Hotel at a Glance: Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg East/Hershey

The Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg East/Hershey has everything you need for a fun family vacation. While kids try to beat the high score in the onsite arcade, parents can play billiards or relax in the outdoor whirlpool. If you want to get active, you can swim in the indoor and outdoor pools and play volleyball and basketball on the hotel’s sports courts.

• Get comfy: Guest rooms feature 32-inch flat-screen HD TVs and free WiFi.
• Kids will love playing ping-pong and hitting the playground.
• Grab a bite: The onsite Seasons Restaurant serves juicy steaks and fresh seafood. At Off Seasons Sports Lounge, you can enjoy nachos and wings as local team’s games are screened on nine high-definition TVs. Kids under 12 eat free; restrictions apply.
• Bring Fido: Furry friends are welcome for an additional $15 per pet per stay.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Historic State Capital near Chocolate Empire

The midsize city of Harrisburg has played a part in key moments in US history: it was the site of several Civil War battles, as well as a rail and transportation hub during the Industrial Revolution. The National Civil War Museum chronicles the war from both the Southern and Northern perspectives, housing more than 12,000 artifacts including Robert E. Lee’s pocket Bible and Ulysses S. Grant’s sword belt. The Pennsylvania State Capitol Complex—which Teddy Roosevelt once praised as “the handsomest” he’d ever seen—is also worth a stop. You can take a guided tours around the Beaux Arts building, which was constructed in 1902.

Nearby Hershey bills itself as “The Sweetest Place on Earth,” and it’s hard to dispute that claim—the whole town smells like chocolate. Rags-to-riches entrepreneur Milton Hershey founded Hershey in 1903 as a company town for his factory workers. These days, it’s at the center of a confection empire where you’ll find candy-themed amusement parks and museums. At Hersheypark, only nine miles away, you can ride 12 roller coasters and float in inner tubes down a lazy river. Next door, the Hershey’s Chocolate World trolley tour takes passengers to Milton Hershey’s boyhood home and the mansion he built across from his factory.

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