HERSHEY, Pa. — The best place to check out beautiful fall foliage and mums in full bloom might just be at the sweetest place on Earth. Hershey Gardens in Derry Township, Dauphin County is open all year long, but during the fall, it is a sight to see.
"We have 1,300 mums in bloom and they are just stunning. The colors are amazing," said Amy Zeigler, a senior director at Hershey Gardens. "We have so many gorgeous trees that are changing color this time of year. It’s just such a nice, wonderful time to come walk around and really take your time and look at things."
Nancy Sutsko, a visitor of the gardens from Nashville, Tennessee couldn’t agree more.
"The colors here for fall are spectacular," said Sutsko. "As you’re walking through, they have lots of different displays to help you feel the season of the fall."
The gardens were developed in the 1930s by Milton Hershey and started out as a 3-acre rose garden. In the span of nearly a century, that has grown to 13 themed gardens across 23 and a half acres.
If you need to take a break from the outdoors, the garden has a visitor-favorite butterfly atrium.
"We have native butterflies, but we also have butterflies from around the world which is not something you can do anywhere else really close to here," said Zeigler. "It’s a really really cool place."
Whatever beautiful sight draws you and your family to the Gardens, it’s a place like no other in the Hershey area.
"Hershey is a lot of fun and there’s a lot of exciting things to do," said Zeigler. "But when you kind of need a break after a day at the park or crowded Chocolate World, we’re the perfect place to come to slow down a little bit, let your kids run around in some open space, take a seat and really enjoy the view."
For more information on current exhibits, events and programs head to the Hershey Gardens' website.