Hershey Water Works is located at the Hershey Lodge and is a great family friendly destination offering year round family fun! Today we are sharing our Hershey Lodge review including tips for visiting Hershey Water Works, Hershey Lodge on-site restaurants, and perks of being on-site during a Hersheypark visit.
Disclosure: I was hosted by Hershey Lodge for our stay. All of my opinions are honest and my own.
As you enter the Hershey Lodge the first thing you notice is the smell of chocolate that fills the lobby. Then you realize this is no ordinary place. The Hershey Lodge is full of family fun activities, like the Hershey Lodge Water Park, restaurants, and is a perfect family weekend getaway.
We decided to surprise the kids with a stay at Hershey Lodge. They knew we were going to Hersheypark but didn’t know we were staying at the lodge.
Our kids were on spring break and we knew we wanted to getaway for the weekend. We only had a weekend because we are planning a few trips in the summer and didn’t want to take any days off of work.
Our travel is all about balancing home life and our desire to create memories while traveling!
When we pulled up to the resort they were so excited! We were blown away by how big the resort is. The lobby has a fire place and a warm ambiance that makes you feel at home. We couldn’t wait to explore more!
Hershey Lodge Review for Families
We really loved the family friendly atmosphere as soon as we entered the Hershey Lodge resort. It has a welcoming cozy vibe and perfect for a family weekend getaway.
Arrival at the Hershey Lodge
We checked in and received the daily kids activities and a sweet treat for all of us!! I love chocolate so this was awesome!! The schedule had all the hours of the Hershey water park and restaurants, as well as the hours for the family activities.
It was our go-to during our stay because there was so much to do and we wanted to see it all.
Visiting Hershey Gardens and The Hershey Story Museum
Included in our stay were tickets to the Hershey Gardens and The Hershey Story Museum. Our room wasn’t ready yet so we explored the resort a bit and then visited the gardens and museum.
It was a little chilly for Hershey Gardens but we enjoyed walking around the grounds and the butterfly conservatory. The Hershey Story Museum is a neat little museum that goes through the story of Hershey and the town. It really is an interesting story about how a small farm town grew to this huge business we all now know as Hershey.
During our visit to the museum I received a text that our room was ready so we went back to our room to get settled. We ended up grabbing a quick bite to eat before we returned and then spent the evening at the Hershey Lodge waterpark.
Hershey Water Works: Hershey Lodge Water Park
My kids wanted to spend all of their time at the Hershey Water Works. Hershey’s Water Works has 2 water slides, a huge pool, and two smaller kid play areas.
It is the perfect size for school aged kids and my husband and I were able to sit and relax while they enjoyed the areas. It can get busy so grab your chairs quick.
It is always nice to find a place for the kids to unwind and play, that is also great for adults. I felt good knowing I could see all three of the kids and not have to follow them through the areas. It is just the right size!
I love that the lodge really pays attention to the needs of adults and kids. Hershey Lodge makes sure the vacation is for you and your kids. It puts family first and is really thoughtful about creating activities the entire family can enjoy.
Hershey Lodge Rooms
The rooms at the Hershey Lodge are moderately decorated with a Hershey theme. They had Hershey Kiss wallpaper and kisses on the linens. The beds were really comfortable and we were close to the water park! We loved the location to the waterpark but we did have to walk outside to get to it.
There are a few different options for accommodations at the Hershey Lodge. They have standard two queen rooms as well as suites that can fit up to 8 people. This is perfect if you are traveling with a larger group or the grandparents are joining you.
Family Activities at the Hershey Lodge
I didn’t expect daily resort activities at the Hershey Lodge so I was pleasantly surprised when we were given a list of activities for the day. The list included crafts, character meetings, Kids Check-In time and family BINGO.
We didn’t make it to the character meetings in the lobby but did play BINGO and made crafts. BINGO brings me back to my childhood and this was a lot of fun. We even won a game!
Hershey Lodge offers complimentary shuttles from the lodge to Hersheypark. The shuttles run every 30 minutes.
There is also an arcade and activity center located in the Water Works building. Here the kids can play games and enjoy a family movie night.
Honestly we ended up staying at Hershey’s Water Works until it closed because the kids enjoyed it so much.
During certain hours of the day they have a Kid’s Check-In. This is located in the lobby. We missed it on our first day but went over on our second day.
It is really cute. Each child signs in, receives a Hershey lanyard, a piece of chocolate, and gets to guess how many kisses are in the jar. We didn’t win the jar but it was fun to get the cute souvenir. It is the little details that make the stay at the Hershey Lodge so special.
Restaurants at the Hershey Lodge
There are 4 restaurants on site at the Hershey Lodge. Fire & Grain offers breakfast and dinner options. Hershey Grill and The Bear’s Den offer American Fare. The Forebay is a little fancier but all of the restaurants are family friendly. There is also a coffee shop, lobby bar, room service, and the Cocoa Cabana located at Water Works.
We ate most of our meals outside the lodge because we were either at Hersheypark or exploring Hershey. On our next visit I would like to visit The Bear’s Den and get an ice cream at the Cocoa Beanery.
On our last night, we enjoyed more of the Hershey Lodge water park and had a family movie night in our room. This short weekend at Hershey Lodge was just what we needed to reconnect and enjoy some family time.
Read Next: Fun Things You Need to Do in Hershey, Pennsylvania
More Hershey Posts You May Like:
- 8 of Our Favorite Attractions at Hersheypark
- How to Spend Your Day At Hershey Chocolate World
- Hersheypark Hotels: 3 Ways to Stay at the Sweetest Place on Earth
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That sounds like a really relaxing family weekend away with plenty to keep the children occupied – which is the most important thing!
Yes! It was a good balance of both relaxing time and play time!
i’m pretty sure I stayed here when I was a kid (MS-er age) Cant go wrong with a water park and chocolate!!!!
You’ve got to get back with the kids!