Free & Cheap Things to Do in Hershey

Family Fun

Hershey's Chocolate World is free to enter — and the marquee Chocolate Tour ride is also free, walking you through cocoa bean to wrapped bar in a singing-cow animatronic ride that ends with a chocolate sample. Inside the world's largest Hershey store, find limited-edition kisses, oversized chocolate sculptures, and Hershey characters for free photos.

Address: 101 Chocolate World Way, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Free parking 0-2 hours; $5 after. Create Your Own Candy Bar ($25) and the Trolley Works tour ($25) are extra-cost add-ons that you can skip — the free ride alone is worth the visit. Weekday mornings before 11am are the calmest.

History & Culture

A monumental 1970 rotunda built as a tribute to Milton and Catherine Hershey, with free Visitors Center, interactive exhibits about the school's history and Milton Hershey's philanthropic vision, and free guided tours. A 22-minute film tells the story of the company-town founder who left his fortune to a school for orphans.

Address: Founders Hall, 1 Founders Way, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Generally open weekdays and Saturdays 10am-3pm — call (717) 520-2000 to confirm. Free parking. The Rotunda's marble dome is one of the largest in the U.S. Combine with Hershey Cemetery (Milton Hershey's gravesite, a mile away).

Family Fun

A free Hershey-themed playground at Bullfrog Valley Park with dragon slides, a haunted pirate ship structure, a Hershey's Kisses Hut for sliding, and a large fenced-in area with bridges, tunnels, and climbing structures. Geared toward kids ages 2-12. The Cocoa Castle name has been Hershey kid-shorthand for decades.

Address: 605 Cocoa Ave, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Open dawn to dusk daily; free parking on-site. The Bullfrog Valley Park around the playground has picnic tables and a paved trail. The Jonathan Eshenour Memorial Trail passes through — combine for a family afternoon.

Parks & Nature

A free 13.5-mile paved multi-use trail through Derry Township named for a community member fatally injured cycling in 1997. The trail connects Bullfrog Valley Park, Shank Park, Hershey Medical Center, and Penn State Health, linking Palmyra and Hummelstown through Hershey. Wheelchair-accessible with minimal grades.

Address: Multiple trailheads in Derry Township

Tip: Connects with the Capital Area Greenbelt for longer rides. Free parking at every trailhead. The annual "Hike It Bike It For Jon" spring event funds expansion. Bring water — trailhead amenities are limited.

Historic Sites

The resting place of Milton and Catherine Hershey since 1918, just north of town off Route 743. The Hershey family monument area sits at the back — Milton Hershey is in grave #1 on the left, surrounded by Catherine, his mother, and his father. A pastoral, orderly setting designed in the Olmsted tradition.

Address: 1101 Mansion Rd, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Open during daylight hours. Quiet, respectful visit — head toward the back of the cemetery for the Hershey monument. Pair with Founders Hall at the Milton Hershey School (a mile away) for the full Hershey founder story.

Quirky Landmarks

First illuminated December 23, 1963, the 105 "Hinkle's Twinkles" streetlights along Chocolate Avenue alternate between wrapped and unwrapped Hershey's Kiss designs. The Park Avenue extension adds 10 more. Designed by Line Material Company engineers using aluminum metal spinning — they remain one of America's most photographed streetlight designs.

Address: Chocolate Ave, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Easiest to photograph at dusk when they're lit. Walk Chocolate Avenue from the Hotel Hershey end west toward Chocolate World — about a mile. Park Avenue between Chocolate Avenue and the railroad bridge has the additional 10 Kiss lights.

Museums & Culture

The official Milton Hershey biography museum, with a Museum Experience covering Hershey's early failures, his cocoa-bean-to-bar manufacturing innovation, and the creation of the model company town. The optional Chocolate Lab ($16.50 add-on) lets you make and decorate your own chocolate bar in a hands-on classroom.

Address: 63 W Chocolate Ave, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Open Monday-Sunday 9am-5pm (seasonal variations). Active military FREE; veterans, first responders, and teachers get $3 off with ID. Museums for All / EBT cardholders $5 adult / $3 child. Tickets are not sold online — purchase at admissions desk.

Museums & Culture

The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum — three floors of automobile history from the 1890s to modern classics, including the world's largest Tucker collection, rotating Imperial Chrysler exhibitions, classic buses, and motorcycles. Located just off Park Boulevard near Hersheypark, with free on-site parking.

Address: 161 Museum Dr, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Open daily 9am-5pm. Free parking. The bus collection on the third floor is the marquee — Greyhound, school buses, and prototype electric models. The America on Wheels gift shop has hard-to-find auto books.

Parks & Nature

A 41-acre free community park developed jointly by the Township, Derry Township School District, and the Milton Hershey School. Includes softball, baseball, and soccer/lacrosse fields, multiple playgrounds, swings, walking paths, and access points to the Jonathan Eshenour Memorial Trail.

Address: Homestead Rd, Hershey, PA 17033

Tip: Open dawn to dusk daily. Free parking. The playground equipment is newer than the Cocoa Castle area — better for younger kids. The fields are well-maintained but scheduled for youth-sports tournaments most weekends — weekday visits are quieter.