Chocolate always makes things better

An eastern trip took uscto Hershey, PA around 1990.  Despite the chocolate Chris doesn't look very happy.

A little longer drive on Wednesday.  We left Willington, CT at 8 a.m. and arrived in Hershey, PA at 3:30.  We had a little rain, but not enough to see if Thor fixed our basement. I can't remember asking for rain for a drive before, but I hope we get some soon.  It seemed like a good share of the day was spent driving out and around New York City.  We had no desire to go anywhere near there.  The scenery was was especially beautiful today as the trees are bringing in autumn.

Thank you to our Harvest Host, The Vineyard at Hershey. We were the only guests at this beautiful spot Weds. night.  They had a pond below but we would have to turn around on the narrow road, so we decided to stay in the upper parking lot where there is a beautiful view of the valley from our dining room window. We purchased a bottle of Merlot to add to our wine collection.

Our stop Weds. brought back some good memories.  Looking at our boys we figure we were in Hershey about 30 years ago! Our accommodations were a little different back then.  We had two "houses," one tent for the boys and one for us.  If an amusement park was on our route we tried to hit one on each of our trips if possible, and that year it was Hershey Park.  It was a nice park, and as I recall, we took a tour of Hershey's candy factory.  Weds. we drove around the Hershey Complex.  The amusement park is only open on weekends in the fall, but we saw other things that we didn't take time to drive around when we had little ones.  I'm pretty sure there are things they've added in the past 30 years too.  

Krikkit was tired when we picked her up Tues.  She was happy to see us, but  it was obvious she enjoyed her time at Baywood Kennels.

This is our view of the sides and rear of our RV as we drive.  Pat added these small monitors so on our main screen (below) we don't have to keep switching back and forth from the navigation system and each camera view.

Thanks to Pat the navigation system is always showing.

The Vineyard at Hershey

Looking at the winery and the valley below

The Hersey Hotel sits atop Pat's Hill which overlooks the chocolate factory.  It was completed in 1933.  Milton Hershey built the hotel during the great depression to employ his towns' construction workers.  He and his wife Catherine, but the way, had no children or heirs.  He left most of his estate to the Milton Hershey School, which also sits on Pat's hill.  The Hershey's created this as a home and school for orphaned boys.  Now it meets the needs of low-incomed families, both boys and girls, from elementary through high school.

The Hotel Hershey