Hersheypark Recognizes May 2025 as National Water Safety Month

Date: May 22, 2025

Hersheypark amusement park is proud to recognize May as National Water Safety Month by promoting water safety at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark, an 11-acre water park open daily inside Hersheypark from May 24 through Sept. 10, 2025.

National Water Safety Month is celebrated in May each year as a joint effort of the World Waterpark Association, the American Red Cross, the National Recreation and Park Association and the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance. 

Make a Splash at the Water Park

Featuring 16 water attractions and one million gallons of water, The Boardwalk At Hersheypark is the perfect place to cool off on a hot summer day. 2025 marks 16 years since the “Seaquel” expansion with the wave pool, lazy river and cabanas. 

Guests can plunge down one of six open-air water slides; race again and again on one of the longest mat racing slides in the world;  rocket through hills, tunnels and turns on a water coaster; relax on a slow and winding lazy river; catch a wave in the 378,000-gallon wave pool; and more.

The Boardwalk At Hersheypark is also home to East Coast Waterworks, modeled after iconic boardwalks along the East Coast. The popular water attraction offers more than 600 interactive water features alone. The biggest splash comes from a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket for those looking to get drenched on a hot summer day.

Safety and Fun Go Hand-in-Hand at Hersheypark

We strive to ensure our guests have fun and stay safe at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark. If you are planning a visit this summer, keep these 5 water safety tips in mind:

 

1. LEARN TO SWIM

The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes both adults and children. 

 

2. PARENTS ARE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

“If your child is in the water, you should be too!” Make sure an adult is constantly watching young children swimming, playing or bathing in water. Do not participate in any distracting activities while supervising children around the water. 

 

3. WEAR A LIFE JACKET

Non-swimmers and inexperienced swimmers should also always wear a life jacket when in and around the water. Inflatable toys can be fun but are not a substitute for U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. At Hersheypark, guests of the Miniatures, Kisses and Reese's height categories must wear a life vest on certain water attractions. Guests may bring their own life jacket, as long as it is Coast Guard approved. Life jackets are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Outside wave boards, inner tubes, inflatable toys, or other inflatables, including water wings or swimmies are not permitted in The Boardwalk.

 

4. NEVER SWIM ALONE OR IN UNSUPERVISED PLACES

Teach your children to always swim with a buddy.

 

5. LOOK FOR LIFEGUARDS

Be sure the area is well supervised by lifeguards before you or others in your group enter the water.

 

Hersheypark also encourages guests to wear proper foot protection in queues and on all walking surfaces as they may become hot in the sun. Aqua shoes are not permitted on the body slides. There are complimentary shoe drops available to guests. Furthermore, only appropriate swimwear is allowed on the attractions. Revealing bathing suits, shorts with rivets, snaps, zippers, metal ornamentation, cutoffs and jeans are not permitted.

Award-Winning Certified and Trained Lifeguard Staff

The lifeguard staff is well-trained to keep all guests safe as they take a break from coaster riding and beat the heat in the water park. Currently, there are 19 Certified Lifeguard Instructors who are certified to train lifeguards and one Lifeguard Instructor Trainer who is qualified to train the Lifeguard Instructors on the Hersheypark Team. All Hersheypark lifeguards are trained and certified through Jeff Ellis & Associates, a leader in water park safety.

Every Hersheypark lifeguard completes a 24-hour class, followed by a minimum of four hours of continued in-service education per month to maintain test-ready skills. Lifeguard certifications are valid for one year only, which ensures that seasonal team members receive updated training every year.

Coming off of aquatic audit season in 2024, Hersheypark was awarded the prestigious "Gold International Aquatic Safety Award.” Earning this award demonstrates that The Boardwalk consistently exceeds industry standards in risk management and epitomizes aquatic safety excellence. International Aquatic Safety Awards are conferred to deserving aquatic facilities by Jeff Ellis & Associates, Inc. - International Aquatic  Safety and Risk Management Consultants. Hersheypark has received a total of nine Platinum Awards, three Gold Awards and one Silver Award.

International Aquatic Safety Awards are presented annually to participants in E&A's Comprehensive Aquatic Risk Management Program (CARMP) and are based on the results of multiple random Unannounced Aquatic Facility Operational Safety Audits throughout the year. These audits include undercover video surveillance of individual lifeguards while they protect their Zone of Protection areas in order to accurately evaluate their professional diligence. Additionally, individual and team basic life support and rescue skills are evaluated, along with simulated emergencies that measure the effectiveness of established Emergency Action Plans. The audit concludes with administrative, supervisory and facility evaluations. 

International Safety Awards are presented only to E&A's most elite clients. Presented in three levels - Silver, Gold, and Platinum - only the top 10% of E&A clients in the world receive a Platinum International Aquatic Safety Award each year.

Join the Hersheypark Team

Hersheypark is actively looking to hire lifeguards ages  15+ for the 2025 summer season. For information about these and any of our available positions, please visit Hersheypark.com/Jobs.

Plan a Visit Today

The Boardwalk At Hersheypark is one of three parks included in Hersheypark admission. This summer, guests can also enjoy more than 70 rides (weather and maintenance permitting), plus access to ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park only when entering the Zoo from the bridge inside Hersheypark during posted Park hours. Great ticket deals are available on Hersheypark.com.