Chocolate World

Hershey Park -- located in Hershey, PA -- has been a part of Jen's and my life since we were youngsters. I can personally remember coming to Hershey on at least a couple of occasions when living in New Jersey to attend Regional Conferences of the LDS Church, which were held in the hockey arena where the Philadelphia Flyers' farm league team usually played. I remember Ezra Taft Benson speaking at one of these events (he must of been President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles at that point, and he subsequently presided over the church). Later, I remember (more clearly) meeting Elder Russell M. Nelson (also of the Council of the Twelve) in the lobby of the hotel (I believe the Hershey Lodge) where many of us where staying.
As neat as these experiences were, truth be told, we were much more excited about Hershey Park, a Hershey-brand theme park featuring all of the usual theme park amenities -- but with a little touch of Hershey sweetness.

Jen didn't go to Hershey Park for Regional Conferences (she was in a different Region -- probably including New York). She went just for fun (go figure). She remembers visiting the Park at least a couple of times in her younger years, and camping out both times. (I believe we also did this once as a family, although -- if I have my family history straight -- I think I experienced the event in utero.)

As a family, we have been to Hershey Park itself only once, in August 2006. (As luck would have it, work beckoned and it was consequently a relatively brief trip with active blackberrying and cellphoning.) But we have visited Chocolate World -- which isn't really in the park itself although it sits at the Park's entrance -- on numerous occasions. The latest of these was on the Martin Luther King holiday. The facilities have been upgraded a bit, but the "ride" through the "chocolate factory" remains the most significant attraction. Admission is free, it's not that far of a drive, and there is lots of chocolate. We'll probably be back in a few years.