2025 Guide to Memorial Day Weekend in Hershey, Pa.

Date: May 14, 2025

Memorial Day Weekend is right around the corner, bringing warm weather and the unofficial start of summer to our sweet destination. There's no better place to spend the extended weekend, from thrilling coaster rides and water park splashes to delicious new food offerings around town. Read through our event guide to help you maximize your time with us in Hershey, Pa.

ENJOY THRILLING COASTERS AND FAMILY RIDES AT HERSHEYPARK :  OPEN DAILY MAY 22

Another exciting summer season of Hersheypark Happy is here! Open for daily operations beginning May 22, guests of all ages can make sweet memories by checking out all the fun the largest amusement park in Pennsylvania has to offer.

Home to 15 coasters (the most in the Northeast), more than 20 kid-friendly rides and a larger-than-life water park, Hersheypark has something for everyone in the family to enjoy. Several fan-favorite rides celebrate milestone anniversaries in 2025, such as Kissing Tower, Lightning Racer and Candymonium! Thrill seekers can look forward to the opening of the all-new Twizzlers Twisted Gravity Screamin' Swing, set to debut this summer as the tallest ride of its kind in the world. 

Hersheypark tickets include three parks in one: a 121-acre amusement park with an iconic ride collection, an 11-acre water park with one million gallons of water and animals native to our continent at ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park. Hersheypark guests can only access the Zoo from the bridge inside Hersheypark during posted Park hours. Great ticket deals are available online now, including the return of the Summer Fun Card, which features unlimited visits from the date of purchase through Sept. 7 for just $99 plus taxes and fees.

MAKE A SPLASH AT THE BOARDWALK: OPEN MAY 24 THROUGH LABOR DAY

Start your summer by cooling down or catching some rays at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark water park, open daily starting on May 24!

The Boardwalk features something fun for everyone in the family - with thrill-seekers able to enjoy racing slides on Whitecap Racer and rocket through high-speed tunnels on Breaker’s Edge Water Coaster, while others can soak up 1,360 feet of sweet, tubular relaxation on the Intercoastal Waterway lazy river. The East Coast Waterworks attraction provides splashing fun for all ages, complete with nearly 600 interactive water toys, seven slides, two crawl tunnels, and a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket!

The Boardwalk At Hersheypark is open daily from May 24 through Sept. 1, weather permitting.

GRAB A BITE TO EAT AT THE MEMORIAL DAY PICNIC AT HERSHEYPARK

Make plans to join us on May 26 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside Hersheypark at Fahrenheit Catering for the Memorial Day all-you-care-to-eat picnic! The menu includes Shredded Pulled Pork with Assorted BBQ Sauces, Chicken Bites, Bratwurst with Pierogies and Onions, Coleslaw, White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese, Fresh Cut Watermelon, House Made Chips and Ice Cream Novelties. The price is $21.20 for adults and $14.84 for children (plus tax). 

Parkgoers can purchase picnic tickets online now on Hersheypark.com and Season Pass Holders can purchase their picnic tickets at Fahrenheit Catering to receive a discount.

TRY TASTY NEW DISHES

With 15 unique dining locations across Hershey, Pa., there are plenty of menus to explore! Find one that best suits your palate during your visit.

Conveniently located in Hershey's Chocolatetown, The Chocolatier Restaurant, Bar and Patio is the perfect dining spot for families and guests visiting Hersheypark over the long weekend. With an all-new seasonal menu that features a fresh twist on the popular Ferris Wheel Sampler, new salads and sweet desserts, don't miss out on your chance to try this fun family fare. 

Our Resort properties also offer one-of-a-kind dining experiences, from delicious breakfast options at Stacks at Hershey Lodge or an elevated pub menu at the all-new 1933 Restaurant & Tavern inside The Hotel Hershey. No matter where you choose to dine throughout The Sweetest Place On Earth, restaurant reservations are highly recommended and can be made online.

SPEND THE NIGHT AT A HERSHEY RESORT: OUTDOOR POOLS OPEN FOR THE SEASON

For those staying overnight at The Official Resorts of Hersheypark, get ready to take a dip! The outdoor pools at The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Lodge and Hersheypark Camping Resort are officially open for the season (weather permitting) Memorial Day weekend. 

Guests of The Hotel Hershey can enjoy a family pool with zero-grade entry, two large slides and a kiddie spray deck, as well as an infinity-edge adult pool and whirlpool. Campers at Hersheypark Camping Resort can cool off in two swimming pools and a kiddie pool. Hershey Lodge guests can make a splash at a zero-entry outdoor pool or a sweet indoor pool complex, Hershey’s Water Works, complete with Twizzlers Twists water slides, a Reese’s Water Walk, sand castle spray zone, lighthouse tipping bucket and more. 

Do you still need to book your stay? Save now with sweet packages, like the Ultimate Summer Fun and Summer Fun Packages at The Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge, or the Hersheypark Summer Camping Package at Hersheypark Camping Resort.

Resort guests receive FREE Resort Benefits included with their stay, like front gate shuttle service to an exclusive resort drop-off location just steps away from Hersheypark and bonus Park hours with Preview Plan.

See A Live Show at GIANT Center

America's premier figure skating tour, Stars on Ice, makes an electrifying return to Hershey, Pa. over the Memorial Day Weekend with its newest theme, “Rock Stars on Ice.” Audiences will experience the power and energy of rock music combined with the artistry of world-class figure skating. The tour will feature timeless hits from legendary rock artists performed by a star-studded lineup of reigning World Champion and two-time U.S. Champion Ilia Malinin, alongside Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time and reigning World Champions and five-time and reigning U.S. Ice Dance Champions Madison Chock & Evan Bates.

ACTIVITIES AROUND TOWN

Visitors of Hershey, Pa. can unwrap their chocolate adventure with a stop at Hershey's Chocolate World, open daily this summer. Fun for the whole family, guests can take a free chocolate tour ride to see how cocoa beans became world-famous Hershey's Chocolate, or take home a sweet souvenir by shopping the endless amounts of chocolate and limited-edition treats. Additional paid attraction experiences—including a chocolate bar-making factory, candy-filled theatrical experience and trolley show on wheels—are also offered.

Every Saturday in May, guests of the Hershey Gardens can go on an hour-long adventure, joining Dr. Ray Barbehenn, a biologist with expertise in plant ecology, for a guided tour of the Gardens. Indulge your senses in the variety of displays at the tropical Butterfly Atrium, open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Don’t forget to head downtown to The Hershey Story Museum for Hershey’s sweetest hands-on activity, the Chocolate Lab, inviting guests to try their hand at chocolate pouring and decorating. A special Yankee Doodle Chocolate Bar class will be offered over Memorial Day Weekend, where you can mold a milk chocolate bar and top it off with red, white and blue candy sprinkles to create an edible American flag! Lab tickets are limited and cannot be purchased online. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and must be purchased at the museum’s admissions desk for the current day only. Please note that children must be five or older to enter the Chocolate Lab. 

While you’re having fun in the sun, don’t forget to tag us in your photos on social media using #HersheyPA!