Arriving in Pennsylvania brought me back to the days when my family and I would fly to Harrisburg when we’d visit my grandmothers in Gettysburg. It’s a small airport so I felt lucky to be able to nab a non-stop flight both ways. After several years of flying in and out of the Jacksonville airport (which was located two hours from our house in Ocala), travel just got much easier since I can now leave out of an airport located within 30 minutes of our apartment and have the option to take non-stop flights much more frequently. It feels like such a treat!
With the exception of a 40-minute delay on my return flight last night, travel was relatively seamless and I landed in Harrisburg with a grumbling stomach. I checked into my room at the Hershey Lodge and within 10 minutes flew out the door to meet up with our group for dinner.
I’m not sure if I just live under a rock or something, but I had no idea that two Hershey-branded hotels and a whole Hershey-themed theme park exists! What!? Of course I knew Hershey headquarters were located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but I was totally unaware that there is an amusement park and Hershey hotels.
The Hershey Lodge was comfortable and featured lots of Hershey touches, including subtle HERSHEY’S KISSES wall paper and sheets and cocoa shampoo and lotion in the hotel bathrooms. (They smelled amazing!)
And yes, you do get a full-size HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate bar when you check in. Score!
I didn’t have much time to look around my room before I had to head to the lobby to meet up with our group for dinner at Devon Seafood Grill. I was reunited with Kath whom I first met back in 2011 at the Healthy Living Summit!
It was great to see her again and meet the other bloggers on the trip as we sipped wine and mingled with the folks from Hershey who joined us for dinner.
Our group of bloggers included:
- Vanessa De Su Mama
- Kath Kath Eats Real Food
- Kristy Sweet Treats and More
- Katrina In Katrina’s Kitchen
- Angie Little Inspiration
- Richard Single Dad and Cook Like a Dad
- Annalise Completely Delicious
- Cara Big Girls Small Kitchen
- Jeanette Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Dinner began with a simple salad and I opted for the grilled mahi mahi for dinner.
The mushrooms on the side absolutely stole the show. They were smoky and buttery and I already emailed the restaurant to see if they’d be willing the share the recipe.
Following dinner, our group walked to THE HERSHEY STORY where we went on a quick tour of the museum and learned a little bit about the history of Milton Hershey and The Hershey Company. The part of the tour that seemed to interest our group the most was the timeline of Hershey products.
It was neat to see when certain candies debuted and when others were discontinued. In case you were wondering what Hershey’s most popular product is, their REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups are number one. I wasn’t too surprised about that one! (And yes, the REESE’S Peanut Butter Eggs at Easter do have more peanut butter in them! I knew it!)
Before calling it a night, we had one more activity on the agenda. A chocolate tasting at The Chocolate Lab!
When I heard we were going to be tasting chocolate, I pictured little pieces of chocolate, so my eyes lit up when I realized we were going to be sipping warm drinkable chocolate.
This experience is open to the public at THE HERSHEY STORY Museum and if you’re ever in the area, you must do it!!! It was such a neat way to learn more about the various cacao beans located around the world and their flavor profiles. Plus, you get to drink chocolate.
The two standouts for me from the tasting included the chocolate made from cacao beans from Venezuela and Java, but there wasn’t one I’d refuse in the bunch!
Once the chocolate tasting concluded, we were done for the evening and since it was only 8:30 p.m., Kath came to my room and the two of us watched The Bachelorette together! It was fun to watch the show with someone else who has been watching this season even if the episode itself wasn’t all that great.
Part two of my whirlwind trip to Hershey is coming up soon!
Disclosure: This blog post and my trip to Hershey, PA were sponsored by The Hershey Company as part of my participation in their Food Ambassador program. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Chocolate tasting looks like so much fun!
Hershey?!?!? Next time you’re in the area let me know and I can show you around as well. I was born in Hershey and LOVE this part of PA. I currently live just east of the town, but there are tons of other things to do in the area as well. Hope you had a fantastic trip!! and…Devon is AMAZING!! Best seafood around the county! YUM!
I wish my trip wasn’t so short! I would’ve loved more time to explore. Hope to make it that way again! And thanks for the offer, Kristy! 🙂
How fun !! I grew up about 2.5 hours from Hersey Park and we loved going as kids. Hopefully you got to go on the Chocolate Tour Ride – it is old school but pretty neat – especially the treats at the end 🙂
What a fun trip !!
I’m a Pennsylvania native as well… no summer was ever complete without at least one trip to Hershey Park! 🙂
Love love love!!!!! Hershey Lodge is one of my favorite places in the world. I go every year for a work event, and I always enjoy it. Hope you had a great time!! (And Chocolate World is the best!)
Wow, what a cool trip! I would love to visit a hotel where you get chocolate at check-in! (No searching for quarters for the vending machine, haha!!) Glad you had a great trip. Can’t wait to hear the rest… PS I love your green dress! You are so stylish 🙂
Looks like it was a fun trip! Would love to actually learn something more about the company, though that drinkable chocolate looks amazing.
Sounds like a yummy trip Julie!! 😉
I live about 40 minutes away from Hershey 🙂 Devon’s is great!
What a fun trip! I have a major sweet tooth and love chocolate. I’m sure I would have a great time chocolate tasting and spending some time at the museum!
I never thought about emailing restaurants to see if they are willing to share their recipes but I’ll keep that in mind the next time I eat out and try something I really love!
Wow! Totally sounds like my kinda trip! And YES – I knew Reese’s Eggs had more PB in them too! No wonder they’re my absolute favorite! 😉 Glad you had fun!
Ah, I’m insanely jealous you guys were in Hershey! I am from Harrisburg and had no idea you were born at Harrisburg Hospital (me too! what a small world 🙂 So glad you ladies had a good time but too bad you didn’t have a chance to stop at The Hershey Pantry for some of the best baked oatmeal in the entire world. 🙂
Oh my goodness, sign me up!!
I was born in Hershey! And I went to Hershey Lodge every year for FBLA States in high school. A really nice maid once left two of the Hershey kisses pillowcases on top of my suitcase. I participated in Music in the Park at Hershey with my orchestra. I went on so many field trips to Hershey Park. Ahh I love Hershey. I wish it wasn’t so far away from Omaha!
Aw so cool!!
Talk about dream trip!!! Can’t wait to see and here more all about it and you’re chocolate making adventures!
I was born in PA, too! My family used to visit Hershey Park quite a bit when we would visit my grandparents. Hershey totally has it going on between Hershey’s Chocolate World, Hershey Park, the hotels, and more! One of my all-times favorite places 🙂 So many sweet memories there!
So you’re telling me:
-You had a delicious, decadent dinner with a glass of red wine
-You went to the Hershey’s factory and DRANK CHOCOLATE
-And then you topped it all off with a night of girly REALITY TV?!
Literally sounds like my dream day! I had no idea about the whole “Hershey Enterprise” either! Who would’ve thought?! Need to put it on my travel bucket list!
Hahaha!
Wow, talk about fine dining!
love Hershey! Ran my first half marathon there, it was the best. Especially since they throw chocolate at you at the mile 12 aid station!
Ha! How cool!
What fun! I went to a chocolate-making class (at Farris and Foster’s in Baldwin Park) years ago and loved the experience, And your dinner sounds delicious. I love mahi mahi and mushrooms. So glad to see their was a male on this blogging trip!
Ferris & Foster’s is so fun!!!!
I LOVE hershey!! I’m from maryland (not TOO far from hershey) and i have spent many, many, many days at hershey park. it’s so much fun!
You look like a kid in a (literal) candy store in that one picture! I love it. You can’t get much better than a chocolate-themed town.
So this is basically like every girl’s dream, apart from the whole prince charming thing. 😉 How fun! I didn’t know that Hershey Hotels or a theme-park existed either! Looking forward to reading part 2.
This must have been an absolute dream trip! Chocolate everywhere? yes, please!
I’m from NJ so growing up we visited Hersey a lot. I haven’t been in a long time, but your time there looked amazing (might have to plan a trip to take on that chocolate tasting…what were the samples?). Can’t wait for Part 2. Did you go to the park? The kissing tower is amazing (and I’m scared of heights) and is a must do.
I swear all my family vacations were centered around food. We road-tripped to Hershey from Chicago when I was younger and it was one of my favorite vacations. Also high on the list: Cereal City, USA with the Kellogg’s Factory in Michigan!
Well I just googled it and Cereal City, USA is now closed. Devastated.
chocolate AND the bachelorette?!! heaven.
You didn’t know about Hershey Park? Oh man, when I was living in New Jersey, it seemed like everyone in NY-PA-NJ had been. Apparently I went when I was a baby and got scared of a giant Reese’s cup costumed character. XD
I didn’t know about the hotels though!
Haha exactly!
I am so jealous. Hershey’s chocolate is my absolute favorite even though I know it is not the fanciest – it just is so delicious, you can’t beat an old school Hershey bar. Looks like an amazing experience!
That is so random! I This morning my husband sent me a link to Hershey Lodge and now I am reading it in your blog. I think this is a sign I need to go there! 🙂
I grew up in Baltimore and my parents and I visited Hershey Park a bunch! Back in the day, there was actually a ride through the Hershey factory where all the goodies were made. One time during the ride, my dad stood up to get a closer look (any maybe dip his finger in the vat full of chocolate) so the ride shut down and an announcement came on over the loud speaker “Everyone please stay seated and keep your arms and legs inside of the cars.” Oh my goodness haha! My dad never lived that one down.
Dude! Share more of the forgotten/discontinued products! That could be a whole post… How fun!
I’ll ask them for more info! There were a lot of fun flashbacks!!
I grew up just outside of Gettysburg and now live on the Eastern shore of Harrisburg, about 15 mins from Hershey!!
I am up for a chocolate tasting any day! Looks delicious!
Although I live in Florida now, I actually grew up in Reading, PA which is only about an hour from Hershey! I’ve been to Hershey Park many times and saw some amazing concerts there, the best being Dave Matthews Band! If you ever make it back to Hershey, check out Hershey Park around Christmas time. They decorate the whole park and it’s open at night to walk around all the Christmas lights! They also have an area called Candy Lane that you can walk through that’s decorated for Christmas. It’s a must-see!
How cool!!
So, you were unaware of the Spa at the Hotel Hershey?? That has to be one of my favorite places!!
2 of my favorite bloggers – you and Kath! So glad you both had fun!
My family went on vacation to Hershey when I was in middle school and I LOVED visiting the factory and going to Hershey park! There is also a really pretty botanical garden that my mom roped us into going to walk around and there was this one spot on the garden that you could SMELL the chocolate wafting over from the factory… heaven!
I’m so jealous right now! How fun!!!!
I never knew there was a theme park. In the UK we have the Cadbury’s chocolate factory in Birmingham which you can pay to look around. Free chocolate bars as you enter and lots of melted hot chocolate to dip things in on the way round! 🙂
I didn’t even know that such a place existed!? That’s so awesome and sounds like such a fun trip! That chocolate tasting sounds divine though!!
I never knew that Hershey had theme parks and hotels! That’s really neat.
I’ve never been to Hershey Park but I’m hoping to do a bike tour at the park in September. Food related fitness events get me every time!!
I love, love, love Hershey! I go up there a few times a year, although it’s been a while since I went to Hershey Park. I have stayed at the Hotel Hershey and enjoyed many spa treatments at the Chocolate Spa. I consider that a must do! Also the Hershey gardens with the butterfly exhibit is pretty.
I’m so crazy jealous of your trip with Hershey, I LOVE chocolate! I stayed at the same hotel for a purchasing show a few years ago and loved the chocolate bar upon check in! I remember them having some awesome Hershey hot chocolate in the rooms-the maid even gave me extra at my request. Did you enjoy some in your room?
Aw I love Hershey! We always used to vacation there growing up! Plus the place is all about chocolate…what’s not to love!?
I grew up in Carlisle and went to Hershey several times as a kid. When I was maybe 5 or 6, my whole family actually got to taste test the Skor bar during development! I’ve never been a fan of toffee, but I ate that whole darn thing because it included chocolate, and my parents didn’t want to be mean in front of the Hershey people.
So Weird! I was born in Harrisburg too! We moved to Memphis when I was a year old. I just went up there to visit a month ago and took my daughters. They loved Hershey World and Hershey Park. That ride at Hershey World has not changed in the 30+ years I’ve been there!
My first half marathon I ran was the Hershey Half. What sold me on the run was they gave out mini candy bars at a chocolate aid station. That was all the motivation I needed! Yum!