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November
2022
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18:43 PM
America/New_York

Guide to Thanksgiving Week 2022 in Hershey, PA

Things to Do in The Sweetest Place On Earth from November 23-27

From rides and millions of lights to holiday entertainment, Hershey, The Sweetest Place On Earth has no shortage of family-friendly offerings during the week of Thanksgiving. Check out this guide of the top things to do in Hershey, Pa., before and after Turkey Day from November 23-27, 2022. 

November 23-27: Hersheypark Christmas Candylane

Hersheypark is open extended hours for Christmas Candylane during Thanksgiving week on November 23-25 from 5-9 p.m. and November 26-27 from 2-9 p.m. 

Guests can get their holiday thrills on select coasters and enjoy a selection of family rides, weather and maintenance permitting. Among the rides, five million lights will glisten, with the popular NOEL light show running every half an hour beginning nightly at 5 p.m. in The Hollow region. Guests can view four shows featuring more than 250,000 dancing lights choreographed to Christmas music while sipping a signature hot chocolate on one of the bridges overlooking Spring Creek.

Starting November 23, guests can take a stroll through TREEville trail featuring more than a dozen uniquely decorated trees sharing stories of The Sweetest Place On Earth in The Boardwalk At Hersheypark region.

A trip to Christmas Candylane is not complete without telling Santa the Christmas list and visiting Santa’s Reindeer Stables to see Rudolph and his friends. Hersheypark is the only place in the Northeast where guests can get an up-close look at all nine of Santa’s reindeer.

Tickets include a sweet sneak peek with a preview plan, which allows guests to present their tickets at the main entrance 1.5 hours before closing on the night before their full-day visit to enjoy a fun-filled evening during public operating hours. Preview for resort guests is 2.5 hours before the Park closes.

November 23-27: Hershey Sweet Lights

Families who prefer seeing lights from the comfort of their cars can visit Hershey Sweet Lights, located just outside Hersheypark. The separately ticketed drive-through attraction features two miles of fields and wooded trails decorated with nearly 600 illuminated, animated displays created from about 2 million LED lights. Many displays follow unique themes, with the beginning of the experience transforming familiar Hersheypark rides and The 12 Days of Christmas into large light displays. Guests will then head to the forest portion with Fairy Tales and a Victorian Village. 

Hershey Sweet Lights is open on November 23-24 from 5-9 p.m., and November 25-27 from 5-10 p.m. Pricing varies daily, with online ticket sales ending at 5 p.m. Any ticket purchased after 5 p.m. for that day will be the gate rate and only be available at the Sweet Lights entrance booth.

November 23-27: Holiday Stay at the Official Resorts of Hersheypark

Whether in deluxe accommodations at The Hotel Hershey or Hershey Lodge or in a cozy cabin or RV at Hersheypark Camping Resort, a stay at a Hershey resort will put guests in the holiday spirit this Thanksgiving. Guests can take in the beauty of the resorts’ stunning holiday decor, enjoy Thanksgiving menu specials at restaurants on property (advance reservations recommended), and participate in family-friendly resort activities such as Hershey Character appearances, chocolate bingo, scavenger hunts and s’mores roasts at The Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge and Thanksgiving crafts and coloring pages at Hersheypark Camping Resort

Guests staying at The Hotel Hershey can also look forward to the Hotel’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Harvest Plaza from 7-9:30 p.m. on Friday, November 25. The event includes hot cocoa and cookies, live music, s’mores, holiday carnival games and a lighting of the tree with the Hershey Characters at 8 p.m. 

A two-night Hersheypark Christmas Candylane package featuring deluxe accommodations, daily Hersheypark Christmas Candylane tickets and breakfast is available at The Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge. Or, guests can book the Hersheypark Christmas Candylane camping package with accommodations and Park tickets at Hersheypark Camping Resort. All resort guests receive Free Resort Benefits, including free front gate shuttle service to and from the Park and preview hours.

Check out our holiday guides to The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge and Hersheypark Camping Resort to help you prepare for a sweet stay.

November 23: Alton Brown at Hershey Theatre

'Tis the season for holiday entertainment in Hershey, Pa.

Television personality, author, and Food Network and Netflix star Alton Brown announced Alton Brown Live: “Beyond The Eats – The Holiday Variant” tour is visiting Hershey Theatre on November 23 at 7:30 p.m. Food connoisseurs, comedy fans and music lovers won’t want to miss it!

Brown originated the live culinary variety show with his “Edible Inevitable,” “Eat Your Science,” and “Beyond The Eats” tours that have performed in 200-plus cities with more than 550,000 fans in attendance. His latest production mixes science, music, food and festive fun into two hours of pure entertainment.

November 25-27: Jurassic World Live Tour at GIANT Center

Families looking for a fun outing over Thanksgiving weekend should mark their calendars for Jurassic World Live Tour, which returns to GIANT Center for seven shows from November 25-27. 

With unrivaled arena production quality, Jurassic World comes to life against a backdrop of captivating scenery where dinosaurs from the iconic franchise, including fan-favorite Velociraptor Blue and a Tyrannosaurus rex more than 40 feet in length, take center stage. The production features more than 24 film-accurate, life-sized dinosaurs, with scale, speed and ferocity, operated by animatronics and performers.

Jurassic World’s unmistakable score, combined with projection and practical scenery, transforms the arena into the dense jungles of Isla Nublar, where real Gyrospheres roll through the valley and scientists work to unravel a corrupt plan and save a new dinosaur from a terrible fate. With pulse-pounding stunts and an original, authentic storyline, this show is guaranteed to make memories that will last another 65 million years.

November 25-27: Black Friday Gift Card Deals at Houlihan’s and Devon

Holiday shoppers can celebrate Black Friday with sweet dining deals in Hershey, Pa. From Friday, November 25, through Sunday, November 27, guests can visit Houlihan’s Restaurant + Bar and Devon Seafood + Steak in downtown Hershey to enjoy special promotions on gift card purchases. 

Houlihan’s

  • Guests who purchase $50 in gift cards from Houlihan’s November 25-27 will receive two $10 dining certificates. After this weekend through December 24, receive one $10 dining certificate for a $50 gift card purchase.
  • Dining certificates can be redeemed from January 2, 2023, through March 31, 2023, excluding Valentine’s Day. Other restrictions may apply. See dining certificate for full details.

Devon

  • Guests who purchase $100 in gift cards from Devon November 25-27 will receive two $20 dining certificates. After this weekend through December 24, receive one $20 dining certificate for a $100 gift card purchase.
  • Dining certificates can be redeemed from January 2, 2023, through March 31, 2023, excluding Saturdays and Valentine’s Day. Other restrictions may apply. See dining certificate for full details.