My first trip to Hersheypark was 30 years ago. Since then I have visited at many different ages and stages of my life. Our most recent trip was our first time bring all 5 kids. We also brought my parents along. Our Hersheypark crew for the weekend was 9 people ranging from 1-68 and each and every person had a great time. I really find Hersheypark to be a great place to take all ages which is key because our kids range so far in age. Here’s our guide to Hersheypark for each age.

No matter what age, I would recommend trying to stay at Hershey Lodge. I find it to be super family friendly and addd to the fun. Also, you can enter the park early if you are staying there which is a big help in getting in lots of activities for multiple ages in one day. The part of the park that opens early for hotel guests has all of the “little kid” rides.

So we head there first and let the kids go on lots of rides and then they’re ok to chill in the stroller while we walk to some of the roller coasters. The only edit to that plan we made this time: The new Candymonium coaster is right near the entrance and the lines can get long. So when we entered the park we went right there, then to the little kids rides. For more details on Hershey Lodge and why we love it, read this post: 5 Reasons to Stay at The Hershey Lodge. 

The first stop at the park is always the super fun “which candy am I”. This is fun for the kids and useful for the parents to know which rides the kids will be able to do once in the park. If you go over the years, it’s especially fun to watch them grow from little tiny Kisses on up to Twizzlers (and someday a Jollyrancher!).

Here’s what we love for each age:

Hersheypark for Each Age

Baby/Toddler: In Pioneer Frontier there are quite a few rides that even the littlest ones can enjoy. Teddy loved going on a few rides with his siblings. I feel like there is enough to do and see that Teddy was entertained plenty to then nap in the stroller. The bathrooms have clean changing areas and there are tons of easy food options for toddlers too. Also, there are a few areas where there are statues of the famous candies. These were nice little spots to let him out to run around, hug the Hershey Kiss statue etc. For more of my tips for bringing toddlers and little kids to Hersheypark, read this post. 

Little Kids: The Pioneer Frontier is PERFECT for little kids. We’ve been to many amusement parks and my boys (5 & 7) prefer the rides at Hersheypark over any others. I like that there are so many rides for their age all together and that when you enter early as an “on property guest” there are hardly any lines and they can get in so many rides. There are also great games for little kids. It’s the one spot that we don’t mind letting the boys play the games. The game attendants are always so nice and there are games geared towards younger kids too.My kids love the characters at Hersheypark…probably because they are BIG candy fans! They like to find them around the park for photos and to say hi.

Big Kids: My big kids love the coasters at Hersheypark. It’s been fun to see them each get a little braver and try a few more with each visit. From their favorite, Sooper Dooper Looper to the newest coaster, Candymonium, there are so many great rides for big kids. My big kids love the games at Hersheypark too. They say they have the BEST prizes. They also like to check out the fun food and drinks like the hot chocolate at the holidays.

Parents & Grandparents: My husband and I enjoy Hersheypark first and foremost because we get to see our kids having so much fun and being so excited. That’s of course why we brought my parents. It was a joy for grandparents to get to enjoy the park with their grandchildren. The parents and grandparents agreed: the park is clean, has something to keep everyone happy and tons of food options. A few rides that the whole family can go on together: the carousel and the train. Our kids like to go on many rides together – even the big kids like taking a turn on the “little rides” when they can take a sibling.

Overall we find Hersheypark to be a welcoming, clean, manageable and FUN spot of our whole family. After all… it is the SWEETEST place on earth!

For details on visiting Hersheypark for the holidays, visit this post: Hersheypark at Christmastime. 

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