Part Two of Hershey Getaway

After checking out of the Hershey campground we drove over to East Earl, PA. Some of our good friends recommended a restaurant called the Shady Maple. It was a huge smorgasbord. There were several things to choose from, they even had three Icee machines. This was our first time visiting this part of the Amish Country.


There was a huge gift shop on the lower level and a big Amish market next door. There was even a covered place in the parking lot for the horses and buggies to park.


I took this picture of a horse and buggy from my window while Geoff was driving. :)


On our way home we stopped by the Harley Davidson Vehicles Operation Plant. They offer tours through the plant but the kids weren't old enough so we just checked out the tour center and gift shop.




We all had fun sitting on the bikes. :)

Hershey, PA Getaway

Last November when my mom was visiting we took her to Hershey, PA. The amusement park wasn't open but she promised the kids she would send us money so we could take them this summer. They did not forget and they have been talking about it every since she left last November. We decided to make a little trip out of it and stayed a few nights at Hershey's Highmeadow campground.

The campground was really nice. It was clean and had hot private showers. They had two swimming pools and a kiddie pool, a basketball court, a volleyball net, a play ground, a convenience store, a gift shop, and a movie screen on the side of the barn shaped building.

The campground was in a pretty setting. There were a few streams running through it.

If you stay at one of Hershey's properties then they give you a card that lets you into the park one hour before the rest of the general public. Since we woke up at 6:30 am anyway we decided to get ready and head over to the park. We were the third car in the parking lot. :) We waited in line until they opened the gates at 9:00 am.

We split up since Kaden is a dare devil and loves the roller coasters and Kaylee likes to play it safe with the kiddie rides. Kaylee was the only one on most of the kiddie rides for the first hour. It was nice not having to wait in lines but I think she would have preferred to have a friend ride with her. Later on Kaden agreed to go on some rides with her.

There were lots of souvenir and candy/chocolate shops throughout the park.

There was even a Smores stand and their vending machines were filled with Hershey's chocolate bars and candies.

We took Kaden and Kaylee's pictures with several characters. Kaylee LOVES getting her picture taken with characters. We didn't even have to wait in lines like you do at Disney World. I guess dressed up candy bars aren't as popular as Disney characters. :)

I loved these Hershey Kiss lights.

We saw a show at the Aqua Theater, and the kids loved it.

Here they are with the bottle of Hershey's syrup.

The kids both loved the water park. Kaylee loved when the buckets filled up and then dumped the water out.

Here are the kids going down a little water slide in the wave pool area.

Here are the kids dancing with the characters.

We took a ride in the Kissing Tower at sunset. It went up over the park and slowly turned around so you could see the town, the chocolate factory, and the amusement park. The windows were shaped like Hershey Kisses and the views were amazing. I think this was my favorite ride.

We all had a great time and created memories we will never forget. Thanks for sending us Grandma!!! :)

Visit to Hershey's Chocolate World

I have lost track how many times we have been to Hershey, PA. I think this was our 5th or 6th visit. It is one of our favorite places to take family and friends when they come to visit.

The kids got to be factory workers and package Hershey kisses.

Here's Maddux waiting for the Hershey kisses to fill up his container.

After filling their containers they had to perform a chicken dance.

After the dance they placed their containers on the belt so that they could be wrapped and ready to sell.

Once they were done it was time to clock out.

The chocolate tour ride is always my favorite part of Chocolate World. Usually we only go one time each visit but these guys wanted to go three times and since it was free we did. :) If you look closely you will see Kaylee in the background pulling a funny face.

They have a fun thing in their gift shop where the kids can pick a bucket to fill with miniature candy bars, peanut butter cups, and chocolate kisses. They get to wear a hard hat, place the bucket under the machine, and turn the wheel to watch the candies fall out and fill up their bucket.


This is my adorable niece Kairi. I have the cutest nieces and nephews. I couldn't get enough of them and already miss them.


Here are Maddux and Kaden posing in front of the Reese's car.

This is where you need to go if you want to buy the world's largest Hershey's chocolate bar. Just keep in mind it will cost you $40!

We ended our visit with a trolley tour around Hershey.

During the trolley ride they pass out chocolates, and when you get off they had you a full sized candy bar.

Philadelphia

My brothers and their families are in town visiting. Over the weekend we went to Philadelphia and Hershey. We took a tour of Independence Hall. This was our second time visiting Philadelphia and going on this tour. I loved it just as much the second time.

The kids in front of the Washington statue that is located in front of Independence Hall.

Brandon and Maddux in front of the spot that Abraham Lincoln stood to raise the flag on Independence Hall in 1861.

We saw the Liberty Bell.

My brother Brandon and his wife Nickole with their kids Maddux and Brooklyn.

My brother Kris and his wife Kamisha with their daughter Kairi.

The kids posing with a tour guide inside the Liberty Bell Center.

We walked around the historic district of Philadelphia and saw some really cool buildings. The kids LOVED getting to hang out with their cousins.

We walked by the building filmed in the Ghostbuster movie.

We stopped by Benjamin Franklin's burial place.

We stopped by the Philadelphia Museum of Art to get pictures with the Rocky statue.

We also had to run up the steps just like Rocky did! :)

We stopped by Gino's for some Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches, YUM!!!

I think this was one of the highlights of the day for Brandon.

There were lots of Phillies mascot statues around town. Here are the kids posing with one in the Independence Hall Visitors Center.

I think the highlight of the day for the kids was getting to go swimming at the hotel.