By: MJ + PJ
Google Maps navigation welcomed us as usual to the new state, about ten minutes after being welcomed into Maryland. (We’ll be back in Maryland in a few weeks, so we just cut a tip off the corner of the state on a highway!) The traffic suddenly and noticeably got a bit antsy. Weird. Then we spotted two obnoxiously large orange official warning signs on the side of the highway stating “Be aware of aggressive drivers”, and less than a mile later “No tailgating”.
We experienced those things for the next few miles while trying to find an exit for a gas station. So, uh, welcome to Pennsylvania, where you add at least 10 MPH to whatever you see posted on the roadside. We were in no hurry as usual, and are not into wasting our money on speeding fines, so we watched in fascination as the traffic unfurled around us. After some hours driving in PA, we did reach a different conclusion: The speed limits for the road type and construction are about 10 MPH slower than in other states. Hence, the traffic moved suitably for the road rather than the signage.
But enough about driving! Hershey was our destination, and it did not disappoint. There were lots of activities and lots of chocolate. We decided to stay three nights at the Hershey campground as it was an easy to be place and AJ was quite into it. There was a pool and games room, and Hershey characters scattered around the large campground. They have a shuttle bus that takes campers to and from Hershey Chocolate World.
Hershey Chocolate World was AWESOME! The highest tier package was $43/adult and $36 for a child, and they schedule your day right there at the desk. We got to chocolate taste, see a 4D movie, take an amusing bus tour of Hershey town, and created our own chocolate bars. Plus, they give you free chocolate samples at almost every turn. 🍫😋 That was enough for day one! On day two we backed off the pace and hung out at the pool for a while, then headed to Hershey Gardens and the butterfly pavilion, then found the downtown chocolate delicacy shop called ‘Desserts Etc by Hershey Pantry’.
Since we were here a few days, MJ decided to get that fun new car sound looked at. Long story short: The owner mechanic could not reliably replicate it and it did not fit a usual diagnostic profile so he did not charge for not being able to solve the sound. Besides being curious about our travel to date and where we were headed, he shared that his heart lay in the Wyoming and Montana regions, not in PA.
As we headed to New York that day we stopped at the Sri Venkateswara Temple and Community Center. It is a short distance over the border into New Jersey. This place was a distinct change of pace and culture, and much more pleasant than the experience we had at the grocery store in nearby Bedminster.
After visiting New York and ‘Ello Bonjour! Niagara Falls we were in western Pennsylvania for a day (to drop AJ and PJ off at the airport). This was quite different to the eastern area, with a bit more of an Ohio feel and not as hectic. MJ visited Bicycle Heaven which is a bicycle museum tucked away in the semi-industrial riverside area. Like the Wheels Through Time Museum, this museum was clearly a place of seeing someone’s passion for their transport mode. Well worth putting on your list if you are in Pittsburgh.
