70s and `80s.
May 27 – August 26
3:30, 4:45, 6:00, 7:15, & 8:30 PM
No shows on Tuesdays.
Choc-a-Fellas – Appearing between the entrance to Fahrenheit & Boardwalk buoys
This a cappella singing sensation pedals throughout Hersheypark
May 27 – August 26
12:15, 1:30, 4:00, & 5:15 PM
No shows on Mondays.
Cocoa Rhythm Factory – Founders Way
These drummers never miss a beat when it comes to having fun!
May 27 – August 26
4:00, 5:15, 6:30 & 7:45 PM
Character Quiz Show – Strolling through Hersheypark
Meet one of our characters while playing the sweetest game show on wheels!
May 27 – August 26
2:00, 3:15, 4:30, 5:45 & 7:00 PM
No shows on Wednesdays.
Hershey’s Character Party sponsored by Turkey Hill Minit Markets – Founders Way
Join a variety of Hershey’s Characters for a one of a kind dance party!
May 27 – August 26
4:00, 5:15, 6:45 & 8:00 PM
The Hersheypark Band – Strolling through Hersheypark
Be on the lookout for the sweetest band in town!
May 27 – August 26
9:45 & 11 AM; 12:15 & 1:30 PM
No shows on Mondays.
Character Commotion – Appearing between the entrance to Fahrenheit & Boardwalk buoys
Our streetmosphere groups and Hershey’s Characters combine for this once-a-day musical extravaganza.
May 27 – August 26
2:45 PM
No shows on Mondays.
Ed-ZOO-cation Team – ZooAmerica Stage
Juggling stars with comedic timing and an eco-friendly message.
May 27 – August 26
11:45 AM; 1:00, 2:15, 3:30 & 4:45 PM
No shows on Thursdays.
Hersheypark Games
So we’ve covered rides, and entertainment… now onto the games! Scattered throughout Hersheypark you will find over 40 carnival style games, and two indoor arcades for enjoyment of all ages.
In fact, there are actually 5 “winner every time” carnival games! While I’m all for kids learning to be a good sport when it comes to “loosing,” it is nice to see your little one’s eyes light up when they win a prize.
The indoor arcade we checked out is the Play Dome Arcade. It’s located over in Pioneer Frontier.
Inside you’ll find video games, crane machines, and redemption games. My son especially enjoyed Space Invaders!
This arcade is also a location to purchase the Hersheypark Games Value Packs (13 game coupons for $19 – a $29 value!). You and your child can play games to win tickets, which in return, you can redeem for prizes. An ATM machine is also located at this arcade.
The Overlook Arcade is very similar to the Play Dome. It is located over in Kissing Tower Hill. The Hersheypark Game Value Pack is available for this arcade as well.
Other Attractions
The Boardwalk at Hersheypark water park sits right inside the amusement park! Water slides, water ways, a lazy river, waver riders, spraygrounds and more… this water park has it all!
On this visit, we did not get a chance to go into the Boardwalk. However we are definitely looking forward to it during our next visit!
Plus don’t forget… Admission to ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park is FREE with the purchase of your Hersheypark ticket. We’ve visited a few times and always have a blast. I even did the After Hours tour once and was able to feed a black bear! It is definitely a must see for any wildlife fan.
Right now you can get #HersheyparkHappy with the “Buy 2, Get 1 FREE offer“ when you purchase online by July 13, 2017! Tickets valid all summer.
Even though I did not get to ride as many roller coasters as I hoped, it did not matter. I had a wonderful time with my son experiencing what else Hersheypark has to offer! The most important thing is that he had an amazing time, and we definitely became #HersheyparkHappy!
While Hersheypark Season Passes and accommodations were provided by Hershey Resorts and Entertainment, all opinions are 100% my own. I created this post as part of the Sweetest Moms Ambassador Program.
Carrie Chance says
Looks like tons of fun! My 7 year old would love it. We are in Ohio so it’s not terribly far for us either
Alicia says
I am so excited to work with Hershey Park next month. These look like awesome rides! I want to check these out for our kids.
Paula Atwell says
Looks like you guys had a great time. We were in Hershey a couple of years ago for a family reunion and had fun. Loved the Hershey Gardens, the Park and the town.
Heather Lawrence says
Oh I so want to go! The kids would have a riot here and there is so much to do for all ages too.
Looks like you guys had an amazing time!
Star Traci says
Wow! Looks like a wonderful day. I am a roller coaster girl, too, but when you have little ones, it’s important for parks to offer family fun for all ages and heights. My younger daughter just crossed a huge height requirement which has made more roller coasters available. Sometimes, however, it’s nice for this mommy to ride some of the quieter rides even with the bigger kids.
:)
Traci
Alicia Taylor says
I am definitely NOT a roller coaster rider, but I do want to see Hershey Park. It’s great to know there are options for us chickens! LOL
Ali Gilbert says
I love roller coasters, but these look like some great options too! Hershey Park looks so fun! I was reading your other post about the shakes and it just looks like this is a really cool place to visit!
Jasmine says
Ive been to Hershey Park many times when I was a kid. Wish I could bring my kids to visit but we’re all the way in Florida.
Kristin says
I went to Hershey as a kid and we had so much fun. But it’s huge now! It looks way more exciting!
Louise says
I had no idea there was such a thing as Hershey Park! It looks absolutely amazing though. I think it would keep the whole family entertained, and my two would be sure to love it here :)
Louise x
Sapana V says
One of my friends has told me about this place. It’s good for kids.
Janet W. says
Sounds like a ton of fun things to do even if you’re not into roller coasters! Would love to visit!