Take 3 kids to Hershey, PA area vs. Montreal area from Boston in Aug., 20004
 

I wanted to take my 2 kids (& my son's friend) to Universal in FL, but too expensive to fly the 4 of us from Boston. I'm contemplating a 4-5 day vacation in August, but can't decide where to go. I'd like to stay within 5 or 6 hour drive from the Boston area. They love amusement and water parks and we've done Watercountry in NH and Six Flags in Mass. for the past few years, and would like somewhere different. I've been researching Montreal, because of LaRonde, and the festivals (also the exchange rate). I've also started researching Hershey, PA area, but Fodors doesn't have much on it that I could find. Does anyone have suggestions on Montreal, Hershey, or somewhere else? The kids are girl age 7, and 2 boys age 11. Thanks!

Don't even say it - I know - I added an extra "0" to 2004!

Hi Sam - we are also from the Boston area. We've done the Hershey trip. We are on the Norht Shore and it was about a 7 hour drive. Stayed at the Residence Inn in Harrisburg with Marriott Rewards. It was a nice hotel in a strange location - kind of in the middle of an industrial park. Not great for vacation but the price was right and the hotel was great. The small pool and basketball court was fun for the kids. About a 10 minute drive to Hershey.

We stayed 3 nights. Spent 2 days in Hershey - the park is very nice and clean. The rides are fun and there is plenty for both ages. I believe there is a water park connected to the park but we didn't use it. There is also a small zoo and gardens. All very nice. The "facotry tour" was lame but there was 3D movie that was pretty good even if it was a giant ad for Hershey.

We also visited Lancaster PA - about 40 minute drive. Went for a buggy ride with a real Amish person. Saw an interactive movie about teenage Amish life that was interesting and toured a replica of an Amish house. It was a nice way to spend a day.

It was very hot and humid - worse then what we experience here.

Overall I would say that the trip was good but not great. I'm glad I went but no one is eager to go again. The latter half of that week we drove up to Portland Maine where we had a ball. Went to a Seadogs game, went on a lobster boat, went to Portland Head Light state park to picnic and fly kites. Went up to LL Bean. Just another option to consider.

Haven't been to Montreal with the kids but in the back of my head I've a trip planned. Check out Mt. Tremblant - a ski resort north of Montreal that looks pretty cool for the summer - lake to swim and fish, bike trails, festivals etc. Might be a good combo with staying in the city.

Like bennie, we've been to Hershey and Amish country in mid-summer and found it oppressively hot. I'd recommend that you look into the Montreal details.

I am looking at the third week of August. The Boston area tends to cool down mid-Aug. as far as outdoor swimming weather goes, so I was figuring Canada would be too cold for a water park, or outdoor shorts/t-shirt weather. I am actually leaning more towards Hershey now, can anyone suggest a reasonable $75-$150/nt. hotel w/indoor pool. Also, can anyone suggest an itinerary? We'd like to see other sights in the area and am planning on 4-5 days total. Leaving on a Sunday and returning on Thurs.?

There are dozens of hotels in the vicinity of Hershey. My suggestion is to pick up a AAA guidebook if you are a member. The hotel we stayed in had an outdoor pool.

I can also recommend the guidebook "Off the Beaten Path in Pennslyvania". It had lots of info to help develop an itinerary.

Plus do a search here on this board. Its where I got a lot of my information.

Harrisburg has a minor league baseball team too if you are interested.

As a former kid, I will add that my parents took us on many, many road trips back in the day. The time we spent in Hershey remains with me as my all-time favorite. I can still smell the chocolate, see the Hershey Kiss street lights and remember the nausea from the rides at Hershey Park. I know we went to Montreal as well, but it was just another city in my memory.

My husband's family is from PA & we have done the Amish thing with our kids. It floored them to see kids walking from school with bonnets & hats on. The countryside is so clean & seeing horse & buggy still is beyond them. They also got a kick out of some of the names of the communities.

I read that Hershey has a new attraction that might interest you. Here is the site & another with an online guide to the area.
http://www.hersheyschocolateworld.com/
http://www.hersheypa.com/

Have fun & think Willy Wonka!!

If you do Hershey, we found the prices alot higher right near the park so we stayed at the Sheraton in Harrisburg, 15 min. away from the park. Definitely doable, as Hershy is not a huge park and we didn't feel the need to go back to the hotel mid-day like we do sometimes in Orlando parks. Sheraton had wonderful indoor huge pool (liked that, skip the sunscreen.) It is really big, encased in a bubble top, and locals can have memberships to swim there, that is how big it is (also a hot tub.) Pool was lifeguarded too.

Thanks to those who've posted with their input, I sincerely do appreciate it. I enjoy hearing of other fodorites' experiences and recommendations. I am not a AAA member but I do buy an Entertainment Book every year. I found a $64 hotel (Entertainment rate) in Harrisburg, and was thinking it was too far out of the way, but the ones in Hershey are running about $200, now I'm considering it again after your replies. I had compared it to staying near or within Disney and wasn't too fond of the idea of driving 1/2 hour past our destintation to save a few bucks, but $136 is worth it, that could feed us all for a whole day! I will enjoy any and all other suggestions and continue my research by searching the other posts and websites - Thanks again!

I live in PA and I can tell you that Hershey will be a nice choice. One day at the park might be enough, many of us do it every year. A hotel in Harrisburg will be fine, traffic isn't bad at all from Harrisburg to Hershey. Don't forget to do the Chocolate World tour - it's free and fun.

Other suggestions nearby:

If you drive north (322 West to Routes 11/15) about 2 hours you will come to Williamsport PA - Home of Little League Baseball, there's a great museum and the LL World Series might be at the time you are planning. Also right on route 15 there is Clyde Peeling's Reptile Land which is always a hit with the kids.

As far as amusement parksd go THE BEST in Pennsylvania is called Knobel's Grove and is close to the town Elysburg. The place is great for all ages but beare your kids will want to stay more than a day. The place is not really close to any big city but the good news is that all the motels & hotels close are very clean and well kept. There is not a fee to get in you buy either tickets for each ride or armbands for the day (they have certain days that you can't buy an armband) There is also a beautiful pool there with tubes to slide down and alot of families spend a whole day just for that. You will find more in on their website www.knoebels.com

I live a couple minutes from Hershey. First, the kids will love it. Their web site has admission info at http://www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/, and we always get discouted tickets at the local Giant (supermarkets). As for hotels, The Springhill Suites is fairly new and very close to the park, although not much else (restaurants, stores etc.). The Comfort Inn is pretty nice and they have an indoor pool. Several hotels would have Harrisburg addressses but are only 10 or 15 minutes away from Hershey Park - The Marriott on Lindle Road has great indoor and outdoor pools. The Sheraton on East Park Drive has an indoor pool. The only place I wouldn't stay is the Hershey Lodge that is very overpriced, IMO. I'm not sure I would spend 5 days at Hershey Park, so you might consider a day trip to either the National Aquarium in Baltimore (awesome stingrays) or the boys especially might enjoy a side trip to Gettysburg. I think on a hot day in August, the miserable traffic around Lancaster with all the outlets and road construction would be a definite "downer" after Hershey. Anyway, enjoy your stay.

You really wouldn't do Lancaster, even during the week? Maybe I should move that BEFORE Hershey, so that they won't be bummed out and bored. Anyone? I need to fill a few days, but would like to stay within an hour radius of Hershey, or maybe a suggestion of a side trip on the way down or way back Northeast.

I could spend several days visiting Hershey Park. They have added several rides in the past few years. They also have Dolphin shows, etc.
Harrisburg has a pretty good AA baseball team--the Senators- that play at Riverfront Park. Actually I think the name of the park is changing to Citizens Bank Park. You might want to go and enjoy a baseball game one day or evening.

Does anyone know about the Holiday Inn Harrisburg West in Mechanicsburg? Is the location okay?

There's some nice motel/hotels on the east side of Harrisburg - we pass a number of them on Rt 283 which is between Rt 322 and the PA turnpike and should be more convenient to Hershey than Hershey would be to Mechanicsburg.

Hershey Park is great for kids. One other thing you might consider (if you also go near Lancaster) is the Strasburg Railroad. Our kids always enjoyed it.

I don't know what route you'd use from Boston but if you were coming across I-84 to I-81 and down there's a national park called "Steamtown" and it's in Scranton, PA. The Interior Dept has set it up with the greatest collection of trains you can imagine - our kids loved it!! Another thing they enjoyed in the same area was a visit to a real coal mine and going into it!

Just some extra thoughts cause we were always looking for good trips for our kids.

Mechanicsburg is across the river and a little farther away than the hotels between Hershey and Harrisburg. If it's the one right by the turnpike exit, it's OK, but it's been there a while. Just checked with my daughter on side trips and she thinks your kids might like Dorney Park near Allentown which has a good waterpark. You could get there in about an hour. Closer to Hershey, there are Indian Echo caverns--a little touristy for my taste, but if you haven't been to the big caverns in Virginia, you might like it. The Baltimore aquarium is about an hour or so south on Rt83 and the inner harbor area is filled with magicians, musicians, a WW2 submarine and stuff for kids.
She concurs with Schmerl - in Harrisburg, Hershey Park is the main attraction. She tells me they have another new roller coaster opening this spring.
Lots of people (bus loads actually) come from New York and other states to Lancaster for the tax-free clothes. Hershey in fact has a much smaller version right next to the park (Wendy's and Red Robin there also). Here's their web site:
http://www.outletsathershey.com/
Hopefully someone more familiar with Lancaster will see your post. Good Luck.

There is a Holiday Inn at the Grantville exit on Rt 81. That should only be about 10 or 15 minutes north of Hershey. I haven't stayed there, but been to conferences. Seems very neat and clean. Food in the restaurant was good.

I live in Wilkes-Barre, just south of Scranton, where Steamtown is located. That could be a nice afternoon. It's right on 81 as you travel south to Hershey. It could be a good stop on your trip down to walk around and see the trains. I don't recommend taking the train ride with kids unless they have a "short" one. We went with some kids one time. All the adults were very excited about riding the train. After about 10 minutes on the train, one of the kids said "Is this all you do? Ride?". Would probably feel like just an extension of your car trip to them. Never done the coal mine tour, but it is on my list. Heard from people who took the tour that it's great.

The battlefields in Gettysburg are very interesting. When we were there, we bought a tape to play in the car that was a self guided tour. I enjoyed it much, even though I'm not the history buff in the family.

Also know a lot of people that love Knobels park. Even though they have great rides, still feels like a small operation.

You have so many choices! Have fun.

I forgot all about the Holiday Inn in Grantville - Isn't that the holidome with a pool? Great Sunday brunch. Lots of weddings and conferences. Much closer to Hershey than the one in Mechanicsburg.

If you really want an amusement park experience, plan your trip so you stop in Allentown PA coming or going and visit Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom.

Hersheypark doesn't have a separate water park. It has some water rides right in the park.