If you're a chocolate lover -- and really, who isn't? -- and you've got some vacation time coming up, you should give serious thought to planning a trip to Hershey, PA. Home of world-famous Hershey's Chocolate, Hershey is also host to one of the nation's best amusement parks, a world-class theatre, and plenty of other great attractions.
But you've made your decision, right? Now all that's left to plan are the details. How will you get there? Where will you eat? Where will you stay? Can you find a hotel near Hersheypark? Here are a few resources to help you get started.
Plan a Road Trip. If you're close enough -- or if you're far away and you have plenty of time -- you may want to drive to Hershey. It's only a few hours from Philadelphia, New York City, Washington DC, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. If you're not in a hurry, try to take the local routes rather than the interstate highways -- it'll allow you to see more of the country. Rand McNally's website features a trip planning function and can help you book airline tickets or rent cars. But Google Maps offers users the ability to click and drag routes, add markers, and plan trips with fun in mind, rather than just getting there quickly.
Buy Airline Tickets. If you're short on time or don't relish the idea of spending too much time in the car, it's simple to plan a trip online via one of the many Internet travel companies. Places like Orbitz, Travelocity and Cheapflights have varying degrees of customer satisfaction, so be sure to check reviews on a site like Consumer Search.
Make an Itinerary. This is something you'll do best on your own; you don't need any Web tools, just a pen and paper. But you can do a web search for attractions in Hershey, or simply check out our list. Of course you'll want to consider the big draws like Hersheypark and Hershey's Chocolate World. But what about the lesser-known attractions like Indian Echo Caverns, ZooAmerica or The Falconry Experience?
Book a Hotel Room. This one's easy, particularly if you're looking for a hotel near Hersheypark and all the other great Hershey attractions. The Days Inn Hershey offers an online reservation service that allows you to book rooms right from your desktop. It doesn't get much easier than that.
