A Sweet Summer

A Sweet Summer: Eating Your Way Through Hersheypark

Walking through the front gates of Hersheypark has a transportive quality—suddenly, you’re not an anxious Millenial with sunscreen dripping into your eyes and work emails you should probably be checking. 

No, with just a few steps, you find yourself carried back in time—now you’re an excited 10-year-old kid, racing to find out if this is the summer you’ve finally grown enough to reach Jolly Rancher status, the height at which no ride is off limits to you. There are roller coasters and ferris wheels to be ridden, sweets and treats to be eaten—ride, eat, repeat. (Motion sickness? What’s that?) With the smell of chocolate in the air and the signature whoosh of the Great Bear as the rollercoaster races above your head, summer—as you once knew it—is back. 

But the thing is: As nostalgic as you may feel, you’re not 10-years-old anymore, and so the funnel cakes and hot dogs of your youth (as delicious as they may be) might not quite cut it anymore. Lucky for park-goers, Hersheypark has spent the last few years elevating and expanding upon that classic amusement park culinary experience. 

Our food tour begins at Hershey's Chocolatetown, the park’s brand new $150 million expansion. This new section features three unique restaurants that are accessible to the public with or without a park ticket: Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor, The Sweeterie Confectionery Kitchen, and The Chocolatier. 

Inspired by the ice cream parlors and confectionary shops of the early 20th century, Milton’s Ice Cream Parlor serves up decadent ice creams, sundaes, milkshakes, and more made from local dairy—with a side of nostalgia. But don’t let the name fool you: Milton’s also offers a surprisingly wide variety of savory options, from a signature grilled cheese stuffed with pulled pork and bacon onion jam, to chicken and waffles with chicken gravy and spicy maple mayo. The options at Milton’s are elevated and the portions are huge—making for a delightful marriage of fine dining flavors and theme park abundance.

Located next door to Milton’s, The Sweeterie Confectionery Kitchen offers all of the chocolate you’d imagine from Hershey’s—but with an extra dose of whimsy. The Sweeterie features hand paddled fudge, giant cookies chock full of signature Hershey’s products, and elaborate, colorful confections inspired by classic Hersheypark rides, like the Comet Coaster Bar, the Kissing Tower Mousse Cake, and the Laff Trakk Swirl Cake. At this confectionary shop, especially, Hershey is living up to Chocolatetown’s new slogan: Where fun meets chocolate.

The final stop on our Chocolatetown tour—and what some might call the showpiece of Hershey’s expansion—is The Chocolatier. Spanning the second floor of the new building and overlooking the park itself, The Chocolatier is a full-service restaurant, bar, and patio serving up chocolate-inspired and -infused fare and cocktails. The decor of the restaurant relies heavily on the park’s history, featuring pieces from iconic rides, including Comet roller coaster and Tilt-A-Whirl booths, as well as a delightful carousel bar.

Venturing into the park itself, you’ll find a wider array of culinary options than you perhaps remember from your childhood. You can, of course, still enjoy the theme park classics; from funnel cake and ice cream cones, to french fries and pizza—it’s all still there, just as you remember it. 

But if it’s something different you’re looking for, Hersheypark has that, too. Lancaster-favorite Oola Bowls is offering up fresh, delicious acai and pitaya bowls loaded with peanut butter, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, chia seeds, coconut flakes, honey, and more. 

Meanwhile, in a quiet, shaded area near the Trailblazer roller coaster, Spring Creek Smokehouse is serving up from-scratch sides and slow-cooked meats all day long. We were pleasantly surprised by the tender brisket and home-style mac and cheese we sampled—and we heard great things about their monkeybread and corn muffins. 

And if you want to end the day with a sweet treat, check out the melt-in-your-mouth donuts and dipping sauces from East Coast Mini Donuts. Pick from funnel cake style, sweet glaze, cinnamon sugar, or a monthly specialty flavor… and be sure to order the souvenir bucket overflowing with 30 mini donuts. As much as you may think that sounds like a lot of donuts, you’re going to want them later to fuel a full day of theme park antics. 

After all, as much as a day at Hersheypark might make you feel like it—you’re not 10-years-old any more.

By Madison Pontz