Tours in Hershey & Harrisburg

To understand a product, see how it's made. To know the significance of a building, discover its nooks and crannies. A behind-the-scenes, under-the-hood experience is one that can’t be told in passing. Our region offers a variety of indoor and outdoor tours in Hershey and Harrisburg for visitors to discover.

Indoor Tours

There’s a lot to uncover about our region year-round on an indoor tour where you can learn how things are made or what life was like centuries ago.

Some of you may remember a time when you could tour the actual Hershey’s Chocolate factory. Today, all generations can enjoy a free simulated factory tour ride inside Hershey’s Chocolate World. You’ll learn how the sweet stuff is made, from cocoa bean to candy bar wrapper. If your idea of a treat comes in a pint glass, you’ve got to take a guided or self-guided production tour at Tröegs Independent Brewing. From fermentation to bottling, you’ll discover what makes their processes unique and sip a few samples along the way.

The Pennsylvania State Capitol offers free guided tours daily filled with fascinating facts about this palace of art and a building President Teddy Roosevelt observed as “the handsomest building I ever saw.” See inside the House and Senate Chambers as well as the Supreme Court, the highest court in Pennsylvania. Turn the clocks back a few decades when you visit two of Harrisburg’s mansions-turned-museums: Fort Hunter Mansion & Park and John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion. These historic homes housed several prominent Pennsylvanians and played pivotal parts in shaping Harrisburg’s history. Mansion tours are offered seasonally.

When we said indoors, we also meant underground! Echo Dell – Indian Echo Caverns is a natural geologic wonder millions of years in the making. The Caverns’ “wow” factor comes from their impressive rock formations, echoing rooms, an underground lake, fascinating history, and consistent 52-degree temperature year-round! Head underground on a guided tour to uncover what attracts millions of visitors all over the East Coast.

capitol tour

Unique Experiences & Hidden Gems

Where else can you explore underground caverns, ride a vintage trolley, or feed a bear? These unique experiences, plus a few hidden gems, will leave you saying, “I didn’t know they offered that!”

Think of Hershey, Pennsylvania. You’re thinking of chocolate and coasters, right? Indeed, many visitors don’t make time to explore the rest of Hershey! The town of Hershey has a sweet history, and the knowledgeable and witty tour guides of Hershey Trolley Works are eager to share it with you. Climb aboard for fun facts, jokes, audience participation, and chocolate samples! In addition to browsing the sweet vintage rides at AACA Museum, Inc., gearheads can upgrade their visit with a Behind-the-Scenes tour of the Museum’s 15,000-square-foot collection storage garage. Tours are offered daily Memorial Day to Labor Day plus some spring/fall weekends and feature 50-70 additional cars not currently on display.

AACA Museum

Did you know? You can go behind the scenes at ZooAmerica® North American Wildlife Park on an exclusive guided tour. Set your alarm for the Early Bird tour or stay late After Hours to get up close to the bears, give an otter a snack, hold a bird of prey, or stroke a reptile! Bonus: ZooAmerica is open daily, year-round and accessible from Downtown Hershey. (Tours are available on select dates for an added cost. Registration is required.)

Outdoor Tours

There are lots of ways to tour the Hershey Harrisburg Region – by bus, by boat– just to name a few.

Let’s start with an art walk! Add Murals & More – A Walk of Art to your phone and let us be your audio tour guide for discovering beautiful murals, historic architecture, and towering monuments in Harrisburg. You can follow one of two suggested routes or mix & match based on your preferred starting point.

Do a little fresh air sight-cycling in Harrisburg along the 20-mile Capital Area Greenbelt. It’s free to schedule a guided tour (four-rider minimum) that highlights nature, trail history, local history, and more.

Enjoy 360-degree views of Harrisburg aboard The Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat on a daily sightseeing cruise. The Pride is one of the last remaining authentic paddlewheel vessels left in the country, and it’s so uniquely constructed that they couldn’t rebuild it even if they tried. The Pride sails daily in the summer and weekends in the spring and fall.

Take a walk, or ride, on the wild side on a safari tour of Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. Their fleet of open-air buses gets you up close and personal to more than 500 freely roaming elk, bison, deer, antelope, and exotic animals. Listen in as your tour guide shares fun facts about the animals’ habitats and behaviors. Lake Tobias is open May through October.

Top Tour-Taking Tips

Reserve your seat. While most of our region’s tour options can be booked on a whim, it’s a good idea to research and plan. During our peak season (May-August), tours often fill up fast! Consider buying your tickets ahead of time to ensure availability. Additionally, some tours are only offered seasonally and are weather dependent.
Arrive early. In addition to booking in advance, it’s a good idea to arrive early to get a good seat on public tours. Most tours have strict start times, so you’ll want to make sure you’re on time, or you might get left behind.
Wear comfortable shoes and clothing. Most tours involve a little, or a lot, of walking, so opt for sneakers over stilettos and dress in layers to adjust to changing indoor/outdoor conditions.
Have your camera at the ready. Our tours are cool because you get to see unique sights and spaces! Snap a few photos to show everyone at home what you learned.
Ask questions. Our expert tour guides love answering questions. If something is intriguing, find out more. Don’t be shy!