The Sweetest Place On Earth

Sunday, the folks drove to "The Sweetest Place On Earth".  Where is that?  Hershey, PA.  Hershey is supposed to be about an hour and a half from us, but a disagreement with the GPA caused the trip to be closer to two and half hours. The folks ended up taking the scenic route through Pennsylvania.

They saw things like this on their trip.

They finally arrived in Hershey, PA.  The street lights are in the shape of Hershey Kisses.

Their first stop was The Hershey Story Museum.  They decided to just eat lunch in the cafe there since their time was limited.  Mom had a pizza and Dad had a ham and cheese wrap.  They also shared the Countries of Origin Chocolate Tasting.  What is that?  It is warm drinking chocolate samples from other countries.  It comes with a map so that visitors know where it came from.  Mom only liked the first one because it got more bitter with each one.

The folks then toured the museum which told the story of Milton Hershey.  The price was $10 a person. They both thought it was interesting, but thought the admission price should be less, if not free.

Milton's cradle

Milton and his wife, Catherine.

Hershey started out making caramels. This is a caramel cutter.

Chocolate mold.

Milton Hershey built the town of Hershey.  He wanted it to be a community for his employees. Employees were able to purchase homes at a low price.  The town also had an inexpensive public transportation system, a quality public schools and recreational opportunities. He wanted a "real home town" with tree-lined streets, single- and two-family brick houses, and nice lawns. In 1907, he built an amusement park.

His legacy is the school that he founded to help financially needy boys and girls in grades K-12.

He sounds like a really nice man who was generous with his money.

The folks visited the gift shop, but Mom was disappointed in what they offered.  She said a couple from another country spent $105 on candy.  She said she could buy it elsewhere for less.  Dad told her they had another stop, so maybe she would find something there.  She didn't know they were headed to....

Their first stop here was to board a ride that takes you on the journey of a cocoa bean.  Mom said it was cute.

It is hard to see, but this is what they rode in.

After the ride, they received a free Kit Kat bar and then they went shopping.  Do you think they bought chocolate?  Yes, they did.  Dad picked it out.

30 candy bars!

Mom didn't expect to buy that much chocolate, but the price was actually reasonable.

Mom was hoping to see even more Christmas decorations than this.

Chocolate World was packed with shoppers. Mom said she bet it is really crowded after Thanksgiving and also during peak tourist season. 

There was a lot more to do at both of the places they visited, but the folks had to get home to us. Their trip home went faster because they traveled the interstate.  BOL!

Joey,
The Greyhound Who Thinks The Sweetest Place On Earth Is Wherever He Is With His Family