Guide to July 4th Weekend 2025 in Hershey, PA

Date: July 3, 2025

From an epic fireworks display and thrilling coaster rides to special dining offerings, Hershey, Pa., is a must-visit destination over the July 4th weekend (and all summer long!). Check out our top picks to celebrate Independence Day in The Sweetest Place On Earth. 

Hersheypark is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on July 4-6, 2025. Tickets include three experiences in one with more than 70 rides for all ages and the most coasters in the Northeast. Ride enthusiasts can defy gravity on the all-new Twizzlers Twisted Gravity attraction in The Hollow region of Hersheypark as it ascends 137 adrenaline-pumping feet, reaching speeds of 68 miles per hour. 

Guests looking to cool off can visit The Boardwalk At Hersheypark water park (hours vary) with 16 water attractions and see the North American animals at ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park only when accessing the Zoo from the bridge inside Hersheypark during posted Park hours. The Zoo is open daily over the holiday weekend from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Star-Spangled Picnic at Hersheypark

Friday, July 4, through Saturday, July 5, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day

Guests visiting Hersheypark can enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat buffet picnic in the Fahrenheit Catering area. Picnics are available Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. over the holiday weekend. The menu includes Baked Fried Chicken, Grilled Cheese Hot Dog, Hamburgers with toppings, Sliced Watermelon, Potato Salad, Brown Sugar Baked Beans, House Made Chips and Ice Cream Novelties.

Picnic guests can also enjoy special entertainment including balloon displays and Hershey's character appearances

Adult tickets are $21.20, and child tickets are $14.84. You can purchase tickets online. Hersheypark Season Pass Holders can purchase discounted picnic tickets in their Self-Service Account under Add-Ons. Please note that Summer Fun Card holders are not eligible for discounted picnic tickets. Meal plans are not valid for redemption at the picnic locations; a purchased ticket is required.

Jazz On The Veranda at The Hotel Hershey 

Friday, July 4, 2025, from 7 to 10 p.m.

The Hotel Hershey celebrates Independence Day on July 4 with live music, cocktails and light shareables on the veranda. Plus, the veranda makes for a perfect viewing spot for Hershey’s fireworks display that evening! This event is first-come, first-served, and reservations are not accepted.

Hershey Fireworks Display 

Friday, July 4, 2025, at 10:15 p.m.

Ride coasters during the day and then see fireworks at night! Hersheypark will offer its annual fireworks display (located just outside of Hersheypark) for guests and residents to enjoy on Friday, July 4, at 10:15 p.m. Please note that the rides will still close at 10 p.m., but Hersheypark will remain open for guests to watch the fireworks from inside the Park and the parking lots.

Fireworks From The Shore Watch Party - SOLD OUT

Friday, July 4 at 9:15 PM

Enjoy an unlimited buffet of sweet treats, including ice cream novelties, popcorn, fountain beverages, and a cash bar, while watching the fireworks from an exclusive area on July 4th at our Fireworks From The Shore Watch Party - located inside The Boardwalk At Hersheypark. The event begins at 9:15 PM and ends at the conclusion of the fireworks show. Tickets are $19.99 per person. Discounts do not apply. 
 

Relax With A Chocolate Spa Treatment 

Enjoy a day of pampering over the holiday with sweet spa treatments from The Spa At The Hotel Hershey or MeltSpa by Hershey! Visit either spa and enjoy chocolate-inspired treatments like a Cocoa Massage or Cocoa Facial, or, indulge in the sweet scents of summer with a limited-time seasonal treatment. At Meltspa, guests can book a treatment from the Summer Strawberry Collection like a Strawberry Parfait Body Scrub, Manicure or Pedicure. Head to The Spa At The Hotel Hershey and choose from sweet packages like the Hershey Hawaiian Escape Package or the Sweet Chocolate Relaxation Package. Visitors of The Spa At The Hotel Hershey can also enjoy lunch at The Oasis, a restaurant exclusively for spa guests. Select packages grant access to The Hotel Hershey's outdoor pool complex, also available when you book three or more 50-minute services.

To book an appointment at The Spa at The Hotel Hershey, call 844-330-1797. For MeltSpa by Hershey, call 855-500-2366 or visit their website. 

Make Yankee Doodle Chocolate Bars at The Hershey Story 

Thursday, July 3, through Tuesday, July 8, at select times

The Hershey Story, The Museum on Chocolate Avenue, offers Yankee Doodle Chocolate Bar-themed Chocolate Lab classes from July 3-8. During this 45-minute class, available at select times between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., museum guests can try their hand at chocolate pouring and decorating as they mold a milk chocolate bar and top it off with red, white and blue candy sprinkles to create their own edible American flag. Guests will discover where and how cocoa beans are grown and processed into their favorite chocolate confections. Chocolate Lab tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and may be purchased at The Hershey Story admissions desk upon arrival. Children must be at least 5 years old to enter the Lab. 

In addition to these July 4th happenings, the sweet town of Hershey is filled with attractions and activities the whole family can enjoy. Explore why the town built on chocolate is a must-visit destination in 2025.