Weekend in South Central Pennsylvania – Hershey Gardens
This blog post continues details of our extended weekend vacation (August 5-8) in South Central Pennsylvania. The first day of our vacation was mainly a driving event. We drove 5 1/2 hours from our home in Warren, PA, to our hotel in Jonestown, PA. On the second day of our vacation (August 6) we took a stroll alongside Union Canal in Lebanon and visited the quaint village of Mt. Gretna, where we saw Leon Redbone in concert.
When on vacation we do not set an alarm. We get up … whenever. We tend to be early risers, so “whenever” is usually before 7:00 AM. I guess we were pretty tired on our third day of vacation (Saturday, August 7). We were sound asleep at 7:00 AM when the hotel’s fire alarm went off. The fire alarm went off twice. During its second squealing, the local fire station’s fire siren went off as well. The first time we thought it was OUR fire alarm (battery died?). The second time we knew it was the entire hotel sounding the alarm. We hurriedly got dressed and went out into the hallway (I was carrying my socks and shoes). There were lots of people standing outside their doors, in a variety of stages of dress, wondering what was going on. Our neighbor’s son and father had gone downstairs to see if we had to evacuate. They came back upstairs within seconds of when we stepped outside our hotel room. Someone put too much laundry in the washing machine and burned out the bearings. There was smoke, not fire, in the laundry room. There was no need to evacuate.
We finished getting dressed (remember the shoes and socks that were in my hand?) and went downstairs for breakfast. As expected, the breakfast room was packed. A young girl (teenager?), in jeans and shirt, did a bang up job keeping the food stations amply supplied! Can you believe someone complained to the front desk about the false alarm? I’m thankful that the hotel’s security system worked, that the alarm didn’t go off in the wee hours of the morning, and that there was no fire!
After breakfast we returned to our room. After showering and getting dressed, we left en route Hershey. In April 2006 we visited Hersheypark and Hershey’s Chocolate World with Wom, our exchange student from South Korea, and our niece Emily. We didn’t visit Hershey Gardens during that trip. The reason to go to Hershey was for the express purpose of visiting Hershey Gardens. We arrived at Hershey Gardens by 9:15 AM.
Hershey Gardens is a 23 acre botanical garden and arboretum. It sits up on a hill overlooking Hersheypark. Hershey Gardens was built as a gift from Milton S. Hershey for his community and to honor his wife, Catherine. Bob and I enjoyed strolling through the well-maintained flower gardens and arboretum; walking through the Children’s Garden; seeing all the butterflies in the butterfly house and looking at the many birdhouses on display.
We walked round and round this fountain.
It is beautiful from all locations!
See the rainbow!
The Children’s Garden
(please click on image to enlarge)
The Butterfly House
(please click on image to enlarge)
“For the Birds” Birdhouse Exhibit
(please click on image to enlarge)
Japanese Garden
Arboretum
Rock Garden
Perennial Garden
Memorial Garden
with Hotel Hershey in the background
The gardens are well maintained!
Beautiful!
One last picture of the fountain, as we exited Hershey Gardens.
We ate lunch at Cross Roads Cafe, which was located only a short distance from Hershey Gardens. Bob’s lunch was grouper fish sticks with fries and Maryland Seafood Soup. My lunch was chicken pot pie (made the Dutch way; dumplings instead of crust) and tossed salad. For dessert we each ordered a slice of cake. Our lunches were delicious. I recommend eating at Cross Roads Cafe, if you are ever in the Hershey area.
Later in the day we visited Indiantown Gap National Cemetery and attended a cruise in at a campground located across from our hotel, both of which will be blogged about separately.
The Beauty Around Us 
11 Responses to “Weekend in South Central Pennsylvania – Hershey Gardens”
Oh Linda, I would love those gardens… Wouldn't they be gorgeous in the spring also???? But–even in the summer, they are beautiful…Sounds like you had some excitement when the fire alarm went off…. Why would someone complain about that??? GADS—don't they want to be safe??? People are funny (weird)!!!!! haLoved your picture of the flower with the glasses on. How cute…. I never notice things like that until someone points them out.Glad you got to visit the Gardens… I've heard about that Hershey area all of my life… Someday, maybe we'll get there. Thanks for taking us though… Your pictures are fabulous… I'll check the rest out on Flickr.Hugs,Betsy
very nice places
You got some amazing photos. I love the frog, and the butterflies. We have never been to Hershey Gardens, can you believe it? I guess we are just so used to Longwood…and any time we go to Hershey it is to Hershey Park. Becky K.
Linda, What a wonderful trip. The gardens are so pretty, and the fountain. I do see those rose colored glasses the flower is wearing. I wish I had a pair just like them. Lol. Gerry
Linda, What a wonderful trip. The gardens are so pretty, and the fountain. I do see those rose colored glasses the flower is wearing. I wish I had a pair just like them. Lol. Gerry
I just love your photos! The butterfly ones and birdhouses were my favorites!
Lovely photos from Hershey's Gardens. I would love to see all those birdhouses. I didn't even know the gardens were there. We have only been to the amusement park.
I enjoyed your pictures, especially of the gardens in Hershey, especially the picture of the anemones flower. I love those flowers!I'm glad you had a good time – fire alarm and all!
Looks like a wonderful garden to visit.
This is another place not too far from where I live. It is very nice to see and walk around in. Again, I haven't been down in that area in some time. Hope that you and Bob took some time to go into Hershey Park. A well known amusement park.Les
Thanks for sharing this great trip with us Linda. Loved the gardens – another good reason to plan a trip to the area… Your photos are very good – loved the butterflies – you are a skilled photographer for sure!