Stop #2: Wilmington, DE and, unexpectedly, Hershey, PA

Once in Delaware, we did a bit of in-van sight-seeing before driving to Brandywine Creek and park. We spent the afternoon mostly rolling down hills and feeding ducks.

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

After the kids had solidly worn themselves out, we hopped back in the van. The plan was to find a place to stay the night before heading to Baltimore the following day. That's when I looked at a map and called an audible.

I noticed that Hershey, PA was an hour-and-a-half away. We called the Hershey factory to see A) if tours were still happening; and, B) how crowded it was. The answer: tours were still going, and the whole place was almost empty.

"You know, kids, if you're ok with an extra hour-and-a-half of driving, we could go to Hershey, PA today and head to Baltimore tomorrow."

You should know that, prior to this trip, I knew virtually nothing about Hershey, PA. I'd neither researched it online nor seen so much as a picture of the place. My knowledge was limited to the following facts: Hershey has a chocolate factory. Hershey has a chocolate tour. Chocolate tour-goers are given free samples. That's all I needed to know to justify changing our travel plans. As it turns out, that's all that my 8 children needed to know also.

Off we went.

Careese called back to reserve a tour spot. I overheard the conversation. Here are a few lines from their conversation and my internal dialogue.

Hershey employee: "If you stay on property, you can do the tour for free."
My thoughts: "Stay on property?! Like, there's a Hershey Hotel?! I thought this place was merely a factory that you walk through, and where they throw some chocolate at you at the end of the tour. What is this place, Chocolate Disney?!"

Hershey employee: "I should let you know that the amusement park is closed, but the chocolate world tour, botanical gardens, water park, and museum are still open."

My thoughts, out loud this time, interrupting my wife's phone conversation: "AMUSEMENT PARK?! There's a chocolate amusement park and chocolate botanical gardens?! IT IS CHOCOLATE DISNEY!"

Careese to me after putting the Hershey employee on hold: "Yes, there's an amusement park, but it's closed."
Me: "I know, I know. And, there's no way we would go today even if it was open, but still. You have no idea how happy I am right now!"

When we rolled into town (slightly sooner than the hour-and-a-half it should've taken to get there, I might add...because CHOCOLATE DISNEY), Hershey World blew my mind. It's a whole flippin' chocolate resort! There's a stadium, hotel & conference center, amusement park full of massive roller-coasters, botanical gardens, and a big ol' chocolate food court. I need to describe the food court to you now. One place served giant s'mores. Another, hot chocolate and coffee. Another, bowls of cookie dough and cookies. Another cupcakes. Another, milkshakes. Another, jolly rancher slushies. At the center of the food court: aisle after aisle of every kind of candy imaginable.

My mind kept thinking, "Pace yourself, Josh. This is a marathon, not a sprint." Unfortunately, my mouth kept saying "OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM." As you might imagine, this did not end well, gastrointestinally speaking. In every other conceivable way, the experience was glorious. Oh, and the kids loved it, too.

Oh, I almost forgot. The shampoo and conditioner at the Hershey Hotel are chocolate scented. Decidedly, this was the best I've ever personally smelled in my entire life. There was a downside to this shampoo and conditioner for my kids though. I kept sniffing my wife's hair, and it made them all very uncomfortable. "Ew, gross, Dad!"

Struggle Bus 2.0 rollin' on to the next stop: Baltimore, MD. Good luck topping Chocolate Disney, Baltimore.

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Testimonials

"This is a quick read that you won't regret if you're a parent. Picture a family with 4 kids in diapers and 6 kids in car seats. I laughed out loud when I read "50 percent of the day was spent changing diapers, 50% preparing meals, 50% preparing the unholy mess of carnage that was created at mealtime, 50% bathing children, and the rest of our time searching for missing shoes, coats, toothbrushes, and more. Seriously, though, WHERE DO MY KIDS KEEP PUTTING THEIR SHOES?" Give this a quick read on the beach and you won't regret it!"

— Customer Review

"What a fun read! Every parent in America will be able to relate to many of the stories contained in these pages--even those with only 2 kiddos. If you are looking for a quick, easy read that is laugh-out-loud funny, this is the book! In a day and age where everything coming at us has a negative spin, this book will leave you with a sense of happiness by the end. Thanks, Josh, for telling your story. Thanks, also, for writing it in my primary language of sarcasm."

— Customer Review

“I'd heard the story of the Struggle Bus, but only the outside, viral story.

This well-written, quick-reading, approachable, fascinating tale talks about the family dynamics, the funny anecdotes, the life lessons. I'm a bit reminded, perhaps, of the Grateful Dead tour bus history by Wavy Gravy, "Living With The Dead". I think this is going to be a classic of modern folklore and a reminder that the trials, tribulations, and excitement of family, internet celebrity, and living in close quarters are all enduring subjects. I'm going to read this book pretty often; I really enjoyed it.”

— Customer Review

Josh Wood, Author