So I am blogging from the Great State of Pennsylvania (a nod to “Dumb & Dumber” to those of you who subscribe to stupid movies like I do). We are ensconced in the Hershey Hotel overlooking Hershey Park. Danny remarked how much this hotel reminds him of the Shining – big old, historic hotel (glad it isn’t late Fall lol). It is truly beautiful and we got the Reeses Suite – a sumptuous suite with a wet bar, nice down pillows and comforters. It truly is an incredible hotel and very high brow. You can’t have dinner in the main dining room unless the men in the party are wearing dinner jackets. So tonite we actually went to Bob Evans for dinner – lots of food for a little bit of money. Not that I am cheap – any of you who know me can attest to that. But I have a problem paying $8 for a small bowl of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and my kids barely eating.
They are barely eating cause they are too busy eating chocolate. How could you blame them? This is Chocolate Town, with Hershey Kisses as lights on the lampposts and the aroma of chocolate wafting over the town. We actually bought a 5lb bar of Hershey’s chocolate. Poor Ryan’s arms were buckling holding it up for a picture. I look at it and all I can think is I need a big jar of peanut butter and a knife. No dipping it straight in as it is way too big. They even gave the boys Hershey Chocolate Bars when we checked in and we get Hershey Kisses on our bed when it is turned down for the evening. We also bought a hershey computer mouse, hershey kisses magnets, hershey glasses – you name it, we bought it!
I had been here before when I was a little girl with my parents. I didn’t remember much other than the Kisses lamplights and the smell of chocolate. Matty & Ryan were debating the whole way down to Hershey as to how they managed to get the chocolate smell into the air (while watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory of course). The consensus was that they must have vats of chocolate with pipes and they mist the smell into the air.
The park has been expanded greatly since I was here last and now includes a water park. We have been having a blast – the water park is fantastic with a whole waterworks section for the kids to explore, slide and play; a cool water slide than ends in a giant funnel etc. Danny & Matty actually went on the water slide that ended in the funnel – the Whirlwind. Matty screamed the whole way down – there was a sizable drop into the funnel and they weren’t expecting it. There are 6 big roller coasters here, arcades for the kids to play for prizes and lots of kiddie rides too. The kiddie rides have been a big hit with the boys – little mini swings, a mini pirate ship and even a mini log flume called “Tiny Timbers” (that Danny still managed to get soaked on). The food has been diverse and fantastic. We had Mexican yesterday and perogies today.
The arcade games have been fun and productive. We will be coming home with an assortment of stuffed animals including a giant Scooby Doo that Matty won for Ryan in a ring toss game. Danny was very proud of himself for being the Whack a Mole Champion. The boys also sampled the cotton candy – a pink, sticky confection that tastes great but is murder to get off the hands.
We also visited Chocolate World – the factory tour and explanation of how Hershey makes its chocolate and the history of the factory. When I went years ago, the tour was actually at the factory. Now, they have a wonderful, new exhibit hall and a ride through the process with cows singing about their important contribution to the chocolate – milk. Ryan loved the singing cows so much we had to ride it again. Of course it opens into a great, big store filled with goodies. After we bought out the store, we enjoyed a Frozen Cocoa with whipped cream and two cookies – a giant kissable cookie and a shortbread sandwich cookie with fudge in the middle. It was heavenly!
Tomorrow, Danny is venturing out with the boys alone to the park and I am visiting the Chocolate Spa for the Chocolate Escape Package. This consists of a Whipped Cocoa Bath, followed by a Chocolate Bean Polish, then lunch and the finale is the hour long Cocoa Massage. I will be in chocolate ecstasy tomorrow while the boys brave the heat. You can also be sure that I am definitely going to be bringing some spa goodies home with me!
Here are some pictures –
