Love chocolate? They love Hershey!
Chocolate Town, USA. The history of the American dream. It is an ideal place to spend a weekend or a holiday for one week. Come on tour with us as we visit the romantic city of Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is the realization of dreams Milton Hershey's.
E 'born shortly before the Civil War (1857). His family moved often interrupted his studies. He has received more than three. With 14 teaching it to a printer andgot fired. He then apprenticed with a candy maker.
Milton's first business attempt failed, as did several others. In between, he worked for other candy makers, gleaning their secrets. In 1885, he and a partner opened a caramel company in Lancaster. The fresh milk he used in his confections was part of his secret recipe. Finally, the public responded with enthusiasm. Hershey caramels were shipped as far away as Europe, and the business expanded.
Milton traveled to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1892 to learn about European candy. While there, he purchased a German chocolate roller. He sold the caramel company to fund his new chocolate factory. After years of experimenting to find the right recipe, the Hershey Bar went on sale in 1900. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Hershey is a company town, designed for the employees of the chocolate company. Milton Hershey's philosophy included taking care of the workers in his employ. When the depression hit, he kept his construction workers busy building the hotel and a school. The hotel's design incorporated many of the places he and his wife had visited in Europe: Spanish tile, quarried stone, a massive circular dining room "with no bad views", and lush formal gardens with fountains and reflecting pools. Unfortunately, Mrs. Hershey died before construction began.
Whether you stay at the Hotel Hershey or not, it is worth a visit to this grand dame of American Grand Hotels. Stroll the grounds. Sip a cocktail at the Iberian Lounge. If you are not a guest, advance reservations are required for gourmet dining in the Circular Dining Room.
Nearby, Hershey Gardens spreads across the hill overlooking the town. The Hotel grounds, the Milton Hershey School and the promontory border the gardens. Mr. Hershey started with just 3½ acres to "create a nice garden" of roses for his wife. Within five years, it included 23 acres. More than a dozen themed areas include specimen trees, unusual shrubs and seasonal floral displays. Tour the Children's Garden and Butterfly House.
In June, the scent of the roses is so sweet, it overpowers the scent of chocolate that the town is famous for. The chocolate smell comes from the hulls of the cacao beans that are used for mulch - everywhere! Rain enhances the sweet, chocolaty scent. Admission to the gardens is only $10; it's a wonderful way to wile away an afternoon. Special events are held throughout the year. Enjoy the Rhododendron Show in mid-May and a Wine & Roses celebration in early June.
Your tour to Hershey won't be complete without a stop at Chocolate World. It's a simulated tour of a chocolate factory. Nibble on a free sample at the end of the ride. Purchase chocolates at the Factory Store. Have your picture taken beside the giant Hershey's Kiss. Even the streetlights in town are made to look like Hershey's kisses.
Add a day at Hershey Park to your recipe for a great vacation. The combo ticket includes admission to the park, plus adjacent ZooAmerica and the Hershey Museum. Sixty rides delight every age. There is also a small water park, entertainment, and a variety of dining options. If you're visiting at Christmas, be sure to see the display of lights throughout the park. It's a winter wonderland.
There are dozens of other fun places to visit in the area: historic railroad excursions, local caverns, nearby Pennsylvania Dutch country, and the battlefields of Gettysburg. Whether you go for a mini-vacation, or stay for a week, Hershey, Pennsylvania is a sweet place to visit.
No comments:
Post a Comment