We only live an hour from Hershey. When I originally planned our trip, it was going to be a staycation. We would drive to Hershey a few different days to do the top attractions. Then, I started researching The Hershey Lodge, and I decided we had to stay there. It turns out that was a great choice. Here are 7 reasons you should stay there, too!
#1 – The Hershey Lodge Welcome
From the moment you walk into the Hershey Lodge, you’ll feel at home. There are valets to park your car and bellhops to take your luggage the moment you pull up to the entrance. When you get to the check-in desk, you’ll be welcomed with your room key, a schedule of events for the week, and a Hershey’s Chocolate Bar for each member of your family. What a sweet way to start your vacation!
There’s even a separate kids’ check-in area. The kids can sign the guest book, play a quick game, and get a sweet treat of their own. This is a nice touch and makes the kids feel really special and welcomed, too!
#2 – The Hershey Water Works
The Hershey Water Works is the reason we decided to stay at the Hershey Lodge. As soon as I saw the pictures of this indoor water complex, I knew we had to try it. The only way to access the Water Works is by staying at the Hershey Lodge.
The Hershey Water Works alone made the cost of our room worth it. There was something for everyone to do. Maddy spent her time splashing in the kiddie pool, playing with fountains, and going down the little slide. Jamison went down the big Twizzlers slides about 50 times. While he wasn’t sliding, he was practicing his swimming skills in the big pool.
When it was time to leave for dinner, we were all a little sad. There was even a snack bar right next to the pool, but I had my heart set on trying one of the Hershey Lodge’s amazing restaurants!
#3 – Excellent Dining Options
Food is one of my favorite parts of visiting new places. I love trying different restaurants and experiencing new flavors. The Hershey Lodge has four main restaurants. I had previously eaten at 2 of them. The Hershey Grill has really good dinners, and the Bears’ Den is themed after the Hershey Bears hockey team and has excellent snacks and casual meals. That left the Forebay and Fire and Grain. The Forebay seemed a little bit fancier, and we weren’t dressed up. We decided to try Fire and Grain.
We were not disappointed! Everything from the service to the entrees to the dessert was excellent. The menu had a lot of interesting options, and our server, Christian, answered all of our questions and gave us great recommendations. I had the Fried Oyster Toast, and it was incredible. Tony and the kids loved the flatbread pizzas.
Since we were in Hershey, I couldn’t leave without dessert. We ordered a chocolate chip cookie topped with ice cream. Oh my! It was ridiculously good, and I didn’t want to share.
We were so impressed with the food at Fire and Grain that we went back for breakfast the next morning. Again, the menu was creative and everything was delicious. It fueled us so we were ready for our day at Hersheypark.
The Hershey Lodge also has a coffee shop called the Cocoa Beanery. The kids wanted to stop for some smoothies when we were leaving. I ordered the Chocolate Bar Iced Latte, and it was so good! I highly recommend it if you need a sweet kick of caffeine.
#4 – Transportation to Hersheypark
I know this sounds strange, but I dread driving and parking in lots where there are tons of people. The entrance to Hersheypark is crazy with 4 lanes of traffic and hundreds of cars. Luckily, the Hershey Lodge provides free transportation to the park. We were picked up right in front of the lodge and dropped off right at the entrance to Hersheypark. It was perfect! At the end of the day, it was so nice to board the air conditioned bus instead of having to hunt down a roasting hot car.
#5 – Hersheypark Preview and Sweet Start
Hersheypark tickets are not cheap, but there are a few ways to get the most for your money. Anyone who purchases a ticket can take advantage of the Hersheypark Preview. This allows you to enter the park three and a half hours before closing. That way you can scope out the park, do some rides, and decide what your must-dos are for the next day. We didn’t have an opportunity to use this since we were busy at the Water Works and eating, but it’s definitely a nice feature.
If you’re staying at the Hershey Lodge or any of the other Hershey hotels, you can take advantage of the Sweet Start. This allows you to enter the park an hour before it opens. Only select rides are open, but it was perfect for us because a lot of the kiddie rides were open. We walked right onto the rides without any lines for that whole first hour. It was awesome, and the kids were able to ride their favorites more than once!
#6 – Activities for the Kids
The Hershey Water Works isn’t the only thing for the kids to do at the lodge. Each day, there is a schedule of activities for the kids. We didn’t get to try any of them, but I wished we were there on a Tuesday or Thursday. On those nights, they have a smore’s roast by the lake. That sounds like lots of fun!
We did try the arcade and mini golf. The arcade was small, but the kids had fun playing a few games. We tried mini golf because it was free for guests staying at the lodge. The course was nothing special, but with two small kids we don’t take it too seriously anyway. It was Maddy’s first time mini golfing, and she gave up after hole 2, so I was glad I hadn’t paid to do it.
#7 – The Attention to Detail
When you’re visiting the Sweetest Place on Earth, you expect lots of sweets. There were so many small touches at the Hershey Lodge that constantly reminded us that we were in Hershey. The room numbers outside the rooms had pictures of candy on them. We were in the Hershey’s Kiss hallway. Inside the bathroom, the wallpaper was covered with Hershey’s Kisses. When we showered after the Water Works, we realized the shampoo, conditioner, and lotion all smelled like chocolate.
At Fire and Grain, the kids were given coloring pages and crayons. I was expecting the regular pack of red, blue, green, and yellow crayons that they get at every restaurant. Instead, the crayons were gray, brown, orange, and green so the kids could color the candy bars the correct colors. All of those little touches made us feel special.
Money Saving Bonus
So I promised you 7 reasons you should stay at the Hershey Lodge, but I have one more tip. Look for special deals the lodge is running when you are booking your stay. The Kids Stay, Play, and Eat Free deal saved us lots of money! Our park tickets, admission to the Hershey Gardens and the Hershey Story Museum, and breakfast for the kids were all included. I love finding a great deal!
Loving the Lodge
The only issue we had during our stay at the Hershey Lodge was finding our way to the pool and other activities. We kept going to the wrong floor and getting lost. That problem would have been solved by staying a few more days and getting used to the layout of the hotel. I guess we’ll have to do that next time.
The kids absolutely loved their stay. Jamison actually cried as we were getting in the car to leave, and Maddy asked when she can sleep there again. I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes open for another great deal so we can experience the Sweetest Place on Earth once more.
Find out more about our adventures in Hershey.
Click to book your stay at the Hershey Lodge.
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What Do You Think?
Which reason makes you want to stay at the Hershey Lodge the most?
Let me know if the comments below.
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