paulg

After a family get together in Geneva-on-the-Lake in NE Ohio and then more family visiting in Pittsburgh, we plan to head over to the Lancaster area for a Hershey and Amish country visit. This is around July 4 week. We have a 7 year old daughter and 2 year old son. We read good reviews about the Best Western Revere Inn in Paradise, so will try to stay there for several days. Questions: (1) How long is the drive from Paradise to Hershey (I see the mileage, but don't know the roads)? (2) From other posts, I gather that Hershey park is better for my 7 year old, and Dutch Wonderland is better for my 2 year old. True? Does Dutch Wonderland have anything for my daughter, or is it all toddler stuff? I'd rather not have to do both parks in lieu of other site seeing. Thanks in advance!

SuCo27

Hi paulg!

The Revere is a good choice - probably one of the top 5 family hotels chosen by tourists. It sounds like you haven't made reservations yet though and that's a popular week. If you can't get a res. there, also try the BW Eden Resort (request a room away from the road), the Bird-In-Hand Inn, the Amish View Inn and Suites or the Country Inn and Suites (again, a room away from the road). These are all very popular hotels in the area and you can't go wrong with any of them.

To answer your questions:
1) The drive would be a little over an hour, as much as an hour and a half, depending on traffic. Take 340 West to 30 West to 283 West. On a map, 30 looks like it would be the bigger highway and therefore better option to take from the Intercourse area west, but it is not always. The portion of Rt. 30 from that area to about Rt. 462 is heavily congested and can take a lot of extra time. Rt. 340 *usually* has less traffic.

2) That depends on your 7 year old. Is she more adventurous? Does she prefer roller coasters and thrill rides, or will she generally stick to the kiddie rides even at Hershey? That's really tough to say, not knowing your daughter. Generally 7 or 8 is the age that most kids get bored with DW, but it's totally dependent on the actual child. There is one small roller coaster at DW, but not too much else for older kids/adults. If she's not going to do too many 'big kid' rides, IMHO, it's not worth the money for Hershey (unless Mom and Dad like thrill rides). You could always just plan-as-you-go too. Go to DW one day and if you find you have an extra free day toward the end of your trip, or if you feel your daughter didn't have a good time, go to Hershey later. You can get discount tix at any Giant (local grocery store). They're all over the area. Although, even with the discount, Hershey prices are high.

Have fun!

MP07950

The Best Western in Paradise books up very quickly. I go to Lancaster a couple times/year (but primarily for shopping) and lately we've been staying at the Country Inns and Suites. It's a nice place, reasonably priced, and conveniently located. My understanding is that the rooms on Route 30 are the non-suite rooms.

cheapbutnice2

The Revere Inn is on the east side of Lancaster - 15 minutes further away from Hershey. If you are also visiting HersheyPark, I would recommend the Bird-In-Hand Resort, Marriott Courtyard or Hilton Garden Inn. If staying at the Hilton or Marriott, ask at the lodging for directions to the Manheim Township Parks Dept. - they have even greater discounts than Giant.I would vote for HP over DW for the 7 year old. There are plenty of shows, etc. to keep everyone busy.

paulg

Thanks everyone for the information! As of yesterday, the Revere Inn still had plenty of availability, but I'll take the warnings under advisement and try to book ASAP. If it doesn't work out, it sounds like there are plenty of other good options. As for my daughter, yes, she is pretty adventurous and would like some of the larger roller coasters ... and I'm a roller coaster fanatic! So maybe we'll go for Hershey first and save DW as a backup.

So since I've gotten so many good responses, I'll try to push my luck and ask some more questions.

I've quickly read over good reviews of shops, country drives, pretzel factories, other Hershey attractions, trains, etc. They all sound like fun, but it sounds like more than we have time for. So what are the "must dos." Keep in mind we want to see some Amish lifestyle and educate our daughter, but we have no interest in over-doing it and adding to the tourist chaos. Also keep in mind that my daughter is, and my son will soon be, well traveled and can handle long car trips (we're from Texas, after all). Thanks again!

cheapbutnice2

Depending on exact dates, there is plenty to do around 7/4.Check the calendar at the Lanc. Tourist Bureau for 1st nite in downtown Lanc, the Lanc. Orchestra is doing a concert downtown the weekend before the 4th and the US Army band is giving a free concert at nearby Long's Park.From a sightseeing perspective get a great map from the Tourist Bureau and explore the back roads, north of Rte. 340, northwest to Rte 23 in New Holland.

cheapbutnice2

I almost forgot. I hate to say this but for adults, the movie "Witness" gives a decent feel for the kindness and personality of the Amish and plain Mennonites in Lancaster County. They are a delightful group of survivors living in the shadow of the 21st Century with little to no cultural help from the long-time English transplants like me!Southern Lancaster County, below Rte. 30 and west to the Susquehanna River is also beautiful and relatively unruined.

Ryan

Hershey Park can be fun, even for a 2 year old. They have multiple rides for small kids and a waterpark that has toddler sized slides and a wave pool. Your admission ticket also gets you into ZooAmerica.

One suggestion though about the water park section of Hershey. It gets VERY crowded by the early afternoon. We went to Hershey twice last summer and found it far better to hit the water section first thing in the morning. We stayed until a bit past 1:00 and then got changed and hit the rest of the park. For the first hour or so, it was relatively empty. Had you gotten there by 11, you would not have been able to find a chair. By 12, they started limiting access to their large water attraction.

The upside though is that the other rides in the park are less crowded when the water part is packed in the heat of the day.

persimmondeb

I'll second Ryan's opinion that Hershey is actually a good park for toddlers. This was long before the water park opened, but we did it just after DS's second birthday and he had a fabulous time. Lot's of good kiddie rides, and it's an attractive and well laid out park. Reasonably shady, too. The food is reasonably good for a theme park, too, although better just outside the gates than in.

paulg

We've decided to just hit Hershey Park of the two, in line with your opinions, because (a) we don't want to spend 2 days in amusement parks, and (b) we've never been ones to go out of our way to overly entertain our toddlers. They're happy doing just about anything.

Thanks again.

kwren

You can also go to Chocolate World, www.hersheyschocolateworld.com , on your Hershey Park day - they are both on the same property and the Hershey Park parking lot serves both. (Don't go to the Chocolate World parking lot for the day - too expensive) We used to go with our toddlers before Hershey Park opened and before the long lines formed at Choc World and get out in time to get to the park when it opened (possibly difficult timing with a 2 year old and an hour+ drive I realize). CW is free and is a kid-friendly short ride outlining how chocolate is made. They also give out a free sample of chocolate at the end of the ride. Alternately, on really hot days, we have left HP (get your hand stamped) and gone over for the ride and A/C. It might be a good break for the kids if you are at HP all day, but the lines at CW are often long then. They have good milkshakes there too

Hershey Park will be crowded around the 4th of July week. If you have the flexibility, mid-week the crowds might be a bit better.

Giant foodstores are easy to find - they are everywhere! AAA also has discount tickets.
If you want to call to compare prices, use the store locator at http://www.giantfoodstores.com/shareddev/storelocator/ and give a call once HP opens for the season. As I recall, Giant and AAA have had different prices in the past, but I forget which is better.

There are a few sections throughout HP with just toddler rides (the 7 year old will like many of them too)- you won't have any trouble keeping your little guy happy.

Other tips: Hershey Park also give out free cup of ice water at the concession stands. Just ask! If you and your husband both want to go on a big coaster that the kids can't ride, one rides first, then when getting off, the other can pass the kids across to them so as to ride as well. Saves the time of both waiting separately. The best show for a hot summer day is the air-conditioned show by the bumper cars. It is always great entertainment and cold! Just get there early as a line forms. THe kids will love the dolphin show too. Almost forgot, if you have tickets in advance and are taking a stroller, stay to the right when entering the park - there is a special gate for families with strollers and it goes much faster.

If I think of anything else, I'll post again. Have fun on your trip.

paulg

A slight re-arrangement of plans puts us in the area the week of the 14th instead of July 4, so hopefully the crowds will be more manageable. Any good pretzel factory tours in the area? I thought I read something about that.

kwren

the Anderson pretzel factory was closed the last time we were in the area. Too bad - I loved that tour!

The Lititz pretzel factory is fun...and different. Small groups of people are given the tour at one time as this is a tiny place. Everyone is given a piece of dough and is taught how to roll it and twist a pretzel. You don't actually bake your own pretzel, but you are taken back to see the tiny operation in the back rooms. It doesn't take too long, but kids like it. Of course, you can buy pretzels too.

There is a small chocolate store in Lititz too - Wilbur Chocolates. Chocolates are hand-made behind a large glass window and I think they say there is a small chocolate making museum (very small). If you are in Lititz, why not go see and taste the samples. I wouldn't make a special trip just for this place, but would go if I were there.

cheapbutnice2

Lititz is a suburb of Lancaster, bout 15 minutes from the city & tourist area. Very easy to find on any map. It had 6-8 blocks of very nice stores, the General Sutter Inn and the Sturgis pretzel store.The tour is described perfectly above but the little town has nice sidewalks and makes for a nice stroll. The Wilbur chocolate factory is very popular. It started with Wilbur Buds which created the idea for Hershey kisses.