One day wonder: Chocolate World

Sassafras and I recently took off from NOVA up rt. 15 for a delicious day long adventure in  the sweetest place on earth, Hershey PA. It took us just about 2 hours with generous potty stops. It is the off season there so Hershey Park is not open but this doesn't mean that there is nothing going on.... quite the opposite! We headed to Chocolate World for hands on fun and a faces stuffed with all the treats you can imagine.

We met up with college friends of mine who live near by and their adorable children, the Million Dollar Man and his precious sister Sun Beam who will smile her way right into even the smallest heart.  We joined up outside at the main entrance and walked right in (no admission fee!) and straight passed the Chocolate Lab, where you can experiment and design your own treats with Hershey's best loved ingredients, to the Chocolate World ride.

Miss Sun Beam uses a wheel chair so I also want to highlight the wonderful accessibility available at Chocolate World. There is a velvet rope right by the beginning of the main line that holds the accessible entrance to the ride.  Polite and efficient guides help you access the ride including the rotating platform and the cars.

The ride has recently been refurbished and now boasts computer generated graphics that are projected throughout as well as the beloved singing Hershey cows complete with an upgraded barn scene.  The ride gives the basic run down of how chocolate is sourced and manufactured, so your littles get a bit of learning in before a picture is snapped of your experience and you disembark with a fist full of what ever small Hershey treat is being handed out that day. Did I mention there is no cost for this ride and the candy is free?

We then headed to the food court to sample yummy lunch items all with a signature Hershey flare.  I recommend Thai peanut soup made with Reese's peanut butter, or pulled pork sandwiches seasoned with a little Hershey cocoa!  We finished lunch with a trip across the food court for Hershey ice cream sundaes and milkshakes.

The kids enjoyed playing some interactive video games near by and checking out the cool chocolate sculpture while the parents caught up and relaxed in this family friendly atmosphere.  Off in the distance strains of brass music began to echo through the hall and grew louder and louder until the Hershey Marching Band paraded in, complete with all your favorite candy in character form.  A full volume dance party erupted with cheering children and tons of photo ops for parents.

The band finished up their gig and the children followed after them as they marched back towards to main entrance, allowing us to corral the kids into the Candy store section of Chocolate World.  This is probably the most candy for sale under one roof that you average human will come across in their lifetime.  It is divided into sections so I could easily find peanut butter cup related items for our oldest son, and Twizzlers related items for boy #2.


If you are a Hershey super fan, or know someone who is, then you have found a paradise of memorabilia for all ages and tastes.  There are so many neat clothing items and novelties for sale that represent almost all of their most recognizable brands.  I picked up two kits (exclusive to the Chocolate World store) modeled on the chocolate lab's "design your own chocolate bar" experience that are definitely going into the Easter baskets of my little nieces.

Check out is simple and efficient, and honestly for being children who had just consumed 3 times the daily recommendation of sugar, they all behaved remarkably well.  Everyone left with a smile on their face and a full belly.  Mom was thrilled that all the candy was sold at market price and no amusement park up charges had been added.

As we ambled towards to door, we made a note to hit up the 4D movie experience on our next jaunt up to Hershey.

This day was as action packed as we wanted it to be, but could have contained many more off season adventures, or even some outlet shopping, if the kids were a little older.  For us it was just perfect for a day of fun and a light impact on the wallet.

Nova Mom On The Go ranks this one as a favorite day spot for sure!

An unprecedented President's Day

Dawn broke on a bright February morning and the sun shone through the windows of our living room. Dad  and I sat there drinking coffee and prepping for a President's Day spent with 6 kids between the ages of 5 and 11.  Sassafras, our 7 year old daughter, would be hanging out with 4 buds from one family and her b.f.f., Captain America. What to do with a pack of kids and an unseasonably lovely day?

Movies and TV were ruled out since the weather was predicted to be amazing. Without enough bikes on hand and with chores in the yard to accomplish, we decided to cut the day in half.  We would "farm" at home and then after lunch we would head to a local gem known as Frying Pan Farm Park.

Morning "farming" was a blast.  6 small humans ran around the yard collecting fallen twigs and small branches from a  recent wind storm, filling the fire pit and creating a respectable kindling pile by the fence. Rakes, hoes, and small shovels were distributed between the 4 willing workers while Sassy and a friend hit the tree swing.  The farm crew headed to the raised beds and started turning them over to start the process of readying for the spring planting. We hit a jack pot of undiscovered potatoes from last fall and filled a bucket with spuds that headed upstairs for lunch.
Yard tools returned to the shed, one little friend and I headed to the kitchen to scrub and peel taters while the remaining crew found some scrap boards and worked on creating temporary rabbit shelters while waiting for lunch.

Our little garden haul made a tasty side dish of potato salad, and as more kids filtered in they set up the table, got drinks, and washed hands. Bellies fed, I asked the boys to take the compost to the yard and we got ready for the real farm. One minor compost mishap and a borrowed pair of skinny jeans later (sorry Captain!) we piled in the cars and took off for Frying Pan.

Free parking abounds and we settled on a central spot to maximize our chances at enjoying everything.  Frying Pan does offer a Carousel and Tractor rides during the spring/summer season, but they are merely add on options. The best parts of the park are free for everyone.
Being experienced park goers, we skipped the crowded animal areas to start with and headed past the big horse barns (also a potty stop) for a scramble on some truly epic boulders that make for great games of king of the hill and hide and seek. From there we followed a horse trail into the woods and made for the rocky Horse Pen Creek waterfall for an hour of scrambling, moss touching, rock climbing and pebble skipping. It is a small creek in a busy suburban area, so hand sanitizer (or hanitizer as it is often called in our home)  is recommended after exploration.

Once we were all creeked out, we headed over to the barns and pens full of traditional Virginia farm animals.  Frying Pan Park boasts a varied collection of pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep, cows, horses, chickens, ducks, turkeys, and even peacocks.  Animals are often bread on the farm and new baby animals are available regularly to the absolute delight of all farm goers.  There is also an impressive collection of traditional farm buildings and equipment, and the farmhouse that has been restored to its depression era state when dairy farming was at its peak in Virginia.

To cap off the day we walked down to the little white farm store next to the playground.  It is adjacent to the carousel which will open later this spring. We got juice boxes and 10 cent candy sticks then hit the play ground to burn off the remainder of the energy.  Some of the best features of this playground are that it is near the bathroom/water fountain and divided into toddler and older child sections to minimize physical collisions between different sized kids.

Nova Mom On The Go recommends this Herndon area park for a great day out with kids of all ages!