How to Enjoy Hershey Gardens in Hershey, PA

If you are looking for a relaxing day outside, take a visit to the Hershey Gardens in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Hershey Gardens is a 23-acre garden offering beautiful displays of flowers and plants. The gardens offer a variety of activities including family programs, a butterfly house and many themed gardens.

Things You'll Need

• Transportation to Hershey, Pennsylvania
• Money for admission
• Good walking shoes
• Camera

Instructions

1. Plan your trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Be sure to take weather into the timing of your trip. Note that the gardens are closed during the winter months. The displays are most colorful during the spring and summer months. Check the website for operating hours and admission prices.

2. Prepare for your visit. If you will be visiting with children, print out the scavenger hunts on the website. There is a scavenger hunt for pre-readers and one for children age 8 to 14. The scavenger hunt has various items for the children to look for during there visit and offer a fun way to help children stay interested in the garden. The garden also offers a backpack with activities for children 5 to 12 for rent for $5. The backpack is theme based and has activities to help the children learn about the gardens. If you would like to rent a backpack, call 717.508.5967 before your visit to reserve one.

3. Travel to the gardens and pay your admission fee. You will be given a map of the gardens. If you reserved a backpack, pay for your rental fee and pick up your backpack.

4. Explore the gardens. There are many theme gardens including a rose garden, a memorial garden and an Arboretum.

5. Visit the children’s area. The children’s area has activities such as a human sundial, colorful gardens and a bird bind area.

6. Visit the butterfly house located in the children’s area. Be sure to visit the butterflies even if you do not have children with you. The outdoor butterfly house is open during the summer. You can see over 300 different butterflies. You can see butterflies in all stages of the butterfly lifecycle at the butterfly house.

7. Visit the gift shop. The shop offers gardening items and a book about the gardens called “Hershey Gardens.”

Tips & Warnings

• You cannot bring strollers into the Butterfly House.

• The garden offers great photo opportunities. Be sure to bring your camera.

• The gardens are wheelchair accessible and has some wheelchairs available.

• Please do not bring pets, skateboards, roller blades, or heely’s into the garden.

• The gardens offer several family programs. Check the website to see if any are offered during your visit. Most programs require an additional fee.

• If you will be bringing a professional photographer to record your visit, you need to call the gardens to make a reservation and pay a $150 fee.

Resources

• Hershey Gardens website