Fall in Hershey: Our Favorite Things to Do, See, and Experience During a Stay

Bright bedroom with white bed, desk, chair, wood floor, and warm lighting

Whether you're here for work, waiting on a home, or choosing a slower pace of travel, fall is the best season to be in Hershey for more than a few days. Here's what's happening, how to pace it, and why a furnished suite makes more sense than a hotel when you're staying two weeks or longer.


What Makes Fall in Hershey Different When You're Staying Longer


Short-trip visitors try to cram everything into a weekend. You don't have to.

 

Fall in Hershey runs from mid-September through late October, and the town shifts in a way that rewards people who are already settled in. The tourist crowds thin on weekdays. The foliage builds slowly — peaking around the third or fourth week of October. Events are spread across weeks, not stacked into one weekend.

 

When you're here for 15, 30, or 45+ nights, you get to actually experience the season instead of rushing through it. You have time for the big-ticket events and the low-key Tuesday afternoon at Hershey Gardens when nobody else is there.

 

That changes everything about how fall here feels.

 

The Fall Calendar: Events Worth Planning Around


Here are some of our favorite upcoming "happenings" in Hershey and the surrounding area this fall:


September


  • Hersheypark Halloween opens (Sept 12) — Rides in the dark, Treatville trick-or-treating for kids, and the Dark Nights haunt experience with 5 haunted houses and 5 scare zones. Runs weekends through October.
  • Bonsai Exhibit at Hershey Gardens (Sept 23 – Oct 10) — A quiet weekday visit here is one of the best-kept-secret experiences in town.
  • 20th Annual Soup Cook-Off (Sept 26) — Local restaurants competing at Chocolate Town Square. Free to attend, 11am–2pm. Very community-feel.


October


  • Choctoberfest (Oct 10) — Live music, local craft beer, food from downtown restaurants, and chocolate. Free, family-friendly, held right on Chocolate Avenue. 11am–6pm.
  • Pumpkin Palooza at Hershey Gardens (Oct 17, 18, 24, 25) — Included with admission. Great for kids, great for a slow morning if you're solo.
  • Middletown & Hummelstown Fall Foliage Express — A scenic train ride through peak foliage, about 15 minutes from Hershey. Half-day excursion, no planning required. (Check their site for 2026 fall dates as they're announced seasonally.)
  • Hershey Bears hockey home opener (Oct 3 vs. Charlotte, 6pm) — The Bears open with 7 straight home games at GIANT Center through Oct 24. Weeknight tickets are easy to get.


All Season


  • Peak foliage: third and fourth week of October. Best spots nearby: Hershey Gardens, Wildwood Park in Harrisburg (3.1-mile loop trail around a lake), and any drive through the surrounding farmland.
  • Downtown Chocolate Avenue — New restaurants opening, local coffee shops switching to fall menus, walkable from most of Hershey's residential neighborhoods.

 

Weekdays vs. Weekends: How to Pace a Longer Stay

 

Weekdays (your secret weapon):

  • Hershey Gardens with almost no one there
  • Chocolate World tours with no line
  • Coffee and work sessions at local shops downtown
  • Grocery runs, laundry, and the normal rhythms of life that make a longer stay feel like home

 

Weekends (when it's worth joining the crowd):

  • Hersheypark Halloween (Friday–Sunday operation)
  • Choctoberfest, Soup Cook-Off, and other one-day events
  • Bears games at GIANT Center
  • Brunch spots downtown before they fill up

 

The key: you don't have to pick. You get both. That's the difference between visiting Hershey and living in Hershey for a few weeks.

 

Rest Days: What to Do When You're Not "Doing" Anything

 

Outdoors:

  • Walk or bike at Wildwood Park (Harrisburg, 20 min away) — flat trails, lake views, fall color everywhere
  • Swatara Creek for kayaking or paddling while it's still warm enough in September
  • Hershey Gardens on a weekday morning — bench, coffee, leaves changing

 

Indoors / cozy:

  • The Hershey Story museum downtown (chocolate history + tasting)
  • A work-from-suite day with the windows open and fall air coming in
  • Cook a real dinner with farmers market produce. There's something about making a meal in "your" kitchen that makes a temporary stay feel grounded

 

For remote workers: A furnished suite with fast Wi-Fi and a dedicated workspace means your workday looks the same as it does at home. Then you close the laptop and you're in Hershey.

 

FAQ



What should I do in Hershey in the fall?

Hersheypark Halloween (Sept–Oct weekends), Choctoberfest (Oct 10), Pumpkin Palooza at Hershey Gardens, the Soup Cook-Off (Sept 26), fall foliage drives and hikes, Hershey Bears hockey, and the Middletown & Hummelstown Fall Foliage Express train. On quieter days: Chocolate World, The Hershey Story, local coffee shops, and Wildwood Park trails.

 

Is Hershey good for a 2-week trip in the fall?

It's ideal. Events are spread across weeks (not crammed into one weekend), foliage builds gradually through October, and the weekday-vs-weekend rhythm gives you a mix of activity and rest. Two weeks lets you experience the season instead of rushing through it.

 

Where should I stay for an extended visit in Hershey?

Look for a furnished suite with a kitchen, laundry, and a quiet location. Suites on Chocolate offers everything you need for extended stays.


Is it family-friendly?

Very. Hersheypark Halloween has dedicated kids' trick-or-treating (Treatville), Hershey Gardens has Pumpkin Palooza, and the neighborhood around Suites on Chocolate is quiet and residential. Larger suites (like The Hershey House: 1,800 sq ft) sleep up to 6.

 

Is it good for couples or solo travelers?

Absolutely. Our lofted suites are perfect for one or two people who want privacy, a full kitchen, and a home base. Fall is especially good for this: fewer crowds, beautiful weather, and plenty of low-key experiences that don't require a group.

 

Is it good for remote work?

Yes. Every suite has Wi-Fi, and the lofted layouts give you separation between workspace and living space. Weekday mornings in Hershey are quiet. You work, you close the laptop, and you're 5 minutes from downtown or 4 miles from the park.

 

Suites on Chocolate · 9 furnished suites · 15-night minimum · Quiet residential neighborhood in Hershey, PA · ~4 miles from Hersheypark · Full kitchens · Year-round rates · suitesonchocolate.com