Harrisburg, Hershey and Lancaster County each has its distinct areas of appeal, but they are all also within a close enough drive of each other—within an hour or less—so groups can really take in the destination as a whole.
“What truly sells this region is that it’s all one unified destination,” says Rick Dunlap, spokesperson for the Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau. “And we don’t always do a good enough job as independent regions telling that story of how close we are to each other. It’s like a triangle of three really unique American experiences that are within an hour of each other … Gettysburg included.”
For starters, Harrisburg is the capital city of Pennsylvania and features an abundance of local and national history. Hershey is well-known for its ties to the beloved chocolate brand and Lancaster County is labeled as Pennsylvania Dutch Country and recognized for its authentic Amish Country experience.
And beyond the tourism appeal, Harrisburg, Hershey and Lancaster County can offer groups a number of excellent meeting venues that either highlight the area’s historical charm or have a history of their own.
Harrisburg History
Despite its stature as state capital, Harrisburg’s proximity to Hershey (15 miles away) tends to mean the city gets overlooked.
“Even though Harrisburg does have a more ‘buttoned-up’ type feel, you will definitely find more nightlife and dining options here than in Hershey,” says Dunlap, who represents both regions. “Hershey is more of a ‘play hard during the day and crash early’ kind of environment.”
And Harrisburg can certainly hold its own in the larger events market. The Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center is massive in size, offering 1 million square feet of event space, including eight major exhibit halls, a 1,000-plus seat banquet hall, three arenas and conference space.
Harrisburg also offers meeting venues that showcase area history. The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg is one of the largest museums in the world dedicated to the American Civil War. It represents both Northern and Southern viewpoints of the conflict within its halls. The museum features 4,500 square feet of meeting space with a maximum capacity of 600 for receptions.
The Simon Cameron House is a much smaller venue, but it has a big story to tell. The structure is one of the oldest buildings in Harrisburg and is open for tours Monday through Thursday afternoons.
“After the American Civil War had ended, soldiers came back and marched in front of the president … Andrew Johnson oversaw the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington D.C., but only for the white soldiers,” Dunlap says. “Simon Cameron was the Secretary of War for Lincoln, and he later observed the Pennsylvania Grand Review for the United States Colored Troops (USCT) in Harrisburg.”
Because of this story the Simon Cameron House has a unique appeal for military and African-American organizations, alongside anyone who may be a history buff. The venue can accommodate up to 150 people for a reception or stand-up gathering and 90 for a sit-down event.
Hershey Highlights
The town of Hershey was founded by Milton S. Hershey, of Hershey Chocolate Company fame, and is known as “The Sweetest Place on Earth” due to its connection with the beloved American brand.
One of its top meeting venues is also a historic landmark, The Hotel Hershey, established in 1933. The opening of the hotel was part of “The Great Building Campaign” started by Milton Hershey during The Great Depression. When chocolate production slowed at the Hershey factory, he employed 600 men to build structures around town, including The Hotel Hershey, Hershey Theatre and Hersheypark Arena.
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Today, the AAA Four Diamond Hotel Hershey offers 276 guest rooms, 25,000 square feet of meeting space and easy access to local attractions such as Hersheypark, Hershey’s Chocolate World, Hershey Gardens and ZooAmerica.
“One of the best ways to describe Hotel Hershey is ‘elegance without pretense,’” says Michael Reynoldson, assistant director of resorts sales for Hershey Resorts. “The team pays close attention to detail and prides itself on refined elegance and signature service, making it a one-of-a-kind destination.”
While groups could easily spend the majority of their time at The Hotel Hershey, or the even larger 665-room Hershey Lodge, there is plenty to see and do in the remainder of Hershey.
The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum is a must-visit for car buffs, with an array of vintage vehicles out on display. It’s also got plenty of room to impress attendees, with over 71,000 square feet of space for gatherings of 40 to 400 seated banquet-style and up to 900 for reception-style events.
Lancaster County Charm
Lancaster County provides an interesting dynamic for groups, in that they can hang out in what is evolving into a trendy downtown scene and shortly after find themselves in Amish Country.
“Most of the population knows us as a leisure destination … the shopping, the outlets, the Amish culture is just so unique … but we also have this incredible artsy, hip downtown with art galleries, ethnic cuisine, and cool venues,” says Mara Sultan, senior sales manager for meetings with Discover Lancaster.
The Lancaster County Convention Center offers a mix of modern and historic meeting space. The facility includes more than 90,000 square feet of space for conventions, events and tradeshows, and an additional 14,000 square feet at the adjoining 299-room Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. Both incorporate the 19th-century Beaux Arts facade of the former Watt & Shand department store in their design.
Also within the lobby/public space of the convention center is the William Montgomery House, a more intimate space that can accommodate VIP receptions for around 50 people. The historic mansion was built in 1804 by architect Stephen Hills for William Montgomery, a prominent local attorney.
“It is absolutely elegant,” Sultan says, in reference to the William Montgomery House. “It’s just a perfect building for a more intimate meeting, dinner or cocktail party. It’s one of my favorites.”
Other historic boutique-style meeting venues include Cork Factory Hotel, Lancaster Arts Hotel, The Inn at Leola Village and the Amish View Inn & Suites, located outside of town.
The space that holds the 77-room Cork Factory Hotel once housed a 19th-century cork manufacturing giant. The building was refurbished and includes more than 6,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. The 63-room Lancaster Arts Hotel sits inside a renovated 1800s tobacco warehouse and is now filled with original works of art from local Pennsylvania artists. It offers over 1,100 square feet of space.
The 63-room Inn at Leola Village is a 14-minute drive from downtown Lancaster and is set on the gardens of a former Amish farm. The AAA Four Diamond property offers over 7,000 square feet of meeting space and can accommodate up to 325 guests for a reception. The 50-room Amish View Inn & Suites is ideal for smaller groups looking to explore Amish country. The hotel’s Dutch Lantern banquet room can accommodate up to 300 guests and it also offers a small amount of meeting space.
The three nearby Amish attractions—Amish Experience, Amish Farm & House and Amish Village—all work with groups looking to experience the Amish lifestyle and culture firsthand.
In addition to all of Lancaster’s unique hotels, there are also a notable number of off-sites that showcase the area’s history, including President James Buchanan’s Wheatland in downtown Lancaster and the nearby Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, both of which can accommodate larger groups for meetings, receptions and teambuilding opportunities.
