When you think about the every day blah blah, sometimes the days run together and it’s tough to remember which is which. But add a vacation in the mix and those memories stick with you. While we’re enjoying one, we almost always reminisce about previous vacations – usually the silly things that went wrong and turned out hilarious, or the tender times that just stick with you.

As you probably already know, vacations in general are one of my favorite things. So this family vacation to Hershey, PA was just wonderful! This post provides an outline of where we went, what we saw, and links to posts associated with each stop.

Our itinerary:

Chocolate and So Much More
Hershey, PA (all 7 nights) The Suites at Hershey. This is an introduction to our trip and tells about our first stop at the Turkey Hill Experience in Columbia, PA. We had a great self-guided tour with lots of Kodak moments by beautiful cows and other farm scenes. The kids had fun trying interactive activities and we all enjoyed the free tasting – so much so that we added on the Taste Lab – where some of us got a little carried away!

Indian Echo Caverns
On this very hot day we enjoyed these gorgeous caverns for more than one reason! We all agreed that this was one of the best caves (and cave tours) we had ever visited. Our guide had very interesting stories to tell about each room we went through, and when we emerged the kids panned for gemstones and there was a petting zoo – with goats!

Hershey, PA
Today we explored Chocolate World. We started with a Chocolate Tour, created our own candy bar, and took the Hershey Trolly through town. We shopped in the World’s Largest Hershey’s Store and bought a few of the biggest candy bars I’ve ever seen in my life! We got a few free samples and had a blast.

Philadelphia, PA
This was quite a long day-trip, but we all agreed it was worth it. We purchased Historic Philadelphia Passes, toured Independence Hall, and set off to find lunch. The Reading Terminal Market looked to have a great selection, but the crowds and the noise was a little scary with three smaller kids in tow.

Philly Part 2
Our day trip to Philadelphia continues. We explored Christ Church and walked down Elfreth’s Alley to the Betsy Ross House for a tour. There we discovered Once Upon a Nation – a scavenger hunt of sorts for kids. We also had a tour of the Historic Arch Street Quaker Meeting House.

Philly Finale
This post finishes up our Philadelphia day. We explored Christ Church Burial Ground, stopped at the National Constitution Center, saw the Liberty Bell, explored along the Delaware River at Penn’s Landing, and grabbed dinner at the Revolution House. Since we came in two cars, one car headed back to Hershey, and one took a detour to run up the Rocky Steps!

Dutch Wonderland
Since our kiddos were on the young side for Hershey Park, we opted for a day with a more neighborhood-park feel. The guys opted for a tour of the Yuengling Brewery and met us later. Although some of the rides were slightly past their prime, we all had a blast on this gorgeous day and learned a song we will always remember.

Hotel Hershey and Hershey Gardens
Today we split into groups with half exploring Gettysburg and my half exploring a fabulous hotel and gardens. The hotel was amazing, and the lobby had a fantastic blue sky ceiling with a Spanish ambiance. The gardens had lovely walkways through stunning floral carpets and benches strategically placed. The Butterfly Atrium and the Children’s Garden were particularly fun.

The National Civil War Museum
On our final day in Hershey we headed to the Civil War Museum. “The Civil War is the central event in America’s historical consciousness. While the Revolution of 1776-1783 created the United States, the Civil War of 1861-1865 determined what kind of nation it would be.” This is a must-see for you history buffs out there!

Our family vacation of 2016 is officially in the books!

Happy trails,
Barb