Hotel at a Glance: Inn at Chocolate Avenue

When you stay at Inn at Chocolate Avenue in Hershey, you’ll be in the business district, a 4-minute drive from Hershey Theater and 6 minutes from Hersheypark. This family-friendly hotel is 3.3 mi (5.3 km) from Hershey’s Chocolate World and 3.5 mi (5.7 km) from Giant Center.

• Rooms: Make yourself at home in one of the 122 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming provides entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include complimentary weekday newspapers and irons/ironing boards, as well as phones with free local calls.
• Amenities: Don’t miss out on the many recreational opportunities, including an outdoor pool, a spa tub, and a fitness center. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, an arcade/game room, and a television in a common area.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Historic State Capital near Chocolate Empire

The midsize city of Harrisburg has played a part in key moments in US history: it was the site of several Civil War battles, as well as a rail and transportation hub during the Industrial Revolution. The National Civil War Museum chronicles the war from both the Southern and Northern perspectives, housing more than 12,000 artifacts including Robert E. Lee’s pocket Bible and Ulysses S. Grant’s sword belt. The Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex—which Teddy Roosevelt once praised as “the handsomest” he’d ever seen—is also worth a stop. You can take a guided tours around the Beaux Arts building, which was constructed in 1902.

Nearby Hershey bills itself as “The Sweetest Place on Earth,” and it’s hard to dispute that claim—the whole town smells like chocolate. Rags-to-riches entrepreneur Milton Hershey founded Hershey in 1903 as a company town for his factory workers. These days, it’s at the center of a confection empire where you’ll find candy-themed amusement parks and museums. At Hersheypark®, you can ride 13 roller coasters and float in inner tubes down a lazy river. Next door, the Hershey’s Chocolate World trolley tour takes passengers to Milton Hershey’s boyhood home and the mansion he built across from his factory.