Hersheypark is aggressively stepping up its coaster game, and it has been a thrill to witness it firsthand. I’ve been a longtime fan of the park, and I’m delighted to report that the previous decade has seen the addition of six top-of-the-line coasters (for a total of 15 in the park) along with Hershey’s Chocolatetown, the park’s new grand entrance.
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I just returned from a weekend at Hersheypark — my fifth visit in the last 10 years. The park is a reasonable three-hour drive from New York City, about a two-hour drive from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and about 3 1/2 hours from Pittsburgh.
I was there to check out some upgrades to Skyrush (one of the best steel-wing coasters in the world) and revisit one of my new favorite coasters, Wildcat’s Revenge; the latter was crowned Best New Roller Coaster of 2023 by the industry-leading Golden Ticket Awards.
I found that this park is new and improved in just about every area and deserves a spot in the pantheon of the country’s best amusement parks. Here’s why.
Hersheypark history
Hersheypark, lovingly referred to as “The Sweetest Place On Earth,” began as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1906. American chocolatier Milton S. Hershey welcomed the public to ride the park’s first carousel in 1908; the carousel was followed by a miniature railroad in 1910.
The park added its first roller coaster, Wild Cat, in 1923; it was replaced by the park’s second wooden roller coaster, The Comet, in 1946. The Comet is still running today, and 2024 ushers in a new era of the classic coaster with a new train design and seats (more on that below).
Over the past 118 years, expansive development and innovation have occurred throughout Hershey, Pennsylvania. Nowadays, there are three official lodging options, including The Hotel Hershey, a grand destination hotel and spa that dates back to 1933.
Outside of Disney and Universal, this is the most luxurious hotel associated with an amusement park I’ve ever experienced. The interiors exude vintage elegance, and the sprawling property grounds feature an expansive spa, lush gardens and a large outdoor pool deck complete with two slides.
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The last decade has marked extensive growth in the park’s history; it has added six major coasters, a water park and Hershey’s Chocolatetown — a $150-million transformation of the park’s main entrance. The park now boasts 15 roller coasters among its impressive 76 rides and attractions spanning 121 acres.
Hersheypark tickets
Hersheypark offers one- and two-day tickets. The base rate for a day ticket to Hersheypark is $86.95 for ages 9-61; it’s $56.99 for those 3-8 and above 62 if you pre-purchase your tickets online. Two-day tickets cost $90 for all guests ages 3 and older. Children 2 and younger are free. Parking is $25 per day. Hersheypark also offers a happy hour rate of $39.99 for entry after 4 p.m. and a discounted “Monday through Thursday” rate of $59.99.
Discounts and specials rotate throughout the season, with a current 25% discount offered on single-day park admission when purchased in advance online. Park admission includes The Boardwalk Water Park and ZooAmerica, the park’s 11-acre zoo.
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Consider their bundle options if you plan on going for more than one day. For $114, the Summer Fun Card provides unlimited access to the park through Sept. 8 but doesn’t include parking. There are three tiers of year-round passes, from the Bite Size Season Pass at $195 to the deluxe King Size Season Pass at $290.
Purchase tickets here.
Hersheypark rides and attractions
With 76 rides and attractions, Hersheypark has thrills for all ages. The main attraction is the park’s roller coaster lineup. I’ve ridden the park’s 15 coasters many times throughout the past decade, and I am fond of their uniqueness and complexities. Several are entangled in the park’s landscape, soaring through lush greenery, hovering over waterways and swooping alongside guest pathways that seem in closer reach here than at most parks.
The highlight of the 2024 season is the new restraints on Skyrush, the park’s best-in-class steel wing coaster. This one-of-a-kind ride packs an exceptionally thrilling course into a tight minute of ride time, reaching speeds up to 75 miles per hour on its inversion-free track. The new restraints are an incredible improvement on the former ones, which put so much pressure on your legs that coaster enthusiasts dubbed the ride “Thigh Crush.”
While they appear similar to the previous iteration (those familiar with the coaster will still delight in the open-air feeling and floorless wing seats), I found the new lap bar secure without feeling too tight. The best seats are the wing seats in the back row, with a personal preference for the left side.
Wildcat’s Revenge rivals Skyrush as the most intense ride experience in the park, though they’re two completely different coaster experiences.
Wildcat’s Revenge is the park’s 2023 hybrid wooden coaster and the next generation of the park’s former Wildcat coaster. As mentioned above, this coaster won the Golden Ticket for Best New Roller Coaster of 2023 — and rightfully so. The latest from Rocky Mountain Construction (a leader in hybrid wooden coasters packed with inversions), Wildcat’s Revenge offers nonstop thrills and airtime moments with no trim breaks in sight. It reaches speeds of 62 mph.
The coaster is packed with elements I’ve never seen before, including a wildcat bust leading the charge on each train and fun reins that can be used as a playful (and necessary) grip when it becomes too challenging to keep your arms in the air. It even has the world’s largest underflip inversion. I gravitate to the back row for the most air time on this unrelentingly fast coaster.
The other new upgrade to the park this season is a delightful refresh at Comet, the park’s oldest operating coaster. The update includes three new custom trains featuring revamped logos from previous iterations of the ride. The coaster trains are sleek and comfortable. I found the ride more thrilling as it barrels through 3,360 feet of storied wooden track, reaching speeds up to 50 mph as it coasts alongside Skyrush.
Other park coasters that I dream about include The Great Bear, an inverted B&M Coaster that is among the best of its kind (especially from the front row); Storm Runner, with its heart-racing 72 mph launch into wild barrel rolls and dives; and Lightning Racer, a dueling wooden coaster with many fun interactive race moments.
There’s also the incredible theming of Laff Trakk — the first indoor spinning glow-coaster in the U.S. (I prefer the first row for this one) — and the dizzying heights reached on Candymonium. This smooth and forceful hypercoaster greets all guests as it whizzes past the main entrance, and as with some other rides, I prefer the back row for the most airtime.
Although there is no specific children’s area in the park, more than 20 kiddie rides are placed alongside the thrill rides. My favorites of the family rides include the iconic multicolored Ferris Wheel, the Skyview gondolas and the Coal Cracker log flume (especially when I manage not to get too wet).
Things to know before visiting Hersheypark
Every park ticket includes bonus hours
With three parks in one (Hersheypark, The Boardwalk and ZooAmerica), there is much to do, not to mention the neighboring Hershey’s Chocolate World. Take advantage of the park’s unique “sweet sneak peek” offer with every ticket; it allows you to enter the park for two hours the night prior during the public operating time — and for free.
These extra hours can help you get some rides and a lay of the land for the following day in the park. Resort guests get three hours the night before their day ticket. There’s also an extended hour before the park’s opening each morning for resort guests and annual pass holders, with select rides available, including Skyrush, Comet and Candymonium.
Plan on using Fast Track to skip the lines
The park’s efficient Fast Track system brings you to the front of the line on almost all the major attractions. Pricing varies based on dates and availability, and the Fast Track tickets can sell out. There are multiple tiers of Fast Track access.
“Fast Track” ($50 to $170) allows you to skip the regular line once per day at each participating attraction, whereas “Fast Track Unlimited” ($7 to $225) offers all-day, skip-the-line privileges at all participating rides. Boardwalk Fast Passes can skip the line at Breakers Edge, Whitecap Racer and Intercoastal Waterway (Lazy River).
The food options range from good to great
There’s a lot to love about Hersheypark’s food, drink and sweet options throughout the park. The park is at its best when it’s serving its own fare. Stop at places like 1906 Grill (great cheeseburgers and cheese curds), Spring Creek Smokehouse (excellent brisket and pulled pork sandwiches prepared on-site) and East Coast Burger Works (featuring specialty burgers that rotate monthly).
Find the best fries in the park at Tower Fries and the best milkshakes at Simply Chocolate (where the King Size Shakes are Instagram-worthy). The park’s other offerings include a Chick-fil-A, two Chickie’s & Pete’s locations, Dunkin’ Donuts, Moe’s and more.
There are no single-rider lines
While popular at many other parks, including Disney and Universal, Hersheypark has no single-rider lines. I love single-rider lines as they’re often a much quicker option to get on the ride, though you don’t get to specify who you ride with or where you’re seated.
The Hersheypark app is a terrific resource for ride times and more
The Hersheypark app is an excellent resource for navigating the park. This park is expansive, and no matter how many times I’ve been there, I still rely on the app’s map to help me orient myself and my route. The app also has ride wait times and now has mobile ordering capabilities, which I find super helpful in expediting my mealtimes.
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The best nighttime entertainment is at The Chocolatier
Hersheypark only has a few entertainment options throughout the day — namely a new music review in its Music Box theater and regular Hershey character meet and greets. The park’s characters include Hershey Bar, Miss Kiss, Reese, JR, Twizzler and an occasional appearance from the minty-fresh Ice Breaker.
There’s also the park’s “Our Friends from the Sea” sea lion and seal show, running three times daily throughout the summer. When it comes to bigger spectacles, Hersheypark lacks a parade and, most notably, a nighttime show.
The park would benefit from a nightly drone show, fountain show or a fireworks spectacle. My favorite nighttime experience in the park is dining at The Chocolatier. The newer restaurant is right off the main entrance in Chocolatetown, and it has impressive theming and top-notch food and drinks.
It also features many fun design flourishes, including booths with seat belts from Comet, intricate roller coaster-inspired chandeliers and Tilt-a-Whirl booths. The indulgent and perfect Reese’s Peanut Butter Milkshake is the best way to cap a long day exploring the parks.
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You can tell the park cares
There are so many nice touches throughout the park that put it in a class of its own. The staff is accommodating and kind, with ride attendants who don’t heckle. On my most recent visit, all the soap dispensers and faucets in the bathrooms worked and were well-maintained, and hand sanitizer stations were well-stocked and available throughout the park. There were also plenty of free cold water stations available for refilling bottles. (Each guest is allowed to bring in one sealed water bottle.)
The park is also dedicated to giving back to the Hershey School, founder Milton S. Hershey’s prized endeavor to provide high-quality education to children in need. I can feel how the staff takes pride in their park, and there’s an admirable spirit of hospitality flowing through the operations.
There’s a generous weather policy
Continuing its spirit of hospitality, Hersheypark offers a return visit voucher if inclement weather conditions cause most rides and attractions to close for a continuous 60 minutes. The voucher must be used for a return visit within the year.
Hersheypark is cashless
Leave your cash at home, as Hersheypark is cashless. All major debit and credit cards are accepted, and Hersheypark gift cards, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay are accepted at every point-of-sale kiosk. The QR codes on the cashless signs throughout the park bring users to a link for purchasing e-gift card; they can use the e-gift cards instead of cash. Plus, there are cash-to-card conversion stations in the park as well.
Rides get better during the day
I’m not one to save the best for last, especially as top rides and attractions can get busier later in the day. However, on my most recent visit, I was fortunate to ride Skyrush first thing in the morning and again later in the day. I loved my first ride in the morning, but as the day warmed up, so did the ride.
By early evening, the coaster had a markedly more aggressive ride experience. I found a lot to love in both experiences, but I think the later-in-the-day ride was the one to beat.
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The chocolate does actually taste better here
Hershey, Pennsylvania, is still the home of much of Hershey’s chocolate manufacturing; nearby factories produce chocolate bars, Hershey’s Kisses, Hershey’s syrups and Reese’s peanut butter cups. That’s all to say, the chocolate seems to taste fresher here.
Hershey’s Chocolate World is just outside the Hersheypark gate, and you’ll often get a first look at the launch of new flavors. It’s also the only place to get the Hershey’s Pot of Gold milk chocolate assortment.
Hotels to stay at when visiting Hersheypark
There are three official hotel properties linked to Hersheypark. All three properties offer the best price on Hersheypark tickets, free gate shuttle service and extra hours in the park. However, my favorite part of staying at any official property is the free Hershey chocolate bars at check-in.
The Hotel Hershey
This luxurious and grand hotel dates back to 1933 and was founded by Milton S. Hershey. I love the fine details throughout the property, including its ornate interiors that recall highlights from Milton S. Hershey’s world travels. Don’t pass up the signature Hershey’s Kisses Signature Chocolate Martini at the legendary Iberian Lounge.
For your second drink (which I suggest should be the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Martini), head to one of my favorite terraces in the world. It has a cozy fire pit and park views. There are two pools — one indoor and one on a sprawling outdoor deck with two slides.
Rates at The Hotel Hershey start at around $329 per night.
The Villas at Hotel Hershey
This is the resort’s most luxurious option, with 10 cottages and 48 rooms. Staying at The Villas includes special privileges, including the new Concierge Lounge with continental breakfast, Hersheypark admission for each day of your stay and a one-day Hersheypark Fast Track pass.
Plans are underway to add nine new villas with 50 new sleeping rooms set to open by late 2025. My favorite dining experience at the resort is the Sunday brunch at The Circular restaurant (which also serves an excellent a la carte dinner). Milton S. Hershey designed it without corners to encourage a community feeling. Not to mention, it serves one of the best hotel breakfast buffets I’ve had in a long time.
Rates at The Villas at Hotel Hershey start at around $799 per night.
Hershey Lodge
This is the more casual, family-oriented resort near Hersheypark. It has 665 guest rooms, including 18 suites. Fun touches include a kids check-in with games and character appearances, Hershey’s Water Works indoor pool complex and minigolf.
Rates at the Hershey Lodge start at around $259 per night.
Hersheypark Camping Resort
For something a little more DIY, Hersheypark has a year-round camping facility. It’s complete with more than 300 open and shaded campsites, 50 cabins and a tiny home.
Rates at the Hersheypark Camping Resort start at around $69 per night.
Bottom line
With best-in-class coasters and a few days’ worth of family fun, I’d make the case that Hersheypark has emerged as the destination amusement park of the Northeast. This park is on the brink of expanding, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
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