Summer is here and for us that means "the usual" - the pool, the beach, a favorite museum, our favorite hiking spot, rinse and repeat. But in an area so rich with activities, history, and adventure we wanted to explore more of it. It was time for a break from "the usual" so my youngest and I headed off to the Harrisburg - Hershey area to explore, play and of course, find some chocolate. I had not visited the area in a long time so we were both excited to see what kind of family fun was in store. We spent 48 hours covering a lot of ground and we've lined up 7+ great ideas to help you enjoy YOUR family's break-from-the-usual weekend getaway to the Hershey Harrisburg area.
Learn a Little |
The PA Capitol
Commonwealth Avenue
Harrisburg, PA
Pennsylvania's Capitol building is impressive even from a distance and I couldn't believe I had never visited or toured the building. Capitol Building tours run all year long, every day except for a few main holidays. The view of the Capitol building from the outside is cool enough to make your little one's eyes pop a bit but just wait until you get inside the rotunda and look around! We found the Capitol Tour to be kid-friendly and very exciting. We learned all kinds of kid-friendly and amazing facts about the building and its construction. We saw the rooms where laws were made. Our tour guide made the awe-inspiring rooms relatable by explaining that the bike safety helmet law (familiar to all of them) was discussed and passed right there in the Capitol. And guess who owns the Capitol Building? You, do if you're a PA resident. So schedule a tour to visit your beautiful and awe-inspiring Capitol - it's full of history and architecture but cool enough for the most discerning kiddos. Tours can be scheduled online at http://www.pacapitol.com/plan-a-visit/tours.cfm(recommended but not required). We also recommend the Guided Tour because the details and building facts you'll hear are so impressive yet the 30-minute tour is doable with children.
Just a short distance from the Capitol Building you'll find more opportunities for learning at the Whitaker Science Center for hands-on science fun, seasonal exhibits, a cineman, performing arts stage and special events. Find more details on the Whitaker Center at https://www.whitakercenter.org/ (Check to see if any of your museum memberships offer reciprocity here!)
Go For A Ride |
The Pride of the Susquehanna
1 Riverside Drive,
City Island
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Flowing alongside Downtown Harrisburg is the Susquehanna River, one of the East Coast's largest. Being water bugs, we were excited to explore and even learn a little bit about the Susquehanna River and a ride on the Pride of the Susquehanna was one of the coolest ways to do it. We boarded a RiverSchool Voyage and learned, in just about the most hands-on way possible, about the history and importance of the river and the region. The kids on board, of varying ages, experienced fun hands-on lessons about how mountains and rivers form, the rich history of the area and also enjoyed awesome views, games and activities aboard the boat - one of only 6 remaining authentic paddle wheel riverboats in the United States! Each week the RiverSchool covers different engaging themes and lessons and you can view the options and activities online before booking. The RiverSchool voyage lasts about 75 minutes, runs at 10 am on Saturday mornings and it's FREE for kids. In addition to the River School Voyage, there are many opportunities and fun themed events like Pirate and Princess Cruises among others aboard the Pride of the Susquehanna.
Get Sporty |
City Island
1 Riverside Drive
Harrisburg, PA. 17101
Something-for-everyone is often our goal when it comes to choosing a family activity and that's exactly what city Island has in store. Boat rides, train rides, baseball, soccer, eats and treats, miniature golf, a playground, great views and recreational area are some of the activities that make up Harrisburg's City Island. We spent a few hours at City Island and really enjoyed its open-air, family-friendly setting and we didn't even do all there is to do. This stop will definitely be a part of our return trip to the Harrisburg area. My baseball fanatics will love the Senators' stadium and I look forward to seeing that river view again. The food from Cafe Huey's will please a crowd as well. A stop at City Island could be an entire day or you could pair it with some of the other nearby fun, like a stop at the Capitol Building or a visit to the Hershey area. You can even walk to City Island across the bridge from Downtown Harrisburg.
You can learn a little bit about the activities at City Island at http://visitcityisland.com/ or follow them on Facebook for updates and other information.
Game On |
Adventure Sports in Hershey
3010 Elizabethtown Road
Hershey, PA 17033
So many times, when it comes to vacations or day trips, I'm the planner, the cruise director, the one who is setting up the details and making sure everyone has a good time. Even though I enjoy my role and my fun-planning skills, that sometimes means I'm not always a part of that action when it comes to the actual fun. When we got to Adventure Sports in Hershey, I knew my son was going to want to do it ALL and since it was just me and him I got to take part and be 100% in on the fun. Before we arrived, I didn't think I was much of a go-kart person, or a bumper boat mom but - you guys - I totally AM! It was so much fun. It felt great to play like a kid And it wasn't the kind of fun where you're mostly enjoying it because you see how happy your kids are - it was fun for the sake of being pure FUN! It's so awesome finding places where, as parents, we can be a kid again too. Adventure Sports in Herhsey is 110% that place.
Adventure Sports Attractions include:
- Adventure Miniature Golf
- Hershey Batting Cages
- Driving Range
- Bumper Boats
- Go-Karts
- Outdoor Laser Tag
- Indoor Arcade
- Ice Cream Parlor
- Escape Room
Park It |
Hersheypark
100 Hersheypark Dr.
Hershey, PA 17033
Our theme park strategy is typically to create a must-do list where everyone gives input on their must-do ride or attraction. Our trip to Hersheypark was no different. After measuring up to see what rides my son could enjoy (he's a Hershey Bar, but we had fun measuring against each candy character upon entering) we went to our first must-do ride.
We chose the brand new Resee's Cupfusion ride- an arcade-style game and ride in one. My kiddo was big enough to ride this one on his own which he thought was awesome, but we rode together and it was game-on. Our day continued with more of the same. We hopped from ride to ride and game to game and wore ourselves out properly. I enjoyed everything all that much more because we were lucky enough to be spending the day at Hersheypark as part of some one-on-one time. You can read about why this was especially sweet here. Yet no matter who had joined us, we would have been able to find something for everyone's interest and thrill-level. With a Hersheypark ticket you get admittance to Hersheypark rides, the Water park and Zoo America.
Sweeten the Deal |
Hershey's Chocolate World
101 Chocolate World Way
Hershey, PA 17033
A visit to HERSHEY'S Chocolate World was on our weekend agenda. A world of chocolate, people. You know that's a can't-miss for me. We checked out the new Hershey's Unwrapped attraction to put our chocolate taste-testing skills to work. We used our sense even more un the 4D Chocolate Movie. Seeing the HERSHEY candy characters come alive was fun and listening to my son's giggles and reactions were even sweeter. We made our own candy bars with custom additions and wrappers and watching them come down the line was almost as exciting as eating them. We shopped the candy-themed gift shop and experienced the free HERSHEY's Chocolate Tour. Chocolate World could be a day visit in itself or a quick, sweet stop on either end of a Hersheypark visit. Your inner chocoholic will find no shortage of indulgences.
Rest |
Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center
800 E. Park Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17111
Don't forget to rest during your visit - or if you're like my kids - continue the fun into the night at the indoor pool - at the Best Western Premier The Central Hotel & Conference Center. We checked into the Best Western Premier and got right to adventuring during our trip but their service at check-in and beyond was incredible. I received texts from the front desk checking to make sure everything was as expected in our rooms (it was!)
We headed out to visit the sites and found our location to be ideal for the many spots on our itinerary it was within 5-10 miles of every stop on our agenda of fun. This hotel had everything my kids would want - awesome hotel beds and an indoor pool and everything I want - it was clean, has a restaurant on site for easy family meals and was a short drive from all the places we needed to be.
It's all a short drive west down the PA Turnpike and a big change from our usual. It's an easy drive but one you may not look forward to on your way home as you probably won't want to leave all of the family fun, adventure, history and chocolate behind. How lucky are we to live so close by, so we can keep this trip on repeat with our other favorite summer activities?
We were hosted by Visit Hershey Harrisburg during our weekend trip and received complimentary attractions, meals and lodging but all opinions stated are my own.
