Our Anniversary Celebration in Hershey, PA

Five months ago I went to Hershey, PA with my mother and 2 daughters. We had an amazing time visiting The Chocolate World, staying in the Hershey Lodge, and going to Hershey Park. (You can read about that excursion here: http://delawarecountymoms.com/2014/04/hersheypark-happy.html) I loved the town so much that for our 8-year anniversary, I wanted to take my husband back to Hershey. So, on October 12th we headed out to Hershey for a day of leisure.

At 10:00am we arrived at The Hershey Story, The Museum on Chocolate Avenue. The Museum opened in January 2009 and helps guides visitors on an inspirational journey through Milton S. Hershey‘s lifetime and beyond, a tale spanning more than 150 years of trials, triumphs, philanthropic (I had no idea how incredibly generous Mr. Hershey was!), and one man’s unwavering confidence.

Countries of Origin Chocolate Tasting at The Hershey Story is a treat for your taste buds and the perfect way to immerse yourself in the sweet world that inspired Milton Hershey.

We would have loved to experience the Chocolate Lab, where visitors get to make their own chocolate, but since my “loveable leach” joined us (our 2 month old non-bottle-taking baby boy), we couldn’t do that (it’s for ages 4 and up). In a few years, when our children are all at least 4, we want to head back and experience The Chocolate Lab. There, you get to explore the unique qualities of chocolate through playful, hands-on experiences.

Countries of Origin Chocolate Tasting: $9.95.

Participatory classes include molding and dipping chocolate. Instead, we did a chocolate taste-testing. A fabulous way to start the day, if I may say so myself.

Inside the museum is Cafe Zooka, which houses the Countries of Origin Chocolate Tasting. We were served warm drinking choc

olate samples from six of the world’s finest cocoa-growing regions. My favorite was from Sao Thome and my husbands was the Indonesian island of Java. You can learn more about The Hershey Story by following them on Facebook and Twitter.

Our choice for the winning bonsai!

After our Museum experience, we drove through town (now knowing more about the scenes after learning so much on the Museum tour). We stopped at the local famous craft brewery, Troegs, and had lunch and took a tour. After that we went to the Hershey Gardens. Sadly, the Butterfly House was closed for the season, but instead we got to visit the special Bonsai exhibit and voted for our favorite, the Japanese Maple. It was beautiful and perfect for the fall!

Kisses shaped spray fountains in the Children’s Garden

The Hershey Gardens is a 23-acre botanical display garden. The attraction offers various themed gardens, including more than 5,000 rose bushes and a Children’s Garden. My favorite themed garden was the Japanese Garden and my husbands was the High Point Garden because of the roses. The Gardens were opened by Milton S. Hershey in 1937 as Hershey Rose Garden. Originally just 3.5 acres, the Gardens reached 23 acres in 1944. It was renamed Hershey Gardens in 1979, when it boasted six themed gardens. The Gardens are open from April through late December and in those 9 months, 100,000 guests visit!

It was a gorgeous day for the gardens, 65 degrees and sunny. After our 2-hour stroll, we headed to Hershey’s Chocolate World. You can’t come to Hershey, PA and NOT take that ride! I’m still singing the song in my head- “Hershey’s chocolate…” And then we came back home to Chester County to have dinner and kiss our girls goodnight! It was a terrific day away from the norm. Relaxing, informative and delicious. What is a better way to celebrate the SWEET life we’ve made for ourselves than to go to the “Sweetest Place on Earth”, Hershey?

If you would like to plan a couples getaway, be sure to check out both exhibits on Facebook and Twitter. And enter here to win 2 tickets to each attraction so you and a partner can enjoy a sweet break too (tickets must be used by December 31, 2014)!

Disclaimer: My husband and I were given complimentary tickets to enter The Hershey Story, do the taste-testing, and visit Hershey Gardens. All opinions in this review are my own.