Hershey, Pennsylvania for the Holidays – Simply Magical
By Colleen Bohensky
This was originally posted on AMadisonMom.net
I was so excited to be invited to attend the Sweet Welcome Weekend in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Even though we’re only about 2 1/2 hours away from Hershey, I’ve never visited. I’m a huge fan of all things Hershey (YUM) but I really had no idea what to expect outside of Hershey Park… and chocolate beyond my wildest dreams.
If I needed to give my review of Hershey, PA in one sentence I would have to say: I was simply blown away by how much there is to do in Hershey beyond Hershey Park. I really had no idea (and I’ll share more in 2 more posts about Hershey!). Hershey during the winter Holiday Season is simply magical. We had an unusually warm November weekend for our visit… but it was otherwise a Winter wonderland full of sparkles and sweets. I fell in love with how festive absolutely everything was. How could I not? I LOVE chocolate… and I LOVE Christmas decorations!
For the end of November through January 1st, Hershey Park turns into Christmas Candylane. In the couple of weeks leading up to Christmas Candylane the staff of park engineers puts up 4 million light. Read that again… 4. Million. Lights. The sweetest park on earth becomes full of sparkles and glitter and holiday cheer. You can find Santa and his nine reindeer resting up before their big night… and ask the reindeer helpers questions about each and every one of the reindeer (like… did you know that Rudolph has actually learned to control his shiny red nose? He can make it shine bright when Santa needs it on Christmas eve… but otherwise… he looks like like “all of the other reindeer”.) My favorite part of our evening in Hershey Park had to be the sky-ride. It feels very much like a ski-lift as you fly over a huge area filled with lights and the air full of holiday songs. Even the ride line areas are decorated with trees and lights. I found myself simply in awe of all the work that the Hershey Park crew puts in to decorating. (I thought it was hard enough just to put out my own lights for Christmas!)
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