Hershey Park's Centennial Celebration is a Splash!

Owner Milton S. Hershey was a man ahead of his time. One hundred years ago, Hershey completed a rare project designed to benefit his employees. Hershey built a playground and picnic area for Hershey employees to enjoy. Today, the area is known as Hershey Park.

Hershey's centennial celebration kicks off with the debut of "The Boardwalk at Hershey Park." Celebrating "100 years of happy," the Boardwalk boasts two great vacations for the price of one. All Boardwalk attractions are included in admission to Hershey Park.

The Boardwalk has five water attractions, including the largest water play structure ever built: East Coast Waterworks. Holding more than 54,000 gallons of water, this attraction features 7 slides, ranging from 6 feet to an astonishing 4 stories high! With 2 crawl tunnels and 600 interactive toys on various levels, everyone is sure to have a blast. The Rider Rating is 3- moderate level thrills.

In addition to East Coast, Hershey's Boardwalk also features the Coastline Plunge. At a height of 50 feet, riders have four options at this water slide. The inline tubing Riptide and Surge slides have the high thrill Rider Rating of 4. Riders can go alone- or with a partner if they prefer. The Riptide slide is green while the Surge slide is blue. Another slide with a 4 Rider Rating is Vortex. The blue and orange slide features a large bowl at the end, which the rider circles several times around the center before exiting. The final option at Coastline Plunge is the Whirlwind slide. This blue and yellow slide warns riders of the aggressive 5 Rider Rating. While on this exhilarating slide, the bottom falls out and the rider is subjected to a whirlwind as centrifugal force whips everyone around the interior.

The Waverider is another popular attraction at the new Boardwalk. This slide allows riders to sit on a board and surf the waves. Slides are set up in pairs for surf competitions between friends. Waverider has a Rider Rating of 4- high thrills, depending on the surfers, of course.

For the tired, or faint of heart, the Boardwalk offers Bayside Pier. The mild level 2 Rider Rating is the perfect spot to relax in the water, or enjoy a smaller slide. Bayside Pier is the perfect place to work on a suntan and play with younger children.

Obviously a chocolate company would not forget the tiny travelers. The Boardwalk features a special area just for the kids: Sandcastle Cove. With zero depth entry and an average water depth of 9 inches, this mild level 1 children's ride is the safe place for younger children. Little ones will be delighted to explore the sand castle, the water slides and water curtains they find inside.

Located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Hershey Park will open The Boardwalk on May 26, 2007. Summer Admission Tickets are $45.95 for adults, with discounted rates for children, military and seniors. Children under 2 are admitted free. Additional multi-day price saving tickets are also available. Visit www.hersheypa.com/attractions/hersheypark/tickets/index.php for more information.