Hersheypark Christmas Candylane
Long-running holiday event with millions of lights, Santa's reindeer and festive rides.
Hersheypark
Hybrid resort · North America
🇺🇸 Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
Sweetest place on earth
Overall score7.2
Opened
1906
Size
121 acres (49 ha)
Rides
71 attractions
Avg. visit
8 hours
Ticket range
$50–$85 USD
Events & shows
Hersheypark Dark Nights
Halloween event with haunted attractions and scare zones after dark.
Visual Archive
Founded as a picnic ground for chocolate-factory workers, Hersheypark now runs one of the strongest coaster line-ups in the eastern United States. Candymonium is a 210-foot Bolliger & Mabillard hyper coaster, Skyrush is notorious for its aggressive airtime, and Storm Runner still launches to 72 mph in two seconds.
The Boardwalk water park is included with admission, and the park's chocolate-town setting, complete with Kiss-shaped street lamps, gives it a character no chain park matches.
Plan Your Visit
Hours & tickets
- Operating hours
- Typically 10am-10pm in summer, shorter hours in spring and autumn
- Seasonal closures
- Closed roughly October to late April apart from Halloween and Christmas Candylane
- Queue-skip pass
- Fast Track passes in tiered options, priced by date. From about $70 USD.
- How long to stay
- Full day
- Multi-day tickets
- Multi-day and Sweet Deal tickets bundling admission with ZooAmerica and Hersheypark's water areas.
- Season pass
- Annual or season pass from about $190 USD.
Getting there
- Nearest airport
- Harrisburg International (MDT), ~20 miles
- Public transit
- Capital Area Transit bus and an Amtrak station in Elizabethtown, but a car is easiest
- Parking
- On-site parking available. Around $25 USD per day.
- Staying over
- Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge and Hersheypark Camping Resort on the estate
Accessibility
- Accessibility
- Hilly in parts but served by a monorail and accessible routes. Wheelchair and ECV rental available, and a ride accessibility guide details transfer and mobility requirements.
Good to know
- Who it suits
- One of the best-balanced US parks for families: a huge children's area alongside 15 coasters and an included water park
- Best time to visit
- Weekdays in June or September; Christmas Candylane in December is charming and much quieter than summer
- Dining
- Chocolate-themed treats plus standard American quick-service; the adjacent Hershey's Chocolate World adds more
- Outside food
- Outside food and drink are not permitted.
- Weather cover
- Mostly outdoor across hilly terrain; the Chocolatetown buildings, arcades and indoor dining give shelter, and coasters stop in thunderstorms.
- Baby care
- Nursing and changing facilities at first aid and family restrooms.
- Rentals on site
- Stroller / pushchair hire and Lockers available on site.
- Currency & payment
- Cards and mobile wallets accepted throughout; USD cash accepted.
- Official app
- Hersheypark app (iOS/Android): wait times, map, dining and Fast Track.