Hersheypark | Harrisburg

Origins and setting

Hersheypark opened in 1906 as Milton S. Hershey’s “picnic ground” for chocolate-factory workers. It sits in Hershey, Pennsylvania, about fifteen minutes from Harrisburg and two hours from Philadelphia. The park now covers roughly 121 acres and borders Hershey’s Chocolate World, ZooAmerica, and remnants of the original factory.

Park zones and atmosphere

• Hershey’s Chocolatetown – the modern front gate, dominated by the 210-foot Candymonium hyper-coaster, a flagship merchandise store, craft-beer bar, and the full-service Chocolatier Restaurant overlooking the midway
• Founders Way – the entry boulevard with the 1919 Carrousel, Skyview gondolas, guest-services hub, stroller rentals, and lockers
• Kissing Tower Hill – home to the 330-foot rotating Kissing Tower, scenic gardens, and classic flats such as the Hershey Triple Tower drop ride trio
• The Hollow – a creek-side hollow crossed by a stone bridge; coasters here include Comet (1946 wooden classic), Skyrush (200-foot hyper-lite steel), and SooperDooperLooper (first modern steel-looping coaster on the East Coast)
• Pioneer Frontier – western theming with Storm Runner launch-coaster, Trailblazer mine-train, Dry Gulch Railroad, and BBQ smokehouse eats
• Midway America – 1990s Americana boardwalk vibe featuring Lightning Racer wooden dueling coaster, Wild Mouse, Ferris Wheel, classic midway games, and the open-air Music Box Theatre
• The Boardwalk at Hersheypark – an 11-acre water-park-within-the-park (included with admission) packed with tube slides, the Breakers Edge HydroMAGNETIC water-coaster, Whitecap Racer six-lane mat slide, a 378,000-gallon wave pool, lazy river, and tot-splash zones

Roller-coaster lineup (chronological highlights)

• Comet, 1946, 78-foot drop wooden airtime classic
• Trailblazer, 1974, mine-train winding through Pioneer Frontier
• SooperDooperLooper, 1977, ground-hugging steel with one vertical loop
• Sidewinder, 1991, forward-and-back shuttle coaster (later rethemed)
• Wildcat, 1996, first GCI wooden coaster (now reborn as Wildcat’s Revenge hybrid with steel track and four inversions)
• Lightning Racer, 2000, dueling wooden coaster with two racing tracks
• Storm Runner, 2004, hydraulic launch from 0–72 mph in two seconds, top-hat and barrel-roll finale
• Fahrenheit, 2008, 97-degree beyond-vertical drop, six inversions
• Skyrush, 2012, 200-foot lift, winged outer seats, up to 5 g forces
• Laff Trakk, 2015, glow-in-the-dark indoor spinning coaster themed to a funhouse
• Candymonium, 2020, 4,636-foot B&M hyper with sustained airtime
• Jolly Rancher Remix, 2022, rethemed boomerang with flavor-scented tunnel and randomized lighting
• Wildcat’s Revenge, 2023, RMC hybrid with steel track, 140-foot drop, four inversions, barrel-roll down drop

Family and kiddie coasters round out the count to fifteen.

Notable water rides

Breakers Edge Water Coaster uses magnetic propulsion and four-person rafts.
Whitecap Racer is a timed six-lane mat slide with a 70-foot start tower.
Tidal Force is among North America’s tallest shoot-the-chutes with a 100-foot plunge and a drenching splash.
Coal Cracker, a classic log flume, threads under Skyrush and through hillside tunnels.

Events and operating calendar

• Spring Weekends — select dates late March through May with cooler-weather ride operations
• Summer Daily Operations — mid-June to late August, longest hours and full water-park slate
• Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights — late September through October, haunted houses, scare zones, and lights-out coaster sessions
• Christmas Candylane — mid-November through early January, five million lights, Santa’s reindeer stables, limited but festive ride lineup

Guest conveniences

The park is cash-free; major cards and mobile pay are accepted. Front-gate lockers are free for the first three hours to stash bags. Fast Track passes (standard and unlimited tiers) cut queue times on popular coasters. All three official resorts—the Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge, and Hersheypark Camping Resort—offer free shuttle service plus “Sweet Start,” an extra-hour early entry on select attractions.

Tips for a smooth visit

Arrive thirty minutes before rope-drop; rope-drop Candymonium, Skyrush, or Fahrenheit first. Pack swimwear in a small locker near The Boardwalk to avoid trekking back to the car. Re-ride Skyrush during the last hour when crowds thin. For meals, The Chocolatier offers full-service dining with coaster views, while quick-serve options like Overlook Food Court provide shade and variety. End the evening on the Kissing Tower for a panorama of Hershey lit in chocolate-brown tones.