Hershey's Chocolate World - Hershey, Pennsylvania - Chocolate Factory Tourist Attraction

Hershey's Chocolate World is a visitor center for chocolate enthusiasts owned by the Hershey Company and is situated at Park Boulevard in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Hershey's is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America and was founded by Milton S Hershey in 1894. The Chocolate World attraction opened in 1973 as a replacement for Hershey Chocolate Plant Tour, which was so popular it could no longer handle the large number of visitors each year at Hershey's main plant.

The Great American Chocolate tour experience shows visitors Hershey's chocolate making process beginning in the tropical rain forest of South America where cacao beans are grown. The tour shows how the beans are harvested and transported across the ocean to America, where they are delivered to the chocolate factory. The chocolate making process is demonstrated with the weighing and mixing until eventually the chocolate is wrapped and put on a conveyor belt.

Visitors are treated to a free sample at the end of the tour, but that is not the only chocolate tasting experience at the site as a chocolate expert provides a guided, interactive, multimedia discussion of chocolate in the Chocolate Tasting Adventure. This provides an opportunity to taste creamy milk chocolate, dark chocolates, and various chocolates with unique added ingredients. At the end of the tasting adventure, visitors receive an official Masters Degree in Chocolate Tasting from Hershey's University.

A 3D animated musical show gives visitors a chance to see the company's product characters. The resident chocolate historian presents an entertaining look at the history of Hershey's several times each day. The animated musical adventure has special effects where the characters virtually jump off the big screen and come to life in the 250-seat theater.

At another attraction, Hershey's Kissworks, visitors can package their own personalized chocolate bar, create personalized messages on the plume of a giant chocolate or send a chocolate greeting card to a friend. At Hershey's Bake Shoppe they can design various chocolate or candy products and take a tin full of goodies back home. Alternatively visitors can make frozen yogurts with flavors and toppings from the factory, whilst also enjoying a cup cake topped with candies.

The Hershey Trolley Works takes guests for a ride through Hershey and sets off from the Chocolate World main entrance. Singing trolley conductors dressed in period costumes entertain and educate throughout the trip. These tours are in different formats but give an overview of the company founder, and places in Hershey relevant to his life, whilst at Christmas there is a special tour with a seasonal twist.

There are plenty of other dining options on site including the Kit Kat "Gimme a Break'' Caf,, which serves hot dogs, sandwiches and salads. Hershey's Courtyard Caf, Food Court has an a la carte menu featuring amongst other things soups, salads, pasta and pizzas. Coffee and Cocoa, Ice Cream and Milkshakes are all available at other shops within the Chocolate World, and visitors can also take home souvenirs.